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.