Hobie Sailing Advertising

How does Hobie advertise their cats? Or do they at all?

I have heard they used to depend on free product placement in movies, you know, scenes set in tropical looking places, etc.

Now, I am not so sure. Once upon a time a product could be seen in a movie, travel magazine picture, television show, etc, and nobody seemed to care that the brand might be recognizable. Now, product manufacturers must pay big time to be seen, even if only in the background. Or risk bieng sued, etc. So now, logos, trademark emblems, company names, are removed or 'blurred out'. No more free advertisement rides. Case in point, recently I saw a commercial for zocor or something like that (oops, that's advertising, isn't it? ). It showed a couple riding in a vintage ~67 Mustang, when they showed the car close up, it was completely devoid of any markings. Even the running horse was blacked out on the grille. I was like, come on, give me a break!

So anyway, maybe they are out there, but I have never noted real Hobie advertising, other than pehaps, their kayaks. Am I missing something?

It would seem with the current fuel and 'green' awareness climate, the drive to use 'free' natural resources, sailing in general, espcially high performance, durable, and affordable little cats that Hobies are, should show a resurgance in popularity. But people do need to see these pretty rigs advertised if they are to become interested, and know what they are.

Now, I did see something something interesting, while visiting the local Radio Shack of all places (I did it again, didn't I? ). They had a loptop with a video running, with stunning footage of Hobie Cats, differnet models, different scenes, all Hobies, and all markings clearly visible, not just a couple of seconds, but it seemed to go for several minuites, or at least as long as I was watching (I did not want to leave ). It did finally come to an end, with a big Radio Shack logo. I asked the sales guy where the video came from, he just stated it was a 'standard' video they put on their display laptops. It may be worth going to your local store to see if they run the same one! Really awesome!

Perhaps this is this their secret?

_________________
Jim

2007 Hobie Wave

AGREED.

Is it just me, or does it feel like (based on the number of neglected, abandoned, CHEAP hobie 14's & 16's & 18's out there) that everyone cast away their sailboats since about 1990 and bought jet ski's and powerboats instead? And the remaining banana eating granola crunching LL Bean folk (like myself, I'm not trying to insult anyone here!) bought kayaks instead? (I own two myself). It took a local classified on a Hobie 18 to get me hooked back in the sport.


The problems:

The catamaran marketplace HAS been terribly fragmented over the years with various models all vying for a sustainable market share. Think of where the sport would be if half of the R&D had been spent on getting new people interested, instead of getting an interesting new boat to market. (I know, you do have to stay in business)

Somehow, has sailing in general has ceased to be "cool" to young, monied (banana eating granola crunching LL Bean folk)? Or have they simply never thought about it? Thought it was too complicated? (Very most common observation I get when I rig the 18)

Sometimes I've wondered if the answer wasn't a couple of nice, light, pretty, 14 to 16 foot fiberglass hulls with a single, high aspect ratio mylar main, shrouds, forestay, bridles, mainsheet, traveler, rudders and drain plugs...

But I now think that a new or different or somehow simpler or bigger or smaller model (they already make the Wave and Getaway) will change the sport in the least. It would appear that the market for catamarans with existing catamaran sailors is steady at best, with various manufacturers' efforts directed at the existing market (e.g., build a better / faster / lighter mousetrap and they will swim a path to your door), given that it is a necessity to do so to survive. Yet this will not grow the sport. It is only product differentiation within an existing market.

We could count the ways that cat sailors have been siphoned or withheld from the market - power boating, windsurfing, kite surfing, kayaking, video game consoles, cable TV, ipod's etc...distractions

I'm not interested in the Hobie Way of Life, that has always came across as just plain strange marketing to me. But I'm young, maybe its just me.

Sailing seems very daunting to many of the "quick start directions" set of people. One or two bad experiences, and its off to the next distraction.

Marketing is terribly expensive and ineffectual unless targeted to a receptive market. Where is this receptive new market for catamarans? (Assuming that the most potential exists in expanding the current marketplace with new entrants) It's amazing to me that Hobie is marketing an inflatable kayak. I hope it works out well for them, and yet I wonder what it means or information it conveys about the marketplace, especially if they do very well with it.

Please, anyone with any ideas feel free to chime in. I have had some truly great experiences on catamarans, including the time this summer near sunset on glass smooth water with a light perfect air and a perfect sunset when I set the main and left the tiller and steered / sailed simply by moving where I was standing on the cat. Very beautiful.

Means the fun stuff is selling big. The high tech stuff not as well.




True.

Simplicity, agility, light weight, moderate length, one or two hander, wave-piercing bows. A fun boat in the 16' length.

Then one day much later, the bug can bite that owner and he or she will buy the high tech H16 or FX or Tiger for racing with all the goodies including the laser-guided bombs. Or whatever.

If the Hobie Pearl were that boat, it's probably stuck in Europe.

ALSO TRUE.



Believe it or not, many people that I take out on my 18 for the first time feel daunted by a daggerboard. Or a trapeze system. Or a jib sheet and block on the trampoline...Much less outhaul, downhaul, mast rotation, diamonds, etc...

So over the course of the summer I:

Totally removed the jib system. Completely Gone. Sail, furler, furler line, sheets, upper forestay, halyards, blocks, jib track (drilled out, removed, re-rivited tramp track) Everything. Replaced it with a 234"? forestay and bridles that were one inch longer. I don't even take the parts with me when I go to the lake. It's like losing overdrive in a vehicle; yes its slower, yes it points higher, yes it tacks EASIER in my opinion - most times you can power right through with zero worry of irons, losing to windward, etc...

Am finishing up the installation of SX wings and intend to remove the trapeze system as a result - for a perfect, fast FUN non - intimidating Hobie for an afternoon of sailing or introducing newbies. Has it become a Hobie Getaway? Haven't sailed one so I can't compare to that, but compared to three other (boardless) models of cats I have personally owned this 18 is tighter, more precise, easier to handle, more durable, more comfortable, more versatile and flat out faster (even under the main alone) than any of the others. A decently sailed 16 (unnofficial race)under full sail can beat it. But I can usually chase down any 16 that is simply being recreationally sailed, especially working upwind.

Kind of got off track there, but that is what works for me.