What's Your Yacht Week Story?

Friends since birth? Met while studying abroad? Fraternity brothers or sorority sisters? Family friends? Colleagues from work? Facebook? Random?

After months or even years of planning, crew forming and reality making, you all have your stories of how you finally turned that original trailer into something more than just a long distant dream.  The Yacht Week became that light at the end of the tunnel after long days of work and hours spent studying in the dark recesses of libraries while waiting for exam period to come to an end.  For some it might have been a last minute decision, for others it may have been a process that took a few years to finally come true.

Let’s get to know one of those true life stories of 9 Americans from 7 different states and 7 different universities that made their Yacht Week story come alive thanks to their trip planning all based and made on-line.

Where are they from?

California, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, Washington, Missouri, and Wisconsin They proudly hold their school alma mater from: San Diego State, University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin, Purdue University, University of Missouri, WASU, and Cal Poly SLO How did they meet? An intense 7 month course in corporate training brought these very social young professionals together.  At the end of these 7 months, each one of them were stationed across the country in a new state different from their home state and university town. So, what’s the story? A few years back, Jared saw the original trailer and kept it to himself.  He had watched the trailer over 1000 times over the course of two years and finally decided it was time to share it with his best friend, Matt.  Before coming up with the possibility that the trip of his dreams would become a reality, Matt, from that point on started to watch the trailer continuously for two years straight.  Matt and Jared had already decided two years ago that they were in and ready to begin the recruiting process.  Every individual asked to join the ultimate crew was carefully selected.  Minx was the first person they asked to join the team.  Known for his experience in sailing and committed spirit, Minx ultimately became the booker and skipper for their boat this past summer.  During the summer of August 2010, the group of three boys had started their rigorous selection process of recruiting. What methods did they use? Jared, Matt, and Minx had to come up with a way to organize on-line meetings while dealing with different time zones and personal schedules from friends living across the US.  First a variety of contestants were given an on-line multiple choice and true/false test made and conducted by Jared.  According to Jared, some contestants answered completely wrong and were immediately eliminated from the selection process.  Google Hang Out and Face Time were two on-line chat tactics frequently used to host weekly meetings and interviews made with the lucky contestants selected to be the guests aboard the all-American boat.  After finally breaking it down to 9 winners, a series of Power Points were lined up to meet goals and dead lines.  Then, 6-8 scheduled meetings were organized monthly via Google Hang Out, Face Time, Web Ex, shared screens and Skype in order to keep people in check. What to bring, what to wear, and where to book a flight could all be found on the Power Point.  Ultimately all 9 crew members from all different parts of the country were able to fly from the same city together to get to The Yacht Week thanks to their detailed organization process.  On the first night of the opening of the summer 2012 bookings, all 9 individuals tuned in from 7 different states to create their last mass Skype date with Minx.  Ready, willing, and with two years of on-line organizing behind them, Minx clicked the button and TYW dream had finally become their reality. [clearboth]