Letter from the International Hobie Class Association to NAHCA.




INTERNATIONAL HOBIE CLASS ASSOCIATION




October 15, 2003




Rich McVeigh, Chairman, North American Hobie Class Association


14813 Fireside Drive


Silver Springs, MD 20905-5542


USA




Dear Rich McVeigh,




It has come to our attention that the NAHCA is allowing open class multi-hull racing at regattas that are designated for Hobies. Please be advised that this practice is in complete violation of the goals, purposes and intent of the IHCA as defined in the IHCA constitution and rules book. As you know, the NAHCA is a region of the IHCA and is bound by the international association’s constitution, bylaws, rules and ISAF contract. Should the NAHCA wish to allow open class racing, it would have to make a submission to the IHCA requesting a change of the constitution and rules. Until such a submission is approved by both IHCA and ISAF, the NAHCA is hereby given notice that open class multi-hull racing at Hobie regattas must cease.




The current situation, as it has been presented to the IHCA executive, arose about a decade ago out of an annual general meeting of the NAHCA where members proposed a motion to allow open class racing at Hobie regattas. The NAHCA’s chairman at the time assured the membership that approval of open class racing had been obtained from the IHCA. A review of IHCA records has shown that no such approval was ever granted, and in fact was never even requested. Had the approval been requested, the IHCA would most likely have denied it for many reasons, not the least of which is we are partially funded and strongly supported by the Hobie Cat manufacturers. In the absence at the AGM of accurate information regarding IHCA approval, it became obvious that the motion would carry, so some of the more traditional class members insisted on a set of criteria, which were adopted, including that no open class member could become an officer of a fleet, division or region.




Since this time some Hobie regattas have included open class racing, mostly in Michigan, Florida and a few other places on the east coast. The practice has diminished Hobie classes throughout the east, particularly in Divisions 8 and 10. In both divisions Hobie fleets were infiltrated by open class members who eventually became officers contrary to the NAHCA’s criteria described above--and took over the administration of these fleets. In some cases they dissolved the Hobie fleets to create new multi-hull associations composed of open class fleets. There is a strong indication that this practice is starting to spread to other divisions as well, and in the interests of our members we feel strongly about stopping it.




We fully understand that after 10 years of allowing open class racing at Hobie regattas it may be extremely difficult for the NAHCA to implement this directive to stop the practice. Recognizing the far reaching and immediate negative results the implementation will no doubt have for your organization, we request that you develop a plan for meeting this directive and submit it to the IHCA Executive Director by December 31, 2003.




The NAHCA phase out plan must include several IHCA imposed conditions, specifically;


The plan must terminate by December 31, 2004.


• Open Class boats permitted to participate under a phase out program will be restricted only to boats that have previously participated in a Hobie event prior to August 1, 2003 i.e Only Skipper and boat combinations that were raced in Hobie events prior to August 1, 2003 will be permitted to race in any 2004 Hobie event.


• No new Open Class boats will be permitted to participate.


• Skippers of all Open Class boats eligible and desiring to participate in this phase out program will be required to obtain IHCA or Regional Annual Membership for 2004.




This has been a very difficult decision, but we are bound by the constitution, rules and the ISAF contract. There is no other choice. It is now a matter of when and how you implement this directive. Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.




Sincerely,




Paul Ulibarri, IHCA President


Lori Mohney, IHCA Vice President


Brian Phipps, IHCA Vice President


David Brookes, IHCA Vice President and Executive Director




Letter from Hobie Cat Company to NAHCA.




October 24, 2003




Mr. Rich McVeigh


Chairman


North American Hobie Class Association


14813 Fireside Drive


Silver Spring, MD 20905-5502




Re: Open Class Racing




Dear Rich,




For ten years I have followed with interest the decision to allow open class boats at Hobie regattas and the effect of that decision on the North American Hobie Class Association. When the decision was made, I was—like others at the time—reluctant to allow other multihulls to attend Hobie events for fear that it would negatively affect the Hobie Class Association over time. The argument then was that one-design racing, which made the Hobie racing class so successful, was not attracting enough sailors in many areas to be financially viable. One answer was to allow a single “open class” start at Hobie regattas. This single start was meant to allow not only open class boats, but Hobie boats that did not have adequate numbers for a single start. The goal was to allow more sailors to participate and to create the income required to run a regatta.




Unfortunately, looking back at how this decision has affected the Hobie Class, my feeling is that we made the wrong decision ten years ago—especially considering some recent developments associated with open class boats.




When this topic first arose, it was a difficult decision for many people to make; it was also difficult to manage. I have witnessed the effects of this decision on various regions of North America. There are regions that have been relatively unaffected and they remain nearly 100% Hobie participation. There are regions that are mildly affected that have only a few open class boats participating in regattas. Then there are regions where Hobie regattas are no longer Hobie regattas, as the majority of boats are other brands. In some cases, the Fleet Officers and/or Division Officers are not even Hobie owners. As the manufacturer of Hobie Catamarans and a major supporting partner of NAHCA, we have reached a point where we must re-evaluate our current support of the Class in light of these recent developments.




I am sure you understand that Hobie Cat Company has its foundation in the manufacturing and sale of Hobie Cats. To remain in business, we must base our decisions on those premises.




It seems obvious to me that for the continued health of the Hobie Class in North America, there is a far greater chance of this happening if NAHCA, Hobie Cat Company and our Hobie dealers are all successful and thriving. When Hobie Cat Company is financially healthy, we are better equipped to support NAHCA, and you have witnessed this over the past several years. Our support and willingness to help have certainly increased, and I trust that this has been beneficial to the organization. However, there have also been indications in the past few months that make us question our continued support of NAHCA and regattas; i.e., the decision to allow open class boats and the effect that decision has had on the Hobie Class.




As you know, we provide financial assistance to NAHCA for both day-to-day expenses and for special purposes as they arise. In addition, we donate items to Hobie regattas when the organizers request giveaways or raffle items. We do this because we believe that promoting regattas and the Hobie Class helps to maintain active Hobie sailors. Many of our Hobie dealerships also provide another level of support to NAHCA events. In some cases our dealers actually run events themselves; in others, they provide financial assistance or manpower.




On several occasions this year we were informed that at some regattas that had open class boats sailing, the organizers were promoting the purchase of boats other than Hobie Cats. We have to look at this very seriously, as we are not in business to promote our competitors and we do not want to support regattas or organizations that do not support us in return.




When the majority of boats at a Hobie Cat regatta are not Hobie Cats or when other brands of boats are promoted, we need to reconsider our support of these events. In the past, we were assured that if we supported a Hobie regatta with giveaways or raffle items, they would end up in the hands of Hobie sailors. This is no longer the case. As I mentioned, it is our intention to support Hobie sailors and Hobie events.




I understand that you have received a directive from the International Hobie Class Association to discontinue allowing open class boats at Hobie events. I am certain that this is a difficult decision for you, and it will likely have far-reaching ramifications. However, I want to express that Hobie Cat Company is in full agreement with this change in policy for NAHCA, and we are prepared to help where needed. We look forward to rebuilding the Hobie Class Association and the challenges that will present. In the long run, we believe that this course is appropriate for the long-term health of the North American Hobie Class Association and Hobie racing.




Yours respectfully,




Doug Skidmore


President


Hobie Cat Company




Response from Rich McVeigh of NAHCA.




A change has come.


Rich McVeigh




Upon reading the accompanying letters, it is quite apparent that a situation has developed with the IHCA and the Hobie Cat Co. regarding the NAHCA’s practice of permitting the participation of boats other than Hobie Cats at Hobie Cat regattas. This presents a difficult situation for the NAHCA and for me as chairman.




As a regional body of the International Hobie Class Association (IHCA), NAHCA must comply with the IHCA class rules and constitution. Additionally we receive substantial financial support from the Hobie Cat Co., without which we would be hard pressed to continue providing the services to which our members have become accustomed. With these facts in mind, it is not a question of whether we will comply with the wishes of the IHCA but how we will go about doing so.




The NAHCA officers are fully aware of the different situations around the region regarding the open class issue. This subject has been debated for some time. The class officers and I have held some long discussions with the IHCA and the Hobie Cat Co. on this issue and we know this is going to be painful for some regions, and yet a non-issue for others.




For some time I have heard arguments regarding fleets in which more than half of the fleet members, including the commodore, do not own Hobie Cat boats and the majority of the boats at their regattas are not Hobie Cat boats. For these groups the solution is apparent. These fleets will need to reconsider whether their organization is a Hobie Cat fleet in name only or a catamaran club. Similarly these fleets will need to reconsider how they will be running future Hobie Cat regattas.




In the dinghy world there are class-sponsored events and there are invitational events. Using the Laser class as an example. There are Laser events, which are sanctioned by the class association. At these events you will see Lasers and only Lasers competing. In comparison many yacht clubs offer dinghy regattas, at these regattas Lasers may be one of several dinghy classes invited to participate. I believe this is the direction we will now be moving as well.




The Hobie class will continue to sanction regattas throughout the North American region through the division and fleet structure. To be a sanctioned regatta the host will have to comply with IHCA class rules and constitution. Specifically, non-Hobie Cat boats will not be able to participate in Hobie class sanctioned regattas. Organizations that run events, which include non-Hobie Cat boats, simply will not be running a Hobie class sanctioned event. Additionally these organizations will no longer be able to utilize the Hobie Cat name, the NAHCA name or Hobie Cat trademark in their Notice of Race or event advertising. In short, these events will no longer be considered "Hobie Cat” regattas. Organizations that elect to organize an open invitation regatta rather than a “Hobie Cat” regatta are no longer required to follow the Hobie class standardized racing program and all we can say is that we wish you well. Alternatively if an organization chooses to offer a “Hobie Cat” regatta, the Hobie class and the Hobie Cat Co. will continue to do all we can in offering our support to you and the event. We have some successful and popular programs available and we are continuing to pursue other avenues of event support, such as our new insurance program. Our class has been successful by offering a standardized one-design racing program and we will continue this in the future.




Is there a happy medium? Can a Hobie fleet continue to exist within a larger organization? Sure and there are plenty of examples of how this can work. In many cases Hobie fleets exist within a yacht club or other organization. This is entirely appropriate and does not need to change at all.




We know this will be a painful decision for some. We fully understand that the Hobie class will lose some events and likely some members over this issue. While we will be a slightly smaller organization we will be an organization more focused on our mission of promoting Hobie Cat sailing. This is a mission we are going to purse with vigor to foster the sport of Hobie Cat sailing. In recent years, the Hobie class has become more mainstream with respect to the rest of yachting world. We are becoming more involved with all the national sailing authorities in North America as well as ISAF. The level of professional race management offered at our premier events is second to none. We recently had a professionally run championship event with 70 boats. How many other sailing classes can offer that?




The IHCA has agreed to give us one year to make the necessary changes to be in compliance with the class rules. The IHCA agreed to this as we have been in this situation for some time and it is unreasonable to expect it to go away overnight. For 2004 we will continue to operate in a manner similar to past years but under the following IHCA directive (as stated in the accompanying letter from the IHCA):


• Open Class boats permitted to participate under a phase out program will be restricted only to boats that have previously participated in a Hobie event prior to August 1, 2003 i.e Only Skipper and boat combinations that were raced in Hobie events prior to


August 1, 2003 will be permitted to race in any 2004 Hobie event.


• No new Open Class boats will be permitted to participate.


• Skippers of all Open Class boats eligible and desiring to participate in this phase out program will be required to obtain IHCA or Regional Annual Membership for 2004.




The IHCA and the Hobie Cat Co. are expecting us to be in full compliance with regard to this issue after January 1, 2005.




If you are thinking of switching to a Hobie Cat, please also know that in 2004 we will make every effort to make loaner or charter boats available. If you are interested in sailing at a regatta please contact your Division Chair and dealer in advance.




Sincerely,




Rich McVeigh


Hobie Class Assoc. Chair