Max Hinneberg Honored with Carlton Tucker Award

by Robert Merrick on 7 Sep 2007 After considering many worthy nominees we are pleased to announce that Max Hinneberg has been honored as the 2007 Carlton Tucker Award winner.

From a distance Hobie sailing is about having a good time on the water and an equally good time with friends on the beach, but a close look at the enthusiasts on board reveals that sailing can be an inspiration and a life changing experience. We all love to share that inspiration and get new people involved in the sport. In the spirit of Carlton Tucker, Max Hinneberg’s desire to share the Hobie way of life stands out.

Craig Hospital, based in Denver, Colorado, is a world-renowned center for the treatment of brain and spinal cord injuries. It has patients that range from children and adults with little or no resources to pay for their care, to celebrities like Christopher Reeve and Roy Horn. Most of the patients are new to their disabilities and believe there is little left for them beyond basic survival. The recreational therapy department teaches them that there is a rewarding life away from the wheelchair.

Back in 1981 the idea for getting patients onto Hobie Cats was passed on to the Fleet 61 officers and a new event was born. That first 'Craig Day' generated a modest but enthusiastic turnout. By the next year, the scale dramatically improved and more than 50 boats from Fleet 61 gave upwards of 300 patients and staff the thrill of sailing and the fun of a Hobie beach party. Over the years, the event has come to be known as 'Hobie Fun Day'.

Max Hinneberg’s name is not one that is generally well known outside of Division 5. However, on a local level, Max is very active both as a competitor and as a fleet member, and has, for over 26 years exemplified what the Carlton Tucker award is all about.

Every year for over 20 years Max makes the time to chair 'Hobie Fun Day', one of the most difficult and rewarding events any of us can imagine. Only those that have worked with the physically challenged can truly understand the challenge Max faces each and every year putting on an event of this magnitude.

Each year, Max coordinates sailors from all over the Division, volunteers from multiple resources, hospital staff, and generally over 200 patients and family
members. Of course Max doesn’t do this all by himself, but Max is the driving force, and has been for over 20 years.

Over the years, through Max’s promotion and hard work, the event has taken on a life of its own and has become a fixture on the Fleet 61 and Craig Hospital calendar. Last year Hobie Fun Day raised more than $5,300 to support the hospital’s recreational activities and hosted more than 200 patients and staff with Hobie rides and a beach party. Over the last two decades, Max and Hobie Fun Day have raised more than $50,000 and exposed thousands of patients, including Roy Horn, to the fun of sailing and the infectious Hobie Spirit. Perhaps most importantly, Max has helped give the Fleet a purpose well beyond a club of enthusiastic sailors. For over 20 years, he has worked at creating something bigger than the Fleet, something that uses the simple pleasure of sailing to enhance the lives of people truly in need. Comments from sailors, staff, family members and most importantly the patients make it clear what a unique experience this is for all involved. Many sailors describe Hobie Fun Day as one of the most rewarding experiences of their lives. Because of Max’s commitment and effort, we here in Division 5 are all richer in ways that cannot be measured.

Max Hinneberg’s first of many Hobie 16s changed his life in 1981 and since that time he has devoted himself to Fleet 61 and Division 5 like no other member. Although Max has served on the Fleet and Division boards for many seasons, he and his wife Michelle continue to contribute time and expertise at nearly every event that Fleet 61 sponsors. Max has worked at improving the regatta experience for everyone in Division 5 for as long as almost anyone currently active can remember. There is not a position at an event that he has not filled at one time or another. Max is respected for his skill and knowledge as a sailor, but he is admired for his efforts to share the Hobie way of life with others.

His more than 20 year commitment to Hobie Fun Day and the patients of Craig hospital is truly an inspiration.

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