Well I got my renewel letter the other day, for a new $60 2009 rulebook. I was thinking about the ever present problem of funding for US Sailing, which I think survives soley on membership funding, no public support.

My question is, why have they not applied for Public funding via our Government, like they do in many other countrys? I know the Isreali gov. funds a fantastic sailing program there. I think the RYA gets public financing as well. And then there is the Olympic funding thing...

It would seem to me that in this day of rapidly increasing oil/gasoline prices, a good case could be made to our Democratic Congress that a nation wide, publicly funded sailing program would be of some great benefit, especially when it comes to giving "inner city youth" something to do all summer, other than selling crack, that does not rely on forign oil sales to us. Sell it as the combination of Solar and Wind energy to produce fun and excitement with no carbon footprint. Too bad Gore isn't in the White House!

So, Jake, JW, or any other US Sailing reps. in the know, do you have any info. on what has been attempted as far as getting Uncle Sam to pony up for some of this? It would be great to have a nation wide program, with sailing centers in every major city with water, were anyone could walk in and get on the spot training, rent a boat, a membership card like a driver's licenses, that would allow you to rent anywhere once you have completed the course.

This $60 rulebook thing is getting old and members still can't rent at any of the US Sailing Centers.

Right now US Sailing is pushing for mandatory membership for all sailors.

Your recommendation is to go the next step with mandatory membership for all US citizens, with the IRS collecting membership dues. I don't like it.

Out of what I pay my club for membership, which includes mast up storage, a beach, changing rooms, a somewhat social scene, a wednesday night series etc. etc. about one dollar goes to the national sailing assoc. Without a strong national sailing assoc. the local club would probably not be there.

You in the USA have a different view on central organisations than most in Europe. Some of these large and central organisations are rotten apples, but many do good work. Not everybody here have to be a member, but if you want to race, you are a member.

Rhino, lots of your tax dollars are going to rebuild a country we bombed back to the stone ages, you OK with that? I would rather see a small piece of that going towards something all Americans can learn to do. The wind and water are free, all we need is a place to access them. We have so many other government funded special projects, I don't think one more will break your bank. If all americans were paying for it (like we are with every other government program) they might show up and use it. Good for business and good for the environment.

Does anybody know where to find a copy of the US Sailing Budget? I can't find it on their web site. I would at least like to know where the money goes.

Timbo,

Mary brings up a very good point. One of US Sailing's big problems (perhaps the problem at its core) is that there is very little accountability to the membership. It appears to be run by a very small clique that is uninterested in the opinions of the average sailor.

The only real control that we have over US Sailing is to refuse to pay membership dues when it does things we disagree with. With government funding we would lose even that.

Beyond that, your idea sounds like "Midnight Basketball". That was a very sucessfull program for inner-city youth started by a few concerned and highly motivated people. It worked because those people made it work. Then the politicians tried to expand it by handing out money left and right, which didn't work because the people not money was the key ingredient.

I know there are many different and independant local sailing centers, not yacht clubs, around the country. But there are only a handfull of official "US Sailing Centers" and they offer little imediatley to any new person off the street.

First you have to join US Sailing, then wait for a class date to get into a long 4-6 week program, and you will never rent a boat on a walk in basis, no matter your skill level.

I was able to rent a boat with no on the water checkout from the Boston Comunity Sailing Center many years ago. It was fantasitc. All I had to do was talk to the guy behind the desk, answer a few questions so that he knew I knew what I was doing, pay my $20 and I was on my way.

I was thinking it would be great if all the Comunity Sailing Centers across our country could all get on the same page, easy now with the internet, keep a list of members who have passed a course or checkout, issue a card you can show to rent say on a Weds. afternoon, just for a daysail, that type of thing, as well as offer an on site instructor available for walk-in customers who already know how to sail or need a quick refresher. This would be in addition to regularly scheduled evening and weekend classes for the locals of course. I think there are already lots of local community sailing centers but they are not connected to each other. I thought US Sailing could handle that since most of them already use a US Sailing curriculum.

Any newbie can go to any hotel in paradise and rent a Wave or Sunfish or something, no questions asked, but at a US Sailing Center, as a US Sailing MEMBER, a Dues Paying experienced sailor, you cannot. Figure that one out.

I've got no problem paying my $60 to join US Sailing, I've been a member since I was about 19 and I'm 48, but I think that should also allow me access to every US Sailing faciltiy and use of a boat (if they are not all out on the water) for a small rental fee of course, without having to take a $200 6 week program to prove I can tack.

Now with the national focus on "Green" everything, and the run-up in gasoline prices, I think it would be a good time for US Sailing to go to Congress and push for some funding to organize a nation wide "Lern to Sail" program, bring in all the local community sailing centers under that umbrella, standardize the courses and give out cards that would allow someone who has proven ability to rent any where, any time. If we want to grow the sport, we have to make it easier for the public to access the boats and the water.

A nation wide program available in every major city, town, etc. where there is already a comunity sailing center would be a great way to lure in more new people, more so now that gasoline for jet ski's is getting way up there with no signs of stopping.

Sorry but i was going to fund us sailing but i figured my multihull money wasn't wanted they can get it from the monoslug racers.
U.S. sailing can go play with their dingy's, and thistles and lasers and ynglings and 470's , If they don't support multihulls then why would i support them?

don't pout. join ussailing through the multihull council for your $10 break and show support WITHIN the organization. keep your friends close, your enemies closer.

Please remember that US Sailing also provides smaller clubs and community sailing organizations with the ability to insure events and club activities. Without which events will never get the necessary permits to run. Without these nationally recognized certifications insurers would undoubtedly decline coverage or hit you with serious increases or some sort of unreasonable hurdles. The training applies to multihulls as well as monohulls. I think maybe the question ,as pointed out earlier, concerns the powers the be not the powers that could or should be. I know that I am going to pay, participate, and recussitate a Wave or Bravo or whatever it is that is covered with weeds at our little club and put some interested kids on that for an afternoon. We all know that the fun factor will build our fleets from the most important resource we have which is the green opti fleets and whatever else your youngin's scoot about in. Inclusion of youth is essential even if the go to school and race 420's or lasers or colgate 26's if they have a chance to experience cats they won't forget it. Especially on the days when the cats are put away when they are just starting to arrive back at the beach/dock/marina whatever.