If ever we are going to attemp a major youth program then in the USA we'll have to attract some major sponsor, probably a soda brand or something. For that you'll some flashy boat, some new and "Happening" thing that looks the part. Optis and lasers ain't it nor the Wave, I'm trully sorry. Again the F12 project aims at merging this fashion sense with a well performing but inexpensive (=simple) sailboat. A difficult balancing act I know, but without it I really don't see anybody selling the youth concept to a major sponsor.
But the main topic for now is to get some F12 designing going and only AFTERWARDS decide whether it is worth persuing further and not before anything is known or understood about it.
Wouter
Valid point. You do need something to show if you want any sort of big corporate sponsor (corporations are into changing the world just to make it better). And you need a sponsor if you expect to be able to throw any real money at any sort of culture changing advertising. The way to get the word out about a great thing is not cheap, and spam just doesn't work that well <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />
A good product doesn't sell itself, it takes a well thought out marketing campaign to create a perception of the product and make it a success.
