If we agree that there is no mystic or supernatural about how a sailboat functions, what the "big names" do must be quantifiable. As such, I dont see why it should be impossible to learn what they do as a skill.
Looking at it the opposite way, those 3% Pat mentions might be all in the mind of the challengers. "Knowing" they will never beat the large names, it is easy to despair or do something stupid. It dont have to be something large, just a lapse of concentration for some seconds can cost you 3% on the racecourse. Ask any top sailor where they lost a race, and they can tell you where, when and why 99% of the time.
In my opinion, thinking about the top sailors as owners of a special talent is just a way to explain your own performance without the discomfort of a honest self-examination and evaluation of your preparations.

Here is a picture from Athens 2004. Are the boats spread out due to the intrisic talent of the crews, or different skill levels, mental awareness/preparations and to some degree luck?



I dont say everybody will reach olympic class without effort, but given enough time, resources, motivation and normal health, I believe it is possible to be up there with the top.
Perhaps we will have Mitch Booth or Darren Bundock chime in with their opinion when the visit the forum next time.