VIPER INTERNATIONAL REGATTA – DAY TWO

November 17, 2016
Day Two Blown Off!

With winds gusting up to 43 knots and frequent rain squalls, competitors kept their covers on and stayed inside the Royal Bermuda YC for the day.


The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, hosting the Viper 640
International fleet of 46 boats. 

At noon the wind was gusting up to 43 knots, and at 12.20 the competitors stood down for the day with all racing cancelled.

“Vipers go into safety mode… on a day like this, even I would have flipped”
2015 North American Champion Luke Lawrence

The Viper Sidewinder team took advantage of the strong winds to win the day’s speed record. Topping off at 16.4 knots, Travis Yates, Mike Meighan, Dave Hillmyer, and guest Lara Dallman-Weiss were awarded with both the daily speed record and the entertainment of the day.

The weather is expected to be better tomorrow and the 46 boat fleet will be raring to get back on the water!

Follow all racing in real time and see regatta photos at https://www.facebook.com/2016Viper640InternationalChampionship/?fref=ts with daily recaps at www.viper640.org

For more information contact Viper 640 Class Association Administrator Ed “Buttons” Padin (epadin@padesta.com) or Rondar Raceboats’ Dan Tucker (dan@rondarboats.com). For more information about the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship presented by EFG contact event chair Doug De Couto (decouto@alum.mit.edu) or Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Commodore Somers Kempe (somers@mahoganyreef.com).

www.rondarboats.com
www.viper640.org

Aspen Viper 640 International Championship | Day One

Shifty Winds and Rain Make for Tricky Conditions on Day One

The first day of the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship sponsored by EFG proved to be a bit soggy for the 42 Viper 640 sportsboats that have arrived here from around the world. As the sailors gathered for race briefing, the first line of rain showers swept across Hamilton, Bermuda. Sailing out to the start, the westerly wind soon turned to a southerly with gusts up to 20-knots, only to dissipate by repeated lines of rain crossing the Sound.

Hosted by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, this International Regatta is also the Viper 640 North American Championship.

Even with winds shifting through 150 degrees and ranging from 3-12 knots, PRO Hank Stuart and his team managed to start the first race of the regatta on time that saw Zeke Horowitz (Annapolis, MD), sailing with Brendan Healey and Ian Coleman, take the lead at the first mark and hold that to the finish. Two races were run before the wind (and rain) died out and Zeke proved to be the most consistent competitor, winning the second race.

In second overall, with eight points, is Justin Scott (Great Britain via Darien, CT) sailing with Rob Crane and Trevor Burd with a 2-6 scoreline. Tied for third with 13 points are Geoff Fargo (Santa Barbara, CA), sailing with Jeff Grange and Spencer Steffan, and Bruce Mattinson (Albany, WA, Australia) with Arlyn Mattinson, Ben Marler, and Keith Swinton as crew.

Full results HERE

Perhaps, the real story of this first Viper International Championship is the large number of competitors who have made the shipment their boats to this inaugural event and the friendliness of the Viper competitors. Today that was certainly showcased with lots of laughter between racing despite the continuous bands of rain. Sarasota sailor Mike Meighan explained, “Today is not what we expected weather-wise. Everybody was playing nice, it’s a great class for that. I think we just try and keep it on the water, everybody is here for the right reason.”

Day 2 of the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship is scheduled for Thursday 17th. Early winds are predicted to be in excess of 30 knots and will moderate later with…wait for it…more rain.

Follow all racing in real time and see regatta photos at https://www.facebook.com/2016Viper640InternationalChampionship/?fref=ts with daily recaps at www.viper640.org

For more information contact Viper 640 Class Association Administrator Ed “Buttons” Padin (epadin@padesta.com) or Rondar Raceboats’ Dan Tucker (dan@rondarboats.com). For more information about the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship presented by EFG contact event chair Doug De Couto (decouto@alum.mit.edu) or Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Commodore Somers Kempe (somers@mahoganyreef.com).

www.rondarboats.com
www.viper640.org

Viper 640 International Regatta gets underway in Bermuda

Viper 640 International Regatta gets underway in Bermuda

 

Hosted by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club and sailed on Bermuda’s Great Sound Sunday, November 13 and Monday, November 14, this two-day regatta was the warm-up for the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship sponsored by EFG that will be raced on the same waters Wednesday, November 16-Saturday, November 19.

26 Vipers competed in the Warm-up with the fleet expanding to 42 Vipers for the International Championship. In anticipation of the Viper Class ratifying the recent World Sailing vote accepting the Viper as an international class, the International Championship will be run as if it were a World Championship, with an International Race Officer and an International Jury. PRO and International Race Officer Hank Stuart and International Judge Bob Duffy will be managing the regatta for the two clubs.

“Bermuda is a beautiful place to sail, especially in the middle of November when everyone at home has already put away their boats,” said PRO Stuart, “and it’s nice to have such a large turnout of Vipers down here in Bermuda.”

Cardwell Potts and Ted Ferrarone win EFG Viper 640 International Championship Warm-up Regatta

Cardwell Potts, sailing with his wife Jennifer, Ted Ferrarone, and Kendra Emhiser, a quartet of Viper 640 sailors from Larchmont (NY) Yacht Club won the Viper 640 International Championship Warm-up Regatta in commanding fashion with a line score of 1-2-1-3-2 over five races for a total of nine points. That performance gave the Potts/Ferrarone team a 23-point lead over another Larchmont Yacht Club team comprised of Peter and Rachel Beardsley with Jay and Rachel Rhame. Viper Class Governor Justin Scott (Darien, CT) was in third with 36 points followed by Zeke Horowitz (Annapolis, MD). Several teams opted to sit the last race out in building breeze and with several days of sailing to go and plenty of beaches to see.

Cardwell Potts noted, “The conditions were ideal for our 4-up crew. After doing well in the 2015 North Americans in our home waters, we’re excited to compete here in Bermuda for both the 2016 North Americans but also the first International Championship.”

Two races were run Sunday and three on Monday, all in a predominantly northeast wind with flat seas and breezes in the 12-15 knot range. Champagne sailing by anyone’s definition.

Full results available HERE

Tuesday is a layday between the two regattas and the two hundred Viper sailors will be spending their time fine-tuning their sportboats and enjoying the hospitality and beauty of Bermuda.

Follow the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship with real-time on-the-water updates on Facebook, daily recaps on the Viper 640 website and Rondar’s Viper page.

About Aspen Reinsurance

Aspen Re is a diversified, well-capitalized and strongly rated company that provides carefully tailored underwriting solutions in select markets where we can add a high level of value. Aspen Re’s progress is built on the ability to identify and respond swiftly to emerging opportunities and to operate across a wide range of countries and specialist business lines. Aspen Re is founded on a thorough understanding of client needs, as well as exceptional expertise in assessing and managing risk. The company focuses on building long-term relationships with clients who have track records for sound underwriting, along with exposures that make risk transfer a vital aspect of their business needs.

Aspen Insurance, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda www.aspen.co/Reinsurance

About EFG International

EFG International is a global private banking group offering private banking and asset management services, headquartered in Zurich. EFG International’s group of private banking businesses operates in around 30 locations worldwide, with circa 2,000 employees. EFG International’s registered shares (EFGN) are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. EFG International has been the primary supporting sponsor of the Viper 640 Class since 2011. Every year, Viper sailors around the world competing in quailifying events leading up to the EFG Viper Pan-American Championship sailed each March in Miami, FL, as part of Bacardi Miami Sailing Week presented by EFG.

EFG International AG, Bleicherweg 8, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland www.efginternational.com

About the Viper 640 Class Association

About the Viper 640

The Viper 640 is a high-performance one-design sport boat. At 21 ft (6.40 m) and only 750 lb. (340 kg) it combines the stiffness of a keelboat with the acceleration and planing abilities of a dinghy. The Viper has a precise and exhilarating feel on the helm, a spacious cockpit for three or more people, strict one-design class rules, and ease of launching by ramp or hoist. With fleets and regattas around the world, there is certainly Viper racing near you.

For more information contact Viper 640 Class Association Administrator Ed “Buttons” Padin (epadin@padesta.com) or Rondar Raceboats’ Dan Tucker (dan@rondarboats.com). For more information about the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship presented by EFG contact event chair Doug De Couto (decouto@alum.mit.edu) or Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Commodore Somers Kempe (somers@mahoganyreef.com).

Viper Builder: www.rondarboats.com

Note to editors – Videos, images and latest news available at www.rondarboats.com

 

Garda 2017 Dates Confirmed

The Vipers & K6’s will be going back to Garda next year. June 26 – 30 2017 is the ‘must do’ date for your diary.

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More details to follow in the New Year.

 

8 New Viper’s on route to Bermuda

Two containers taking 8 new Vipers & their trailers have left the Rondar factory in Wiltshire & are on their way to Bermuda for the Viper 640 North American Championships.

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The event starts on November 16th for more information see http://www.viper640.org/events/international-and-north-american-championships/

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2016 Viper UK National Champs Report

The 2016 Viper 640 UK National Championship was held out of the Royal Lymington Yacht club over the 16th -18th September.

viper-nats-2016                                          photo by Aimee Harper

The fleet were greeted on day one by a strong and gusty North Westerly breeze with a little bit of sunshine. Sailing to the East of the river mouth in the Solent a course was set that crossed the very strong outgoing tide. PRO Malcom Mckeag offset the marks to compensate the current which made for some interesting racing and a very different approach to tactics.

Two teams fought a tight battle throughout the event. Both team Lawrence, Luca & Hector ; plus team David, Ian & Giles were racing their new Vipers for the first time. Both teams scored a first & second on day one.

Day two was almost a carbon copy of day one in wind and current direction. The strength of the wind was variable between 12 and 20 knots which along with the shifts meant it was snakes and ladders racing. The following days forecast was looking very light so it was decided to get an extra race in making four in one day. Again the battle continued between #259 & #260. Only in race 5 did another team fight back. David, Danielle & Innes took the gun in a photo finish. A win for #259 in race 6 gave them the title after the final day of the championship dawned true to the forecast with no wind.

A big thank you to RLYC who looked after the fleet both on the water, on the dock and on the shore.

1st David Hitcock, Ian Nicholson, Giles Chipperfied – HISC & LTSC

2nd Lawrence Crispin, Luca Crispin, Hector Cisneros – Stone SC

3rd David Pitman, Danielle Pitman, Innes McGowan – Weston SC

 

2016 UK K6 National Champs Report

The 2016 K6 Championship was held out of the Royal Lymington Yacht club over the 16th -18th September.

The fleet were greeted on day one by a strong and gusty North Westerly breeze with a little bit of sunshine. Sailing to the East of the river mouth in the Solent a course was set that crossed the very strong outgoing tide. PRO Malcom Mckeag offset the marks to compensate the current which made for some interesting racing and a very different approach to tactics.
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The team in Airshock with their new found speed took the first race of the day. After an incident filled second race (various boats misjudging the current and finding that buoy lines catch keels very easily) Eric – sailed by Martin Wedge and Scott Allen broke away and took the gun. The rest of the fleet followed closely behind with the all-girl team helmed by Debbie Jarvis coming in second.

Day two was almost a carbon copy of day one in wind and current direction. The strength of the wind was variable between 12 and 20 knots which along with the shifts meant it was snakes and ladders racing. The following days forecast was looking very light so it was decided to get an extra race in making four in one day. Eric started as they had ended the previous day and took the first race. The team of Dave Hall, June Baker & Alice Masterman then took the second race of the day and followed it up with a second and another first which left them at the top of the leader board at the end of the day. Martin and Scott did not quite have the consistency through the day and allowed Neil Davison, Andrew Yonge & Julie Willis in Airshok to get another first and put them at second place.

The final day of the championship dawned and true to the forecast there was no wind. After a wait to see if any sensible wind might appear it was decided that there would be no more racing leaving the team of Dave, June and Alice 2016 Champions. A big thank you to RLYC who looked after the fleet both on the water, on the dock and on the shore. 

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Photos by Aimee Harper

Snake Bytes Viper 640 Class News

Words from the Prez

a6e09d82-b570-44a8-a89b-cf5572802487Yup, it’s hot out here in SoCal but the Viper 640s are racing in our waters just like they are around the globe. Of note, although it’s winter down there, the Australians are still racing. And there is a Viper/K6 Championship scheduled in the UK gathering boats from around Europe to hone their skills pre the International Championship in November (more about that below). The northeast, with its Long Island Sound and Marblehead contingents, have been sailing hard with numerous major regional regattas every month.

Perhaps the best indication of the Class’s growth is spurt of regatta activity in the Pacific Northwest, the Great Lakes, and eastern Canada. Don’t we all wish we had the time to travel to those northern latitudes for some (relatively) cool sailing (pun intended)?

In this issue of Snake Bytes there are a number of key topics warranting your particular attention: a reminder of the Class Rules change proposal deadline, an update on our World Sailing application, and some logistical notes on the International Championship in Bermuda. Also, we have what the Navy would call a Hail and Farewell as we bid goodbye to our friend and former EFG International sponsor, Keith Gapp, and welcome aboard his replacement, Andy McQuillan.

See you on the racecourse,

Jimbo

Dr. Jim Sears
Viper 640 Association Class President

VIRTUAL SEMINAR

940154db-12a7-4c16-ad7d-42c2b77a4a2aNorth One-Design’s Zeke Horowitz gave some excellent Viper tuning, sail trim, and boat handling seminar at the GYA Opening Regatta at the Fairhope Yacht Club.

Those of us who have sailed against Zeke know that whatever he’s doing is working and he has put together a great overview of his seminars including photos to help us visualize his points. Before you sail your Viper again, click on the following link and read what Zeke has to offer.

Editor’s note: Yes, Zeke works for North Sails…but he’s stepped-up to offer this learning tool. Other sailmakers or sailors are welcome…in fact encouraged…to submit tips, techniques, and other smart sailing points that we’ll share on the site and in Snake Bytes. Send submissions to epadin@padesta.com. And, yes, photos showing what you’re describing are highly suggested.

Zeke Horowitz’s Seminar Notes

REGATTA RECAPS

Tim Carter Takes 2016 High Sierra Regatta
Fresno Yacht Club
July 9-10

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The fish that got away! Fresno Yacht Club July 9-10 Reported by Tim Carter This was an amazing adventure, Steve Bloemeke, Jennifer Weisman and I set off 12:30 Thurs afternoon for our trip up to Huntington Lake…

Yes! It’s true the lake is full, it’s been three long years since we could sail here.

READ MORE

Ron Schute Wins 2016 Nepean One-Design Regatta

Nepean Sailing Club
June 19-20

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For the Great Lakes Vipers, heading to Nepean Sailing Club near Ottawa in June has become a tradition. Since 2005, NSC has hosted the annual event which attracted 81 boats in 2016, including 10 Vipers. Despite the light winds which dominate at this time of the year this is a very popular event.

READ MORE

Steve Chapman Wins 2016 Viper Canadian Championship

Kingston Yacht Club
July 9-10

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Kingston Yacht Club hosted the Great Lakes Viper fleet for our 3rd annual Canadian Championship. Famous for great sailing with good thermal winds, 10 boats arrived Friday to a warm welcome. Lots of beer and good food Friday night at the Kingston Brewing Company helped the fleet prepare for the excitement ahead. Saturday morning we had great conditions, sunshine and a nice 12-15kt SW breeze. Racing was tight and the RC got off 3 good races. With each hour the winds increased as the promised thermal kicked in.

READ MORE

John Leyland Rocks at 2016 SOAR Regatta

Squamish Yacht Club
July 23-24

Well the little boat that we all love did its thing up Howe Sound at the SOAR Regatta in Squamish, BC. Howe Sound is essentially a fjord with mountains all around making for a great place to sail.

READ MORE

David Owen and Peter Beardsley Win Larchmont Race Week

Larchmont Yacht Club
July 16-24

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Sailed over the weekends of July 16-17 and 23-24, the historic 118th running of Larchmont Race Week concluded Sunday afternoon with the Viper class participating in the second annual Around Execution Lighthouse Race – a winner-takes-all event with Vipers, classic Herreshoff S-Boats, PHRF racers, and a Gunboat 62 sharing the same starting line.

READ MORE

Zeke Horowitz Wins YRALIS Viper Champs

American Yacht Club
August 6-7

Thirteen boats made it out for part or all of the weekend to sail 6 races over two days. They faced a light but fairly steady southwester on Saturday, and a puffy northerly Sunday with racing at the mouth of Mamaroneck Harbor once the breeze filled.

Zeke Horowitz’s Jenny and Peter Beardsley and Jay Rhame on Ghost Panda traded firsts and seconds over the weekend, with Horowitz’s Team Jenny, with Ian Coleman and Chris Klevan, prevailing. Ted Ferrarone,Charles Swanson and Kendra Emhiser on #88 stepped it up on Sunday to place third after Christian Manchester’s Vicious Panda and Byron Lamotte’s and Andrew Weiss’s Dragon Fire showed good speed on Saturday.

READ MORE

UPCOMING REGATTAS – Mark your calendars

Royal Torbay Regatta

Royal Torbay Yacht Club, UK
Aug. 20, 2016 – Aug. 23, 2016

Following the successful conclusion of their new format 2015 event, The Royal Torbay Yacht Club is pleased to announce the dates for sailing events at Torbay Royal Regatta 2016. Racing will take place over four days for all yachts, sportsboats, dinghy and junior classes between Saturday 20th to Tuesday 23rd August.

READ MORE

NEW: The Queen Mary Race

August 20
Redondo Beach Yacht Club

Replacing the Catalina Cruise, the Queen Mary Race starts off of Redondo Beach, sails around Palos Verdes Peninsula, and finishes in Long Beach Harbor off the stern of the Queen Mary. Sailing through the infamous Hurricane Gulch area, it’s about 25 miles of open water and most of it is downhill.

This will be a Pursuit Race with the 7+Vipers getting a one-design start. Sounds like a hoot!

Information on the Queen Mary Race HERE.

Viper 640 Great Lakes Championship

Aug. 27, 2016 – Aug. 28, 2016
Chicago Yacht Club – Belmont Harbor Station

The Great Lakes Viper Region will be holding its 2016 Championship Regatta as part of Chicago Yacht Club’s Verve Inshore Regatta. The Viper will be one of the one-design classes included in this prestigious event sailing two days, Saturday the 27th and Sunday the 28th. READ MORE

New England Championship / ONE Regatta 2016

Eastern Yacht Club, Marblehead, MA

August 27-28

Part of the ONE Regatta 2016. Fourteen Vipers already signed-up. Looks like this will be a good one! READ MORE

REGATTAS A BIT FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD

International Championship

Hamilton Bermuda Nov. 16-19 2016

This will be a Bucket List regatta you won’t want to miss. Entries up to 53 and more are expected. Information and registration HERE.

2016-17 Sarasota Viper Winter Series

This 3-weekend event has become one of the jewels of the Viper 640 calendar. Sailed on the Gulf of Mexico right off the clubhouse, this is a series not to be missed. Sail one weekend or sail them all. Great logistics, hospitality, and Viper racing. Specific information is yet to come from Travis Yates and team, but the dates have been set. Mark your calendars:

Series #1 – December 17-18
Series #2 – January 7-8
Series #3 – February 4-5

505 Worlds Final Report

The final and deciding race of the SAP 505 Worlds may not have had the epic qualities of some of the earlier rounds, but still produced some fine sailing in Weymouth Bay.

Although Americans Mike Martin and Adam Lowry went into the race with a seemingly comfortable points margin of 22 points over the rest of the field, they could not afford any mishap. If their best currently discarded result of 30th in Race 1 came into play, any one of six rivals could overhaul them for the title.

After the heavy winds of the previous three races, the 130 starting boats had a gentle breeze of 6-8kts to take them on the hour long sail east out of Portland Harbour to the starting area. Since both the 10th and 11th placed finishers in the previous race had already performed the duty, GBR 9131 sailed by Nathan Bachelor and Sam Pascoe, opened proceedings as pathfinder. Not for the first time in this regatta, the start had to be abandoned due to an over eager competitor impeding the gate boat, but all boats behaved themselves at the second time of asking.

By now the breeze had developed a little more oomph, with 10-12kts across most of the race track, and oscillating through about 15 degrees. At the first mark, Philippe Boite and Corbel Florian (FRA) clearly found the softer conditions more to their liking and slipped round at the top of the pile ahead of Mike Holt and Carl Smit (USA) and Germany’s Tim Boger and Markus Schoner. But the big question was the whereabouts of the championship leaders, Martin and Lowry? The answer was buried deep in the 30s round the top mark, thus putting their title hopes in significant jeopardy.

The fleet split down the run, and significant pressure differences across the pitch produced more place changing. At the bottom gate it was Holt and Smit that led marginally from Wolfgang Hunger and Julien Kleiner (GER). The German boat opted to take the opposite side of the gate to Holt and the left hand side of the beat. However, Martin and Lowry also chose some good lines to move up the fleet, rounding in the high teens, enough to win the championship.

The conditions were clearly to the liking of Hunger and Kleiner who outpaced Holt and Smit up the second beat to establish a lead that they would not surrender, although by now the pressure had increased to 14-16kts, giving some sparkling sailing down the reaching legs in the middle of the race. Behind the leading two boats, Timon Treichel and Morten Roos (GER), Tyler Moore and Drew Buttner (USA) and Malcom Higgins and Nick Johnston (AUS) all remained in the hunt for third place.

However, the real story involved Martin and Lowry. It was their championship to lose, but would the pressure get to them? Martin, uniquely a previous winner as both a crew in 1999 and as a helm ten years later, was keeping his cool and was advancing through the fleet. Hunger and Kleiner took the finish gun with a comfortable advantage over Holt and Smit, with Treichel and Roos third. However, the new SAP 505 World Champions Mike Martin and Adam Lowry proved their mettle by crossing in fifth place, a considerable achievement after being apparently buried on the first leg.

So it was a Water Rat design first; a Rondar in 2nd, 4th & 7th; with Ovington design in 3rd, 5th, 6th.

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Martin and Lowry(9106) prepare to gybe ahead of Smith and Needham on the final day of the SAP 505 Worlds at Weymouth – photo © Christophe Favreau / www.christophefavreau.com

505 Legends Reunite at Worlds Venue

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505 sailors past & present gathered for a very special lunch at WPNSA. Pip Pearson, past International Chairman, introduced Mike Holt, Peter Colclough, Larry Marks, ‘Big’ Bill Masterman, Howie Hamlin, Ian Pinnell & Tim Hancock onto the stage to celebrate their past World Championship wins. Special mentions went to Jim Berry, Chris Thorne & Jack Edwards for their valued contribution over the years.