The Golden Anchor Program is designed to give more benefits to your members and your organization…whether yours is a Yacht Club, Sailing Association, One-Design Class Association, or Community Sailing Program.  In short, any organization involved with sailing can take advantage of what Golden Anchor has to offer. 

If your organization has a Golden Anchor program, your members receive reduced US SAILING membership rates, while the organization receives credits for each US SAILING member you enroll. These credits can be applied to all US SAILING publications and programs. It’s a money-saving way to expand your organization’s library, offer interesting programs, purchase safety equipment, support the sport of sailing, and more.

1. Your organization must be a current US SAILING member.

2. Sign the pledge agreement to commit your club to the Golden Anchor Program. A majority (51% or more) of your racing sailors and race administrators must be members of US SAILING.

3. If you host regattas, you must agree to implement Differential Entry Fees (DEF) and publish this fact in your Notice of Race and/or Sailing Instructions:
   —DEF comes in the form of a discount to US SAILING members.
   —Minimum discount is 10% of entry fee.
   —The only exceptions to DEF are regattas with no entry fees, youth and junior events, charity events (where more than 50% of the gross proceeds will go to a recognized charity), regattas that require US SAILING membership, and events for sailors with disabilities.
   —Signature of the Commodore or his/her representative signifying compliance with DEF is required
   —All you have to do is forward your Notices of Race to US SAILING.

4. Recruit members for US SAILING from your own roster.

5. The special fee for Golden Anchor membership is $50 for an adult and $75 for a family. (Regular rates are $60 and $90 respectively.)

6. Your organization receives 10 Golden Anchor Credits for each new member and 2.5  for each renewing member (to be applied against the costs of US SAILING programs and merchandise).

7. The US SAILING roster sent to your organization must be returned in order to be eligible for credits.  This roster can be emailed as a Word document, or an Excel spreadsheet, if you prefer.

8. Credits expire on an end-of-year basis.

9. If anyone entering your Golden Anchor Program is already a member, they  may renew at the reduced rate.

10. Collect the dues of all members, then send one check along with the roster to US SAILING.

11. All participants will have the same anniversary date (chosen by your organization).  If a member of your club has paid for a membership directly to US SAILING and if his/her date is within three months of your organization's anniversary date, we will extend that US SAILING membership to match your organization's anniversary date.

The easiest way to collect dues is to link US SAILING dues with your own part of the dues billing process for your club. Bill your members for the whole amount.

Select an anniversary date that is associated with your billing process so that collection can be done in one operation. Give yourself a month’s grace in order to increase your chances of having your submission ready.

New members choose The Racing Rules of Sailing, which is updated every four years, or Safety Recommendations for Cruising Sailboats. 

$20.00 coupon good towards purchase of $75.00 or more at West Marine.

5% Discount on Stardust Yacht Charters (West Indies, Mediterranean, Pacific and Indian Oceans).  Call (800)772-3500 for more details.  Some restrictions may apply.

Discounts on merchandise, publications, videos, member services, and safety gear.

Access to the members portion of the US SAILING website.

A subscription to the members-only US SAILING Newsletter.

$100 coupon for any Zodiac or Avon Life Raft.

$50 coupon for service on any Avon or Zodiac Life Raft

15% discount at the Bitter End Yacht Club in Virgin Gorda, BVI

Save 10% on custom US SAILING apparel

Membership in US SAILING makes you a part of the effort to guide our sport. In addition to the satisfaction that comes with helping promote, protect, and make sailing more accessible nationwide.  Your organization receives:

The latest edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing.

Discounts on merchandise, publications, videos, member services and safety gear.

Listing in the US SAILING Directory.

Race Committee training.

A $10 credit (to be applied against the costs of US SAILING programs and merchandise) for each new member you recruit for US SAILING.

Free 5MB web site hosting at www.ussailing.net/YourOrganization and build your own web site FAQ's.

Discounts on Insurance Programs.

Access to Instructor Job Bank.

Your event listing in bold on the US SAILING calendar.

Your sailing school added in bold in the "Where to Learn" database.

Your charter boats added in bold to the "Where to Sail" database.

If your organization is a one design class, a listing in color on the "One Design Class List." 

Add a US SAILING membership logo to your organization's web site.

Sailing Instructor Training programs.

A subscription to the new members-only US SAILING Newsletter.

Follow the steps above. If you need more information, call US SAILING at 401-683-0800 and ask for the Golden Anchor administrator or write to Golden Anchor Administrator, Membership Department, US SAILING, PO Box 1260, Portsmouth, RI 02871.

US SAILING’s staff and volunteers are ready to help you make your organization’s program a success.  US SAILING, a tax-free, not-for-profit organization, is an organization of sailors...run by sailors.

About the Junior Golden Anchor Program for your Club, Secondary School, or Intercollegiate Program:

Sign up all the sailors in your Junior Program as above, and US SAILING offers them a special fee of $20 per sailor (Regular rate $25). This category of membership remains valid for young sailors through college -- as long as they remain active in an organized sailing program:

All the benefits of organizational membership, PLUS

Coaches, Teachers, Faculty Advisors, parents, and support personnel can join at the special $50 rate described above, for which your organization receives a 10 credits per new member.

The Golden Anchor Program is intended to include more sailors in sailing…and the sport of sailing…throughout the country. Their membership dollars make a significant contribution in enabling US SAILING to make sailing more inclusive, safer, and more visible…and to provide sailors with the information, ideas, and skills they need to fully enjoy the sport.

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