Dear fellow BYC members,                                          August 15, 2005
 
Have you ever thought it might be nice to have someone ferry your boat to San Diego for your occasional winter sailing pleasure? For free? And to benefit a charitable organization in the process? And maybe get some charter income and tax benefits?  If anything there sparks a bit of interest, read on…
 
The question: Would you like to explore the idea of having your sailboat based in the off-season, in San Diego, as a leadership training platform for an evangelical Christian service organization?
 
Intrigued? Here are a few more details:

• The organization: YWAM (Youth with a Mission)
• The key contact: Chris Toney, WWU graduate, former San Juan Sailing staff person and instructor (he still instructs for us when his schedule permits), now with a decade of experience with Mercy Ships and YWAM. See his vision at www.destinationparadise.org
• The concept: YWAM leadership training aboard a fleet of 3 and 4 stateroom sailboats during the PNW off-season, each under the control of a competent skipper who also serves as YWAM team leader.
• The base: San Diego, with a 12 week cruise into Baja, Mexico
• The dates: boats would leave in September, return in May.
• The costs: costs would be paid by Destination Paradise, including insurance, fuel, wear and tear, moorage, preventive maintenance.
• Sailing available to owners? Yes, particularly in the fall and winter before February. The YWAM Discipleship Training School cruise would not start until February, but the boats are sailed down earlier for the weather window. Owners are welcome to either sail their boats down (or up) or to join the crew delivering their boats.
• Tax benefits? Yes, modest.
• Charter potential for off-season? TBD but possible. 
• The reasons to do it? To have your boat used for a noble purpose during the off season, to have the chance to sail your boat offshore or in warm waters during the winter, and the potential for charter revenue from San Diego during the PNW off season.

Want to know more? Please call me at the office (671-4300) or at home 354-5770 at your earliest convenience.  We’ll either schedule an informational meeting (no commitments, just exploration at this point) or put you in direct touch with Chris Toney if that is more convenient for you.
 
Best wishes,
 
Roger Van Dyken