Executive Committee Minutes
December 16, 2003

1. President Janet Baxter called the meeting to order at 8:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time.

2. Members present were: Janet Baxter, Dean Brenner, Jim Capron, Ruth Creighton, Bruce Eissner, Fred Hagedorn, Dick Hanneman, Tom Hubbell, Leslie Keller, Patty Lawrence, Bill Munster, Joni Palmer, and Bill Ross. Also present were Executive Director Nick Craw and Board of Director Guests Faye Bennet and Peter Durant. Absent were Paul Callahan, Don Durant and Jim Muldoon.

3. Action Item:
Motion to approve the Minutes for the Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2003 Executive Committee telephone conference call meeting was made, seconded and carried.

4. President Baxter welcomed Board guests Faye Bennet and Peter Durant to the meeting and urged them to participate in the discussions.

5. Executive Director Nick Craw announced that unexpected problems had arisen with respect to the agreements pending between US SAILING and Sailing World/Cruising World. As a result, negotiations have been reopened.

6. Executive Director Nick Craw reported that the initial fund raising effort for the US Olympic sailors had raised more than $30,000 in the first few days. In addition, the United States Sailing Foundation fund drive, begun last fall, has raised over $70,000 to date, of which more than $55,000 went to the Olympic program.

7. Treasurer Leslie Keller reported that cash flow has improved and line of credit accessed several months ago has been reduced to near zero.

8. President Baxter reported that committee nominations were under way and will be distributed for approval prior to the next ExCom meeting.

9. Olympic Sailing Committee Chair Fred Hagedorn announced that the "no drop" decision by ISAF to be imposed in the 2004 Athens Olympics was being reviewed by the ISAF Council and an e-mail vote was underway.

10. Action Items:
A motion to instruct the US SAILING delegates to vote to rescind the "no drop" ruling and support a "single drop race" was made, seconded and carried.

If that position is reaffirmed by ISAF and the "no drop" is rescinded, the US SAILING delegates were further directed to adopt the following positions with respect to the next Olympics.

1) Support a proposal to limit the last day of racing to one race.
2) Reject a proposal to make the last race a "must count" race.
3) Reject a proposal to limit each day to two races.

11. Offshore Committee Chair Bruce Eissner said the committee was working to avoid a marketing battle between the new IRC measurement rule and PHRF. The Committee will study the new IRC rule being promoted by the RORC during the next year to make a fair evaluation of rule.

12. President Baxter will consult with ISAF delegates to select a US nominee for Vice President of ISAF, and two US nominees for positions to the ISAF Council.

13. General Services Chair Ruth Creighton announced that a liaison position has been created to improve working relations between the Risk Management and Legal committees. Joe Melino has agreed to serve in this position.

She also announced that the By Laws committee is preparing the US SAILING Regulation with respect to the Motion on Indemnification that was approved by the Board of Directors meeting in St. Louis. When this drafting is completed, it will be approved by the ExCom and forwarded to the Rules Committee to be written as a Prescription. Because the new RRS is in preparation, these tasks need to be accomplished quickly.

14. Action Item:
A motion to support the application from Newport Harbor to host the Pacific Life Yacht Club Challenge as an ISAF Grade 4 event was made, seconded and carried. The current NOR needs revisions before this action can be forwarded to ISAF.

15. A written report was received from past CSA chair John Ross concerning the establishment of a Sportsmanship Award for the annual US Junior Single Handed Championship, the Smythe. The Sears Bemis Smythe committee approved this award at its last meeting in St. Louis, and sufficient funds have been raised to meet the requirements for a Perpetual Trophy.

16. Action Item:
A Motion that US SAILING create the perpetual Faye Bennet Junior Sportsmanship Trophy, to be awarded annually at the Smythe, the U.S. Junior Single-handed Championships, was made, seconded and carried.

17. An Executive Session on Rule 69 matters followed.

18. The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.


Respectfully Submitted,

Dick Hanneman, Secretary