Marina Del Rey, California

October 17 & 19, 2002

 

CALL TO ORDER: 1000, October 17, 2002

 

MEMBERS PRESENT: 

Paul Ansfield (LMPHRF), Bruce Bingman (CBYRA), Craig Brown (TPYC), Larry Bulman (STC), Larry Dawes (NSTC), Bruce Eissner (YRUMB), Gene McCarthy (LMSRF), Ken Morrison (RHORC), Tom McIntosh (Chicago YC), John Osmond (SMYRA), Talbot Wilson (GulfYA), John Winder (CCA), Dan Van Heeckeren (ILYA).

 

GUESTS:

Garie Blackwell (Coconut Grove SC), Dick Hampikian (AmeriCap), Darline Hobock (Portsmouth Yardstick), Jack King, Joe Melino (Area G), Jerry Montgomery (TPYC), Alan Moony (OCYC/MYRA), Peggy Redler (Del Rey YC), Peter Reichelsdorfer (IMS), Deborah Schaefer (Multihull Class Council), Jack Sheahan (Area C), Betty Sherman (SDYC), Jim Teeters (Research Director), Robert Thomas (Hampton YC), Ron Trossbach (SAS Cmte), James Walsh (PHRF), Bob Warnecke (PHRF), and Dan Nowlan (US SAILING Offshore Director).

 

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT: Ken Morrison acting as the Chair for the meeting, announced that NOC Chairman Bruce Campbell was unable to attend due to his wife’s health and business commitments. In addition, Bruce Campbell has regrettably resigned from his position as NOC Chairman and Ken Morrison has agreed to assume the Chairman’s position for the balance of this year. We all wish Bruce and his wife Bobbie all our best wishes for her speedy recovery.

 

Bruce Campbell’s absence also leaves one NOC seat unfilled on the US SAILING Board of Directors. Motion was made, seconded and carried to elect Larry Bulman to fill the remainder of Bruce Campbell’s un-expired term on the US SAILING Board of Directors. With this action Larry Bulman will be able to immediately fill this important position on the Board of Director’s for the remainder of these meetings.

 

REPORT OF SECRETARY:

 

A) The minutes of the meeting of March 15 & 16, 2002 were approved,

 

B) Communications: Discussion ensued on the problem of the NOC communicating with the offshore sailors throughout the United States. Bruce Eissner pointed out that the Offshore Newsletter from the Sail Rater server was an ideal vehicle for the NOC to use for this purpose. There are over 3000 subscribers to this newsletter and the list is growing.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

A) Offshore Web Site Content: Matt Pedersen is unable to attend the NOC meetings scheduled this week due to his employer requiring him to travel to China at this time. Ken Morrison commented that he is seeking a volunteer familiar with Microsoft Front Page to assume responsibility for the web liaison position for the NOC pages on the US SAILING web site. If we can find a volunteer for this position we will be able to provide more detailed support to our offshore constituency.

 

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B) Calendar of Events: Paul Ansfield reported that Ken Signorello, US SAILING Webmaster, has the Events Master Calendar operational. The problem still exists of getting race organizers to put their events on the calendar. We will try to get more of this information on the calendar by advertising it in the Offshore Newsletter.

 

C) Crew List:  Paul Ansfield reported that the initial crew list is now operational and we have to secure funds to maintain it. However, like the Calendar, we now have the problem of communicating with the offshore sailors to get them to use it. Again, the Offshore Newsletter appears to be the best vehicle to begin marketing the crew list. It was also noted that the crew list might have to be modified to add seamanship and safety at sea certification so that this information is available for Category 0 and 1 races.

 

D) ISAF EMPIRICAL HANDICAPPING COMMITTEE: Paul Ansfield delivered a report on the actions of the ISAF Empirical Handicapping Committee. They are currently addressing the confusion being caused by a number of ORC Club rated boats in Europe who have returned to their local Empirical Handicapping system. Nils Nordstrom from Norway is working on a program that will translate any measurement handicap into an Empirical Handicapping formula. This will assist in solving this problem.

 

E) U.S. OFFSHORE CHAMPIONSHIPS:

1) Craig Brown reported that the Long Beach Yacht Club hosted the championship October 3 to 6 at Long Beach, California. Although Disneyland had withdrawn their corporate sponsorship for the regatta, LBYC was able to convince Roy Disney to personally donate $7,500 for the event. There were 10 teams from six Areas and the USNA. It was an excellent regatta with lots of sunshine and excellent wind and sea conditions. The only problems arose from the many container ships anchored in the harbor due to the dock shut down. Initially it appeared that Claudia Wainer from LBYC was the winner. However, after the results of a protest involving other boats, Scott Soonier from Southern YC was tied with Claudia Wainer, each with 13 points. The tie was broken and Soonier was declared the winner with Wainer second and Doug McLean from Alamitos Bay YC third. The Long Beach YC did a terrific job with their support hosting the 10 teams for the event. Conrad Banks, the Race Chairman for LBYC was present at the beginning of the meeting, but had to leave early for other business. We wish to thank the Long Beach YC for their continued support of the National Offshore Championship.

 

2) Larry Dawes reported that the Navy Sailing Squadron had already approved their hosting of the event for 2003. Dates for the 2003 event will be provided later.

 

3) Craig Brown advised that previously he had distributed to Area Directors copies of a VHS tape promoting the U.S. Offshore Championship. In checking with the present Area Directors, none seemed to be aware of this videotape. Craig Brown will have additional copies of the tape made so that they may be distributed to the Area Directors at the Spring Meeting.

 

F) ISAF ISSUES: Bruce Eissner reported that there are four areas of interest at ISAF for the NOC.

 

            1) The ISAF Special Regulations Committee will most likely adopt a Category 5 for smaller light displacement offshore boats. The idea for this category originated with US SAILING and it will be a significant addition to the Special Regulation categories.

 

 

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            2) It is expected that the ISAF Offshore Committee will approve the RORC request to recognize the IRC rule as an international measurement rule along with IMS.

 

            3) A problem has occurred regarding the differences between the US SAILING Definitions for Competitor Classification (RRS Appendix P) and the ISAF Competitor Classification Code.

This has resulted in one individual taking action under the Amateur Sports Act to attempt to force US SAILING to recognize only the ISAF Competitor Classification System.

 

            4) The ISAF Oceanic Committee has received a report on single-handed offshore races that has been accepted by all the MNAs except Argentina. This is apparently due to the fact that the Argentina Navy is responsible for determining their national policy regarding single-handed offshore racing and they do not concur with the findings and recommendations of the report. It is also understood that Australia has yet to comment on the report.

 

F) RATING RULES:

1) Dan Nowlan reported that in the area of measurement rules, the IMS population continues to be shrinking in the US. There are still some small pockets of IMS racing including the IMS 40 group in Long Island Sound, the IMS 50 group being promoted by Larry Bulman and the Great Lakes 70s using the IMS rule to level the playing field for the Santa Cruz 70s racing there. The IMS rule is stable in the Mediterranean area where new boats continue to be built. IN the US no new IMS boats are being built and the current owners want the rule to fairly handicap their boats or they are migrating to offshore one-designs.

 

2) Dan Nowlan reported that AmeriCap II continues to grow and is trying to prevent type forming within the rule. New York YC is now supporting AmeriCap II, it was used for the St. Francis YC Big Boat Series this year and it is scheduled to be used for the Chicago to Macinack Race next year. It is also being considered in Southern California for the race to Acapulco.

 

3) Dan Nowlan reported that he gets more phone calls in his office asking US SAILING to fix the PHRF system than any other calls. US PHRF is the most successful empirical handicapping in the world with more than 20,000 boats racing under the rule. At present it is a rule this is managed strictly locally. However he is receiving many calls asking for a national PHRF database on line. US SAILING also needs to provide local fleets rating guidance for new designs like the Schock 40. There also needs to be more support for regional technical guidance.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

A) Bruce Eissner addressed the subject of the Safety Task Force Report presented at the Board Meeting today. He gave some background for the report and suggested that the NOC should consider monitoring the progress of the recommendations from this repot to be sure that offshore interests are permanently represented in safety education and training. The Task Force Report suggests that the present Safety at Sea Committee should be restructured to cover safety issues for all types of sailing including inshore and dinghies. We must be sure that they do not lose sight of their original mission to provide training and education for offshore sailing. For example, the training model currently in use is 20 years old. It can certainly gain from having support from the Training Committee. A new training model may result, but the new model must keep in mind the distinctive differences between offshore and other areas. The Chairman established a Working Party to monitor any new training model being developed as a result of the Safety Task Force Report. The Working Party will consist of NOC Executive Committee members Matt Pedersen, John Winder, John Osmond. Offshore sailors Stan Honey and Steve Benjamin will be invited to join this Working Party.

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B) Nominating Committee Report: The Chair presented the Nominating Committee Report prepared by Matt Pedersen, a copy of which is attached. The Chair asked for nominations from the floor and there were none. Motion was made, seconded and carried to approve the nominations as presented.

 

C) Delegates to the AGM: Ken Morrison announced that the NOC has 18 delegate positions for the US SAILING Annual General Meeting on Saturday and asked the members of the NOC Executive Committee and any other representatives from offshore groups and organizations to please sign the delegates sheet on the notice board.

 

D) Committee Appointments:

            Nominating Committee: Ken Morrison

            General Services Committee: Paul Ansfield

            Championships Committee: Larry Dawes

 

RECESS/RECONVENE: The meeting was recessed at 1140 on Thursday, October 17 and reconvened at 1200 on Saturday, October 19, 2002.

 

NEW BUSINESS (Continued):

 

E) Resolution from the One-Design Class Council. Motion was made, seconded and carried to support the Resolutions from the ODCC opposing ISAF actions to place any additional age limits on participation in World Championship events and opposing ISAF rules and regulations that disenfranchise class organizations and their members.

 

F) Tom McIntosh, NOC Representative from Chicago YC made a presentation of data from the Mackinac Race comparing PHRF and AmeriCap scoring. He indicated that their organizing committee feels that AmeriCap compresses the fleet better than PHRF scoring and they are considering a more wide spread use of AmeriCap for the next Mackinac Race 

 

ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 1225 on Saturday, October 19, 2002