# US Sailing Mandatory Membership



## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

US Sailing's President has recently suggested that anyone wishing to race a sailboat in the U.S. be required to join his organization first. Any comments?


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## Yamsailor (Jun 7, 2006)

Yeah--and all recreational boaters should be required to get a USCG license..


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## bubb2 (Nov 9, 2002)

Yamsailor said:


> Yeah--and all recreational boaters should be required to get a USCG license..


Do you feel that the education would not be useful?


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## artbyjody (Jan 4, 2008)

Of course he would say that - because they are loosing members and / or that would increase the revenue... For the most part we all have enough requirements, and from the way that some of the more recent racing events have been represented perhaps they should make the clubs become a member instead of just the members of the race...

Racing is a segment of sailing where normally the more educated sailors are prone to be playing at to begin with.... to penalize them to join - is highway robbery and I bet if they invoke this alot of the more talented but struggling and / or merely committed to the sport would drop out....


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

That's right...with the sport struggling and newbies needed...let's add another expensive hoop to jump through. Self aggrandizing putz!


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

Depending upon where you race, you already have to join PHRF, pay to get numbers for the boat, now pay to join US Sailing?!?!?!?!?! Some local races I do already charge an extra $5 if your not a member of USSA! Take about 12-18 races a yr to pay the difference.

marty


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## AjariBonten (Sep 7, 2007)

I've got an idea; I think anyone who wants to post anything on the Internet should be required to join MY organization: and pay me the nominal $1.00 per year dues.

Hey, c'mon, it's only a BUCK!!!!!!!

It's not like I'd get rich or anything, I mean reallllly, how many people could possibly post on the Inter-Nets Thingy?

You can send me your dollar through PayPal to [email protected]


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## chucklesR (Sep 17, 2007)

Last I checked there is no copyright on 'sailboat race' 

Imagine if anyone wanting to play football had to pay a membership fee to the NFL - sure, that'll work. 

I hope it backfires on him.


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

> Imagine if anyone wanting to play football had to pay a membership fee to the NFL - sure, that'll work.
> 
> I hope it backfires on him.


The reason the NFL plays on Sundays for most of the season is because when it started up it made a deal not to compete with the college game, which was much, much bigger then the NFL ever hoped to be at the time. Once the college season has ended, you start seeing Saturday games played by the NFL.


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## capt.stu (Oct 5, 2004)

*membership*

I'm a member because I want to support the training programs US sailing sponsors. I think if some one wants to club race, membership should not be required. If a skipper is serious and wants to race in class sanctioned events I don't have a problem with the requirement. US sailing does a lot to promote the sport and get young people involved.


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## djodenda (Mar 4, 2006)

Would this include "two boats sailing in the same direction" which we all know constitutes a race?


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## cjmcfall (May 30, 2007)

This is exactly what happened in the adult hockey world. USA Hockey requires every person wanting to play organized hockey to become a member. Everyone should be aware of this in any sport. 

USA Hockey has changed the game in a negative way and requires a $20 (I can't remember the exact $$) membership. This is fascism and it's very frustrating when an organization tries to control and make money off of a recreational activity.


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## Sapperwhite (Oct 21, 2006)

Good thing the only one who has been affective at regulating my cruising lifestyle has been my amigo Jose Cuervo and his pals.


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## Brezzin (Dec 4, 2006)

capt.stu said:


> If a skipper is serious and wants to race in class sanctioned events I don't have a problem with the requirement.


I'm not being critical here but really would like to know what US Sailing brings to the table at an event? Are they providing sponsorship opportunities? I really don't know. What do they do for the skippers.


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## capt.stu (Oct 5, 2004)

I can't list everything off the top here but you could check their web site and see the different programs they have. The most obvious thing they do is manage the rules and publish the rule books. It is a member run organization, not a for profit entity. They also support the Olympic programs. 
The organization has nothing to do with cruising sailors so I don't see why some of you are all bent out of shape about it. Again I don't feel that beer can racers should have to join but if your serious then you should want to support the sport


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Sailing Anarchy...which is composed mostly of race interested sailors...wrote an editorial against it today as well. Seems like our instinctual dislike of a power grab is shared by those who actually do race competitively.


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## capt.stu (Oct 5, 2004)

I think it's pretty sad that sailors that race are to cheap to support the governing body of yacht racing in the US. They are having fun on someone elses dime. The membership.I think, is a whopping $50.00. Who do they think publishes the rules that they sail under?


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## XTR (Feb 28, 2007)

Cam, I was just about to go over and see what the SA guys had to say (I kinda already knew). 

If I remember correctly the majority at SA has turned the flame throwers on USSA more than once. (and Stu, I think the rules are at least one of the reasons) If you are up for a spirited discussion go over there and let them know your feelings.


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## capt.stu (Oct 5, 2004)

I'm not the debating type as such. I just think that their attitude is like not voting and then bitching about who is in the white house.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

"Who do they think publishes the rules that they sail under?"
Ergh, _race _under, not sail under. USSA does not have any rules for sailing.[g]

Personally I stopped paying dues when someone decided that United States Yacht Racing Union (USYRU) was too elitist and they had to dumb it down to USSA in order to get a wider appeal. I figured that if *I* could get past the fancy moniker, so could everyone else, and if they dumbed it down enough, good lord, we'd have powerboaters and golfers in the fleet next. [vbg]

I think they're just jealous of the NFL and MLB, both private corporations that manage to make billions in local business franchises, while deceiving the public into thinking they are 'sports'.

As the official arm of sanctioned international Olympic and whatever formal racing...I suppose they do need money and members. But that would be like requiring football fans to "join" the NFL before they could enter the stadium. Oh, wait a minute...they do that with every ticket sale, don't they? Nevermind.[g]

Hey, they gotta make SOMEthing to stay in business, the only question is how much is reasonable, to who.


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## williamkirk (Feb 18, 2008)

Sailing is an expensive sport. We choose to participate in it because we love it and we were exposed to it when we were children through family or through friends. Being required to join US Sailing will not be what drives me out of the sport, being protested by someone for not turning on my running lights at sunset in a casual non-spinnaker race will drive me out of racing.

If there are around 800,000 sailors in the US and 10% sail competitively and US Sailing has around 40,000 members, then half of the competitive sailors right here in the US are getting the benefits without having any skin in the game. Why don’t the members rise up to get the non-members to join. More members means expanded programs, better benefits, and reasonable membership fees.

It’s easy to point out what we think US Sailing does poorly, too many renewal letters, not enough benefits, program fees are to high. What about all of the things they do right, affordable insurance for clubs so they can host regattas, outstanding training for instructors and race officers, championships for young sailors, representation at an International level. US Sailing does this with just a small fraction of our sports participants footing the bill through membership. 

I’m no fan of mandatory membership, but what can US Sailing achieve if everyone chipped in?


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

"We choose to participate in it because we love it "
Speak for yourself, I was having a nice pint in me local pub and then I woke up dragooned and at sea the next morning. I'd jump ship, but they keep anchoring out and I can't swim!


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## williamkirk (Feb 18, 2008)

If I pick you up can we head back to the Pub?


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

*Sorry, non-sequetor*



bubb2 said:


> Do you feel that the education would not be useful?


US Sailing is suggesting that MEMBERSHIP be required. Education is not stipulated. Writing an annual check for $60 (as of now) is. If they increase the dues every year from now on, would we learn something then? Perhaps.


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## Sailormon6 (May 9, 2002)

capt.stu said:


> I think it's pretty sad that sailors that race are to cheap to support the governing body of yacht racing in the US. They are having fun on someone elses dime. The membership.I think, is a whopping $50.00. Who do they think publishes the rules that they sail under?


I belong to a lot of social and service clubs that I never attend anymore, but continue to pay my annual dues because I want to support their good activities, but nobody has shown me why I should start paying $50-60 annually to US Sailing. They don't give away those racing rules, you know. I've always had to pay for them. Moreover, the sailing clubs that I have belonged to use a part of my annual dues for a club membership to US Sailing, so I support US Sailing financially in any event. Apparently, US Sailing isn't satisfied with the "take" from club dues.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

"Apparently, US Sailing isn't satisfied with the "take" from club dues."
The guy who owns the boat probably pays club dues. The three, or six, or ten guys who crew every race with him usually don't. But they profit equally from having the USSA structure in place, with rules and decisions and insurance etc. That's the market USSA has been trying to get--back into the USYRU days.
I suspect it was easier to get members back when membership was a fraction of the current price, and the only way to get a real rulebook was BUYING ONE FROM THEM. Or getting it free with your membership.<G>


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## williamkirk (Feb 18, 2008)

Having been the Membership Director of US Sailing in the mid to late 90’s I have seen both sides of the argument. I am no fan of mandatory membership, but when a disproportionate number of any group reaps the benefits of an organization without having any skin in the game you may have to look outside the box.

US Sailing is tasked with a great deal of responsibility, from training race officers and instructors, developing quality training materials used at the best sailing schools in the country, distributing the racing rules, assisting clubs and classes, organizing the championships and Jr. Olympic programs, Safety at Sea and more. There is no doubt in my mind that I can find sailors that feel everyone of these programs is critical to the sport. US Sailing does all of these things on a shoestring budget and with the help of volunteers.

Can US Sailing do better? Sure. Can they communicate better? Yes. Should there be more benefits attached to my membership? Probably. But the fact is your membership dollars have to support all of the programs that the organization has in place, not just the ones you utilize. According to the most recent data on the US Sailing web site (2006) membership generated $1.62 million and the membership expenses were $585 thousand which means that $.64 of every membership dollar goes to support one program or another.

If the Membership Department spent additional dollars on increased benefits and tools to communicate the value of US Sailing, every other department would need to raise the fees on their programs to offset the reduced membership revenue. The problem there is that many sailors think US Sailing should provide these services at little to no cost.


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

If the services US Sailing provides are done largely by Yacht Club volunteers, using donated equipment and space for which US Sailing either doesn't pay or only pays a token amount, why shouldn't sailors think US Sailing is gouging them by requiring an expensive membership? ( Very expensive, according to posters here and elsewhere, based on what most members actually get out of it: a plastic card with a number on it that they never need.) If US Sailing takes it upon itself to set up expensive Olympic Training sites and _*then*_ finds out the U.S. Olympic Committee wants them to pound sand, why should we pay for their mistake? If US Sailing wants to promote sailing and the Olympics to younger members, why do they allow ISAF to throw boats that appeal to younger members - catamarans- out of the Olympics? Why should we support such ineptitude, even in volunteers? (And if they're all volunteers, why is there a Compensation Committee?) When US Sailing holds its annual meeting in places like Phoenix - lots of water there in the Mojave Desert to promote sailing on - do we members pay to fly the directors and officers there? Why should we support boondoggles? People cite the racing rules as a benefit provided by US Sailing. This is a sorry indication of how well US Sailing communicates with its members. ISAF, not US Sailing, provides the Racing Rules of Sailng, and they're available online worldwide for free to anyone. 
Please don't *make* me join. Make me *want* to join. I'm willing to be convinced, but not forced.


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