A Rumors and Lies Rebuttal to

Get the Lead Out

I read the M-Project story with interest and amusement. To fill in the holes on this one...

What the writer says is true. M-Project did make changes to their boat that they did not report properly over two years ago. They were not only admonished but they were punished with a suspension from racing and a rating penalty by the regional board. I know because I was on the regional board at the time it happened. After amassing the required minimum of 5 sets of racing results they went to their local board and asked to be adjusted. They were adjusted back to the rating they have now, which incidentally, is higher than the rating they had at the time of said incident, and does take into account the lighter weight. I not only had never sailed on the boat at that point but had not even met the owner.

Fast forward - The first time I have sailed on the boat in a real race was the past PV 2002 race. I have sailed a couple of local Newport beer cans with them as well. The boat I normally sail on was not going and the owner asked me to go. I like him as a person and the crew was a good group. I will sail with them more.

They are currently building a new main for the boat with a larger roach. The main is not finished and has never been used. The current main meets PHRF rules, contrary to the writers assertion. They have asked area "D" for a rating based on the new area of the main. Yes, I did ask for a -6. I asked one person, the Chairman of Area "D" to pass that along to the board at their local meeting. I also asked him to tell them we wanted to limit ourselves to a 125% jib as an offset. A fact that "Candy" conveniently leaves out. I'm not sure talking to one person could be construed as lobbying. Newport came back with -9 based on the measurements we gave them. I received this information via voice mail. I have not talked to anyone at Newport to ask why they think -9 is a good number or how they came up with it. It may be, I don't know.

As the Vice President of PHRF of So Cal I need to be very careful about how things happen on any boat I sail on. The worst thing I can do is have it look like a boat I sail on is receiving favoritism. Anyone that knows me or has sailed with me knows that I do my best to make sure this happens. When I had my boat, a Capo 26 named "Scooter" I sailed it with the rating given me and took the time to prove it was right or wrong. In one season I got knocked from 144 to 129. It took me a whole year of sailing to get it back to 135 where it sits today. I have never used any influence to get a good rating for the boat I have been sailing on for the past 6 years - Medicine Man - and if you look at the rating you'll know that's true. In fact, the rating of this boat has probably suffered because I haven't pushed it for fear of having it look wrong.

As a member of a governing body of local sailing my job is to act fairly as best I can. My other job, as has been espoused in more than one of your articles, is to go out and help people make their programs better. To that end, I am sailing on four different programs this years and will spend over 100 days on the water to do it. My sailing with M-Project and her crew is an attempt at that. I'm no "Rock Star", I don't work in the industry and haven't since college. A long time ago. I just like to sail.

My only complaint with your article is that "Candy" doesn't have the balls to show up at a PHRF meeting or confront me in person to voice "her" complaints. I'd be more than happy to buy her a beer and listen to her argument if and when she stops hiding behind her skirt and steps up to the plate to swing instead of hiding in the dugout.

As you have pointed out frequently, PHRF is not a perfect system. What makes it even harder are the people that snipe from the roof tops. If people don't like what they see then get out of the shadows and help change it. We are always looking for volunteers with better ideas. I don't claim to have all the answers. I and the rest of the volunteers on PHRF would welcome the help and ideas of anyone who wants to join us.

I hope you'll print this on the front page and not in the forum but I'll leave that to your discretion. It is your website.

Dave Millett