Rondar Raceboats has come to an arrangement with Debbie Jarvis, to handle our non USA spares business for all our classes. Our USA spares business is being handled by Tyler Moore, based out of Hampton Virginia. Both of them are very knowledgeable in our products, and will elevate the spares business into a more professional, customer facing process.
There are many thousands of Rondar built boats out in the World, and the spares business is a growth area. Rondar will benefit by focusing on our core business of making boats, whilst Debbie & Tyler can focus on efficient delivery & a professional customer service.
Orders will continue to be placed through our website www.rondarparts.com & enquiries can be sent to Debbie via sales@rondarparts.com or Tyler via rondarpartsusa@gmail.com
The pricing structure has been set for the new series which includes charter for the duration of the regatta plus a practice day, launch & rigging plus regatta entry fee which includes a social.
The European Viper Series will run over the following weekends at Real Club Nautico De Palma ( https://www.rcnp.es )
Dec 14/15 2019 Trofeo Navidad 660€
Feb 15/16 2020 Trofeo Noli 660€
Mar 27- 29 2020 Trofeo Princesa Sofia 990€
May 9 – 12 2020 Palma Vela 1,320€
For more information or to book a Viper 640 contact Paul or Debbie via admin@rondarboats.com
The 2019 K6 championship was held from Weymouth Sailing Club with courses in the Bay.
A blustery day greeted the fleet for the first day. It was touch and go whether or not to go with a forecast of an increasing wind. However, the competitors went for it and had two very lively races before the big breeze really kicked in. There was plenty of action through the fleet as well as some early retirements.
The usual suspects fought it out at the front with a number of new teams all showing their faces until various incidents such as broaches caught them out. Three races were scheduled but after two it was decided that it would be better for the fleet get ashore and save their energy and pride for the following days. The brothers Birbeck won the first race convincingly but were pipped on the line for the second race by Dave Hall, Alice Masterman & Bella Fellows.
A much calmer second day. A light and very shifty North westerly blew across a very flat Weymouth bay.
With the differences in pressure and shifts across the race track it was hard to defend and any lead was easily be lost. Winners for the 3 races were Neil Fulcher & Richard Tucker, Mike Trueman with James Bennett & Richard Payne and the current leaders Steve & Ross Birbeck.
After the 2 days it was tight at the top with the Birbecks and team Hall- it was going to be right down to the wire for the last two races on the final day The forecast was spot on for the last day. A light Easterly slowly vanished as the fleet sat out in Weymouth Bay. After an hours postponement the race team got a the first race away in a light south westerly. Peter Kirkby & Richard Barker got away with the pack close behind. The wind was increasing and downwind it all got a bit frantic as the boats closed up at the bottom gate. With the wind increase came a shift and the races was shortened at the top mark. Peter & Richard stayed in front to take the win with Dave, Alice & Bella sneaking in at the finish to take second.
Going in to the last race the championship was going to be decided between the Birbeck Brothers and the team of Dave, Alice & Bella. Both boats got a good start and took out a healthy lead. It was cat and mouse all the way round with Steve & Ross just getting the edge until a fluffed spinnaker drop let Dave and the girls through to win the race and the championship. Mike Truemans team just held onto the third after a late surge from Nick Jones & Steve Dewbury.
A great and very mixed three days sailing well run by Weymouth SC alongside their yacht regatta, so a big thanks to the club and the race team.
1st Dave Hall, Alice Masterman & Bella Fellows
2nd Steve & Ross Birbeck
3rd Mike Trueman, James Bennett & Richard Payne
Report by Dave Hall Pics by © Phil Jackson / www.digitalsailing.co.uk
Congratulations to Marcus Eagan, Andrew Eagan, and Jackson Benvenutti (Mandeville, LA) for winning both the Goslings 2019 Viper 640 World Championship and the 2019 Viper 640 North Americans. Hosted by Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (Long Beach, CA), the four-day Championship consisted of 13 races in atypical Long Beach conditions – light, 8-10 knots except for the final race on Day 2 and the last two on the final day when winds were mid to high teens. It was a regatta where sailors were faced with a wide range of conditions and those atop the podium had to be capable of dealing with them all.
Eagan ended with 33 points after five of the races atop the 41-boat fleet. In second was Geoff Ewenson (Annapolis, MD), Ryan Cox, and Jon Ziskind with 44 points having won an extremely consistent series with 11 top-ten finishes. In third, from South of Perth Yacht Club in Western Australia, were former Viper 640 World Champions Nick Jerwood, Brian DeVries, and Matt Jerwood.
The real story about this regatta was the blend of sailor experiences both on and off the water. The sailing, despite many light-air races, was keenly competitive; but it was the blend of great racing and spectacular on-shore activities that made the Goslings 2019 Viper 640 World Championship the event it was. ABYC volunteers, Goslings rum, and the full cadre of Viper sailors came together every morning and evening to deliver a bucket list event.Results
Images by Sharon Green (#ultimatesailing) and videos by MikeyFoxtrot can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/Viper640/
The Purobeach Women’s Cup at the Copa del Ray regatta, held at Real Cub Nautico de Palma was raced in 12 identical Viper 640’s being sailed by some of the best women’s teams at the inaugural Women’s Cup Event sponsored by Mapfre.
For many of the teams, this is their first time in the Viper, and they fell in love with the speed and fun they were having racing the boat. Teams have come from all over Spain, as well as Gran Canaria’s, and 2 teams have flown in all the way from Buenos Aires in Argentina.
Double Olympic medalist Natalia via Dusfrene, won the first day with 3 bullets for Team Dorsia but the racing was super tight behind her. On day two Helena Alegre from the Federation Balearic posted 2 bullets and were clearly getting to grips with the Viper. Racing was postponed on day three due to strong winds but the fleet went out at midday, and had some fantastic racing with race wins for Team Dorsia in the first race, Patrica Suarez from RCN Vigo in the second, with Federation Balearic taking the third race.
Overall, Team Dorsia with Natalia at the helm are sailing consistently and grinding out decent finishes even when they deep in the pack, which is a characteristic of all great sailors. On the last day of fleet racing the fleet was honoured by a visit from the Queen of Spain accompanied by the young princesses. For the finals the event remained wide open with the top 6 boats all recording podium places in the fleet racing so far. With each boat having points equal to their fleet overall position the point are tight with the added pressure of no discard in the final series.
The first race was sailed in the light north easterly land breeze, the breeze faltered giving the mid fleet bunch a chance to overtake the leaders to a shortened line. Leaders Julia Minana Delhom was OCS so Helena Alegre picked up the win.
The sea breeze then kicked in to provide decent conditions for races 2 and 3. Having finished 6th in the first race Natalia Via Dufresne and team needed a good second race to compensate, but disaster struck with one crew member knocked out of the boat on the first downwind leg, and dropping them to the back as they doused the chute and sailed back to recover her. Marina Casado took the win in fine style. The last race gave Julia Minana Delhom a win, but the consistent Helena Alegre ended the day topping the leader board 5 points clear.
The final showdown saw Federation Balearic take the first race whilst FEDERACION CATALANA DE VELA won the second. Helena Alegre’s team held out for a 4th in this final race to give them the title of Purobeach Women’s Cup Champions
1. Federación Balear, Helena Alegre, 3*+1+5+3+1+4=19pts
2. Vela Catalana, Aura Miguel, 4*+4+2+9+3+1=23pts
3. Dorsia Sailing Team, Natalia Via Dufresne, 1*+6+10+6+2+3=28pts
Helena Alegre, skipper of Federación Balear
The best weeks racing the class has probably had” seemed to be the consensus amongst the 20 boats who made the trip to Gravedona on Lake Como.
The sun shone, the breeze blew, the race management was spot on, the club super welcoming and there was a Laser cockpit full of cold beer thanks to legend Philip Waterfall when you came ashore each day. If you weren’t sailing, the club even provided wine tasting and pasta making lessons. Life doesn’t get much better!
Brothers Steve and Ross Birbeck won the week with a couple of races to spare. They had an uncanny ability to dig themselves out of trouble when not at the front of the pack, and almost always seemed to be able to pick the right side of the course for each leg. And the right side of the course never seemed to be what it was on the previous lap! This goes some way to explaining why nine of the 20 boats had first or second places in at least one of the races.
Special mention goes to John Adcroft and Steve Dewbury from Aldeburgh who we think became the first Aldeburgh boat to win a race in the Europeans, and led for the the whole of race six, going right up the first beat when everyone else went left. Steve didn’t loose the grin for the rest of the week.
Those mentioned in despatches included:
1st : Steve & Ross Birbeck
2nd: Dave Hall & Graham Hoy
3rd: Julian Cook, Caroline Aisher & Hugo Fitzjohn
Report by Peter Kirkby pics by © Pietro Ademoli
The One Palma Viper Finale Regatta was hosted by Club Maritimo San Antonio de la Playa in Ca’n Pastilla near Palma. Teams from local clubs as well as the UK and Australia raced in perfect conditions throughout the event.
Day one saw classic Mediterranean conditions with clear blue skies and 8 – 14 knots.
GBR #274 raced out of the blocks leading at mark one and extending their lead at the finish; followed by ESP #305 (who won the last Palma event) in second.
As the wind dropped slightly in race two it was #305 overhauling #274 downwind to take the win, and ESP #304 getting the gun in race 3.
Day two with an earlier start time began lighter & built as the day wore on. Again racing was incredibly close with the lighter team ESP #304 winning again but GBR #274 showing their strength as the wind built. This breeze also saw the Aussies get into their stride, and the local ex-Star sailor from CMSAP.
Race day 3 and the wind came in early at 20 knots with choppy seas. GBR #274 had the edge upwind but AUS #308 snatched the win at the gybe to the line. For race two no one could catch GBR #274, whilst the last race of the day saw a number of boats retire due to various gear failures with their rigs; this allowed local 420 sailor Laura Homer to win in ESP #241.
Points were close going into the final day.
Racing was postponed due to cloud and a light gradient, eventually racing got under way building to 12 knots then dropping away to 8. The races were won by the lighter teams but it was not enough to overhaul the young GBR team.
First overall was GBR 274 sailed by Tommy Darling, Charlie, Gus & owner Luka; second overall AUS 308 sailed by Rob Beurteux, Chris & Stubba; third overall AUS 310 sailed by Murray Howson, John & Tony.
Oxford SC provided the only inland event the K6 class have in their calendar. A healthy fleet of 12 boats turned up with boats from as far as Torbay and Essex.
Saturday’s weather provided a gusty and typically shifty NE wind ranging from 8 18 knots. Neil Fulcher & Luka Crispin were first out of the blocks winning the first two races. Their march on the last was stolen by Peter & Jasper Kirkby who took the lead from the start winning by quite a margin while the rest of the fleet fought for the minor places. In the background was Harry & George Barker who in the tricky conditions were putting in a constant set of results while most of the fleet were swapping places with the front and the back.
The course was shared with the Contenders and D Ones which made for some interesting manoeuvres as the shifting wind often meant urgent action to avoid fallen boats. Adding to that the fleet did not help itself with Dave Halls daughter Laura falling out the boat and Richard Addison doing a bit of spear fishing with his pole.
The fleet retired to the bar and later to the local pub for food and drink, a tradition that keeps the fleet together socially and means good mannered racing most of the time.
Sunday’s wind was from the same direction but considerably lighter. Neil and Luka took the first gun but as the wind dropped it was the local team of Mike Trueman & Martin Gibson who showed the fleet around the reservoir winning then next two races. The rest of the fleet sharing places throughout the race from 2nd to last in the shifty conditions. It was however, once again in the background Harry who with a string of seconds won the event without winning a race. It was a well-deserved victory in very trying conditions.
1st Harry & George Barker & Miles Roebuck
2nd Neil Fulcher & Luka Crispin
3rd Mike Trueman & Martin Gibson
Report by Dave Hall
Photo by Grant Blake
Not very long ago the smart people at Rondar had the idea that some European sailors might fancy a spin in their Viper 640 sportsboat as a winter break in a sunny place with wind, frequent flights, good food and perhaps a glass of wine. Only three months later 11 boats, some privately owned and some chartered out by Rondar, gathered for the third event in the series at the Real Club Nautico de Palma, Mallorca. The fleet was lined up ready for us when we arrived, launched by the impeccable RCNP and rigged and supported by a great team from OneSails Palma. One Sails even debuted a fleet’s worth of nice looking black carbon sails for the boats launched at this event.
The Viper is very popular in the USA, but has never previously got going in Europe. For those of us who did not know it before we set off in our rented boat, it turns out to be pretty sporty, with a powerful dinghy-style rig upwind and great downwind pace with a huge gennaker, both demanding quite a workrate from at least some of the crew, but with the security of a substantial bulb on the keel for the more exciting moments. There is no weight limit, but boats were using 3 or 4 crew depending on their size – and the size of their family. The boats are very even in speed, with cap shroud adjustment being the only real rig tuning option and the rest all down to sailing skill.
The idea of the Palma Winter Series is that owners can base their boats in Palma, stored and managed by OneSail, and either use them or charter them out for an event every month or so over the winter and spring for a long weekend’s racing within one of the RCNP’s regattas. The RCNP certainly proved to be fantastically equipped and hospitable to crews and shore crews, and the multitude of bars and restaurants of Palma old town a few minutes walk away meant that most crews’ nutrition programmes were put on hold for the weekend.
We had three packed days of excellently-managed racing in the RCNP 50 Trofeo Princesa Sofia, sharing a course with Dragons and J80s, but thankfully not mixing too closely with the huge Olympic selection regatta also on the bay. Palma Bay seems to have a pattern of switching on the sea breeze at around 2pm each day, so mornings at leisure were followed by back to back races finishing, with the breeze, in time for the free beer and barbecue by the pool. This pattern also gives a challenging mixture of wind strengths and directions as the breeze builds and swings, particularly on the last day where, shock horror, the sun went in and the wind swung around rather more with the odd rain cloud. Well, it is winter sailing.
It was great to see young local sailors keeping the RCNP boats up at the front, mixing it with ex-Laser World Champion Lawrence Crispin in his own Viper, but Lawrence sailing with his muscular son Luka and the expert Hector Cisneros showed consistency that no-one else could match, and took the event by a margin from David and Jamie Hitchcock with Ian Nicholson, who have also done quite a bit of Viper sailing before. Third were the first local team of Pedro Aragon from the RCNP, showing that it does not take a good sailor long to get up to speed in the Viper.
This whole event is a great concept, and very much the right boat and the right place for it to work. Palma is perfect for both a holiday trip and some serious sailing, and it is a rare privilege to be able to do both for the price of a short flight and a very reasonable charter fee. The next event is the Palma Vela, 10-12 May, when we hope to have the next 4 boats. Boats are available for charter or sale, contact heather.chipperfield@gmail.com if you want more details. Then, it’s the Finale from 17-21 June, when we will be welcoming our 4 Australian boats, with their sailors and friends. Details of these events, and chartering options, are at https://www.vipersailpalma.com/
Written by Heather Chipperfield
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