Mark,

To be honest I didnt understand what US Sailing did for me prior to the Olympic multihull decision. I wasnt a member, I didnt know what they did. I paid the extra $10 bucks when I was asked.

Since the Olympic event came up, and I've read and researched the US Sailing issue, I'm gotten a very bad taste for the organization and I'm definetly not joining now. There's now way I'm supporting them given the way they've treated the multi-hull community. I didnt see value before, now I see far less.

Its an easy choice for me, dont participate in events that require US Sailing memberships. If I walk up to the desk and they ask for a card in order to sail, I wont be able to sail that race. If I have to pay a couple extra bucks because I'm not a member then thats fine.

I'm looking for excuses to travel less with the cost gas anyway. US Sailing is going to make it easier to decide what races to participate in.

Go read the Sailing Anarchy thread, its not just the mulithull community thats pissed with US Sailing, the mono hull crowd is up in arms too. The mandatory membership issue has them asking the value of US Sailing.

Rules can be rewritten, protests can be held on the beach and we all have our own insurance. We can organize our own races, and get volunteers to do the RC work.

But you are right, the YC's wont go along with a change from US Sailing, that was my thought reading the Sailing Anarchy threads.

But we are already mostly a separate group, with separate events, and a not usually part of a traditional YC scene, so I dont think that not being a member of US Sailing is going to dramatically change the way I race.

This issue really sucks, because I am an advocate of doing more racing with the dighy/mono/YC groups as a way to expose more people to multihulls.
Bill