I know.

Earlier, JW "accused" me of not really caring about USS. That's absolutely true! USS depends on volunteers because they're cheap, plentiful and disposable. I would never permit myself to invest emotion supporting an organization I've no vested interest in. I'm a paid up member of USS because they do a good job with rules and race officials. My dues represent good value to me.

What is obvious to me is most sailors don't care about USS because USS doesn't care about them.

The salient point is that organized sailing had little use for catamarans until they proved themselves as a type. With the upcoming AC to be run on Cats, USS will now to try to take them into the mainstream and impose its monopolistic control. That will undoubtedly lead to regulations regarding seaworthiness and in the end, who is allowed to sail and on what. American yacht racing has always been the purview of so called "upper class" yacht clubs. USS is trying to reimpose that superficial standard. Today your membership in USS is voluntary, soon it may be a choice of belonging (if they accept you) or not being permitted to sail at all.

Pete, you and I have been over this before. Back when I sat in Mike's chair, you had this same go and I tried to explain things, answer questions and listen to your concerns. You very quickly lost interest. I saw you do it again with Dave when he was Chair. I'm not "accusing" you of anything; I'm basing my view of your interest on past experience.

There is a difference between losing interest and knowing when you're being stonewalled.

As it happens, USS has prepared special reports regarding three tragedies. They may be found here: http://about.ussailing.org/US_SAILING_Meetings/USS_Reports.htm for those interested in them.

What we see is that USS is an uregulated Federal monopoly and it's shaping up to be a regulatory agency with the Coast Guard as a likely enforcement arm.

Pete,

I have to admit, you win the extremely coveted "Race to the Keyboard in the Morning" trophy for 2012! I know of no one who does it better and no one will be able to match your profound skillset!!

Live long and prosper.

Have you read the report on the Severn River drowning?

I went over it quickly but it seems the girl drowned because her trapeze hook got caught in a position which was difficult to undo.

My assumption is that in ponderous due course someone will go to the trouble of announcing the things can kill you. I have no trouble saying it straight out, trapezes hooks can drown you, convert to the Bethwaite system.

No doubt the Coast Guard will consider these reports, come out with their own findings and eventually the "hook" system will be outlawed. My problem with all that is noone who actually sails will have any input into the matter.

Imo, USS is well on its way to transforming itself into another mindless bureaucracy. That will certainly solve their funding issues. Everytime they need more money they'll simple find something you must buy. Don't be too surprised to find you must attend a USS class for your sailing license or risk getting a ticket. Coming soon to a body of water near you.

The level of conspiracy that you are prophsizing is nothing less than spectacular. If what you say is true, you should be on guard for the black helecopters hovering over your house. USS will not stand to have their agenda exposed and they will stop at nothing to have any potential whisleblowers silenced!!!

I don't know why you'd call it a conspiracy. It is the nature of organizations to expand, USS is taking a logical path toward growth. They will experience less oppostion if they do it quitely. They mention something about their congressional monopoly "giving them a broader mandate to serve the public directly" or some such verbiage.

Have a nice day.

From the horse's mouth: http://about.ussailing.org/History.htm

"According to the original constitution, NAYRU's authority stemmed from consent of its members and member associations over which it exercised jurisdiction in an advisory capacity. Today, its authority comes instead from an act of Congress (the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act of 1978) and a much broader charter to serve America's sailors directly"

The only real change here is they no longer need your consent to serve you.

All right, I think we've all had just about enough of this. I hate to do it, but you leave me no choice: I'm calling in the blue blazers, and they know where you live (although the black helicopters are really more the style of ISAF, so they'll probably just arrive on foot like the mere mortals they actually are)...

Mike

They all ready don't care! I'm well past 30, they'll just wait for attrition to take it's toll.

And soon there will be a movie with Denzel playing Gary Jobson.


No no no, strike that. Christopher Walken will play the evil Gary Jobson and Denzel will play Pete.

Jason Alexander, Denzel is too intense and doesn't have my body.