I agree with Mark. I do not see any significant difference between this ISAF/IYRU reply than the last couple I have seen except for the unified plan. I don't have any real hope that the unified plan will provide any improvement because they same groups and poiltics are still in charge.

Let me add a couple of things I heard last year. The groups that work with the IOC in the various sports are big because they have the IOC money. For example have you ever heard of the #2 Associations in Track and Field, Swimming, or Sailing?

So lets suppose ISAF's new plan really PO's IOC and they decide to take all their all their money and find someone that will give them what they want.

We are not it. At least I am not the person the IOC is looking for. If anyone reading this is a teenager with a cool story for TV speak up but I doubt there is anyone in this group that meets IOC's expectations.

So what does IOC do? Recognize a International group of collegiate and youth sailing groups and fund them directly(With France as the core or the model?). Now the IOC recognized sailing group looks like track and field and swimming. This new group would find a way to allow "their stars" that have graduated to compete. The IOC would require a financial plan to spread the money around and a media plan. Given a $100 million a year, I think it could be pulled off in 4 years.

We need to watch for something like this. I think only France has a youth sailing ladder system that includes multihulls. It would suck if they ended up sailing Opti's, Laser's and 420's

Remember this is an extreme case. IOC would only do this if they wanted to keep sailing and were convinced ISAF would not do what they wanted. However they could do something close to it, by reducing ISAF to a funding source for the groups they want.