“We specifically told people they had to pre-register because we wanted to limit the class to a manageable size. But people showed up with friends, relatives, the family dog! It was amazing! We can’t seem to keep them away!” exclaimed Peter Nelson, one of the event organizers and teachers of the class. “Each year it keeps getting bigger and bigger! We figured two years ago the numbers would peak and start falling. Instead, they just keep growing and growing. People can’t seem to get enough of this class!” he added.

This year was the first year event sponsors were formally recognized and introduced to the participants. They included: Hobie Fleet 95; Sail Sandpoint; Hobie Cat Co. and the local dealer, Hobie Cats Northwest; and Harken. Each participant received the Hobie University booklet, a Hobie calendar and waterproof credit card holder from the Hobie Cat. Co. and Hobie Cats NW, and several Harken promotional items. The items were devoured by the attendees, and nothing was left at the end of the day!

The class started out in a jam-packed, standing-room-only classroom at Sail Sandpoint’s sailing facility. After a couple of hours to “chalk talk”, it moved out to the floating dock. There, Nelson and his regular 16 crew, Laura Sullivan, discussed clothing, safety, and rigging, and demonstrated many boat handling skills. After a delicious box lunch in the parking lot where attendees had the opportunity to informally ask questions and meet and make new friends, those who brought boats set about to rig them. Fleet members from the local Hobie fleet walked around the parking lot and assisted participants with the rigging of their boats.

By 2 p.m. all the boats were off the beach. The weather was perfect (for Seattle) with cloudy skies (but no rain!) and 5-10k of breeze. A weather and a leeward mark were set in the water to give the sailors a couple of focal points. They were told to sail up and downwind between the two marks. Two crash boats from Sail Sandpoint chased the sailors around the ad-hoc course and with the help of a megaphone, gave instructions to improve their sailing. “It was exciting to see them on the water!” quipped Nelson. “The first hour it was like herding cats! But by the second hour, each boat was really starting to move between the marks really, really well.” he added.

Several of the 19 boats took up the offer/challenge to practice tipping their boat over and righting it themselves under controlled conditions. “It was funny and surprising to see so many boats practicing this drill” quipped Sullivan. “After awhile the kids were tipping the boats over just so they had an excuse to swim and play in the water. It was really a lot of fun to watch, and everyone who tipped their boat over got it back up on their own. It was a very successful exercise in safety for them, and I think it really boosted their confidence levels” she added. The boats were sent ashore around 4 p.m. to be de-rigged and everyone reconvened in the classroom for debriefing, chips and cold beer.

A follow-up campaign is under way. Each participant has been and will continue to be invited to the fleet’s upcoming points regatta in 2 weeks. Not counting the 2 B-fleet ‘regulars’ that were at the class, the fleet has confirmed that at least 6 of the 19 boats will be at the regatta. “We are really working the follow-up to see if we can get 10 new boats out to our first regatta of the season.” added Nelson. “That would be really exciting not only for us, but for the other sailors when they see all the new blood coming into the division.” he added.

In addition, the fleet is sponsoring another follow-on class in June -- Hobie 102. Each attendee will be given the chance to attend that class where they will learn rules-of-the-road and receive other racing-related information in a format similar to Hobie 101.

Exciting things are happening in the Northwest in the world of Hobie, and most of that can be traced back to Hobie 101. The division has not only resurrected a dying B-fleet, but now also sports a C-fleet at the larger regattas. Indirect effects associated from the class have caused a tremendous surge in the 17-fleet as well. For the investment of two Saturdays a year, life has been good to Hobie Catting in the great Northwest. Wonder what next year will bring?!!