POLL: Racer VS recreational sailor

Any time a topic comes up about modifying technical things on a boat, a common concern is about being "racing class legal". I was wondering out of the forum membership how many racers we have versus recreational sailors that just sail for fun and could not care less about racing regulations.

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Marc...
1978 Hobie 16 Keoke, sail# 36 84

I do not consider a non points racing hobie sailor an amateur. If you are not getting paid to race then you are an amateur.

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Bodhisatfa

I sometimes race in class events, but only for the fun of it!

When I go out for my club's races, I'm usually the only Portsmouth boat out there. So, often I'll just go off and play in the puffs. Why waste time going around a race course if there's better wind on another part of the lake?

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What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

+1

Maybe modify the poll? We race as much as the pocketbook will allow and at best we're mostly "weekend warriors", and I do it for FUN!

I have one boat to race and others for FUN. Interestingly enough my FUN boats are both class legal. Can't really think of any non-factory things I'd want...Hobie Cat sails and tramps are the best.

"Technical modifications"...the wealth of information available here, and people willing to share it freely helps everyone in the long run. Someone pointing out a mod is not class legal is a good thing for the community as a whole. Making an irreversible modification to a boat can hurt its resale value, on the other hand, anyone has the right to do any modification they want.

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Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

I do agree that stating if a modification is race legal or not is good. My first reaction to those comments was that it only applies to racers, but I never considered resale value. In the case of my '78, it's already not legal with the one piece aluminum mast and since I don't plan to trailer my boat several hours to go race it, making it legal is pointless for me.

Besides the mast, everything is legal (to my knowledge), but upgrading to a comptip mast is near the bottom of the list as far as upgrades go. I'll replace my sails and mainsheet blocks long before that.

I know the all aluminum mast conducts electricity, but I rig my boat in the spring where the closest power line is 500 feet inland and I leave it rigged on the beach until the fall. Only concern would be a thunder storm.

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Marc...
1978 Hobie 16 Keoke, sail# 36 84

We changed our course and have been developing sailing again at the base level. We had run out of customers to sell high performance product to years ago. 5 % of our business is probably glass now. We have always seen, at most, 10% of the product going into racing. The rest has always been recreational use. It is far to expensive to develop product that doesn't sell well. Maybe in the future we will have developed the market again, but for now... we will concentrate on what sells.

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Matt Miller
Hobie Cat USA

The above is part of what was posted on Sept. 28, 2006 at 10:33AM under What Sells. It might help to answer your question about how many (%) are racing and how many sail their boats recreationally (Amateurs???).
My 1979 H16 is like yours - All aluminum mast. Most everything else are Hobie pieces and parts. I used to race about once or twice a year in Cat Fight Regattas, but now race about once every couple of years. I recretional sail, on average, about twice a month year round; mostly in Southern CA. I usually sail with family or friends; occasionally single handed.

I guess "amateur" was not the appropriate term. I changed the subject to "recreational" instead.

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Marc...
1978 Hobie 16 Keoke, sail# 36 84

I can't answer your poll
there isn't a choice of BOTH

...and whoops, I lied my FUN 16 has a solid mast (not class legal).

BTW, those late 70's boats were light and can be fast. IF you wanted to extend your FUN to a regatta, I'd find a used, comp-tip mast for that purpose.

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Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

What is beating the mess out of sailing these days are the...

KAYAKS!

Most people just want time on the water and in the sun. You spend your time and money and get pure outdoor, recreational fun on a kayak. (Jet skis also.)

I spend my time and money on beachcats for pure outdoor, recreational fun.

Always figured regattas need to have two type of events.

One event with distance races where you can enjoy the wind, water, natural outdoors beauty, and natural beauty of sailing.

Then a second event... Well, you can figure that out....

It's a money thing. Not spending time and money driving 500 miles and taking time off work and spending @ $300 on an event unless it's like the first. Was not the "Hobie lifestyle" thing to begin with?

For those of you Type A diehard competitors, last one out, turn off lights...

Back in the "Glory Days" there was a local event that was around the cans on one day, and a distance race the other. But, that was also a time when I could drive to no less than eight regattas, all within three hours of my house, in one season.

Even though Hobie is now a Kayak company, who also happens to build a few fiberglass boats, don't fool yourself (JJ) into thinking the Hobie 16 will just go away anytime soon, if ever. It still is all about "the Hobie Way of Life" at regattas, and (did I mention this yet?) having FUN!

The hierarchy is still in place as part of the class rules. If you've never previously raced, you'll start in the Novice, or C, fleet, racing against people with the same level of experience. Express the desire to come to your first regatta then watch out for the "racers" ready to help by answering any of your questions or concerns.

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Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

John, when you say 'fun', what you really mean is falling asleep in a chair next to a camp fire, right?

I'm a recretational Racer.

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Rich Vilvens
F-18 5150
[email protected]
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/f-185150sailing/

That proves I've had one helluvalotta FUN racing and...I try not to sleep when Phil's talking Right on Rich

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Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

I don't think I'd be the best racer

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'72 Hobie 16
with
#56 Gonzo Nationals

I would be disappointed if Hobie characterized themselves that way. Just saying that kayaks are very popular.


The H16? No idea...

No, racing is not going to end. There are many experienced vets. They don't come out unless it is blowing 20+ or some major is competition on. All well and good.