Hi Mary,

I suspect they want the sailor to buy into the mission of the organiztion and have a stake in belonging.

Same reason a Class Association wants you to join at the begining of the year and not just pay for nationals at the nationals. They want you to be on board with the mission.

Since these are all volunteer organziations... it's essential to contribute dues and join the organization, otherwise you are stiffing the volunteers.

It's down right insulting to view these things as simply purchasing a service... as if you were going to Walmart and not Costco.

We could not afford saililboat racing if we had to pay for everyones on registration, race committe for their time, much less the equipment and storage of the equipment to run a race on the open market.

I think every sailing organization looses when you calculate.... Fee for service... Oh.. that's a Good value.... or US Sailing... that's a bad value, I don't get anything for that. (Think about it... is John Williams' time, energy and skll on the MHC valuable to you?..... How about Darline Hobock's time and energy making the PN system work YEAR AFTER YEAR)

Speaking as a volunteer... you could not afford to pay for the time I put into sailing organizations.

I have a very dim view of freeloaders who don't join the organizations AND volunteer to make the organization succesful.

That's not to say that you can't disagree with the organizations funamental mission or strategy and choose not join . I think you need to have the option to pay the surcharge at the door. Then it is your choice to pay a fee for service... (eg. Pay 10% more to the YC if you are not a USSA member).

Mark