About Hobie Fleet 61

Commodore's Welcome Message:

Hobie Fleet 61 has a long and rich history within the Rocky Mountain region dating back to the early 70s.  It is highlighted with tales of summers past and Regattas hosting 200 plus competitors in a single design event held at such prestigious venues as Lake Dillon.  However today we find ourselves in the same boat as most sailing organizations, smaller in membership numbers yet rich in experience and overflowing with enthusiasm to share the “Hobie Way of Life.”

 Hobie Fleet 61 is part of the Division 5 family that makes up the 16 divisions of the HCA or Hobie Class Association of North America.  Division 5 currently has 5 active fleets hosting a total of 6 nationally ranked points Regattas.  Hobie Fleet 61 has a number of its members in the top 10 ranking for most classes of Hobie Cats, including the # 1 ranked 18’ sailor for the last five+ years.

 Hobie Fleet 61 also takes great pride in our partnership with Craig Hospital in hosting a long standing tradition of Hobie Craig day.  This is a one day event held at Cherry Creek Reservoir where Hobie sailors launch their boats with one purpose in mind and that is to take a non-ambulatory Craig patient sailing.  This is an event that sends everyone, sailor, patient, family member, hospital employee, or volunteer home with an adjusted outlook on life. 

 We typically draw 25 to 35 boats to any one event within our division and sail at some of the best venues along the Front Range from Lake McConaughy, NE;  Lake Alcova, WY;  Boyd Lake, CO; and Union Reservoir, Longmont. CO.   

Hobie Cats are really cool because they are fast and colorful!  They are more stable and faster than other small sailboats and when the breeze increases Hobies rocket across the water reaching speeds up to ~25 MPH.

Good Sailing to you!

At the more remote lakes we usually meet up with other Hobie enthusiasts from other cities and states to challenge each other to have more fun by seeing who can sail around a course on the lake fastest or who can fly a hull the longest.   The races (a regatta) sound serious but we're really there to have fun.  It is common also to just leisurely cruise around the lake. 

 We usually camp near each other on the same beach so we are close enough to help each other out setting up the boats and to share techniques.  You'd be surprised at how much fun sailing is when everyone shares their tall tales of what happened on the water that day.  Probably the most enjoyable aspect of these regatta weekends is how much you learn about sailing simply by talking to other Hobie enthusiasts.  People report that they learn more in one of these weekends than in a year of sailing by themselves.

 We are members of the Hobie Class Association of North America, Division 5, which includes the mountain lakes of the Rockies and the prairie lakes of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah & Western Nebraska. Our members come from diverse walks of life from Denver, mountain communities, Colorado Springs, Boulder, and Northern Colorado.

Which boat?

- The Hobie 16, 17, 18, and 20 are the boats of choice in Division 5

- The Hobie 16, 18, and 20 can carry up to 4 people but typically race with two people, a skipper and a crew.  The Hobie 17 can also carry up to 3 or 4 people but is raced with just a skipper

- The Hobie 16 is the simplest and lightest boat; the 20 is considered the thoroughbred

- Performance: The Hobie 16, 17 and 18 are quite close and the 20 is a bit faster

Regardless of your choice of boat, races are scored only against the same sized boats. As a strict one design class you cannot spend your way to winning. Twenty year old boats in good condition regularly beat teams on new boats. To put it in in the words of a nationally ranked sailor, "Compared to other forms of competition, Hobie racing is practically free."

Reasons to Join Hobie Fleet 61:

4) Fun sailing, competition, plus help setting up your boat or righting your boat if you flip.

3) New sailors report learning more in a single weekend, with help from our experienced sailors, than in a year of sailing by themselves!

2) Camp on the best sailing beaches in multiple states. Share the days' experiences on the water around the campfire.

1) Develop lifetime Hobie friendships

Get more Info:

Email our membership Membership.