1999-2000
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Update – December 20, 1999
Hard at it…
As we head into the Xmas/New Year, a lot of things are swirling around. Who knows where it will land. Y2K? Whither the Markets? How much will Mr. Gates have to fork over to the feds?
Here at the trusty(?) office computer at “Made in America” I am working hard to drum up the needed support to build and campaign the “Wylie’s Wocket”. We are already well along on the construction of what will one of the greatest boats ever. I must admit things will slow down a bit over the holidays as Steve Rander (our builder at Schooner Creek Boat Works) has gone almost as far as he can on what I’ve provided. More $ are on the way soon, but never fast enough!
I am working all day and late every night on our program, I figure the lack of sleep will be good practice for more singlehanded ocean racing! There are many leads to follow and the proposal packets are going out as fast as I can put them together. I stay in constant contact with our designer Tom Wylie, builder Steve Rander, rudder guru Larry Tuttle (of Waterat), our keel shape hydrodynamics expert Paul Bogataj, and our spar builder Ted Van Dusen (Composite Engineering). They are all ready to hit the ground running hard.
I’ve had great help and input from our Official Supplier Sponsors: MAS Epoxies, Forespar Mfg., Samson Cordage, Doyle Sailmakers, Nobeltec Inc., and Complete Cruising Concepts.
Thanks to thank Kathryn Steele of 3M for her help with working materials! Stay tuned for a major familiar name in the marine world coming aboard soon, can’t tell you yet. I want to thank all of these great companies for their support in making our program possible.
Our Official Suppliers are bringing the dream closer to reality, reducing the overall cost of our program by providing their valuable products to us. But all of the cash for building our boat and keeping this little overworked computer going has come from individual contributors so far. I cannot thank them enough, whether their contribution has been $10 or $10,000+. Without them we never would have got off the ground. If you can join them, please do so soon! There is a donation form on our web site, see below.
I know this is a really bad time of year to ask people for money, with the holidays and the endless stream of fundraising letters coming in the mail. But I don’t have any choice but to ask you for help. Your $ will at least keep us going while I irritate one corporate marketing department after another. I’m getting better at making flashy cover letters and packets. They are being fairly well received, but I may overpower this poor machine soon.
Please keep the corporate contacts coming. Also talk to possible individuals who might be interested. Get me an email, phone, or a mailing address and I’ll get something out to them right away. Sometimes I stay up most of the night working on this stuff, but I’m on a mission from……. well, WYLIE’S WOCKET. I’ve got Wocket Weligion.
Here are the web sites of some of the other Vendee entrants. By the way, it’s a good thing I paid the (non-refundable) entry fee, there’s a waiting list already.
Mike Golding (England): http://www.teamgroup4.com/
Ellen MacArthur (England): http://www.kingfisherchallenges.com/uk/index.shtml
Catherine Chabaud (France): http://www.catherine-chabaud.com/homefb.html
(In French, but cool.)
Fellow American Bob Gay: http://www.a27class.org/globe50.htm
Here’s Brad Van Liew’s Mission America site, his program is gunning for the next around alone in 2002/2003: http://www.oceanracing.org/ Brad has been really helpful with his experience and advice. I owe him big.
Don’t forget to check out our site! (Oh, I guess you didn’t..) I want to thank Mark Wiltz for his priceless volunteer web work.
Any comments about our site greatly appreciated, we’ll get on it right away. Updated logos and clothing (really, really nice stuff) coming soon, keep checking!
Bruce Schwab
Made in America
“Wylie’s Wocket” Team skipper and head fundraiser
510-508-9491
rumbleseat@earthlink.net