Tom Hubbell Signing off as President of US Sailing

by Tom Hubbell

   
This week I’m going off watch. Bruce Burton takes his post at the weather rail of the quarterdeck and I’m confident we are in good hands with him as the next President of US Sailing. Bruce has a sailing, engineering, and business career that demonstrates leadership ability. He has talent in analysis, creativity, planning, people skills, and meticulous execution. He also knows the art of course corrections en route. 

It is always fun being with sailors, sharing stories of our shared passion for boats, water and wind. I’ve sailed Thistle regattas with my team this fall at Atwood Yacht Club in Ohio, Pymatuning Yacht Club in Pennsylvania, and Cleveland Yachting Club on Lake Erie, followed by a moonlight sail on a Yankee. We raced at Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis and last weekend we raced boats in snow showers at our place on Chautauqua Lake in Western New York. Earlier this month, I enjoyed talking with sailing legends at the National Sailing Hall of Fame induction weekend at Bay Head Yacht Club in New Jersey.  

Though no leadership tenure is without its challenging moments, I have had a lot of fun working with about 150 sailors who represent the core of our dedicated volunteer base and the 35 very committed, hardworking, and talented staff at US Sailing. The sailing and life accomplishments of our US Sailing Board of Directors are extraordinary and I salute their engagement in our cause. Our cause is growing sailing, educating sailors, teaching seamanship and safety, making racing fair and fun, and raising Olympic and Paralympic winning teams. No one likes three-hour phone sessions or to travel to all-day in-person meetings, but that is what it takes and I think we got a few things accomplished.

The board, staff, and key volunteers share the passion for boats, water and wind, plus one more thing, enriching the sport. The new folks coming on board are at least as strong. We are led tirelessly by the steady hand of Jack Gierhart, Executive Director of US Sailing. Our collaboration has been easy and fully-aligned. Thanks Jack! And thanks to Past President Dave Rosekrans for pulling me on board for this adventure 15 years ago. 

If you are itching to do more for the sport, give me a hint and I will find an interesting position to apply your talents.

Sailing is an into-the-elements experience. The most committed, life-long participants seem to come from the ranks of those who were immersed (probably literally) in sailing by the time they were 14. I hope your club or community sailing facility or camp or Sea Scout ship welcomes those kids with their exuberant voices, wet clothes, and boating misadventures as warmly as visiting royalty, for they are the future of our sport. Help them learn everything about sailing and a good way to live the sailing lifestyle.

Tom Hubbell

President of US Sailing

Reflections from the President - Tale of Two Meals

Tom Hubbell w/Alicia Martorella (Outstanding Community Sailing Director Award)

by Tom Hubbell

Scene 1:  We had a record 340 people in New Orleans two weeks ago for the National Sailing Programs Symposium (NSPS) which is our premier training and community sailing event. A remarkable majority of the group grew up after the ‘60s; they are younger people engaged in teaching and sharing the sport.  Their enthusiasm spread throughout the symposium sessions and into the social functions some of which made New Orleans proud to host us along with our NSPS mascot, Marvin the Gator.

Reflections from the President - 2014 in Review

by Tom Hubbell, President of US Sailing

The Sailing Leadership Forum in San Diego last February brought over 600 sailors together to share ideas and inspiration. There are a lot of savvy volunteers and US Sailing staff who know about strong programs. US Sailing creates the foundation for sharing that intellectual wisdom. This chemistry gelled into a three-day festival of ideas and sailing enthusiasm. 

The US Sailing Board, consisting of six women and nine men, meets three times a year in person and monthly by phone. The typical phone conference takes two hours! Sailors on the board have distinguished backgrounds that represent all areas of the sport. They are engaged in growing the sport and supporting racing, and they are simply good people with whom to work. Membership is growing and we only use black ink for the bottom line.

Reflections from the President - Meet us in Milwaukee

by Tom Hubbell, President of US Sailing

   
Are you going to US Sailing’s National Conference in Milwaukee on October 23-25?  If growing sailing and supporting racing is important to you, I want to see you there. Let’s have a good time and talk sailing.

Top 10 Reasons You Should Attend US Sailing’s National Conference...

Reflections from the President - US Sailing by the Numbers

by Tom Hubbell, President of US Sailing

I am used to people being a bit off balance when they encounter their doctor, me, around town outside of the medical setting. I have a strategy for dealing with that.  Now I’m learning a strategy to answer the quizzical expression leading to the inevitable question, what does it mean to be the President of US Sailing? 

Here is the answer: What it means is spending some serious time around enthusiastic sailors engaged in the sport. 

What are “we” doing? We are fully engaged to make US Sailing the leading source of expertise ready to assist local clubs and sailing centers. All of us who commit to being members are doing that.

Here is a capsule of examples that represent US Sailing's involvement and influence on our sport:

Reflections from the President - Year 69 of the Thistle

By Tom Hubbell, President of US Sailing
       

The Thistle Nationals and the Thistle Class in general give us a test case. What is the formula for success? One challenge: the National Championship always involves some waiting. We visited as we drifted among the flying Frisbee, the passing handball, and opportunities to see centerboards clearly in the azure blue water of Lake Michigan.

Refections from the President

by US Sailing President Tom Hubbell

Coast to coast, sailors want the answer on how to grow participation, revitalize the club, and get more people in boats.  Over the past 12 months, I have sailed 12 different types of boats at 17 venues, and visited a total of 39 local sailing organizations (mostly clubs.) In the last 10 days I have visited nine of those clubs on the West Coast from San Francisco to San Diego. I was joined by US Sailing Membership Director Georgia McDonald and US Sailing Board of Directors members Dave Ullman and JJ Fetter. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting with the leadership of these clubs and other key individuals.

Reflections from the President: My America's Cup Experience

My little grandsons don’t care what boats cost and they don’t yet know the game.  They’ve sailed with me in my Thistle, C Scow, and Laser. But now they’ve seen really, really big cats foiling like rocket ships aimed right at them and the first mark. They noticed and went back to the sand on the beach to play.  The Ellison gamble of bringing the mega-everything Cup races to the San Francisco shore has in fact, reached tens of thousands of spectators. Many must be new to our sport based on what I heard in the shoreline questions and chatter.

Reflections from the President

As part of an individual’s commentary in Scuttlebutt 3888, he requested that US Sailing explain what the organization is doing to grow grassroots sailing. He missed my January memo to members and interested on-lookers:

Our “mission consists of growing the sailing experience for anyone with a drive to learn, whether that person is a novice or a soon-to-be Olympian.” The Leadership Forum in February 2014 will connect leaders from all aspects of our sport such as sail training and education, yacht club and sailing organization management, racing associations and organizations including one-design and handicap classes, race officials, and industry professionals.

To single out a few of US Sailing’s highlights in 2013, so far this year we have...