[Psml] What's in a name?

[D C *Mac* Macdonald]

When my wife and I first joined USPS and then this list
was started, there was much discussion on this matter.

I have always been of the opinion that in all likelihood, the
majority of our total members are in the "power" side.
Following the cited Canadian example would make us
the United States Power and Sail Squadrons.

Seemed reasonable to me, but some whackos decided
that the USPSS abbreviation would make many (if not
most) of the public think we were somehow associated
with Nazis (SS = Sturm Sturzer).  Yeah, that's goofy!

The whole on-line discussion deteriorated rapidly from
that point on and we now put priority on the method of
marine propulsion that the founders of USPS started
due to the snobbish rejection of them by the yacht
club "stick boaters" who rejected them!  HUH????

The "squadron" part of our name has the connotation
of some sort of military outfit, which in today's polictical
climate is probably a turn-off to what may even be a
majority of our citizens.


** D C "Mac" Macdonald ** 
* m/v Another Adventure * 
** '95 Carver 355 ACMY ** 
* Grand Lake - Oklahoma * 
** AGLCA (#217) & USPS ** 
** K2GKK, USAF-Retired ** 





________________________________

From: Uspsd3ronf at aol.com
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:36:51 -0400
Subject: [Psml] What's in a name?
CC: psml at usps.org
To: k2gkk at hotmail.com



I have been mulling over the idea of proposing that we change our name to "United States Sail and Power Squadrons". I have come to this conclusion for several reasons:

1) When someone who doesn't know us hears our name, they either think we are a flying club or somehow work with the electric company.

2) When we use the initials "USPS", we are perceived as the folks that deliver the mail.

3) Our neighbors to the north, who have apparently been bucking the trend of falling membership have recently changed their name. According to their website, although initially known as the Canadian Power Squadrons, "The name was later changed to Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons to reflect the broadening interests of all boaters".

4) Even those folks who are not boaters will recognize that with "Sail and Power" in our name, we must have something to do with boating and not providing electricity.

5) A large number of our members are sailors.

6) Individual squadrons can change their name to "Sail and Power" - my squadron is now known as the "Neptune Sail and Power Squadron". While we were discussing the name change, one of our members brought up the point: "Why should we change our name if National hasn't?"



I know that we were formed to be distinct from sailors after showing that power craft were indeed a viable and safe conveyance, and our history is steeped in that tradition. However, most yacht clubs now have a mix of sail and power boats, with most larger sailing craft having auxiliary engines. Here on the Long Island Sound, most sailboats become power boats in late August due to the lack of wind. I think that we can attract a larger cross section of the boating public if we were known as a boating group from the get-go i.e. from our name.

What do you think?



P/D/C Ron Friedmann, AP

D3







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