Take the RSX as an example.
There were no fleet at all before being selected as the Olympic windsurf board.
It was an equipment selection, an ISAF procedure, so is no not a final requirement.

The thing is, sadly, that the T is gone, after 30 years of good service. If monohull sailors opts for 90 year old boats like Stars, that´s their choice.

Is a good chance to have a catamaran that will last more than one Olympic cycle, think beyond 2016, for ie 2020, who is going to be sailing Tigers at top level by then??
I think Moths will be Olympic class by then..
Being the pinnacle, it does matter what pros are sailing.

Is not a matter of brands, Hobie has the Wildcat now, is a great opportunity for the Multihull community to plan ahead and offer a boat that will last some Olympics cycles.

With the Tiger argument, which I fully supported for 2012, there´s no better class than the Hobie 16...

I think this is a very important point in regard of youth sailors. The Tiger has its difficulties in F18 class races already and will have even more by 2016. Why should somebody buy a Tiger when one can race in one-class regattas only - do you have any Tornado-regattas in your area? I could participate almost every weekend in a F18-regatta in a distance of max 2-3 hours drive.
I see two options: either a then competetive F18 is chosen for the olympic games - or the Hobie 16. This is the typical youth-catamaran, there are 1000s in race condition around, the class will be still strong in 2016, aso.

I see the advantages of having such a large company like Hobie supporting olympic activities (and probably nobody else would has the resources to do that) - and their interest to still get some money out of their investment in the Tiger. However, I could imagine that they would be willing to support the Wildcat or H16 for Olympia 2016 as well.

Please remember that the decision makers for the games (ISAF and IOC) have a lot of other priorites than the age of the boat or what multihulls sailors think about the boat.

Rolf, that's the problem right there, it's not about what the Top Sailors want, it's about the politics, and we have seen how well that works out.

It worked out really well for the other disciplines though. I dont think this (current process and politics) will change so either we play the game or we throw our cards and let the different fractions within ISAF do whatever they feel like. I think we should play the game and focus on being in the games. We know what it is about now, networking and making it politically impossible to omit multihulls again.

I know I shouldn't add to the war about the Tiger vs .... However, what does any other catamaran have that a Tiger doesn't?

The Cap and Infusion have different hull shapes and mast profiles. But, it really doesn't change the way it is raced.

Only a C-class with a wing has anything that substantially makes the boat better than a Tiger. We know that they are not ready for general racing or the Olympics.

I agree with other posters that our focus should be promoting multihull sailing. I don't care too much about promoting it to the IOC or ISAF. I care more about promoting it locally. As a side effect, the IOC and ISAF will give us more respect and we can be in the Olympics.

1. We need to show up to regattas with other boats. Its the only way people will know we exist. Most people don't think of catamarans as racing boats. In America, most catamaran racing is done through Hobie fleets and no one outside gets to see it.

Every time I go to a regatta with monohulls, there are always people amazed at how fast and fun the boat is and want to give it a try. The younger they are the easier it is to make an impression on them.

This is were I think the "Hobie edict" failed us the most. Not only did separate Hobies from other cats, but it also separated most catamaran racing from the rest of the world.

2. Take people out on your boat that do not race catamarans. Both monohull sailors and people that have never raced. Since leaving college, I have averaged convincing one person per year to buy a catamaran by taking them out on my boat.

3. If you are a member of a yacht club, promote catamaran sailing at the club. Invite catamarans to compete at your regattas. In the US, if you are able to make it a Hobie points regatta, they will come. This helps people achieve #1.

4. Be helpful. If someone looking for a boat needs a place to store it in the winter, offer your yard. Help out new people by teaching them how to rig, sail, and tune the boat. Help people find crews or boats to borrow.

5. Don't exclude people or boats from your fun.

Are we talking about rotating boats in an Alter Cup type event or have the same boat for the same event?

Aha! So you admit the Tiger class is well developed and modern?

picking the Tiger WILL kill the F18.....

I would be hugely surprised if the F18 class would last long after the second Olympics. Remembering the Tornado was a B2.. How many other B2 have you seen recently?

Im sorry...
Tell me why a elite sailor would choose a Capricorn or Infusion over an "Olympic class" Tiger? They would all concentrate on the Tiger.. Why run two similar boats in a team?? The other builders would find their boats harder and harder to sell to the elites. Thus second hand boats would slowly dry up..

Whatever way you look at the situation the F18 will die. In my mind I would give the class 8 or so years after the first Tiger Olympics..

The Olympic Tornado killed the B2 class.. Even though the tall rig Quest B2 was faster..

Hogwash! I think the Tiger is an excellent choice! I've been hoping for this since it was kicked around initially. The Tiger is a PROVEN design, not outdated yet. Look at results. Look at the top finisher in the Tybee 500-Tiger as well as the GT300-Tiger again (corrected) but still there were plenty of Nacras in the mix. It's a solid, well thought out platform. It has the benefit of an evolving class and continues to prove itself over time. I think it's THE smartest choice to make as an Olympic multihull. Killing the F-18 class? Where did that fly ball come from?

I was talking with another catsailor who is a good friend of mine tonight. He's of the same mind as I am.

Going from the T to the Tiger is a step backwards. I'd rather see the 18ht out there. At least those boats are light weight, carbon mast and W/L optimized. Why would those crews want to go to a shorter, narrower, heavier and slower platform besides it being the Olympic boat? IMO, a new platform or a standardized VX20 type of boat is the ticket. Availability isn't great, but between now and 2016, I don't think there would be a problem. Once the boat is announced, you'd see teams start development immediately. By the time 2016 rolls around, you could have a faster and more entertaining platform to watch.

18HT rising from the grave of the dead boat society! what a coup that would be. Now if i could lose another 35lbs...

The 5-slot approach and Tiger for both men and women seem to me to be a very good way to go and I'm not known as a Hobie lover !

I would love to see a lighter more modern design be chosen (maybe even designed specially for it) but I can't say that that approach is realistic in these times.

So yeah, the proposed setup has my support too.

Wouter

From what I have seen, the Tiger is just as competitive on the race track as the Infusion, Capricorn and Wildcat. Some of the top sailors have now shifted off the Tiger for the Wildcat which has diminished the top end Tiger fleet but the boat is no slower then when it was winning against Caps / Infusions ect.

Choose the Tiger as the Olypic boat and the guns WILL be on the Tigers. The Tigers WILL dominate the F18 fleet.

Choosing the Tiger would be a very bad Idea for the F18 fleet. If you or Hobie believe the Tiger is an out of date F18, then ban the Tigers from racing in the F18 fleet if you wish to be an Olympic class. This way the class will not have any effect of the F18 class.

Why not start with a fresh sheet of paper. A boat that can be sailed by both men and women. A boat like the Viper would be perfect but could overlap with the F16 class which it is part off. Why doesn't a builder produce a simular boat in weight and sail area but make it a 17 footer? Make it significantly different to a N17 or FX1.

If Hobie, Nacra, AHPC or any large manufacurer develop such a boat and proposed it, whould this be a more attractive option?

Hobie Tiger does NOT have my support and never will.

Steve,

I dont think the Tiger will dominate the fleet, but perhaps the top guns will continue to dominate the F18 fleet? Bundy and Ashby, Mitch Booth and others will work on promoting the Wildcat at the big F18 events, just like other olympians and olympic hopefuls will promote NACRA or other designs.
I dont see the large difference for the F18 class if the Tiger is choosen. The same persons might still win, but does that mean the Tiger will be the boat of choice for everybody. Why does it have to go the same way as the B-class did when the Tornado was choosen? I think the F18 fleet and concept is strong enough to handle the Tiger as an olympic class, just like the B class was not back in the 60s.

BUT, if the F18 class dont want the Tiger as an olympic class and a legit F18, I have all respect for that. No multihull sailor wants any damage done to the F18 (or any other) fleet I think/hope.

Sadly Olypmic sailing has reached an unhealthy level of professionalism and bringing in the Tiger will not fix this. It may however bring this unhealthy influence into the F18 class which would not be in the members best interest. It would help fatten the pockets of Hobiecat though. Could also have a VERY negative effect on the Wildcat. If the Tiger was the Olympic class and I was to buy an F18, I would choose a Tiger without question unless it was significantly more expensive.

An F18 class selected as an Olympic class would effectively give that manufacture and unfair advantage in the F18 class. In Australia, if sailing was a business, this would be a breach of the Trade Practices Act and Hobiecat would be having a little chat with the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)

Steve,

as long as the Tiger is locked down to SMOD, are you still of the same opinion? I know the F18 class backed the ITA at Estoril and later as the olympic multihull, but dont know where they stand today. Hopefully they are on top of this.

I believe we, the cat community, should all sit back, re-group and focus on promoting cat sailing as a whole. That includes junior programs, which is now going to be a truck load harder with no Olympic support.

Disputing now what should be sailed in 7 years is a little pointless. With everyone pulling separate directions we'll be left playing with ourselves in 2016.

For what it's worth I believe the cat association should run a selection, much the same as the 49er did. granted that too will be political, but everything is at the top.

history!! You know the thing that one should study to see what happened and why!!

The Tornado was ONE of the B class boats! When it was selected there were Mantas, Quests etc etc etc.. now go right ahead and tell me one B class fleet in existence!!