Hobie Alter, an innovator who revolutionized two sporting worlds (sailing and surfing) has passed away.

I know all of you found your own way into this wonderful sport of sailing.  I and my family (my parents Andy and Marilyn, and my brother Mike) found our way into the sport one summer day at Bear Lake when family friends invited us up to spend some time on the water.  My dad became infatuated with their sunfish sailboat.  Two weeks later we had purchased a Hobie 14.  And the next year we were the proud owners of a Hobie 16, Hobie 14 and a Hobie monocot.  That was in 1972.  Four years later, with much local racing behind us we all flew down to Honolulu and participated in the first Hobie 16 World Championships.  This is where I first met Hobie Alter and is kids Hobie Jr., Paula, and Jeff Alter. Thirty one years later, when I finally gave up the international racing circuit, I had the absolute fortune of participating in 10 world championships and over 20 national championships.  It took me all over the world and kept our family very close.

During all those years we became very close to the whole Alter Family traveling and sailing with them, usually as competitors.  Hobie was a wonderful and giving person.  It wasn’t enough to just produce sailboats and make money doing it.  He built one of the strongest class associations in the world.  And, in doing so, he revolutionized the sport of sailing and of sailboat racing.  I remember one comment that defined his philosophy.  He said “where else could a millionaire and a fireman sit side by side and have no class distinction?”  Below is a quote taken from the Orange County Register about Hobie’s death:

“It was in the late 60s that Alter switched his focus in the water and started designing sailboats, specifically smaller boats that were affordable to the masses that cost $999.  No longer did a boat owner need to belong to a yacht club or own a slip to enjoy the water.  The Hobie Cat became known as “the people’s boat,” and are still the world’s bestselling cats, sold around the globe.”

The world of sailing would not be the same and would be much smaller without Hobie’s influence.  Hobie was 80 years old.

Dave Shearer

Harbor Master

Great Salt Lake State Marina

Antelope Island State Marina

801-209-9142

The content of this message does not constitute official information from the State of Utah