NAHCA has a current member survey regarding the IHCA's proposed adoption of a spin class for the H16.
Having never sailed a Hobie 16 with the spinnaker I want to hear from those who have. I dont want to hear how it compares with any other boat, please (unless it's an analagious comparison). Other than plain old speed how does it change sailing this boat?
Thanks
The biggest drawback... 2 drawbacks: It makes the boat more complicated which will turn off the majority of our 16 sailors and
it would split the class.
Vote no! Bad idea for the H16 Class.
By the way, the North American class no longer goes by NAHCA. It is now the Hobie Class Association of North America. Maybe HCANA? I always found NAHCA too close to NACRA myself!
Matt, thanks for your opinion. I realize the potential of this "splitting" the class, that is if half the current 16 owners want to spend $1,500, install the system and then learn how to sail. Is it so "hot" of a setup you're sure half the class would jump at the opportunity to race a spi class?
Could this also be looked at as a step up from an entry level in Hobie racing or are you saying it would destroy the Hobie entry level?
I'll again revert to my original question, what's a H16 w/spi like to sail?
Is it fun to sail with a spinnaker? I think, yes. Will it help the Hobie 16 class? No.
I think it could split away some of the class, not necessarily by half.
The Hobie 16 is successful as a simple-to-sail boat. If some racers want spinnakers, there are Hobie classes available for that, such as the F18 Tiger.
This effort (by Europe mostly) is another ill conceived attempt to invigorate the H16 class. One along the line of bigger and faster makes better. What makes the 16 great is the simplicity.
If these guys want to sail with spinnakers on a 16, let them race in open class events where it is already permitted. Leave the Hobie Class Rules alone.
I agree, I think of our 16 as the throw and go boat, which no doubt attributes to their long standing success.
I'll say this, as Joe six-pack sailor, an old used H20 is barely within my budget reach, the F18 Tiger?...right now forget it. I have to wait for these boats to get old, then swap stories on resurrections. The thought of racing something "close" in performance to what I'm only reading about on these forums, at a total cost of $2,500 to $3,000, is a very intriguing possibility to me. Besides not knowing which direction to drive, it would be many, many miles before I found an open class regatta.
Justifying my curiousity. 
Needed to chime in on this spin thing – I think that a spin on the 16 would divide and weaken the class.
The 16 a great boat as it is. New sailors like it because it’s easy to sail and experienced sailors like it because it’s a challenge to sail fast(er).
It seems people are still tweaking and finding new ways to squeeze speed out of the 16, which speaks volumes for the class.
…and on the NAHCA / HCA thing – I thought it was HCA-NA
Rico.
The A Cats recently went through this same situation and decided not to move to a spinnaker. The reasons are basically the same ones Matt is using.
Matt is right lets leave the Hobie 16 class rules as is. I believe the spin for the H16 is a great idea and the new Let’s leave the Hobie 16 class rules as is. I believe the spin for the H16 is a great idea and the new system works well but I believe racing a H16 with spin is for the open class and is not for H16 fleet racing. The H16 will continue as a racing class long after many of the now new designs fades into history and the class will continue because it is simple, affordable, and durable. I have liked the little up-grades on the H16 through the years but I am afraid the spinnaker idea is just a step to far. I vote for no rule change in regards to the spinnaker upgrade!
There use to be this growing class that was starting to become popular in my area, can't think of the name....all I know is someone wanted to change something big in the class...what was it, oh yea the sail configuration...oh the name of that boat was the P19, or wait, half the class called it a P19mx o'well it does not matter the class around here is a thing of the past
Vote no on the Hobie 16 spinnaker issue!!!
I just got my spin for my H16 in, have not had it on the boat yet, got it to race a few open regattas and help the Us Youth Mulithull champs get ready for worlds. I love the H16 as it is, simple and easy to use. I can grab any cute girl off the beach and go race, add a spin and I have to have someone with spin experience to go sailing with now!
Thanks,
Brad Stephens
www.sunjammers.com
Hobie Division 15 Chairman
Authorized Hobie/Vanguard/Hunter Dealer
brad@sunjammers.com
850-235-2281
Panama City Beach, FL
The same thing happened in the North East. They had a great N6.0 fleet going until some of the guys decided to put spinnakers on the boat. That split the fleet in half and ended all their one design racing.