YRA Awards - Tom's party surprise

by Erik Simonson on 18 Nov 2010 Last night's YRA awards meeting at the Berkeley Yacht Club was one of those 'You Shoulda Been There' affairs.

For the 150 or so participants, the usual educational speech or visual presentation was amplified a multitude. Even The YRA staff whom had been informed that most of the Cup Personnel would be in Europe and not able to attend were surprised when they heard late in the day Tuesday that Tom Ehman would in fact be attending.

Tom along with two Officers from the GGYC, Commodore Marcus Young and General Manager Robert
Mulher spoke for just over and hour and showed the 15 minute video from Valencia of the 'Dog and Cat Fight.'
According to YRA Chair, Pat Broderick , Tom put his best side forward and answered questions regarding
The potential venue, while not dropping any concrete answers as to what everyone wants to know:

Is SF the next host of the Americas Cup?

Some of what Tom did address were the course that might be run, including Bay Tours that might mimic the 3 Bridge Fiasco, covering ground from Treasure Island, to Blackaller Buoy out toward Red Rocks and back to Treasure Island is one scenario. Setting a mark outside the Gate will address a need for a longer course, as well as take advantage of the natural amphitheater setting the Marin Headlands and the Golden Gate Bridge itself would provide.

Tom queried the audience on their feeling about a cat vs monohull and the crowd seem evenly split, with the older members leaning towards the mono. He then went on to a more pro Cat pitch, emphasizing the multi’s hulls advantages, including the obvious speed, the room for various camera angles, ability to reach area of the Bay to shallow for conventional mono.
Tom also spoke of the need to work with local and federal agencies, including the Coast Guard, FAA, shipping companies, ferry outfits on down to immigration and naturalization officials on the multitude of details to pull the Cup off. No small items seem overlooked.

Tom late chatted about the City Front and the various options for the hosting sites. The boats will be primarily secured at the southernmost piers, either 50 or 80 and tied up to the public piers in the mornings where more public viewing and social /media activities would occur. Towed to race course, race then return to the media/social docks and finally back to the storage docks later in the day.

If things work out, Dogzilla would appear on the SF Bay next September. Tom did his best to encourage the crowd that it’s SF’s to lose but ultimately, BMW Oracle are the custodians of the Cup and in as much, will award the hosting to privileges to the best city for the Cups future. Tom pleaded with those in attendance to get to the December 1 Board of Supervisors Finance Committee Meeting to show their support and help finalize the deal.

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