I wonder who administrates the Hoyt-Jolly fund these days? Does the MHC still have sole control of it separate from US Sailing. That would also be a good place to run the money to for this as a non-profit.

I'll put up $100 for starters. I'm willing to put up more if selected.

I think if we grab the top Cat prospects that we will be taken seriously. This is a great opportunity for us but we have to move fast with ACRM accepting applications July 1st. It doesn't say when they will stop but getting there first is always a good plan.

It's a US sailing fund that is gifted to the MHC. No USS, no fund.

Come up with a solid number first. LikeIsaid, I'm in for $100.

What kind of money do you need?

The green kind.

Iirc, 350 people responded to the MHC survey, if they all put up $100, there's the entry fee.

If ever there was a good excuse to have a "B" fleet course at Alter Cup, this would be it.

I think what might work the best is to find out which YC has serious interest (St.FYC), and sponsor several multi youth, who may not be affiliated with a YC/College, and sponsor them to join in.

Maybe the Hobie Class/other classes and multi orgs, could pony up. Money shouldn't be that difficult to come up with. The story will be epic!

Sponsoring a few of our youth rather than an entire team would be a good route.

Its is a lot of money you need per crewmember but with sponsors not impossible.
Basically it is a $6000 entry fee and another $4000 for the insurance bond.

I'm not following your logic. Don't we need a whole team?

Guys, I think the Request for Applications warrants a closer read, especially items 1.5 and 1.6. If I understand it correctly, there are 2 possible (likely) opportunities/pathways for U.S. sailors between 19 and 23 to get in on this. One is to be part of a team fielded by Oracle (1.6). The other is to be part of something like a "Team San Francisco" (1.5), and I'm sure the San Francisco sailing establishment has a lot of ideas on how to put it together and pay for it.

How teams will select their own competitors is still unclear, but if I'm reading this right, bake sales, bikini car washes, and $5/$10/$100 donations from moms and dads are probably not going to play much of a role in the youth series. Unless Oracle chooses not to field a team.

Too bad.

Not if you're one of the kids who gets recruited to a team. If I were 20 and suddenly found myself training with Oracle, I don't think I'd be telling myself, "aw, shucks."

Oracle doesn't have a stable of 19-23 year olds it's waiting to unleash upon the Red Bull Youth America's Cup... The Oracle brass can't just call up it's nieces and nephews in Australia and Kiwiland to pack onto their boats. It's got to recruit local talent, and they must be U.S. sailors (citizens or long-term residents, item 5.4 in the RFA). And since the U.S. will be unique in having not one but 2 teams (counting "Team San Francisco"), that's twice as many opportunities open to U.S.A. sailors.

I don't think that's too bad at all.

If you are Oracle... what do you want from this program...???

Max PR value in every sailing region of the country. AND you want the selection process to drag out for as long as you can make it.. (You don't give a fig if your team wins...)

The San Fran boat was part of the deal to support youth sailing IN SAN FRANCISCO... we sent in lots of ideas for clinics and partnerships... Oracle went this way... San Fran seems to have bought in as well.

Hopefully the ideas (see above) sent up through the MHC and US Sailing wind up on the proper desks.

I agree. But it isn't something that will vitalize sailing at the grassroots.

My thought is this:

With one spot for the US, I don't think that the blue blazer crowd would be that stoked to let a team of rogue cat sailors take it. But, a grass roots effort to get one or two on a team would probably fly. I anticipate fierce competition.

I'm generalizing, surely there are many capable youth cat sailors, that have the cred, and also have affiliations with YCs or College sailing programs.

I think some central organization (US Sailing???) should quickly come up with some sort of broad vetting process that doesn't exclude the rogue element.

Or...one of you needs to write a check for a couple a hundred grand.

It'll be interesting to see how this all shakes out. Surely once a viable plan is in place, sponsorship money will roll in.

Wish I had enough time in the smaller multis to be considered for this.

There is a standing invitation for the Stanford sailors to walk down the block and hop on an F18 in Redwood City...

Wouldn't the Alter Cup have a new-found purpose with this development?