1 Call to Order and Introductions

The US SAILING Inshore Committee met at 11:50 AM PDT on Saturday 23-Oct-04 in the Benson Hotel in Portland, OR. Chair Patty Lawrence was present as well as Secretary Clark Chapin. The following members were present:

* denotes absent

Hugh Elliot, Mary Weaver, Susan Johnson, Margie Brown, Clinton Edwards, Betsy Altman, Charles Ivey, and Stan Betts were also present.

2 Minutes from March 2004 Meeting – Clark Chapin

The minutes were approved as posted on the Inshore Committee web site

3 Reports

3.1 Chair – Patty Lawrence

Patty reported that the major activity in the past year has been the One-Design Symposium that is scheduled for November 13-14.

3.2 Secretary/Web Liason – Clark Chapin

Clark Chapin reported that the web site can do a lot more if the Committee can decide what it wants to do. He solicited ideas for the site.

3.3 Inshore Director – Lee Parks

Lee discussed that the budget for the Inshore portion of US SAILING has shown a positive swing in the past several years. We show the revenue from the endorsement fee for the Burgee Program. The cost of the corporate insurance, on the other hand, is allocated to the various departments. The sanctioning fees for various events generates revenue for the Inshore Department.

The one-design boat insurance program has not generated the number of policies that was projected. Gowrie, Barden & Brett will be contacting those people who received a quote and then did not purchase to determine their reasons.

4 Ways to strengthen class membership, coordination, education, and participation.

Patty discussed the problem in the decline in member one-design classes. A survey of non-member classes showed several bad addresses and several other classes that, when they consider the various activities and benefits, look at only the ones they use and decide that these don’t justify a $100 dues payment.

Mary Weaver said that the Golden Anchor Program is now being opened up to other organizations, including one-design classes. Class renewal letters are scheduled to go out in February.

What do classes want?

· Jerelyn Biehl noted three specific cases: Reinstatement of the Snipe as a Pan Am class, assistance to travel to international events, and providing merchandise that can be labeled to promote participation in international events.

· A US Team shirt that would only be available to member classes that would be purchased from US SAILING with the embroidery included.

· Support in creating the software infrastructure of a class.

· Have two or three programs that are on line scoring programs on our server that would allow us to provide a service to member classes. Scoring could be done on line.

· Are there overseas shipping container sharing, insurance, or coordination that could be done for member classes?

· Idea: Database services to help classes track membership renewal dates.

· Website hosting.

· Class management software, including membership records.

What should be in the renewal letter?

Here’s what we’re doing that benefits you. Educate them into a realization that US SAILING is responsible for making racing possible at all.

Here’s what you can get with your membship, such as discounts.

5 One-Design Symposium, Newport, RI November 13-14

Patty discussed plans for the One-Design Symposium

6 New business

6.1 US SAILING Restructuring

The Committee discussed what its role would be under the proposed new US SAILING structure.

6.2 US SAILING Team Racing Development Committee

Betsy Altman discussed the creation of a Team Racing Development Committee that would be created and report to the Board through Inshore.

The Inshore Committee approved the following motion to be made to the US SAILING Board of Directors:

The Board of Directors establishes the Team Racing Development Committee that reports to the Board of Directors through the Inshore Committee.

7 Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 1:35 PM. The next meeting of the Committee will be on Saturday March 31, 2005 in Newport, RI.

Inshore Secretary