For years I have been pushing folks in our club to join organizations such as US Sailing. "Why?" They have asked, and I have pointed out that they manage the Portsmouth ratings, and that if more multi sailors joined they would eventually see our worth.

This whole affair, however, has done it for me. There is no other way to interpret their actions at the ISAF council than to believe that after proposing no multi classes and catching a whole lot of flack that their subsequent proposal of two multi classes was nothing more than a cynical move to shut us up and stop the emails. Their votes are proof of this. They got what they originally wanted but can point to their proposal as "proof" they care. All I can say to that is %$*& off.

I'll probably drop my membership, and I will no longer try to get people to join. However, I won't be peeling off my US Sailing stickers. A lack of stickers on cars won't show how we feel. Instead, I will get some thin red tape and make the international "No" symbol around it. I will display that right next to my WRCRA decal.

I propose that everybody else do the same. Whether you stay a member or not, display your distaste by modifying your US Sailing sticker. Have it right next to your multi club decal. I think it would also be great to create a t-shirt sized logo that folks can print out and iron to a t-shirt. Wear it to every sailing event.

Olympic sailing has just become far less interesting. Now, there is even less reason to watch, and less reason to be involved with US Sailing.