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Minutes of National
Offshore Council Meeting Colorado
Springs, Colorado March
15 & 16, 2002 CALL TO ORDER: 0935, March 15, 2002 MEMBERS PRESENT:
Paul Ansfield (LMPHRF), Bruce Bingman (CBYRA), Craig Brown (TPYC), Larry Bulman (STC), Bruce Campbell (PIYA), John Collins (PHRF-NE), Bruce Eissner (YRUMB), Gene McCarthy (LMSRF), Robert Mock (LE-PHRF), Ken Morrison (RHORC), John Osmond (SMYRA), Matt Pedersen (SASC), Robert Thomas (PHRF-CB), Jim Walsh (PHRF-MA), Talbot Wilson (GulfYA), John Winder (CCA), Dan Van Heeckeren (ILYA). GUESTS: Ernie Bain (Area J), Dick Hampikian (AmeriCap), Pete Reichelsdorfer (IMS), Betty Sherman (SDYC), Jim Teeters (Research Director), Robert Thomas (Hampton YC) and Dan Nowlan (US SAILING Offshore Director). REPORT OF
SECRETARY: A) The minutes of the meeting of October 18 & 20, 2001 were approved, B) Communications: The Meeting Agenda was posted on the NOC website in February. The Secretary apologized that the agenda was deleted from the web site during the change over of the US SAILING website to a new ISP.
OLD BUSINESS:
B) Calendar of
Events: Paul Ansfield reported
that Ken Signorello, US SAILING
Webmaster, was establishing a category of “Offshore” on the Events Master
Calendar so that these may be selected when viewing the calendar. The problem of
getting race organizers to put their events on the calendar still exists. Craig
Brown announced that he will bird dog West Coast events and Paul Ansfield will
bird dog the East Coast events to be sure they are added to the calendar. C) Crew List:
Paul Ansfield reported funds
are in place and a draft web page has been prepared by Ken Signorello for the
working party of Brown, Morrison and Ansfield. Once the working party has
reviewed the draft it will be shared with the other members of the NOC Executive
Committee. Sponsors of the site are Carroll Marine and North Sails. The Chairman
was requested to write letters of thanks to Barry Carroll of Carroll Marine and
Peter Reichelsdorfer of North Sails for their cash contributions that made the
crew list website possible. Discussion ensued on how to expand the personnel
database. John Winder announced that a consortium of clubs in the East had
resulted in an East Cost database with events and skippers for sending notices
of race. Up to 3000 contacts have resulted. John agreed to work with the crew
list working party to help develop this into a national database. NATIONAL
OFFSHORE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES, PAGE 2 D) ISAF ISSUES:
Bruce Eissner reported the umbrella ISAF Offshore Committee is being organized.
There is a meeting next week inaugurating this new committee. It places a number
of existing committees and sub committees of ISAF and the ORC under the newly
formed Offshore Committee. There will be a Rating Subcommittee, an Oceanic
Subcommittee and a Special Regulations Subcommittee. It is not presently known
how the composition of the Special Regulations Subcommittee will be effected. In
the US, the Safety Regulations have been published on time for the first time
and are already being distributed. ISAF continues to work with the IMO on
International Regulations. The IMO is
getting more involved with environmental issues such as water ballast. The other
committees/subcommittees of the former ORC are in a state of flux. On another
subject, planning for the Offshore Forum approved at the last meeting is
continuing. E) U.S. OFFSHORE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1) Bruce Campbell reported that the USNA hosted the championship October 24 to 28 at Annapolis. It was a great regatta; although the wind blew so hard on Saturday that no spinnakers were permitted. First place went to Area H-E. 2nd to Area K 3rd to Area C. The US Naval Academy did a terrific job with their support hosting the 11 teams for the event. 2) Craig Brown reported on the event to be hosted by LBYC October 3-6, 2002. Disney has dropped their sponsorship since they are now sponsoring the US SAILING Junior events. LBYC is working on trying to find another source of funding, but it will probably be less than the $15,000 provided last time. This will impact on the competitor’s items for the event like jackets. F) RATING RULES: 1)
Bruce Eissner reported that there have been a number of activities being
undertaken to broaden the information base for offshore scoring. An offshore
rating systems panel discussion was held at Key West Race Week. Dan Nowlan has
provided more assistance with scoring on the water. John Winder announced the
race organizers were holding an open meeting on offshore rating systems in
preparation for the Bermuda Race. An Americap briefing was hosted by the YRA of
LI Sound. All these activities are designed to move the information out more to
sailors. 2) Larry Bulman suggested that we need a publication listing the various offshore rules and how they apply. Jim Teeters already has a summary slide prepared on this subject. Bruce Bingman agreed to prepare an expanded draft of Jim Teeter’s summary slide in the next few weeks and will forward it to Dan Nowlan for further consideration. 3) John Winder said that technicians are trying to promote the product and he feels the NOC should be able to prepare something more acceptable to the competitors. Larry Bulman feels it should represent US SAILING. The Question of how it would be distributed was discussed. It was suggested that the handout should go to boat builders, sailmakers for distribution to their customers. It should be posted on the website and should also be available as a handout from the offshore office. 4) It was noted that there is a need for a list of all offshore sailors in the US. Bruce Campbell advised that at present we do not have anyone available to put this together and asked if someone would volunteer to take on this problem? John Winder stated that the club event driven databases are an excellent source of addresses and he agreed to help build a database for the NOC. It was then suggested that the Offshore Committee would be the appropriate committee to accept this responsibility. NATIONAL
OFFSHORE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES, PAGE 3 G) OFFSHORE ONE-DESIGN CLASSES: Ken Morrison reported that the Mumm 30, Mumm 36 and Farr 40 classes were transferred from the Offshore Classes Committee to the Keelboat Committee of ISAF. The reason they gave was that they no longer race offshore and do not wish to be involved in the political situation developing between ISAF and the ORC. They feel they are better suited to be part of the Keelboat Committee. The Class representatives indicated that they wished to continue as part of the Offshore Teams, Offshore One-Design & Level Classes Committee of US SAILING, rather than the One-Design Class Council. NEW BUSINESS: A) Resolution for establishment of a Cruising
Sailor’s Council. Greg Norwine addressed the NOC looking for support for this
resolution. Motion was made by Craig Brown that the NOC support this
resolution, but hold off on voting on the resolution until the reconvened
meeting tomorrow. Motion was seconded and passed. During the reconvened meeting
on March 16, motion was made, seconded and carried to support the resolution. B) Draft mission statement for US SAILING. Craig Brown
pointed out some key revisions. It was noted that Safety has been moved to the
top of the list in the mission statement and the Strategic Objectives now
include environmental issues. Due to time constraints, further discussion on
this subject was deferred to the reconvened meeting on Saturday. During
the reconvened meeting on March 16, motion was made seconded and carried to
support the draft mission statement and strategic objectives C) The Chairman announced the appointment of the following members to the NOC Nominating Committee: Matt Pedersen (Chairman) Craig Brown Ken Morrison John Osmond Talbot Wilson RECESS/RECONVENE: The
meeting was recessed at 1100 on Friday, March 15 and reconvened at 1500 on
Saturday, March 16, 2002. ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 1520 on Saturday, March 16, 2002
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