The specs of a couple of the European boats, including the
Tatoo, reference "
patented removable keel system" or "
Interchangeable keel system." The terms seem to be used interchangeably. Except for those vague references I can't find much more on the subject and I'm sure I just didn't look in the right place. Can anyone elaborate?
wscotterwin wrote:
Target Market is key here...
...The people that are getting drawn to us are of all ages but most are young professionals and some student out of Cal Poly. ...
...Something has shifted. Jet skis and quads are no longer cool. These people want to be around others who want to share excitement and fun outdoor events. ...
Interesting observation. I got into the sport, and Hobie specifically, via my son who is a senior in high school. Since he was little he was interested in the Hobies we would see parked (unused it seemed) on the beach on Hilton Head Island. He never had an interest in jet skis but sure had a bug for a Hobie - specifically the 16. He even fronted the hard earned cash from his job to get our project 16 this Spring and sunk more into it during the restoration plus his time. He has not looked back.
mmiller wrote:
We are evaluating the European line of boats. The Tattoo is the most likely one to make it's way over here, but we need to fully test it first. We have one here in Oceanside.
Hi Matt- thanks for your input - Marketability and cost feasibility are obviously something Hobie is considering. I'm curious about what other tests (you mention "fully test it first") Hobie is doing... stress/durability testing, competitiveness, etc. ? This is really interesting. Not asking to reveal trade secrets - just trying to picture the decision process if it were me making such a big strategic, non-trival, decision.