To Sail-s and others involved in the TH 16 class

Thanks Wouter that is good news! Please keep us updated on how the F16 HP class is doing.

Be carefull not to focus to much on the Hobie 16 as the youth training boat Miles. There are strong rumours that France is looking to replace the H16 with a genaker equiped/optimized design and when France drops the H16, the whole EU H16 will go into decline.

No offense Miles, just to draw you attention to this possible risk to spending time and effort without much return.

C ya,

Wouter

Actually I have no doubt that France will try to drop the H16 as a youth boat but that will not stop the H16 class from continuing the H16 as their youth boat. And actually within the H16 class there is more than enough support for the H16 youth class. I have no intentions of following France anywhere when it comes to a youth boat. Also whether France drops the H16 will not greatly effect the class in Europe, as some may be hoping. You may disagree with me but I am not fearful at all of a H16 decline but do see the need to start a youth H16 group within the class - just had a great youth turnout in Baja California. Some of the youth Trapseat sailors are a little saddened by France report of dropping the H16 as they were looking to promote inclusion at various upcoming youth worlds championships now if that change occurs they will do it within the H16 class, just a change of venue. I just know many H16 sailors feel we must go internally with our youth efforts which will help us but not have any effect on you, other classes, or France and more power to them.

Also I don't know what you mean by

drawing my attention to this possible risk to spending time and effort without much return.

Actually I am getting a lot of return as this forum is only a small part of the return (don't really look at this forum as a return as it is only one forum), getting return with the H16 class world wide, the first official 2002 H16 Trapseat event, lots of emails on the topics I post here, etc, etc. So don't know what you mean by no return.

Thanks for the comment any ways :{

Miles,

It was by no means a shot a you or the H16 class. I thought that you were about to compain for the H16 as the youth trainingsboat. Now in that respect I wanted to inform you of what the feelings are here in the EU which will have some effect on the discussion of which design might become the US youth trainingsboat for training crews with international aspirations.

Now France is something special, they have a system that links taxes with sailingschool and their sailingschools are very well funded. What ever the sailingschools sail, that is what will get an enormous boost in the rest of teh cat scene. H16 is still going strong internationally but in EU it's stronghold is probably FRance.

What I mean is good luck to all your initiatives but beware of outside influences. Adn hobie world wide is largely made up of Hobie EU.

By the way this is not in my own interest for the F16HP class have a different niche than the other classes and will not be in direct competition with the H16 anyway. The two designs are just differently oriented.

Just to inform you, good luck

Wouter

Thanks for the update as I was a little confused about your statement. To be honest and as you may know I am not really involved with other cat classes as my main focus is the H16 especially the Trapseat group (especially 2002 Trapseat worlds preparation) and the Access Dinghy's (starting pacific northwest and BC Access Dinghy Association). I talk a lot with H16 sailors in EU, AUS, SO. AFRICA, AND especially MEXICO and SO. AMERICA and there is a strong movement within the class to push youth racing, which we had a lot of success with in 2001 sailing season. I am not even interested in ISAF or France cat issues other than I am interested when the H16 will no longer be the ISAF youth boat and how the H16 class will expand their H16 youth worlds event at the regular H16 worlds. That is the great thing about the H16 class is we are totally self contained for the most part with of course support from Hobie Co's. Hobie EU has express strong commitment to the class for basically forever - they don't want to mess with a good thing.

Don't get me wrong I am interested what is going on with in the multihull world such as what you are doing but really have limited time to commit to it. In Coeur D' Alene Idaho we are in the process of getting 6 new H16's (4 with Trapseats) and 6 new Access Dinghy's and starting a youth program that includes those with and without disAbilities so I do enjoy sailing on several different levels, just wish I actually had more time to help other classes as there is a lot of good things going on in other classes. I am also a big fan of the Olympic TornadoSport and was very pleased that it remained the Olympic class as it has been around as long as the H16 and still is a classic and still very competitive against the so called new modern faster cats (actually not much faster if at all – then again speed is not much of a issue for me or great need for it).

Have you heard yet what cat France is looking closes at? One thing the H16 class was talking about is France and possibly the ISAF are most likely going with a new design with no boats available on all 5 continents and going with a more expensive boat. So from the H16 class perspective this is a great time to promote H16 youth racing as many youth get priced out of the sport. What’s really interesting in some So. American and African countries where the H16 is common they are fairly poor (financially but not spiritually or emotionally) yet they are out there sailing (that is commitment) yet the ISAF wants to go with a new more expensive non-available boat. So actually I think the ISAF and France selection process is more about money than promoting good affordable youth racing and participation, once again this is my and others perspective and we may be totally off base. I know I am very opinionated but you knew that.

Once again thanks Wouter!

I haven't heard any dependable info yet on what the new design muight be.

About H16 Youth sailing, Great ! Sound really lively

Wouter

Just got this email from the Hobie Co.:

I am in touch with our French manufacturer often and I have not heard that the French are planning to drop the H-16 as the Youth boat. In fact, they are currently working to supply H-16's to the ISAF Worlds coming up in this July and the Youth Worlds for coming years are being pushed to use the H-16 as one of the youth venues. I am hoping that some of the ISAF Youth Worlds will accept our offers to supply boats for these events. Canada declined, but we have hopes for the next few events after that.

Wouter

I know this is a dumb question but what does nm stand for?

Hobie 16 chosen boat for ISAF Youth Worlds

Thu, 22 Nov 2001

The ISAF Conference in Lisbon has confirmed the Hobie 16 as the Multihull Class for the Volvo ISAF Youth Worlds.

As the multihull discipline will be a mandatory discipline in all ISAF Youth World Championships after 2004, the ISAF has named the Hobie 16 as the nominated class. As an ISAF International Class with over 100,000 boats sold worldwide the worldwide popularity, availability and price of the boat made it a sensible choice.

ISAF had chosen the Hobie 16 as a demonstration class at the ISAF Youth Worlds in Cape Town, then as a full class at the recent Volvo ISAF Youth Worlds at Crozon-Morgat. This positive step by ISAF will allow the National Authorities to provide proper structure and planing for their youth and junior sailing program. As the Deutscher Segler-Verband and the Australian Yachting Federation have already endorsed the Hobie 16 as the Youth Catamaran boat, there is expectation other National Authorities will now follow.

As the Hobie 16 is the largest catamaran class in the world, with its strict one design rules and ease of accessibility to everyone in the world. Also with the support of ISAF, the International Hobie Class Association and the Hobie Manufacturers around the world supporting the Hobie 16 we are sure to see the numbers increase in future ISAF Youth Worlds.

by David Brookes