No reason something like that couldn't get off the ground again and that would put a charge in the small boat market. Groups could trailer at different times of the year to the left or right coast, Florida, Texas, the Great Lakes, etc. and enjoy their rendevouz'.
The group thing is compelling for people. While one of the many reasons I enjoy sailing, is the ability to get away from humanity, I do enjoy the social aspect, albeit taken in smaller measures than some people enjoy.
For others, especially younger people,the social aspect seems like "the" thing.
Small boats are what gets people hooked on sailing, and traditionally, starts them on the ladder up to bigger boats. Add in the social aspect, and you create sailors.
When I started sailing in the 70's there were small daysailers on all of the huge number of lakes in this region of Canada. Everywhere. Hobie 16, Sol Cat 18, Fireball, International 505, CL 16 (Wayfarer), Laser, etc.
Now it's rare to see another daysailer that is not sitting onshore covered in debris near a cottage, instead of being used.
If you go to clubs and marinas around here, most of the members are people who learned to sail back then.
Grey hair abounds. More and more small keelboats are sitting unused.
I have not idea how the big boat builders think that they will have customers, if people aren't getting hooked on sailing via a smaller boat like a C22 etc.
But it is not all bad.
One spring, when moving our C22 from storage, a woman in her late 20's came running out of her house as I slowly turned the corner into the backlane, on the way to our house. "oh my god !!! it's a sailboat ! I told my husband that I saw a sailboat down the road last year, but he didn't believe me ! It's a real sailboat !!!
I though she had lost her mind, but sailboat can do that to you... hehe
This is not meant as a criticism of the C22 NSA , but I somewhat question the value of a membership for someone who is only interested in cruising, and is not living in the USA.
Being USA focused, and the fact that most of it's events are racing related, not much currently applies to me. (In spite of that fact, I have been a member since I bought my C22)
The C22 NSA does have a few cruises each year, but there are no "local" meet-ups available to me. There are NO Fleets in Region 7, which is just south of me.
This forum has been a bigger influence in "meeting" other C22 owners and I would love to meet them in person.
I have no interest in racing anything but a day cat or racing dinghy.
There is a big international regatta on Lake of the Woods each August. The lake is amazing, and the week long cruising/racing regatta is fun. I have long thought, that a bunch of trailerable boats like the C22 should show up.
Anyone with a small trailer sailor has a common interest, and we have the advantage of being able to tow our boats.
IMO, An international trailerable sailing club... and I do mean international... would go a long to way to increase interest in sailboats, by forging friendships, and family bonds, around their use.
They should be nearly indistinguishable so the economy models are not a turn off because of the apparent lower status.
I think that's not such a good idea. Most youth seem to be driven by status and image. "Look at me" is the theme of the youth of today.
How many young kids with hardly any money, do you see buying older BMWs because they want to appear to be affluent ? (at least until they get their first repair bill). GM takes a Tahoe and adds some plastic trim and sells is as a Cadillac for a lot more. People get sucked in by that all the time.
Sell them a cheap boat, and make the "better" version have some cool add-ons, both visual and performance oriented. Youg guys do it all the time with old japanese cars.
Envy, has long been a great way to sell crap to SOME people.
If Catalina were to sell just a shell with all the crucial components pre-attached (ballast, keel, rudder), with the remaining components to be attached/completed by the end user, this would drive the price way down.
I'm not sure this would work in any volume. Kits for cars, trailers, boats, were common decades ago, yet you didn't see many of the finished product. And this was when DIY was just a normal thing. Less and less people have the inclination and skills to DIY much of anything.
So $50k for a new C22....
I'd be curious to know what were the originals worth and what the average after tax salary and cost of living was at the time.
Are they less affordable now ?
