I prefer seats like this...

http://sailnow.photosite.com/October16/?page=3

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Bart Senior" .@. wrote in message ...
Solutions can be found. In San Francisco, the St
Francis Yacht Club routes race courses along the
city front, where currents favor hugging the shore
on either the upwind or downwind legs. It make
for spectacular viewing of short tacking and spinnaker
sets, some of the more fun portions of a race. I'd
liken it to end zone seating at a football game where
spectators get to see some of the best portions of the
event.

As the writer commented, using big screen televisions,
common in many sports, an option that was not used,
would have been welcome to those interested on shore.
It would certainly have increased interest among non-
sailors in the sport, and lifted sailing as a sport deserving
more coverage, recognition, and support.

If it were up to me, I'd press a ferry into service for
a floating spectator platform.

Regarding the lack of response by US Sailing; was it
rudeness? I'm sure that if US Sailing extended an apology
in "writing" on letterhead from a suitably high official, to
those treated like WWSOTBOTOUAST, the apology
would in most cases be accepted. It most certainly would
be accepted if they promised to fix the both the original
problem and the revealed management problem. It would
not if the issue was simply dismissed without consideration
by themselves. Some things need to be presented to the
entire membership body.

I am sure of this. There lack of systems in place to respond
to US Sailing member inquiries is a very serious flaw in
both the management and leadership of US Sailing.

I urge everyone to write US Sailing and demand to know what
they are going to do about the problem. Report back here
with the outcomes of your efforts.

"Martin Baxter" wrote
Bart Senior wrote:

His topic was the subject of inadequate spectator seating
at the Olympics. I agree with his view completely. More
spectator seating should be provided. According to him
sailing events were the only events in which spectator
seating was not available for purchase at the Olympic
Games. That places Sailing at the bottom of all Olympic
sports. Who feels it should be given such a low status?

Spectator seating for sailing events? You've got to be kidding! My city
(Kingston On.) hosted the '76 Olympic Sailing events as Montreal simply
doesn't have a venue, there is very little to be seen from shore. Even
with binoculars all you can see is a sea of sails apparently aimlessly
milling about. If you want to see something you have to get out on the
water. The fact that there are no seats for sale in no way reflects on
the status of the sport. It's a bit like the body of the Marathon, if
you want to watch a bit of it, feel free to stand on the street, if you
want to see the whole thing watch it on TV. If you want to see sailing
well, rent a helicopter.

This still doesn't excuse US Sailing's apparent rudeness.

Cheers
Marty