1999-2000
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Friends and supporters of Ocean Planet,
Press Release -March 24, 2000
“Wocket Wear” team clothing available and AMD support!
HI Everyone!
We finally have clothing for sale.
! We are down to the wire for landing more funding to stay on schedule for the Vendee. If you’ve been thinking about pitching in, now is the time! We do have some support coming from AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) for some cash and computers as an Official Supplier Sponsor. There will be a press release as soon as we see some green. Great support continues from our other Official Supplier Sponsors: MAS Epoxies, Forespar Mfg., The American Group (Samson Cordage), Nobeltec (Charting Software), and Bill Columbo and team at Doyle Sails Alameda. Of course our wonderful individual donors are listed here.
If we miss the deadlines for the Vendee, our Program and the sponsor search will continue, unabated, to build our super Open 60 for the Atlantic Challenge: http://www.challengebusiness.com/open/open.htm (5 race series, summer of 2001), the Transat Jacques Vabre: http://www.transat.jacques-vabre.com/, (Fall of 2002)and the Gold Race (New York to San Francisco, Spring 2002). We will think about the 2002-2003 Around Alone also, with my priority being whatever is the best training for the next Vendee Globe Challenge.
I really want to thank all my supporters and assure you we will get our boat built and out there racing. I won’t ever give up, I have a job to do and I’m on a mission! We have assembled a tremendous team, everyone has been great to work with and it will continue to be a great experience. Big aknowledgements to Tom Wylie (Head Designer), Steve Rander (Schooner Creek Boatworks, Builder), Eric Chase (composite structures), Ted Van Dusen (Composite Engineering, Spars), Larry Tuttle (Waterat Sailing Equipment, Rudders & etc.) and Paul Bogataj (hydrodynamics on keel & bulb). Many others have been helping, and we have had a great number of individual contributors!
We should be able to leverage AMD’s involvement to get some more sponsors interested, but it will take some time. Joan Garrett (owner of “Sceptre” J130) is helping on the pro fundraising front, and I am really glad to have her aboard.
Brad Van Liew and I have been working together a lot and he has been a great help and inspiration. He understands the difficulty of getting the funding for the Vendee. If I wind up gunning for the subsequent events instead, he doesn’t see it as a conflict with his program (Mission America:http://www.oceanracing.org/ ). “The more the merrier” is his attitude, and we will work together as much as possible. We see ourselves as the “American Team.” Our boats will be quite different in fact, and each will be better on different legs of the Atlantic Challenge. “Made in America” will also be very well suited for the “Gold Race,” with Brad’s boat more optimized for the Around Alone.
With two American programs, we will hope to upset the Euro dominion over the Open 60 circuit!
Bruce Schwab
Skipper, Made in America
Globe Challenge
PS: Tomorrow I am racing the Doublehanded Farallones on “Ahava” the Wyliecat 48, with my friend Jim Plumley. Michael Katz, the owner, has been letting me use the boat and I am getting used to the unstayed rig. The “Made in America” rig will also be unstayed, but with fractional headsails and runners. Bill Columbo and the gang at Doyle have been working with me to optimize the sail to make the most of the mast flex characteristics.