Category Archives: News

To: Hobie Class Members From: IHCA Rules Committee Subject: Hobie General Rule 8.1 change proposal Dear members, During the 2025 Hobie Cat MultiEuropeans, we had more discussions and questions about the personal flotation device (PFD)/life jacket requirement “at the correct weight category for each crew member to the minimum standard…” and the standards mentioned in…

To All Members of the International Hobie Class Association (IHCA), The IHCA Executive Committee wishes to inform you of a significant development affecting our class’s future operations. To fully understand the situation, we believe it’s important to provide some background. Since 1970, the Hobie Cat Company—and later also Hobie Cat Europe—has consistently supported the Hobie…

Dear class members, As announced in our post published 21/11/2024 following the comment period, the proposed changes to Hobie 14 Rule 3.4 and 3.5 were foreseen to go into effect as of 01/04/2024 pending approval from World Sailing and the IHCA Council. This is now the case, and the updates go into effect at the anticipated date….

Hobie Cat 14 Class Rule 3.4 and 3.5 exemptions/modifications (rev. 2) 31/01/2025 The International Hobie Class Association (IHCA) Rules Committee has as part of the ongoing and not yet finished class rule change process on IHCA Hobie Cat 14 Class Rule 3.4 and 3.5 decided to grant exemptions and modifications to the provisions of the…

Date: Middelfart, DENMARK, December 9th, 2024 To: Hobie Class Members From: IHCA Rules Committee Subject: Hobie General Rule 10, Hobie 14 Rule 5.1 c) and Hobie 16 Rule 6.1 c) change proposals. Dear members, Following received questions on the supply of replacement rudder cams, the IHCA Rules Committee has following discussions and considerations with the…

Dear Hobie 14 sailors, As a result of the recent IHCA Rules Committee proposals, we received many excellent suggestions and recommendations. From these, Hobie Cat Company is testing some of the recommendations on Hobie 14s to ensure they meet the high quality we all expect from Hobie products. The IHCA Rules Committee and Hobie Cat…

Steve Fields, Vice President of Hobie Sailboats, along with Esteban Cortez from Hobie, stands beside the first Hobie 16 being assembled and prepared for shipment since Hobie Cat’s return to the Hobie Company. Steve shared his thoughts on the announcement: “It’s been a journey with more headwinds than we anticipated, but now Hobie 16s are…

Dear class members, The process started last year and is related to the six proposed changes to the Hobie 18 Class Rules, which have now ended. This was achieved via two rounds of online questionnaires and subsequent review by the Rules Committee, resulting in recommendations being prepared and submitted to the Council. We are pleased…

Dear class members, Following our first round of the Hobie 18 Rule Change questionnaire posted December 9th, 2023, the proposed new Hobie 18 Rule 3.2 and the change to Hobie 18 Rule 5.7 were, with outset in the received comments deferred for further consideration and clarification. The revised proposals were posted for an extra questionnaire…

Dear IHCA members, John Forbes, Australia, has submitted a package of Hobie Cat 18 class rule change proposals. The outset is the “Hobie Cat 18 Reimagined”-project John has been working on for years and as someone is acquainted with already. John’s proposals are meant to make the boat easier to sail for a wider range…