New F18 from Hobie

   Is anyone aware that Hobie Cat Europe intend to introduce THREE new cats in 2009? One will be a F18 that will apparently "exist alongside the current Hobie Tiger".
Have a look at the statement: http://www.hobiecatcentre.co.uk/News/
Sounds good, but has anyone heard more?

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Captain Morgan Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 03 Sep 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 211	Post Options Post Reply Quote Captain Morgan Report Post Quote Reply Topic: New F18 from Hobie Posted: 29 Sep 08 at 9:32pm
	Is anyone aware that Hobie Cat Europe intend to introduce THREE new cats in 2009? One will be a F18 that will apparently "exist alongside the current Hobie Tiger". Have a look at the statement: http://www.hobiecatcentre.co.uk/News/ Sounds good, but has anyone heard more?

Scooby_simon Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 02 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2415	Post Options Post Reply Quote Scooby_simon Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Sep 08 at 1:16am
	VERY old news I'm afraid. Check the date on the page: PR - 13 August 2008 3 New catamarans by Hobie Cat Europe for 2009
	Wanna learn to Ski - PM me..

Captain Morgan Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 03 Sep 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 211	Post Options Post Reply Quote Captain Morgan Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Sep 08 at 12:32pm
	YES - I know it's not the newest news item, but to repeat my question Has anyone heard any more about this?

johnnyt Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Groupie Joined: 02 Oct 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 56	Post Options Post Reply Quote johnnyt Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 08 at 10:20am
	As a result of a conversation at the Southampton boat show Hobie are bring out a new 16 cat, just as a fun cat, a new F18 which should be released by June of next year and they will continue to produce the Hobie Tiger with the view that it maybe selected as the Olympic one design catamaran class. This was only as a result of a conversation so please do not hold me to anything.
	John Tuckwell Development Executive GJW Insurance www.gjwdirect.co.uk Insurance rebel without a clause.

English Dave Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 10 Aug 06 Location: Northern Ireland Online Status: Offline Posts: 682	Post Options Post Reply Quote English Dave Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 08 at 10:32am
	Just cannot see how Hobie can successfully market 2 F18 cats. Like selling the Escort alongside the Focus (Cherub sailors ask your dad) it can only be a temporary situation. I'm also not entirely sure what is so wrong with the Tiger that it needs updating. Is it going to be a wave-piercing design like the Infusion?
	English Dave Ballyholme Yacht Club (You'd think I'd be better at it by now) Hurricane 5.9 SX RS700

johnnyt Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Groupie Joined: 02 Oct 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 56	Post Options Post Reply Quote johnnyt Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 08 at 11:02am
	From what I have heard the design will be similar to the Capricorn. A decision will have to be made with regard to a one design cat in the Olympics so it may make sense to choose the Hobie Tiger as the class and run with a new F18 so that that are seen at the front of the F18 fleet. There is nothing wrong with the Tiger but it is a good marketing decision to release an new design as if it starting winning races people will change from the current flavour of the month. Maybe a clever decision.
	John Tuckwell Development Executive GJW Insurance www.gjwdirect.co.uk Insurance rebel without a clause.

Captain Morgan Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 03 Sep 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 211	Post Options Post Reply Quote Captain Morgan Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 08 at 12:10pm
	I agree with you johnnyt, the Tiger is still a good cat, but recent results haven't seen it winning quite as many races this year as other designs (I could be wrong on that one - feel free to disagree with me!). It might be clever marketing, but it is (in my view) risky for Hobie to assume that another F18 design will be adopted as a new Olympic cat. That said, a Hobie design would surely cost a lot less than a Tornado! It should be interesting to see how this develops.

Catsrule Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 10 Mar 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 61	Post Options Post Reply Quote Catsrule Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 02 Oct 08 at 9:48am
	Hobie need a new f18 now cause no one is buying tigers, there're all buying nacras at the minute. Its out of faishon quite simply and its probably not going to come back into faishon. From what i've heard from the top f18 sailors, people like Mischa Heemskerk are having to sail thier tiger every day to be able to keep up with people like Hugh Styles (on a nacra infusion) who don't sail thier boat nearly so regularly. Tigers are winning very little, and they don't look very cool(excpet for the black ones!) any more compared to infusions and capricorns. Hobie need a new boost to get them back into the f18 market or other wise thier gonna lose more tiger sailors who want to upgrade to other designs.
	There's no such thing as bad day on the water!!