I have E-mailed people that have asked this question before after getting a range of messages from a simple "Why are you not coming out West?" to the accusatory "Why do you discriminate against us out West?" and I guess I need to provide that response here.
We would love nothing more than to hold a Bootcamp for XP or Minelab out West. We have had individuals request classes and have looked into the logistics to do so. As those of you that have attended one of the Bootcamps can attest to, when we do one of these Bootcamps, we literally have a minivan filled with material, gear, prizes, handouts, coolers for the infield session and the like. Unless we can find a dealer on the West Coast that can support conducting a Bootcamp and help in providing what we need, driving is not an option and flying / shipping that much material adds considerably to the overall costs which also makes it a non-starter.
Another point is that we have tried twice to set one up out there and in both cases we heard up front about how many people were ready to pull the trigger and thankfully we waited to buy our plane tickets as in one case we had two people signup and the other, just one person after two months of signups. We found that people are quick to request a Bootcamp but when one is offered either that specific weekend is an issue or an hour drive is too far and the promised attendance never materializes. While Atlanta might be a short drive for us (if you call 5 hours each way a short drive), when we do locations such as Gulfport, MS (11 hours each way), Portage, IN (10 hours each way) and Fishkill, NY (12 hours each way), it adds a full day each way to the schedule in order for us to get there, setup the classroom portion and the in-field session so that when people arrive they have the experience they have come to expect.
We are in contact with some dealers out West that might be able to assist in bringing the Bootcamps out there so that we can fly and ship only what we need from this end but as the tickets and other costs in many cases are non-refundable, we need to ensure that there is a genuine interest, a good support team on the other end and a location that will allow us to have both the classroom and in-field portions for those that attend. If you are are dealer or know of one that might be interested in assisting in conducting one of Bootcamps, please feel free to get in touch with us through the Bootcamp website (www.XPDeusBootcamp.com).
With the upcoming V4.0 and other accessories, 2016 will be an exciting year for XP and those attending the Bootcamp will get a firsthand look at what is coming . . . . after spending time with Alain when he was here in the US in December, we can say what we saw far surpassed what I was expecting.
Andy & Charlene Sabisch
