Interesting info from the 2003 reports from the ISAF classes.
(The numbers are from world wide totals)
International Catamarans
A Class
Number of boats built in 2002: 100
Number built in the last 5 years: 450
Number existing Worldwide: 1,000
US class members: 66
Price: $11,000 wo/ sails
Dart 18
Number of boats built in 2002: 20
Number built in the last 5 years: 100
Number existing Worldwide: 8,000
US class members: NA
Price: 13,000 w/sails
Formula 18
Number of boats built in 2002: 400
Number built in the last 5 years: 2,000
Number existing Worldwide: 3,000
US class members: NA
Price: $11,500
Hobie 16
Number of boats built in 2001: 320
Number built in the last 5 years: 2,200
Number existing Worldwide: 150,000
US class members: 800
Price: $7,495 w/sails
Hobie 17
Number of boats built in 2002: 25
Number built in the last 5 years: 197
Number existing Worldwide: 5,000
US class members: 225
Price: $7,995
Hobie 18
Number of boats built in 2002: 30
Number built in the last 5 years: 134
Number existing Worldwide: 18,000
US class members:120
Price: $9,795
Tornado
Number of boats built in 2001: 38
Number built in the last 5 years: 191
Number existing Worldwide: 4,800
US class members: 52
Price: 13,000 wo/sails
Other classes for reference:
Star
Number of boats built in 2002: 52
Number built in the last 5 years: 231
Number existing Worldwide: 2,800
US class members: 575
Price: NA
J/24
Number of boats built in 2002: 25
Number built in the last 5 years: 150
Number existing Worldwide: 5,400
US class members: 1,050
Price: $32,000
Laser
Number of boats built in 2002: 2,953
Number built in the last 5 years: 12,770
Number existing Worldwide: 177,400
US class members: 2,375
Price: $3,500
Lightning
Number of boats built in 2002: 27
Number built in the last 5 years: 168
Number existing Worldwide: 15,000
US class members: 1473
Price: $9,000 wo/sails
Formula Windsurfer
Number of boats built in 2002: 3000
Number built in the last 5 years: NA
Number existing Worldwide: NA
US class members: 100
Price: $1,500
ISAF Class Reports:
http:/
Does anybody else notice this :
>>Number of boats built in 2001: 320
>>Number built in the last 5 years: 2,200
>>Number existing Worldwide: 150,000
>>US class members: 800
When was the H16 launched 1970 ?
that is 33 years of production.
150000/33 = 4545 boats per year on average.
However in the last 5 years production was no more than 2200 / 5 = 440 / year = less than 10 % of the average above.
This leaves some 150000-2200 / (33-5) = 5279 boats a year in the timeframe 1970- 1998
I can be argumented that in the first years of production the Hobie cat company did not produce anywhere near to this 5200 boats / year = 100 boats a week. But for the calculation we just assume they did.
We have some 3 major Hobie builders : USA, EU and AUS. I don;t really see how hobie AUS can sell 33 boats a week in a nation with only some 16 million inhabitants, do you. Okay so New Zealand is included as well as south east asia but still it will only be reasonable that teh ration between the companies is some 2:2:1
This means that on avarage in the time frame of 1970-1998 Hobie US and EU had to produce AND sell some 41 Hobie 16's per WEEK during 28 years of production.
As these are averages I dare not calculate how many of these were passing trhought the doors at the heydays
Wouter
What is really sad is the number of U.S. Class members when it comes to the catamarans.
When I was working for a Hobie Dealer in San Diego (there were 4 "local" dealers within 30 minutes drive)in the early 80's...
We had weekends when we would deliver 7-8 boats from one store. There was a dealer in the LA area that sold hundreds a year.
I'd like to know how they determined the numbers worldwide. Are these just registered class members worldwide or are they actual construction numbers? This could explain a few of the stranger numbers.
BTW, the Tornado price of $13,000...I WISH! More like $20,000 w/o sails & shipping.
This has been an ongoing problem with reporting of numbers of boats. Some classes report based upon number of members in the class and some reports come from manufacturers based upon how many they manufactured and sold. Depends upon how the survey question was asked and how the class or manufacturer decided to answer the question.