This is a very open-ended question that really needs debate rather than a yes-or-no poll, because for some people it might be a simple black-and-white issue, while for others there might be many variables that would affect their opinion one way or the other regarding specific events or specific types of events.

not good.

I played paintball for money at one point in my life. It turned an otherwise enjoyable sport into something I haven't even touched in many many years.

I think it depends on the race.
If you want professionals and people who really take the sport seriously to compete then yes money is a good idea.
But if you want people to have fun and enjoy the race then no its not a good idea, because then people become obsessed with winning and forget about having fun.

Mary:

I think it might lead to a situation where those with the biggest budget to spend would always win, unless it was very strict one design classes, What do you think?

Doug Snell
Hobie 17
Soon to be Mystere 4.3
www.tcdycc.om

Not good...
Need the pickle dish!
You need that for bragging rights, the money just goes in the pocket.

Clayton

I think you need to look at the America's Cup competition to see what happens when you allow unlimited amounts of money into the sport. I know there is no "Cash Prize" but the winners get millions in endorsement money and job offers, might as well be a cash prize. Of course to be an A/C winner you must invest millions of dollars then commit to a 3 yr., full time, every day racing campaign, oh, and be able to buy the best designers, boats, crew and skippers. That's what would happen, on a smaller scale, if there were substatial cash prizes. You would lose the fun, it would become a business.

The free beer is incentive enough for me. Please, let's keep the cut-throats out of small boat racing.

It would be bad for the sport. Need to mantain the Amateur status. Must avoid the "Arms Race", and keep the field open to all. We need to keep it affordable to all to grow the sport. That is why many of us prefer the one design boats.

In the early days of outboard power boat racing, the pros had even numbers and the amateurs had odd numbers. You could tell the difference.

When Colman bought Hobie Cat, we were given stock at a major regatta. Never cashed in the stock.

Although, look at the Olympics. It is no longer just for Amateurs.

Caleb

The America's Cup has morphed into racing billboards.

I think it would not make much of a difference.
Compare that to other sports such as tennis. With the ATP
tour and lots of money involved, there is still a number of local events where
amateurs of all levels compete.

Money prizes would surely widen the gap between amateurs and professionals
and possibly lead to a larger number of professional sailors,
which - as a consequence - might also increase the number of amateur
sailors participating in races.

If it would lead to better technology and improvement of the sport I would be for it. I just don't want to see professionals compete against amateurs. It would be a loosing battle. Money would win out.

Doug

Some kind of full blown Pro Tour circuit production (like the F1 18 footers) just might help. If it can be televised in scenic venues, marketed properly, with all the onboard and air-born cameras. I recall the Olympic? post about some screaming reach finish parallel to grandstands on shore.

This may spark a few viewers to find out a little more about catamarans, maybe buy a boat and possibly race in a local event.

and just for clarification "the sport" is catamaran racing, right? Not Opti's or J22's.

I'd not be willing to subject my and your boat to possible damage, with money on the line. Start racing Wave's for money and count me in.

As I recall a pro circuit was tried a number of years ago on Hobie 21's. I do not know why it did not last. Probably it was not profitable enough for sponsors and sailors.

If it caught on and sponsorships for a series were secured, TV contracts signed (with real meaningful money), then it would have a huge effect on the highest levels of sailing. The weekend warrior crowd will keep doing their thing.

NASCAR wasn't that big until Winston came around as a sponsor, then big companies parolled teams, TV picked it up and now it is a hugg money sport (?). This had little effect on local dirt trackers, but gives them some hope of the "big time".

We had an event with cash prices for the first three in each class (A, H16, interseries) last year and it was quite a success. No pros showed up, but all the guys that had been sailing some years ago got some friends boat out of the backyard and participated. Prices were 1500, 1000 and 500 Euros if I remember well.

The Pro Sail circuit included the Hobie 21 and Pro Sail Formula 40s. Cool stuff, there were races near shore for spectators, sponsors, TV time. And it died...

Our club occasionally does what we call the Turkey Buzzard race around the time of Thanksgiving. Teams put in $20 or so, and the top boats take the money home. Low key fun and nobody needs to make trophies.

Not sure what the effect would be on a bigger scale. To make the money truly worthwhile the events would need good sponsors or the entry fees would have to go up quite a bit. Other than that the amount you'd get wouldn't be much incentive.

When it comes to money - people get real funny - my 2 cents

I have to aggree with on of the other post, once money is involved as a prize, things starting getting weird, and entry fees start going up

If there are money prizes, it means that someone is throwing money at the sport, and probably not just to make the winners happy. Chances are the same spender will be throwing money at advertising and media coverage to get his goals realized. With that would come more money for race organizers (and therefor for the organizing clubs). So in the end, if money prizes mean more visibility for our sport, it should be a good thing (assuming visibility equals vitality, and assuming we all care about vitality of the sport).
But the day money prizes will be so significant that people will derive real income from them, that day is far away. It should be a "nice bonus, extra drink money" but bigger money prizes may trigger all sorts of negative side effects that I would gladly pass on.

I remember watching one of the races that was held on San Francisco Bay. They had miked Tom Blackaller (of A/C fame) who was skippering a F40. It was pretty interesting to watch the cat leaving the camera boats in their dust and hear Tom yelling at his crew.

Tom was also one of the color guys for the humongo New Zealand boat vs. Dennis Connor's cat. In one race the Kiwis got around the weather mark first and then found a hole. They got clear and the cat found the same hole. All the monohull guys on TV said that was the end but Blackaller told them to watch. The cat got clear and beat the Kiwis by minutes.

During the after race press conference one of the cat's crew was asked if they could have beaten the Kiwi's with a Hobie 17. He said no but it was a nudge nudge wink wink kinda moment.

I think it would be a good thing. There is alredy a professional level to the sport with big money sponsors. Offering prize money will only add depth. I raced bicycles as an amateur until I got good enough to earn a sponsorship and a paycheck. My desire to win and enjoyment of the sport didn't change because of the money, but it did give me - and lots of other riders like me - another level to shoot for and the means to train and race at a higher level.

Look at any sport with prize money offered at events and compare them with sports that do not offer cash prizes. Which has more exposure and more participation - at all levels? The answer is easy. Offering prize money will have little to do with who can offord the best gear (look at any mainstream sport for proof), on the contrary, it will probably encourage one-design sailing and bring out the best sailors.