We need maybe six or eight people who are interested in volunteering, and we need the member clubs and classes that you mention to start sending reps to meetings. I know it is a tall order - local and regional level volunteers are already spending extravagant amounts of time building their fleet or club or class.

There is no stipulation on that poll for people who are current members as well...or rather, an option for people who aren't currently members but will join, and those who aren't current members but will not join within the next year. It assumes that everyone that votes is currently a member.

Step forward to help HOW? What is it specifically that you need help with? The words "help" and "volunteer" are so vague. I'm sure that if you tell us what needs to be done, you will get plenty of offers to do those specific jobs. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

We did not get an e-mail from you for the Wave Class.

Okay if no one else is going to ask this then I am going to.... why is a guy from Thailand saying he is not going to renew his UNITED STATES sailing association membership? US Sailing is the national governing body for sailing in the US!
Okay, maybe membership is open to those from other countries, but I think in terms of this poll, there is an incredible bias coming from other parts of the world. If he's not a member, he's putting negative propaganda into the minds who are reading this thread and voting.
That'd be like someone from Iraq telling us that the war in Iraq is wrong! Slightly different perspective.
Those who are encouraging us to step up and volunteer have the right idea! US Sailing has everything in place needed to encourage sailing, whether it be keelboats, multihulls, or etc. People like John Williams are exactly what we need, they are capitalizing on the opportunities presented by the organization. There are no other viable organizations out there with the type of resources that US Sailing provides us and the rest of the sailing community. Turning our back on the organization would be turning our back to those resources. I'd like to see some other organization come up with similar resources, it would take a tremendous effort and in my eyes would not be possible. I am not trying to start a debate, simply state my opinion which is in order to get what we want out of this organization we have to support it! If they do us wrong, we have to step up as we have and let them know! We can't always get what we want but that's life, that doesn't give you a right to give up.

I think you took my post a little out of context.
I was trying to make a point that negative statements or positive statements for that matter should not be associated with any poll of this sort.
For one, by polling people outside the true sample you are creating an allowance for a large sample error.
Also, the bias created by people who are not truly part of the polling sample will create more of a margin for error. That was my point with the Iraq statement... it was a comparison with no direct bearing on this discussion.

Okay.. maybe my point was out of place as this is an opinion poll and thread, anyone has the right to speak up... However, I feel like there has been plenty of discussion on this subject in other threads and to discuss it in association with a poll may be affecting the results.

I did intend to create any ill will and I apologize if you took it that way.
I chose to bring up an issue to discuss just as everyone else in this thread, I did not realize the manner in which I was bringing it up would cause such a response.