Wednesday, January 23, 2013

US Multihull Championships raced on...?

I thought you all might like to hear about this development related to the US Sailing Multihull Championships... the Alter Trophy. See my comments at the end of this article...

2013 US Multihull Championship Announcement

2012 was a very challenging year for the US Multihull Championship Committee (USMCC).  The year started off with a huge challenge - finding out multihull manufacturers were no longer able to provide boats for the US Multihull Championship event.  This announcement dictated the event must become a Bring Your Own Boat (BYOB).  This was a significant change in direction from all previous years and challenged everyone on the team to come together, to head in a new direction, with few options and on short notice.

Simultaneously, sailors across America responding to the Sailor Survey felt the boat type should be rotated through the 3 disciplines – double-Handed, single-Handed, and spinnaker.  The data from the National Championships indicates that there are roughly equal numbers of boats spread throughout those 3 categories.  In addition, they felt the event should be opened up to more sailors and rotated throughout the United States.  We took this feedback and incorporated this into the strategic plan.

In 2012, Mark Schneider proposed to the US Multihull Championship Committee (USMCC) that the US Multihull Championship event rotate through the 3 disciplines.  This proposal was approved 5 to 1, which is now the strategy to be used going forward.

Adhering to the rotation strategy, the 2013 US Multihull Championship for the Alter Trophy be should sailed on a double-handed boat.  2014 would be sailed on a single-handed boat.  2015 would be sailed on a spinnaker boat.

In looking at sailor , team attendance data at the Nationals / North American events for the various boat classes, the largest North American attendance in the double-handed class is the Hobie 16.   The USMCC voted on  1-17-2013 that the Hobie 16 has been selected as the boat of choice for the 2013 event. In addition, the Sausalito Yacht Club (SYC) submitted a bid to the USMCC, requesting to become the host for the event.   USMCC accepted the bid in late 2012

It is with great pleasure, we’d like to announce the United States Multihull Championship for the Alter Trophy will be sailed on the Hobie 16, hosted by the Sausalito Yacht Club in Sausalito, CA.  The dates being planned for are September 3rd through September 8th, 2013.  The dates are in the process of being firmed up, working to integrate some added excitement of the Louis Vuitton – Americas Cup.  For now , pencil in the dates and prepare for some exciting sailing and fun times ahead.

US Multihull Championship Committee

As of 2012, the USMCC for the Alter Trophy is a Bring Your Own Boat event.  There are no  Area Qualifiers and no Petition process.  Come one, come all. We anticipate posting of the NOR in the next few weeks.  Any questions, please contact Laura Sullivan - mslauras@hotmail.com

MY COMMENT... After years and year of hearing the Hobie 16 (H16) sucks by so many illinformed sailors it was no surprise to me that the H16 is still by far the most sailed and race cat in the world... followed by the F18 and A Class cats. We should be focussing on these classes to grow the sport of sailing not fight against each other thinking it will grow our particular class of boat. I know I will racing a lot this summer on a H16 with Trapseats. On a side note I think at some point you will see the F18 and A Class Cats all using wing sail and the H16 will remain the soft sail boat.

Please make a comment below and let me know what you think?

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