Any reports from this year's event?

It looks like there are a few past TheMightyHobie18 NAC champs registered, so I would expect there is some tight racing.

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They're running it through Regatta Network, here's a link to results:

http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_regatta_results.php?regatta_id=11833&show_crew=1

Race details show Liz Walker as the PRO, is that correct?

Mike

Whoa, after 7 races, Marshack/Pioszak have 6 bullets and a 2!?!?

Mike

Can you explain how that is surprising? I'm not familiar with the competitors below Ken (TheMightyHobie18 national champions from the heyday??). Really not all the surprising as while the boat is different downwind from the A and F18/F16 that Ken comes from, its not that different upwind from those boats and first to the top mark can usually hold that lead downwind...

Some of them are recent champions. Ken is a legendary TheMightyHobie18 sailor, but that's an impressive set of scores regardless.

Mike

Mike it is, but look at Easton/Burds scores at major NE regattas where they have lead wire to wire against teams that are consistently ranked in the Top 10, including Ken...

Different boat, different event, and I realize the Alter Cup is a big deal but the TheMightyHobie18 is no longer a big deal boat. If the event was being sailed on F18's or Hobie 16's I would find the result more surprising, simply because of the depth of talent in those fleets, not saying the TheMightyHobie18 guys aren't competitive but I don't believe they are travelling internationally, sailing Olympic events etc. like many of the F18 and H16 sailors are.

Right, which is why we force the rotation of disciplines (S/H uni, D/H sloop, D/H spin), otherwise it becomes meaningful only to the spin sailors.

Using different classes (instead of always H16, A Cat and F18) is intended to make it more challenging.

We will be setting up a new survey soon to check in on our progress.

Mike

haven't been following this as closely as usual. Did you say they were using H 18? I didn't know they even sold those anymore.

Or are they talking that WildCat 18 footer Hobie sells?

If AC is using out-of-production boats, how do/did teams get platforms?

The Alter Cup is a BYOB. (Bring your own boat)
The championship rotates between three disciplines (All BYOB).
Spinnaker, Single handed and Sloop. So Round One was

F16s/ Pensacola
Hobie 16's San Fran
A Class/ Newport

F18s
Hobie 18s are part of the second round.
Perhaps the Isotopes or the Waves will step up for single handed class and complete the cycle next year?

Basically, if your class holds a nationals you would have standing to host the Alter cup.

The small endowment that multihulls control and supports the championship is unique compared to monohulls and the other championships..
US sailing Adult Championships

The provided boats /qualifier was not affordable AND was hostage to the marketplace because you were restricted to classes that were selling in the US. In practice... only spin classes were available and this excluded 2/3s of the sailors from effectively competing. We made the decision to take a minimum draw on the endowment to keep things going.

The change in championship format allows the entire community to have a turn at competing in a high quality championship for a very cool trophy.


Personally, I am DELIGHTED to see Gordon Isco, a true leader in the sport, from the earliest days, out on the race course on a Hobie 18! Proof to me that this format is a great opportunity for all racers in the sport.


If you think the championship should crown the best multihull sailor in the country.... go join the N17 class, the Olympics define the pinnacle of small multi racing.

Looking forward, should the championship committee add a fourth discipline. Large Multi's? eg.. the M32 or the F32's

And/Or should they add a handicap division using SCHRS and grouping Sloops (Hobie 16s, Hobie 18s and Hobie 20s) or Spins (F18s F16s)

Should the Championship Committe refocus the funds on Junior multihull championships?

You can make a strong case for all of these options. As Mike notes.... He will be looking for input and a consensus to work with the championship committee moving forward.

Remember, there are TWO different Committees here with some overlap in membership. Multihull and Championships.

Very interesting debate. I'll state that I think the current format is better than it has been in the past, but I think we need to consider what the Alter Cup actually means? To me, a young guy, it really has no meaning as to me the H16 National Champion or F18 National Champion or N17 National Champion crown the best double-handed multihull sailors. Is this intended to crown the second best, the Portsmouth handicap champ or??

My opinion, F16's and F18's should race more together but I know many do not share that opinion, and I respect that logic as well (reduction of fleet splits, we already have F16/N17/F18 competing for sailors). That being said, I don't think we want a major championship historically sailed in one design boats decided by SCHRS, though the Dutch Texel Open does it and that is without a doubt a very successful event.

Talk the M32 class, I could see them being interested, and probably even bring some money to the table.

I would say focusing on junior multihull sailing is sorely lacking in this country. Very sorely lacking. The kids want to race these fast boats but don't have avenues to them, and we don't have the youth multihull championship avenue that GBR and Europe have, resulting in a slightly less talented NA N17 teams than other countries with such youth opportunities.

While I agree with most that the AC would need to be on single type of boat (not raced PHRF, portsmouth, SCHRS or whatever) I would be hard pressed to find an H17 if I chose to try and qualify for the 2017 AC.

I suspect that limiting the selection of boats to those currently in manufacture would be problematic, as well (especially in affordability criteria)...?

let's see...
Single non-spin:
Wave
A-Cat
Weta (screecher?)

Double non-spin:
H-16

Single spin:
F-16 (maybe?)

Double spin:
F-16
F-18
N-17

Tris & bigger cats
Sprint 750
Weta
(new) stilletto
M32


What other boats are out there being built/sold and have critical mass for AC qualifiers?

I would second the idea of refining the AC as the top event for youth multihull sailing. Not sure how much "weight" an AC win would have on an adult's sailing resume (vs. perhaps a National or World level ranking) when looking for professional type sailing gigs.


I believe there may be several multi platforms for the youngsters which could be suited for the AC if enough youth programs adopted them. Similar to Laser radial or 420... And that may allow for several iterations of AC to use the same platform which would justify the cost of acquisition a bit more than changing platforms every year?

Heck, in a perfect world an AC champion would qualify for the olympic team...

I fully agree that we need to focus on youth and development. Otherwise, the whole thing could crater. Having said that, this is a respected adult championship and we need to work to retain that status.

The youth thing is a real problem. There was not enough interest this year to hold the Stevens Trophy event, and that is not healthy for us at all.

Mike

Well, it's official. Ken and Valerie are your new Hobie Alter Trophy champions! Great story here:

http://www.ussailing.org/multihull16-final/

Mike

Currently being produced does not have to be a criteria.

So, possible single handed classes are Waves, Weta,s Hobie 14... (Still an active World Sailing Class) and Isotopes. I believe all of these classes have a nationals in 2016.

Active sloop classes are Hobie 16s 18s and 20s.

Active spin classes are F16s F18s and of course the N17. I don't think the Nacra 20 or any of the flying boats get a critical mass of 10 boat to an NA's. The pending redesign of the n17 could make thinks problematic tho.

Lots of good choices tho.

It has been a few years ago that I suggested the Super Wave.., Wave with bow sprit and roller furling Hooter. This would accommodate two small kids or one bigger kid. And the cost would be far lower than any other Youth ideas out there.

But, alas, I was ignored.

Build it and make it happen.

Mike

I had always believed this to be true, but perhaps I'm not seeing the attendance at qualifiers needed to establish this as fact?

And your comment about the kids events makes me sad. Any really prominent reason strike you? Affordability of the platforms? Access to quality kid-only courses/races/events?

I mean, seriously, there are a billion optis out bobbing on any given weekend racing in circles. They all just go to Baseball when they turn 12 or something?

There isn't as clear of a pathway for youth cats. Mark has mentioned it before, it's partially a social thing, and partially a college pathway thing. Makes me sad, too.

The main problem with the qualifiers was inconsistency. Some areas were very strong, others were completely lacking. There was a secondary issue with having certified officials running them, but we could have overcome that with better attendance.

The cost of the provided boats was the primary reason for the change to BYOB, and made the qualifiers obsolete.

Personally, I think the lack of qualifiers is a huge problem, as now there's no nation-wide series carrying the US Sailing flag.

Mike

We use Open Bics but we're faced with the same thing.

We hold team practice on Sunday's so we don't have to contend with baseball/volleyball/surfing/etc. What we see is when the kids hit high school, they drop out because if their friends aren't doing it, they aren't doing it. We manage to retain the hardcore kids but the numbers are small.

The hardcore are easy to pick out. They're considering colleges that have sailing programs. One was recruited by a top Oregon school but all they had was a sailing club. Clubs are like intramural sports. She's heading to an east coast school that has a good program.

When I was the Council chairman I started the Fast and Fun program to introduce youth sailors to multihulls. We had Hobie Waves and a semi to transport them. The idea was to travel to clubs around the country and give the young sailors a chance to experience a catamaran. Art Stevens took over the job of running the program and did a good job on the West coast but it never made it around the country and eventually died on the West coast.

Gordon Isco