Executive Committee Minutes
March 8, 2004



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, Don Durant, Bruce Eissner, Fred Hagedorn, Dick Hanneman, Tom Hubbell, Leslie Keller, Patty Lawrence, Bill Munster, Jim Muldoon, and Joni Palmer. Executive Director Nick Craw was also present. Bill Ross was absent.

3. Action Item:
A motion to approve minutes of the Feb. 17, 2004 Executive Committee meeting was made, seconded and carried.

4. President Janet Baxter announced the appointment of a Task Force to study the extent to which US SAILING should be involved in environmental issues. Committee members are Anthony Stanford and Margaret Podlick. It was recommended that they interact with Michael Devonshire who heads ISAF committee studying these issues.

5. Because of the meeting date early in the month, there was no format report from the Executive Director. He stated that there were still minor discrepancies to be corrected from the computer conversion, that membership in March was down 70 from February, and that attendance at a Safety at Sea program in Rhode Island had attracted 440 registrants.

6. Treasurer Leslie Keller reported that a new developer has been contracted to work on the software problems associated with the accounting programs.

7. Fred Hagedorn, US SAILING Olympic Committee Chair, announced that Zodiak has donated three boats to the US Olympic Sailing Team, and that they had also arranged for the boats to be equipped with engines. The Olympic team selection regattas, except in the Star Class, have been completed.

8. Ruth Creighton, General Services Chair, announced that a new web master, Darrell Lievense, will join the office staff this week. She requested that web liaisons refrain from making web page changes for a few until the new web master can coordinate activities and controls.

9. After considerable discussion about a new handicapping rule, the IRC, sponsored by ISAF and administered by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, it was decided that additional discussion would be appropriate at the upcoming Mid Year meeting in Mobile, ALA.

10. Action Item:
A Motion was made, seconded and carried to"Table the IRC decision until
the Sunday, March 14, 2003 executive committee meeting in Mobile, after others have had an opportunity to review the question of whether US SAILING should issue IRC certificates in the United States for boats that wish to have that certificate."

11. President Baxter discussed agenda items for the March 11, 2003 Executive Committee Meeting in Mobile. The meeting is to be facilitated by Doug Metchick.

12. Vice President Joni Palmer reported visiting yacht clubs that were using overhead wires and requested that Risk Management issue reminders that these conditions are in violation of US SAILING policies. It has been several years since a fatality involving overhead wires has occurred.

13. Bruce Eissner commented that Peter Reichelsdorfer deserves commendation by US SAILNG for his work representing the US position on the Grand Prix Racing Rule over a period of many years.

14. The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. E.S.T.


Respectfully submitted,

Dick Hanneman, Secretary