Conflict of interest?

Oh, I dunno,

back a few years ago, Dan Mangus was vice chair, and then I believe it was... chair, of the USSailing Multihull Council.

Who is Dan Mangus, you ask?
From the USSailing site:

Dir. of Marketing, Hobie Cat Co.

Numbers aren't typically decided by a committee. They are arrived at with a strict formula based on performance data from submitted regatta results and decided by the computer. Only when there is a new class with a lack of data or when something strange happens does the number need some manual manipulation.

The biggest problem facing portsmouth numbers is the lack of submitted data and an out of date (but was really good for it's day) program used to manage the numbers that Darline continues to work with. Not many regattas submit their results for processing into the handicap system and even less use the variable wind strength ratings.

There really isn't a lot of big arbitrary decisions that need to be made requiring a full blown committee.

I don't think that it is unreasonable to have someone like that as chair of the multihull council... probably a good thing actually- especially if they have marketing experience. I guess one would have to be careful that something doesn't happen that benefits Hobie over the rest of the manufacturers.

Good point.