I purposely don't know much about the keelboat
training because I think it's kind of goofy. But,
I'm 100% behind US SAILING's small boat training.
As the director of a sailing center, I require all
my instructors to have SBSI level I and all my
coaches to have level II. I know every aspect of
the training they've received.
I also have a great deal of respect for Rich
Jepsen. He has done well in leading the training
committee in rewriting the level II training and
they are almost done the rewrite of the level I
and Start Sailing Right.
No, US SAILING isn't perfect, but I think it does
well with it's small staff and volunteers.
S.

"Bart Senior" .@. wrote in message
...
:
: "Jean Pudl" wrote
:
: I do wonder how autonomous the "commercial"
sail training committee is.
: The impression I've had (based on little real
evidence) was that it was
: created by and for one group of schools
because they didn't want to pay
: ASA for an "official" piece of paper.
:
: Correct. It started with three school in the SF
Bay area. The Training
: Chairman owns one of these schools. He has
several of the IT's on
: his staff and in his back pocket. He pays there
expenses and owns
: their votes. One of them should be fired from
his position as an IT
: on ethics charges.
:
: I have some hope the Training Chair will
implement some changes.
: However, nearly everything I've discussed with
him has been brushed
: off. I am unwilling to travel to their event at
my expense just to be
: ignored after I'm gone.
:
: I dropped my membership and asked for my
certification money back.
: Which reminds me, I need to write them about
that again. I'll have to
: send it certified mail this time. They gave me a
"screw you" on the
: telephone when last I called them.
:
: Does this make any difference to the student?
Does it make any difference
: to the charter companies?
:
: Nope.
:
: Actually, it seems it only makes a difference
to the instructors who have
: to go through the process of being certified by
one or the other, or both.
: Just curious, when someone pays $400 for a
basic keelboat course, how much
: of that goes back to ASA or USSa?
:
: Schools pay a flat rate for membership. They
have to join to be competitive
: now that the "Certification" paper is what they
are selling. Students feel
: the paper means something and don't understand
it is the skills that are
: important and the paper is meaningless.
:
: Student fees include book costs, tests, and the
log book. I'll can only
: guess what the total is.
:
: Insurance is a muddy issue. Instructor are
forced to pay for insurance.
: This is a scam since the schools already have
insurance. bogUS Sailing
: both claims this fee is both insurance and not
for insurance, but insists
: instructors pay it anyway to be recertified. I
lost my cool over this
: last year. How can they say it is and that it
isn't for insurance? What
: hogwash! I want a written answer on this one.
:
: When I signed up the only requirement for
recertification was up to date
: First Aid and CPR certifications. Now a bogus
insurance fee is attached.
: Again, they say it is not for insurance, but
that is what it pays for--so
: that
: is what it is. Try to get a straight answer out
of them on that one. And
: they won't put and answer down on paper either!
:
:
: As to the "governing body" issue, this is a
byproduct of the Olympic
: Committee process, where one and only one
group (and I assume it must be
: non-profit) must be designated as the
governing body for each sport, and
: is responsible for the Olympic and
Pan-American teams, plus certain other
: functions. For better or worse, USSailing is
the organization the fits
: this role.
:
: I don't think it is perfect, but it works, and
you get something for your
: money--race committees. However, I refuse to
take a Safety at Sea
: seminar from someone who knows less about it
than I, when I know
: the reason they won't place people out of such
things is because of
: the profits they make on these courses. I'd
prefer to race unofficially
: and display a "Boycott USSailing.org" decal on
my boat, and offer to
: take only it off if they pay me.
:
: Did you know someone recently proposed raising
the grievance fee
: to raise more money at US Sailing? How could
they even consider
: such a thing. In the spirit of fairness there
should not be any fee
: associated with filing a grievance! Screw them.
What a bunch of
: asshole. It is clear US Sailing is all about
money, not about improving
: the sport.
:
: I agree with Doug that there is an appearance
that they support
: and recognize certain sailor that are "in".
Those can do no wrong.
: The more awards the heap on them, the more
valuable they are to
: the organization. It's like blowing up a
balloon. There is little to
: back it up but what was already there.
:
: All of the behind the scenes ego trips, back
stabbing, conflicts of
: interest, power plays, pseudo-scandals, etc.
seem to be par for the course
: with large (or small) non-profits. As opposed
to for-profits which have
: the same mishigas, but its called "business."
:
: I disagree. Such an organization should have a
standard of excellence.
:
: I'd prefer to see US Sailing have delegates that
actually represent
: members. If I can sign up 1000 members I could
then represent them
: and fight their agendas. Does anyone want to be
first to sign my list?
: I'd love to battle US Sailing in their den. I'd
love to fight to make them
: change the ridiculous way they operate. They
are so inept.
:
: