mmadge wrote:
1 Yes
2 Yes
3 no
4 Yes
5 Stock is good
Not sure about compass or Velocitech
Davis Telocat is a very good choice
Man I wish I had your budget.If your coming up to Canada bring some spare parts,I might need them.
Just curious What would bring you up here?
Thank you so much for the concise reply! You saved my program a whack of cash!
I live in BC and Nayarit. Vancouver area in the summer and the Puerto Vallarta area in the winter. PV and Banderas Bay is a natural Hobie 16 place. Vallarta YC hosted the sailing of the last Pa-Ams and I worked the Hobie course as a race officer. The seed was planted that "We should have these at the club."
VYC has hosted the J-24 worlds, Opti-NAM, and the Pan-AMs. We are hosting Opti-NAM again in 2014. Our WesMex Small boat regatta has been embraced as on of the big 4 or 5 small boat events on the FMV National circuit. This year FMV has added Hobie's to the Opti's, Lasers, RSX boards, and 420's. I have about 120 days to come up with a VYC Hobie team. My personal goal is to lose 20 pounds and not finish last.
As it happens I came into a bit of cash when my mother died. She was a sailor "in her courting days" (the 40's) and sailed Stars and other boats. She would be happy to see the Junior program at VYC expand to a youth program and for the club to provide boats for people with passion and skill but no budget of their own.
I'm seeding the program with two very well maintained H16's and spares. The Club has a few race quality Opti's but the program does not produce enough income to buy good Lasers. A new Laser with the race rigging is about the same price as a Hobie 16. Looking at it objectively, Two 15 year old kids will spend 24k USD to start sailing Lasers. The Hobie looks pretty good in comparison.
Like any other group of kids the fun and social side of sail racing is #1. I think the Hobie is a great fit for the club and for sailing in Mexico. It is not an Olympic Class like the Laser, but it is a Pan-AM and South American class. I think it provides a better chance for our club sailors to place well than Laser's or RSX boards. It also fits a parent/child team better than the other options.
In field of dreams they said "Build it, they will come." I think a multihull program will work and make our club and sailing program stronger. I willing to provide the seed money to see if the Hobies generate lasting interest.
Sorry, too much information...