Larchmont NOOD - Viper 640 International Class Association

September 7, 2008

Written by Justin Scott

Vipers came in first and second in the new sportsboat class at the Larchmont NOOD.

Viper NOOD

The smaller sportsboat class with 20′ sportsboat racing against each other on a portsmouth handicap is a concept that we have been batting about with other classes for a few months. The first time we were on the same startline was at the Newport Regatta in June. In Newport we started on the same line with the same gun but each class was scored as One Design. At Larchmont we raced as one fleet with a Portsmouth handicap.

It was fun!

The racing was nearly postponed for a day with the approach of Tropical Storm Hanna. Then the evening before, the forecast eased and it looked like we would get a day of racing in front of gradualy building wind and waves. We left the club after rigging our boats and registration on Friday evening, eagerly anticipating 20 +knots the following day.

Sadly, it was not to be. On Saturday we sailed under ominous skies but during the racing it was jsub 10 knots all day. So no planing down tropical storm waves. But the racing was very close across all the classes.

Ominous skies at Larchmont

Results:-
1st (and well deserved) Dawn and Chris Shaugnessy in Viper, Red Dawn.
Tied for second, myself in a Vipe and Katy Stork in the SB3 (I got the tie breaker)
4th another Sb3 and 5th the first of the K6s. Overall, there were 14 smaller sportsboats.

It was amazing how close the racing is in these smaller sportsboats. We had some great duels going on. Katy and I were really going at it in the last race. The Portsmouth Yardstick (time on time) is a much better way to handicap these boats than PHRF.

This was organized with only about three weeks notice. Much thanks to Dave Reed and George Brengle from Sailing World and NOOD for coming up with the concept. Lets do it again!

Hanna finally arrived as we sailed in. We got some surfin’ as we sailed in and then soaked as we put the boats away

For full write up in Sailing World, please viist this link. http://www.sailingworld.com/nood-regattas/larchmont-ny/the-lowdown-from-larchmont-1000064773.html#