2001
July 4th Update The latest Ocean Planet news:
The finish work and upgrades (you know how boats are…) on Ocean Planet are progressing, but are going rather slowly right now. We are still in need of upper level sponsors (thank goodness for our official suppliers and partners!), so if you have possible contacts I am all ears. We need direct personal contacts, since I’ve learned that sending out tons of brochures is pretty much just wasting trees without a personal introduction. One good bit of news is that one of our official suppliers is looking at a big logo spinnaker that we can show off on the Bay.
If possible, this summer I am still hoping to do a record attempt on the Singlehanded Transpac course (San Francisco to Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii). The real singlehanded transpac race is next year, so this would be a course record attempt only. Unless someone dares to race singlehanded against Ocean Planet! It would be nice to get a sponsor for the record run. Ocean Planet should crush the existing record (10days 22hrs, set in 1996 by Ray Thayer on “Wild Thing”), unless the islands move or there is no wind… I want to set a real record as a benchmark that will be tough to beat. In fact, we plan on officially registering with the WSSRC to make it official.
I am performing real financial gymnastics to keep things going, so please remember that all donations to The Made in America Foundation help keep Ocean Planet afloat! (http://www.oceanplanet.org/contributions.htm) How about some 4th of July spirit for America’s only Open 60!
An announcement: It gives me great pride to report that yours truly was awarded an honorary membership in one of the SF Bay’s greatest clubs, the Encinal Yacht Club (http://www.encinal.org/) of Alameda, California. I am really flattered, as the EYC is a great, fun club, just what a yacht club should be. They also have a fantastic Junior Sailing program, which is something that really counts in my book. I was already a member of the club, and I look forward to working with the EYC to get some of junior club members out on Ocean Planet! I hope to repay the support of the EYC as best as I can by sharing the experience of sailing an Open 60.
I will keep you updated, and as soon we are sailing again I will get out the latest pics.