CompTip use in USA

It looks like the USA is the only place that requires the Comptip on H16's. How come? I haven't seen other makes of boat using them here, so why is Hobie?

Thanks

I don't know the "official" answer, but it's probably because the US has something like 90% of the world's lawyers.

Brian C

(yes, I'm cynical)

Hobie was sued by some morons that hit powerlines with their masts. Hobie was forced into a consent decree that demands the use of a non-conducting upper mast. No idea of what they had to pay out but we're all paying the price.

_________________

At the time of the lawsuit (1983/84) Hobie Cat was owned by Coleman Co. - a multi-million dollar public corporation.

Deep pockets are always targets of lawsuits.

The initial case was an excited sailor with a new boat on an initial outing, that is what I recall. It was a simple, tragic mistake. Catamarans have a mast that is proportionatly longer than monohulls of the time. A sixteen foot monohull has about a 18 foot mast. A Hobie 16 has a 28 foot mast. Things that were once "safe" to do with a sixteen foot boat (sailing near/under powerlines) were no longer "safe" to do with a 16 foot catamaran. Warnings on the mast were no cure and proved that the risk was known. Coleman was a big target and lost just a big.

Now, I have sailed for years and have watched boats towed into powerlines & light post (multiple times), mast lifted into wires (luckly telephone, Clairmont ramp in Long Beach, CA), had friends watch a sailor push his boat into powerlines in San Felipe (fatal), the list of mistakes just goes on and on. As many issues as the comptip has caused, if the comptip has saved even one life from a simple error, I am OK with it.

One other note, the risk of powerlines crossing lakes or parking lots/rigging areas near lakes has not gone away. Lake Murray in San Diego is a city lake that allows sailboats with a high tension power line crossing a section of the lake and another power line crossing the parking lot where a boat could be rigged near the lake. I have asked the lake staff about these hazards and have received indifferent shruggs. Please take the time to inform sailors and park/lake staff on the risk they may not see or understand.

I've brought this up before, but what ever happened to Darwinism? If you're dumb enough to get yourself killed that have at.

Bring back the solid mast!

I should have known it was something like that.

I'm glad I still have a solid mast. Just means no Hobie regattas, have to go open ones. Then again we have neither right now unless I want to drive.

Guess it's off to the beach for some tasty waves and a cool (sailing) buzz!!

It is crazy high winds and possible storms today.. wish I had my cat rigged and on the dock.... I'd be out kicking butt..

That said, I rock a non-comp mast! I only mast once a year though.. so it's a relatively hazard free situation.

(greasy french accent) haww haww haww I've got ya all beat! (end crappy accent) I'm rocken T W O. Count 'em two masts. I have yet to install the comp tip on the second mast but now my options are like the seas, broad.