For US Sailors.
Here are a few points to consider.

Incorporation of the club is a good thing. This allows you to open a bank account in your clubs name and it protects the volunteer officers personal assests.

Liability insurance is highly recomended if you plan to sponsor an event OR cosponsor an event. You can purchase insurance from two providors. US Sailing sanctioned and insurance from the previous company that did buisness with US Sailing.

Regatta liability insurance will cover officers and race committe personal while they are on the water. Beach insurance will cover your liablity for the free beer at the party and any actions that happen on land and will protect the property owner as well. US Sailing's policy is comprehensive and will cover the boats and vehicles your club borrows to conduct the race as well. US Sailing insurance seems to recognize the role of chase boats and saftey boats that you have arranged to conduct the race. The other company would prefer you to not call them that. This grey area has always bothered me.

IF you don't incorporate as a club then you can try to use NAMSA or Hobie Cat's umbrella policy (its the same thing as what you would purchase for your incorporated club) Checks for the event are written to some ones personal account. (You get to deal with the IRS if need be) or any crap or claims from bad outcomes. Basically, if every one is a member of the large group (EG NAHCA and follows that groups rules they will be covered for on the water liablity. I don't think you can add property coverage easily. The sponsoring authority is then NAMSA or NAHCA and you are members of one big club running an event for the big club.

If you don't run an event or cosponsor an event... rather you are just attending the event as class members... you don't need organizational insurance. Just your own personal liability coverage.

Final point, the waivers that we routinely sign are not required once you get insurance. We continue to post them to reinforce the notion that the skipper takes full responsiblity for his actions.

Whats the bottom line... plan to spend about 800 to 900 a year for the coverage. It's the responsible thing to do if you run events so that any volunteer that you get to help out or loan you a boat does not take on any liablity from their generosity. It would really stink if the boat owner has to make an insurance claim while helping you out.

(had to spend a half hour on the phone with the underwriter to sort all of this out)

Take Care
Mark

Oh yeah... If you are in Cajun country... aka Louisiana they use the french system and the rules are a bit different generally!