France certainly has their eccentric and well funded sailors / builders that are helping to drive the cutting edge, but they haven't put up the records yet to show "dominance".
If you are going to pick individual record by record that supports your claim (and base them on "perceived public perception"), and ignore the big overall picture, there's no way we can continue this discussion.
I comment on the fact of how Fossets round the world BUT NOT JV record will be regarded by the elites and in the long term and the Brits drag in the Olympics and the Americans call me Anti-American. Geez !
As Shakespeare wrote "Thou protest way to fierce"
Olympics are nothing but pottering about on a miniscule course in protected water between sunrise and sunset when compared to the ocean races we were talking about. These are just unrelated. We we talking about oceans races, passages, round the World stuff. Not some 45 minute heat on Dartmore Common reservoir. (or what they are called)
And for Jake, Am I now put on the terrorist watch list because I fail to fall down on my knees to "Quantity over quality" mr Fosset ? Am I Anti-British as well now or maybe Anti-South African, Anti-whatever (excluding FRA, Aus and NZL ? Which part of "... how the elites will view it ..." do you misinteprete as "Wouters opinion about the record"
What I said was that Fossets Round the World record will be easily forgotten when he no longer is listed in the WSSRC and he was never listed in the JV scoring. Who give a damn about his "Round the Isle of Wight" record while sailing playstation ? Nobody is even going to try to beat that as it is a non-record. It is like Peyron doing Round Texel on Orange. It just doesn't show any greatness. Nobody is really impressed by Newport - Bermuda or even the French marseille-carthage records either, they are just too insignificant. The big records count, the rest are just sponsor runs.
Also Jake you forget one very important thing :
Fosset is the only one who tried all records on a maxi cat. All others didn't find the bulk og them interesting enough to try. However most of these records were set by Fosset within just over 2 years. So all that is needed to wipe mr Fosset of the score board is one of the new faster maxi cats to do a World tour like Fosset has done. This could be done in the same short time frame as Fosset himself replaced all former owners (most French) who have now disappeared. THAT is how easily fame is lost. I'll bet YOU can't even remember the last holders before Fosset. So why do YOU think many will remember Fosset after he has been replaced ?
There is a reason why Fossets rep among Elites is a little bit funny. Like I said the way you do things maybe more important than the fact that you've done them. Call it old Europe or Anti-American, or whatever makes you feel better, but don't pretend that Fosset changed any of this. He didn't, and he won't.
Now this is not my opinion of how things should be ! TAKE NOTE ! But it is how they are.
And keep your xenofobic "Anti-French" smears were you hold your "Anti-American" ones. They are of the same fabric.
Wouter
What is the bigger overall picture here Jake ?
That Fosset went on a record hunt for 2 years and tried to achieve as many as he could. How did the bigger picture look like before Fosset started on this hunt in 2001 ? Now that Fosset has retired from sailing do you think that the USA will continue to dominate ? Did the US even prove to dominate international ocean passage sailing or racing ? I mean is there an American sailor in the Vendee Globe or in the ORMA cirquit ? How many US sailors are in the Volvo ocean race or even the BT global challenge ? How many were in "THE RACE" or the mini transat ? Seriously does a single multu-bullionair on a individual record breaking binch proof that Americans as a sailing nation dominate ocean sailing ? Or did it just proof that if you spend the time and money on trying every record out there; no matter how small, that you'll end up with a few of them. Halve of these records will not even be attempted by the competition as they are not regarded as serious records. There used to be a record for Amsterdam-Jakarta, who gives a d@mn about that record now ? If the greater public does not see them as special then they will cease to exist as meaningful records. That is the way things go; That has nothing to do with 'Ignoring the bigger picture' ; In fact THAT is the bigger picture.
Sorry guys, Obviously I stepped on some toes when commenting on Fosset. I understand that I would have won the popularity contest if I had decided to piss on the Peyrons even if for no reason, but I'm not the one suffering from blinds on my eyes or any anti-ism.
Once Fosset loses his most important record, the round the world, than his star will quickly diminish. And no Newport-Bermuda record, fastnet coures or Round Island of White record can safe him. His Lakota records are now 10 years old because the passages are not part of the highly regarded ones and so nobody really tries to break them.
Wouter
They're records, Fossett holds more of them than anyone, nobody is keeping anyone from attempting them. Fossett set out to attempt those records with the mindset to also thoroughly test out his boat and crew as well as to rack them up. These records are recognized by the SINGLE sanctioning body for sailing records and as such they are records whether or not you want to choose to ignore some of them. The sailing elite have never respected Fossett as a sailor so I don't see what difference that makes.
Secondly, I did not bash the French, I only stated what happened, how unfair it appears, and pointed out the serious conflicts of interest of the JV committee.
Third, the JV trophy is an AWARD! It's not a record! Yes, it throws in a few of it's own course and start/finish requirements (that fall within the confines of the RTW record) but it is most certainly not recognized as a 'record' by the WSSRC.
You were happy to use these types of class when it suited your case
Gareth
As a reply to you dragging in the ISAF class, mind you !
I didn't initiate the ISAF class or olympics branch-off.
Wouter
Children.
I think you are going to have to agree to des-agree or this will go on for ever.
I do not really care.
Alright ! I agree to disagree FIRST =) !
Nah, nah, nanah, nah
Wouter
To me, the important thing is NOT who has the most records or what country has the best sailors.
The most important thing is what country has done the most to bring big-multihull racing into the world spotlight. And I think that is definitely France.
Even years ago when they first had a Formula 40 circuit over there, we were told there were huge numbers of spectators at the races in France, the French sailors were considered sports superstars, and people actually asked for their autographs.
This kind of excitement about multihull racing is what other countries should be striving for. And we should be trying to find out how it happened in France, so we can generate more excitement, too. It sure does not happen in the United States. 
We can have it too !
Organise ourselfs, work together and support eachother. You'll be surprise how a dew well run events can catch the imagination. Look at the Worrell 1000, Badly organised yes, but what will happen if it gets run the right way. It will grow into a annual happening of great international fame like Round Texel. With the right cooperation we can raise ourselfs to new levels and that is when the young generation will again take notice. Which young teenager doesn't want to be a hero in a Cool sport ! That still beats video games. First we need to become cool. Spi boats go a long way there, than we need to look slick like the kite surfers and wave boarders. Than means exist Hobie 16 and Prindle 16's. Great boats I love them too but these are just not going to cut it. Enter the F18's and such and than get that serious on that "men/women of steel and boats of wood" rep. Even it it is just a image more than it is reality.
We can do but we must WILL it.
Wouter
Wouter,
I support all you say about the need to make sailing cool again, but Hobie 16's have an image that is way cooler than F18's or any other Cat, it is all down to the sail colours, to the average Joe on the beach all cats are alike, except those ones with the cool sails. Why do you think holiday companies use them in thier brochures and TV adverts so much.
Cool is all about image not performance. What makes you think a teenager would think that a spinaker makes a boat look cool? It just makes it look more like their freinds uncles floating caravan.
Gareth
grob,
but the Hobie 16s have spinnakers for the ISAF Youth Worlds. Is it for image or performance, or both?
I admire the French for being very enthusiastic and bold in regards to ocean sailing. The problem with the French is best summed up by the American writer and humorist, Mark Twain,
"France has neither winter, nor summer, nor morals. France is miserable because it is filled with Frenchmen, and Frenchmen are miserable because they live in France."
I'm sorry, when Wouter shouted his defense of the French, I couldn't help myself. Of course, I love their food... 
David
H20 781
Mary
Its for performance, but it isn't the spinnaker that mkes it a cool boat.
"France has neither winter, nor summer, nor morals. France is miserable because it is filled with Frenchmen, and Frenchmen are miserable because they live in France."
David, H20 781
So, David, what you are trying to say is that France promotes ocean racing to get Frenchmen off its soil, and French people do ocean racing to get away from France?
But, seriously, I'm curious how sailing got to be such a big deal there with the nonsailing public.
"Your mother is a hampster and your father smells of elderberies. Now, go away or I shall taunt you a second time!"
Best French quote of all time
It is phenomenal, I holiday in france with my family in the summer, last year we stayed in the Vendee region, I think it is partly to do with the fact that the local councils see the benifit of promoting the sport for thier regions.
This may be peculiar to the Vendee, but they don't seem to have any of the problems with having sailing clubs on the beaches either. i.e there were no beach devlopments other than the catamaran sailing club. It takes a supportive council to have that situation.
Gareth
Oh no ! Best quote in french still is from the matrix part deux.
(pronouce with heavy French accent)
By the Mertovingian :
"I love cursing in French, it is like wiping your butt with silk"
wouter
"So, David, what you are trying to say is that France promotes ocean racing to get Frenchmen off its soil, and French people do ocean racing to get away from France? "
Ah Mary,
You have struck to the heart of the matter.
David
H20 781
Matter of factly, You all have NO idea what you are talking about.
How many of you have a passport?
How many of you actually went to France?
I understand your irritation!
It's everybodys right to be proud off his country but.
BUT I think it is time now to fill the ditches and not to dig ditches...
Tiger, for my part, I have never been to France, so it is only based upon what I have heard and read and seen that I have the opinion that France has done more than any other country to advance the sport of multihull racing, especially on the big multihulls. But I know France also has excellent training centers for the smaller cats.
Are you saying I am wrong? 
Yes, I had to have a new set of pages put in it because there was no more room for customs stamps.
Twice...and 14 other European, Middle Eastern, South American, and Asian countries. I haven't been out of the country in a couple of years - I kind of miss it but it's a love/hate relationship because it really interfered with my sailing! 
I actually circled the globe twice on airplanes so my birthday should technically be two days sooner than it was.
Mary
Are you saying I am wrong?
The training centre at Quiberon has to be seen to be believed, row upon row of boats. And the tuning tweaking / workshop is big, and when I say big, you can get a whole load of Hurricane 5.9's in there fully rigged to check spreader rake and the like.
Tiger,
You are correct to a point and I was making a joke, as I think were the others. I thought it was interesting to find the French rubbed Mark Twain the wrong way. When one gets past nations and associates on a people to people level, these issues usually disappear. That's why I love sailing, it brings us all to one common reality.
David
H20 781
"Every day is getting longer; Spring can't be far away."
Oh, I know my French quotes.
"I fart in your general direction."
Getting back to Orange, Have you guys noticed how fast they are going? They are already 1790 miles ahead of Fossett's pace. That boat is smokin.
Isn't it a French quotation that "you hang around like a fart in a phone box"???