US SAILING

Inshore Committee Past Meeting Minutes (4/12/2004)


The Inshore Committee met at the Adams Mark Hotel in Mobile, AL on Friday March 12, 2004. Chair Patty Lawrence presided and Secretary Clark Chapin was present. The following members were also present:

Patty Lawrence, Chair

Jerelyn Biehl

*Peter Goldman

Ding Schoonmaker

Clark Chapin, Secretary

Carolyn Boersma

Tom Hubbell

Nat Siddall

*James Appel

*Mitch Brindley

Joni Palmer

Bill Stump

Carol Barrow

* John Burnham

*Karen Reisch

Larry White

Ted Beier

*Susan Epstein

Deb Schaefer

Lee Parks, Staff

* denotes absent

Others present included Stan Betts and Bill Dolger.

1 Call to Order and Introductions – Patty Lawrence

Patty Lawrence called the meeting to order at 11:15AM CST. The members and observers present identified themselves.

2 October 2003 Minutes -- Clark Chapin

The minutes from October 2003 were approved as posted on the web site.

3 Reports of Officers and Staff

3.1 Chair – Patty Lawrence

Patty had no specific report.

3.2 Secretary/Web Liaison -- Clark Chapin

Clark reported on the state of the web page and the plans for future development

3.3 Inshore Director -- Lee Parks

Lee Parks reported on activities at the headquarters in Portsmouth.

4 Event Visibility Program/Sanctioning

Lee reported on a new proposal to create "sanctioned" events (such as class championships) that exchange the logo and label "US SAILING Sanctioned" to events in return for use of Certified Judges and Race Officers, visibility for US SAILING, and promotion. See Attachment 1. The Committee discussed the proposal at some length with the following major comments:

· US SAILING Membership Requirement. Several members felt that this would be a severe drawback to several organizing authorities. Persons who, for whatever reason, have an aversion to US SAILING would not participate in the event. This would have the unintended effect of reducing participation.

· Power Line Hazards. Clay Mock pointed out that a sanctioned event should also signify a lack of power line hazards. Judges and Race Officers should be on the lookout for hazards and not hesitate to act to protect the competitors and other participants

5 US SAILING Structure – Tom Hubbell

Tom Hubbell introduced the issue of US SAILING structure without a specific proposal. The two concepts sought after are efficiency and nimbleness. Jerelyn Biehl noted that in general smaller is better. Tom noted that the USOC has reorganized from a 122 member Board to a 12 member Board that is ability-based rather than constituency-based. Larry White noted that the USOC model includes members who are outside of the amateur sports world, but have experience in important areas.

Tom noted the concept of decoupling committee chairmanship with Board Membership, such as a commercial corporation where . The Committee was generally in favor of a smaller Board and the combination of the ODCC and the Inshore Committee. The following resolution was approved:

The Inshore Committee is in favor of restructuring toward making the Board of Directors smaller, more efficient, and more nimble including, in principle, the combination of the Inshore Committee and the One-Design Class Council.

6 Inshore Symposium – Joni Palmer

Joni Palmer initiated discussions on a training symposium for one-design classes modeled after the National Sail Training Symposiums. Topics would include class rules and measurement, scantling control, scoring, race management, class administration, fleet building, getting more adults active, junior programs, local promotion of sailing, marketing, and other topics. Joni suggested starting on a weekend and perhaps rotating the topics and locations around the country in successive years.

Joni recommended conducting the symposium in the end of October or November. Joni suggested as an initial location Mystic Seaport, CT.

7 Other New Business

7.1 United States Sailing Foundation – Hortensia Hacker

Hortensia encouraged everyone to contribute to the fundraising effort and asked for the members to think about how to integrate the USSF with a sanctioned event so that the event could become a charitable contribution for sponsors.

8 Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 12:19PM. The next meeting of the Inshore Committee will be on Saturday October, 2004 in Portland, OR.

Clark Chapin
Secretary

US SAILING Sanctioning Package

One-Design Class Championships

Race Management

Right to use:

· Racing Rules of Sailing

· Certified Race Officers and Judges

· National Appeals System

Official Designation

Right to use the following designation in the Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions, all event promotional, marketing, and communication materials:

· Official US SAILING Sanctioned Event

Use of Logos

Right to use the US SAILING Sanctioned logo in the Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions, all event promotional and communication materials

Membership

All US Skippers must be current members of US SAILING.

Website

US SAILING will:

· Invite regatta organizers to add the event to the online event calendar including a link to the event website.

· Provide coverage on our website during the event.

· Provide coverage in the "e-us sailing" newsletter (28,000 subscribers)

Promotion

Event Organizing Authorities will:

· Display US SAILING banners prominently at the venue.

· Provide US SAILING "ads" in the daily event promotion (on web, daily newspapers, etc.)

· Allow US SAILING to provide materials for skipper’s registration packets:

o A letter from the President

o Rule Book

o US SAILING decal

· Recognize US SAILING during the awards ceremony

Special Promotions

· Winners receive a US SAILING fleece vest

· Each new member that joins US SAILING at the event will be entered into a raffle for either a Bitter End YC vacation or Oregon Scientific weather station.

Insurance

US SAILING will provide insurance benefits (based on event needs):

· General Liability umbrella for the organizing authority

· Yacht/P & I insurance for support boats