1.       Roll Call and Introduction of Guests. All members of the Executive Committee were present except Ted Everingham. Also present were Executive Director Terry Harper, offshore director Dan Nowlan, and, at the invitation of the President, Dick Hanneman, Budget chair Donna Hobbs and Board members Susan Epstein and James Appel.

2.       Approval of Minutes.  The minutes of the January 22, 2001 and the February 13, 2001 meetings of the Executive Committee were approved as previously distributed.

3.       President’s Remarks. President Rosekrans noted that he attended the US SAILING/Rolex Sailor of the Year luncheon, which was a wonderful event. The USOC compliance report has been delivered and its receipt acknowledged. At the March meeting, Paul Henderson will be speaking Saturday afternoon in a panel discussion on one-design sailing.

4.       Advertising Code. The notation “Cat. C. Advertising License” will be added to the membership card. Text to be added to the membership letter to explain this notation was discussed.

·         Motion: A motion was moved, seconded and approved to have the following text added to the membership letter: A membership card "Cat. C. Advertising License" notation authorizes a skipper to advertise in accordance with Appendix I of the Racing Rules of Sailing, 2001-2004, unless an event has been properly restricted to Category A by club/event organizers, the Notice of Regatta and Sailing Instructions. Consult the Rule Book and the US SAILING website for more information.

5.       Eligibility Code. A discussion ensued of options for ensuring that the ISAF eligibility code does not discourage the introduction of new people to the sport. (The code requires that all competitors in events that follow the Racing Rules of Sailing be members of their member national authority or one of its affiliated organizations).

·         Motion: A motion was seconded and approved to add the following prescription to the US Racing Rules of Sailing: US SAILING prescribes that the penalty for breaking rule 75.2 with reference to Appendix 2, Regulation 21.2.1(h) shall be a warning.

Dick Hanneman signed off following this discussion.

6.       Budget Report. Dan Nowlan reviewed a proposed new budget for Offshore that calls for a reallocation of the income and expenses already budgeted, with no bottom-line change. He noted that products have been repriced, following pretesting, and revenue predictions have been revised. Also, a survey was done of IMS members who felt US SAILING needs to provide support beyond administration and fix such problems as scoring. Dan Nowlan is working to respond to scoring concerns, as well as make more current scoring systems available. Included in the revised budget are funds to hire a professional to market the IMS rules to sailors. The goal is to improve services for Offshore sailors and begin to rebuild the IMS fleet. The Offshore budget revision includes approximately $18,000 worth of Capital Budget expenditures. On the Operating Budget side, if all hoped for revenue materializes the net budget effect is an increase in revenue of approximately $2,200.

·         Motion: A motion was passed, seconded, voted on (9-yes, 3-no, 2-abstain) and approved.

Dan Nolan signed off following the Budget Report.

7.       Treasurer’s Report. Draft numbers are under review.

Donna Hobbs signed off following the Treasurer’s Report.

8.      Executive Director’s Report

8.a.    Membership Report – Terry Harper reported that individual acquisitions and renewals are going well. Clubs and classes are being contacting by e-mail and telephone. He noted again that US SAILING has gone from a system of sending five renewal request letters to four letters. This must be taken into consideration when comparing membership statistics from previous years.

9.       Olympic Committee.

9.a.       Letter from the Soling Class. This letter, previously distributed, suggests that a submission to the ISAF Council will be put forward from the International Soling class asking that the decision to not include the Soling in the 2004 Olympics be reconsidered, and seeks support of US SAILING. The Olympic Sailing Committee recommends that we not take a position on this issue until it is listed as an item on the ISAF agenda.

·         Motion: A motion was seconded and approved that US SAILING inform the International Soling class that at this point we are not taking a position.

9.b.       Ynglings – Fred Hagedorn noted that discussion is on going within ISAF regarding a potential crew weight limit, and raised the concern that if a separate weight limit is proposed for women, it may preclude these women’s teams from being able to compete effectively in any open Yngling class events.

·         Motion: A motion was seconded and approved that US SAILING supports the approach that the Yngling class should decide if a weight limit should be implemented for the class, and that any weight limit not be gender specific.

9.c.       Pan Am Games – The games have decided to include nine classes rather than the limit of eight as previously discussed. Therefore the following equipment will be included in the 2003 Pan Am Games in the Dominican Republic: Laser Radial – Women, Laser – Men, Sunfish, IMCO – Men and Women, Hobie-16, Snipe, Lightening and J/24.

9.d.       Miami Olympic Classes regatta – Fred Hagedorn reported that the event went well and was well attended by Olympic hopefuls, given that it is the first year in the new quadrennium.

10.  Unfinished Business

10.a.    Rules Prescriptions

·         Motion: A motion was seconded and approved that US SAILING accept the sailing rules prescriptions as previously distributed (see Attachment A).

10.b.    Strategic Planning – Mike Schoettle noted that to date he has received more than 100 recommendations for US SAILING to consider. He requested that each ExCom member submit a list of priorities for US SAILING – for discussion at the Strategic Planning session scheduled for Thursday, March 22, 2001.

Linda Epstein and James Appel signed off. Terry Harper also signed off.

11.   Article 14 and RRS 69 Issues. A report was distributed previously.

12.   Executive Session (Executive Committee members only)

Adjourned at 9:55 pm. 

Next scheduled meeting: 7 p.m. (Eastern Time), March 22, 2001

at the Adams Mark Hotel, Charlotte, NC

Respectfully submitted,

Sarah Alger

Secretary

US SAILING

ATTACHMENT A – February 20, 2001 Executive Committee Minutes

----------------TEXT OF RECOMMENDED US PRESCRIPTIONS FOLLOWS---------------

TABLE OF CONTENTS   After last ISAF appendix add

P  Definitions for Competitor Eligibility

Q  Sound-Signal Starting System

INTRODUCTION    After 'Changes to the Rules' add

US SAILING prescriptions are printed in bold italics except Appendices F, P and Q. There is no Appendix O.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY   After Sportsmanship and the Rules or in some other prominent location add

As the national authority for the sport of sailing in the United States of America, the United States Sailing Association is committed to providing an equal opportunity to all sailors to participate in the sport of sailing.

Rule 34  Change rule 34 title:  MARK MISSING; RACE COMMITTEE ABSENT

After rule 34 add

US SAILING prescribes that, in the absence of the race committee, a boat shall take her own finishing time and report it to the race committee as soon as possible. If there is no longer an established finishing line, it shall be a line extending from the required side of the finishing mark at right angles to the course from the last mark and of the shortest practicable length.

Rule 40  Change rule 40 title:  PERSONAL BUOYANCY; LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT

            After rule 40 add

US SAILING prescribes that every boat shall carry life-saving equipment conforming to government regulations.

Rule 48   After rule 48 add

US SAILING prescribes that the use of additional special purpose lights such as masthead, spreader and jib-luff lights shall not constitute a breach of this rule.

Rule 55   Add rule 55

55        FLAGS

US SAILING prescribes that a boat shall not display flags except for signaling. A boat shall not be penalized for breaking this rule without prior warning and opportunity to make correction.

Rule 61.4  Add rule 61.4

61.4     Fees for Protests and Requests for Redress

US SAILING prescribes that no fees shall be charged for protests or requests for redress.

Rule 62.2   After rule 62.2 add

US SAILING prescribes that a request for redress claiming that a boat's finishing place was made significantly worse by an action or omission of a protest committee shall be delivered before 1800 on the day following the protest committee's action or omission or its decision, or later if there is good reason to extend this time limit.

Rule 64.3 (b)   After rule 64.3(b) add

US SAILING prescribes that the authority responsible for interpreting the

rules of a measurement or handicapping system is the organization that

issued the rating certificate or handicap involved.

Rule 64.4   Add rule 64.4

64.4     Decisions on Protests Involving Appendix P

US SAILING prescribes that when the protest committee is in doubt about the meaning of a rule of Appendix P, it shall refer its questions, together with the relevant facts, to the US SAILING Competitor Classification Committee. In making its decision, the protest committee shall be bound by the Competitor Classification Committee's reply.

Rule 68   After rule 68 add

US SAILING prescribes that:

(a)        A boat that retires from a race or accepts a penalty does not, by that action alone, admit liability for damages.

(b)        A protest committee shall find facts and make decisions only in compliance with the rules. No protest committee or US SAILING appeal authority shall adjudicate any claim for damages.  Such a claim is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts.

(c)        A basic purpose of the rules is to prevent contact between boats. By participating in an event governed by the rules, a boat agrees that responsibility for damages arising from any breach of the rules shall be based on fault as determined by application of the rules, and that she shall not be governed by the legal doctrine of 'assumption of risk' for monetary damages resulting from contact with other boats.

Rule 76.1   After rule 76.1 add

US SAILING prescribes that an organizing authority or race committee shall not reject or cancel the entry of a boat or exclude a competitor eligible under the notice of race and sailing instructions for an arbitrary or capricious reason or for reason of race, color, religion, gender, age or national origin.

Rule 76.3   Add rule 76.3

76.3     US SAILING prescribes that a boat whose entry is rejected or cancelled or a competitor who is excluded from a race or series shall be, upon written request, entitled to a hearing conducted by the protest committee under rules 63.2, 63.3, 63.4 and 63.6.

Rule 86.1(b)   After rule 86.1(b) add

US SAILING prescribes that sailing instructions shall not change rules 61.4 or 76.3, Appendix P, or its prescriptions to rules 40, 68 or 76.1.

Rule 86.2   After rule 86.2 add

US SAILING prescribes that proposed rules may be tested in local races.

Appendix A   At the end add the following note:

US SAILING Note: The scoring systems in Appendix A reward a boat that participates in all the races of a series, even when one or more scores is excluded from her series score. In a long series, such as a season championship spanning several weeks, these systems put a boat that misses some of the races at a disadvantage to a boat that sails more races. The US SAILING website (www.ussailing.org/racemgt) provides texts for alternative scoring systems designed for such long series, including an updated version of Appendix AA that appeared in the 1997-2000 edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing. Those without access to the website may request a copy of these texts by fax on the US SAILING Infofax line, (888)USSAIL-6.

Appendix F   Replace ISAF Appendix F with new Appendix F [see attached Appendix F]

Appendix G   After rule G2 [formerly rule H2] add

US SAILING prescribes that unless otherwise stated in her class rules, the sails of a boat that is not in an ISAF International Class or Recognized Class shall comply with rule G1. However, offshore racing boats not in a class that is subject to rule G1 shall carry US SAILING numbers on mainsails, spinnakers and each overlapping headsail having a luff-perpendicular measurement exceeding 130% of the base of the foretriangle. This rule applies only to boats whose owner’s national authority is US SAILING.

Appendix K   After preamble to ISAF Appendix K [formerly Appendix N] add

US SAILING Note: A guide to simplified sailing instructions suitable for events such as club or local regattas can be found on the US SAILING website (www.ussailing.org/racemgt) or by fax on the US SAILING Infofax line, (888)USSAIL-6.

Appendix P   After last ISAF appendix add new Appendix P [see attached Appendix P]

Appendix Q   After Appendix P add new Appendix Q [see attached Appendix Q]

INDEX   At end of introductory paragraph add

US SAILING prescriptions are not included in the Index.

This appendix is a US SAILING prescription.

See rules 70 and 71. This appendix replaces Appendix F as adopted by the International Sailing Federation. The US SAILING Appeals Committee and, when acting under rule F1.3, the US SAILING Article 14 Review Board act as the national authority within the meaning of rules 70.1 and 71. This appendix shall not be changed by sailing instructions.

F1        WHERE TO FILE AN APPEAL OR REQUEST

F1.1     Appeals of decisions of a protest committee and requests by a protest committee for confirmation or correction of its decisions shall be made to the association appeals committee for the place in which the event was held, except as provided in rules F1.3 and F1.4.

F1.2     Appeals of decisions of an association appeals committee, requests by an association appeals committee for confirmation or correction of its decisions, and all requests for interpretations of rules shall be made to the US SAILING Appeals Committee.

F1.3     Appeals of decisions of a protest committee made under rule 69.1 and requests by a protest committee for confirmation or correction of such decisions shall be made to the US SAILING Article 14 Review Board ("Review Board" below).

F1.4     Appeals of decisions of a protest committee for a US SAILING national championship and requests by such a committee for confir­mation or correction of its decisions shall be made to the US SAILING Appeals Committee.

F2        TO APPEAL OR MAKE A REQUEST

F2.1     To appeal the decision of a protest committee or association appeals committee the appellant shall, within 15 days of receiving the written decision being appealed or a protest committee's decision not to reopen a hearing, send a dated appeal to the appropriate appeals committee (the Review Board if rule F1.3 applies), with a copy of the decision and the appropriate fee. The appeal shall state why the appellant believes the committee's interpretation of a rule or its procedures were incorrect. If an appeals fee is required and is not sent with the appeal it must be received before the appeal will be considered. The fee for appeals to US SAILING is $25 for members and $75 for non-members.

F2.2     The appellant shall also send, with the appeal or as soon as possible thereafter, all of the following documents that are available to her:

(a)        the written protest(s) or request(s) for redress;

(b)        if the appeal is from a decision of an association appeals committee, the written decision of the protest committee;

(c)        a diagram, prepared or endorsed by the protest committee, showing the positions and tracks of all boats involved, the course to the next mark and its required side, the force and direction of the wind, and, if relevant, the depth of the water and the direc­tion and speed of any current;

(d)        the notice of race, sailing instructions, any other conditions governing the event, and any changes to them;

(e)        any additional relevant documents and correspondence; and

(f)        the names and addresses of all parties to the hearing and the protest committee chairman.

F2.3     To request confirmation or correction of its decision, a protest committee or association appeals committee shall send to the appro­priate appeals committee (the Review Board if rule F1.3 applies) a copy of its decision and all relevant documents and comments. There is no fee for requests for confirmation or correction made to the US SAILING Appeals Committee.

F2.4     To request an interpretation of the rules, a club or other organization affiliated to US SAILING shall send to the US SAILING Appeals Committee its request, which shall include assumed facts. The fee for requests for interpretation of the rules is $25.

F3        NOTIFICATION OF THE COMMITTEE WHOSE DECISION IS BEING APPEALED

Upon receipt of an appeal, the appeals committee (the Review Board if rule F1.3 applies) shall send a copy of the appeal to the committee whose decision is being appealed, asking it for any documents required by rule F2.2 not supplied by the appellant.

F4        COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES

F4.1     Protest Committee

A protest committee whose decision is being appealed shall supply any of the documents requested under rule F3 and any facts or infor­mation requested under rule F5 and, if directed to do so by the appeals committee (the Review Board if rule F1.3 applies), shall conduct a hearing or re-hearing of the protest or request for redress.

F4.2     Association Appeals Committee

(a)        The association appeals committee shall send to all parties to the hearing, and to the committee whose decision is being appealed or reviewed, copies of all relevant documents and comments it has received, except those supplied by that party or committee.

(b)        An association appeals committee shall consider an appeal it has refused to decide if directed to do so by the US SAILING Appeals Committee.

F4.3     US SAILING Appeals Committee; Article 14 Review Board

The US SAILING Appeals Committee Committee and, when acting under rule F1.3, the US SAILING Article 14 Review Board shall send to all parties to the hearing, to the protest committee and to the association appeals committee whose decision is being appealed or reviewed, copies of all relevant documents and comments it has received, except those supplied by that party or committee.

F5        FINDING OF FACTS; ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

An appeals committee (the Review Board if rule F1.3 applies) shall accept the protest committee's finding of facts except when it decides they are inadequate, in which case it may require the protest committee to provide additional facts or other infor­mation, or to reopen the hearing and report any new finding of facts.

F6        COMMENTS

An appeals committee (the Review Board if rule F1.3 applies) shall consider written comments on an appeal or request for confirmation or correction of a committee's decision only from parties to the hearing, the protest committee, and, if relevant, from the association appeals committee. Such comments shall be sent to the appeals committee (the Review Board if rule F1.3 applies) within 15 days of the party's or committee's receipt of the appeal or request and, if possible, to all parties to the hearing and all committees involved.

F7        OTHER PROVISIONS

In addition to the provisions of rule 71:

(a)        An association appeals committee acting under the rules of this appendix may take any of the actions permitted by the national authority in rules 71.2 and 71.3, subject to further appeal as pro­vided in rule F1.2.

(b)        No member of the association appeals committee shall take part in the discussion or decision on an appeal or a request for con­firmation or correction to the US SAILING Appeals Committee.

(c)        An appeals committee (the Review Board if rule F1.3 applies) may direct a protest committee to con­duct a hearing or re-hearing of the protest or request for redress.

(d)        The US SAILING Appeals Committee may direct an association appeals committee to consider an appeal it has refused to decide.

This appendix is a US SAILING prescription.

This appendix, formerly Appendix R – Definitions for Competitor Eligibility, provides definitions of three groups for competitor classification that can be used singly or in combination by a club, class association or other organizing authority for a race or series. Several variations are possible. For example, a maximum number of competitors of a particular group permitted on each boat may be established; the group requirement for helmsmen may be different from that for crew members; or separate trophies may be awarded for different groups.

An organizing authority that decides to use this appendix shall so state in its notice of race and sailing instructions. When particular group requirements will apply, or when requirements of different groups will apply to different competitors within the event, these requirements shall also be stated.

Although use of this appendix is not required, it shall not be changed by the notice of race or sailing instructions.

P1        DEFINITIONS OF GROUPS FOR COMPETITOR CLASSIFICATION

P1.1     Group US1 Competitor

A Group 1 competitor is one who engages in competitive sailing solely as a pastime, who does not benefit financially from an activity that contributes to the performance of racing boats, and who has not engaged in activity within the past 12 months that would make him a Group 2 competitor or activity within the past 24 months that would make him a Group 3 competitor.  As exceptions, the following competitors are included in Group 1:

(a)        a competitor who otherwise meets Group 1 requirements but occasionally accepts reimbursement for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses of travel, lodging, meals and entry fees necessary for participation in an event;

(b)        a competitor who, before he has reached his 24th birthday, is engaged or employed for no more than two periods totaling 100 days or less in a calendar year in an activity that would otherwise make him a Group 2 or Group 3 competitor.

P1.2     Group US2 Competitor

A Group 2 competitor is one who is neither a Group 1 nor a Group 3 competitor and has not been engaged in an activity that would make him a Group 3 competitor within the past 12 months.

P1.3     Group US3 Competitor

A Group 3 competitor is one who directly or indirectly:

(a)        is paid to race;

(b)        benefits financially from competing;

(c)        primarily because of sailing skill or sailing reputation, receives payment or other compensation having a value of more than US $1000 for allowing his name, likeness, sailing performance or sailing reputation to be used for the advertisement, promotion or sale of any product or service; or

(d)        publicly identifies himself as a Group 3 competitor.

P2        FINANCIAL BENEFITS

Financial benefits include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a)        income, a gift, loan, or other direct benefit, in excess of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses as permitted in rule P1.1(a), for participating in a race;

(b)        a prize of money or its equivalent, a prize readily converted to money, or a non-monetary prize having a value of more than US $1,000, other than a prize of primarily symbolic value such as a trophy or a watch;

(c)        an agreement involving current or future employment based on racing activities or successes.

P3        CHANGES IN GROUP STATUS

P3.1     A Group 3 competitor becomes a Group 2 competitor after 12 months during which he has not been engaged in an activity that would make him a Group 3 competitor.

P3.2     A Group 2 competitor becomes a Group 1 competitor after 12 months during which he has not been engaged in an activity that would make him a Group 2 or Group 3 competitor.

P4        PROTEST DECISIONS

When a protest committee decides that a boat has broken a sailing instruction that applies this appendix, it shall disqualify the boat from any race for which a valid protest was made. A protest committee acting under Appendix P shall report its decision to US SAILING.

P5        US SAILING CLASSIFICATION DETERMINATION AND REVIEW

P5.1     A competitor may request the US SAILING Competitor Classification Committee to determine his status under Appendix P, or US SAILING may initiate such a determination. In making the determination, the committee may require the competitor to provide information and evidence. The competitor will be charged an administrative fee ($25 for US SAILING members; $75 for others) except when US SAILING initiates the determination. A competitor may request a new determination at any time, and should do so whenever a change in circumstances might place him in a numerically higher group.

P5.2     A competitor who believes that his classification determination is incorrect may request a review, in which case members of the committee who did not make the original determination will conduct the review. Payment of the administrative fee will again be required.

P5.3     Classification determinations made under rule P5.1 or rule P5.2, or the earlier Appendix R, shall expire on the last day of the second full calendar year after the date of the determination, or earlier when a change in circumstances places the competitor in a numerically higher group.

This Appendix is a US SAILING prescription.

US SAILING prescribes that, when the sailing instructions so indicate, the Sound-Signal Starting System described below shall be used. This system is recommended primarily for small-boat racing and makes it unnecessary for competitors to use stopwatches. Supplemental visual course and recall signals are also recommended when practicable.

Q1       Course and postponement signals may be made orally.

Q2       Audible signals shall govern, even when supplemental visual signals are also used.

Q3       The starting sequence shall consist of the following sound signals made at the indicated times:

            Signal                          Sound                    Time before start

            Warning                        3 long                     3 minutes

            Preparatory                   2 long                     2 minutes

                                                1 long, 3 short          1 minute, 30 seconds

                                                1 long                     1 minutes

                                                3 short                    30 seconds

                                                2 short                    20 seconds

                                                1 short                    10 seconds

                                                1 short                    5 seconds

                                                1 short                    4 seconds

                                                1 short                    3 seconds

                                                1 short                    2 seconds

                                                1 short                    1 second

            Starting                         1 long                     0

Q4       Signals shall be timed from their commencement.

Q5       A series of short signals may be made before the sequence begins in order to attract attention.

Q6       Individual recalls shall be signalled by the hail of the sail number (or some other clearly distinguishing feature) of each recalled boat. Flag X need not be displayed.

Q7       Failure of a competitor to hear an adequate course, postponement, starting sequence or recall signal shall not be grounds for redress.