Will the company step-up and foster class regattas? Have they ever? I think Catalina hosts a few class regatttas each year.

Does anyone know?

Dave

Just curious what their marketing strategy will be. With Hobie doing there own thing, it kinda limits Performance' exposure.

I have stated in other posts that the thing in Cancun will probably be a winner. Hobie will probably turn a profit on the event itself and sell some boats. Also, it brings their flock together.

If I'm correct in this assumption, it is reasonable to think Performance may try the same approach.

Don't hold your breath. Performance doesn't seem to believe in advertising, promotion, or support.
They've been around a long time, and always in competition with Hobie. I have never seen them do anything to promote their boats.

I suspect that Performance's strategy will remain unchanged. They have always taken a hands off approach and I like it that way. I don't want the manufacturer to ever tell me how I can run a regatta or who I can sail with.

The sailors make the biggest impact when it comes to building fleets. We have built a pretty healthy I-20 fleet in Florida over the past few years and this is without the support of the manufacturer. The Hobie 14 sailors have done the same thing. It doesn't take a dictatorial organization to promote multihull sailing it takes sailors! Buy and sail what you like and promote the hell out if! It's all good.

As for their exposer being diminished by the edict... I'm not sure I see where you are coming from. In the southeast regattas will continue to be put on as they have for the last 5 years. There may be an attempt to have a Hobie only regatta in the Tampa area, but that's the only place I see the edict having any impact at all. Right now our schedule is pretty full, I can't attend all the scheduled regattas as it is, so it won't bother me to be excluded from a regatta or two.

Yes Hobie and Performance have very different business models. Yet both survive in a limited market.

Regards,
David Ingram

Just to clarify - the Hobie 16 Worlds is not being run by the Hobie Cat Company. They are providing the boats, which they will sell at the conclusion of the event. They are not responsible for the finances of the event.

The event is being run by the International Hobie Class and HCA North America. If there's any money left over, they will split it.

Performance has a strong record of hosting class regattas...including both North American Formula 18 Championships, 2002 and 2003. They will host the 18 Squares at Performance Race Week this year, October 4-7, on Tybee Island, Georgia. This isn't the first time for the 18 Squares at PRW. They have done so anytime the Squares asked. When I raced the 18 Squares in the 1985 - 1991 timeframe, there were a number of different boats, both home made from West Systems designs (or maybe Gougeon Bros.) based on A-Cats, LCD Category I boats from John Lindahl, NACRA 18 Square Category II boats, and the other production boat from a much smaller company (I can't come up with the name right now...I suffer from CRAFT...can't remember a f'n thing! ) as well as a few designs from individuals. Performance didn't care what boat you sailed...the more the merrier! Nothing seems to have changed. Hobie policy seems to be exclusive, Performance policy is inclusive.

Who has been your organizing body and how was insurance handled?

My point in asking is that insurance was the excuse local government used to finally kill off regattas here at home. I would still like to see a beach-cat come back here.

We are having a regatta here in Oct. but the guy running it has never been friendly to cats. Although, he does an excellent job with kids and the pram program. Time will tell how that turns out.

You and I are in absolute agreement on at least one point. It's all good and the sailors make the difference.

CRAM has been buying regatta insurance through the Golden Anchor program of USSailing for about 10 years. We are a gypsy club with no home beach. We host regattas at various Michigan State Parks throughout State. Several of the Parks require riders to cover our racing at that Park. We have had no problem getting those riders at a reasonable cost.