Australia News
SUCCESSFUL VIPER MINI REGATTA – ALBANY
10 April, 2017
Eight Viper class yachts, six representing PRSC and two from South of Perth Yacht Club competed in six races over a harbour course.It was planned to have as many races as possible and Saturday afternoon got off to a good start with five back to back heats. Conditions were excellent with a steady ten to twelve knot southerly.
Sunday dawned without a breath of wind and the 9.00 am start was postponed until well after ten when a little whisper from the east appeared and it was race on.It was slow going but a little quicker than it was just to get to the start line. There was time only for the one heat but it was still a great weekend with a lot of interest being shown with the Vipers especially with the World series to be held in Fremantle in 2018.
It has been decided among those involved on the weekend to make it an annual event with a special trophy for the winner.
Pictures:Some action or lack of it on Sunday morning.
- Viper PCC and Pre-Worlds in the books…Bring on the Big Show August 19, 2019
Alamitos Bay Yacht Club to host first Viper 640 World Championship in the U.S. Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (Long Beach, CA) will be hosting the 2019 Viper 640 World Championship powered by Goslings from August 17-24, 2019. The host of the Viper’s 2014 North American Championship and the home of the world’s largest fleet of the Viper 640 sportboat, ABYC has the experience, the resources, and the volunteers to make this a true World Championship. 50 Vipers are expected to be on the starting line sailing in the waters off Long Beach. The Viper 640 is known for its exceptional tracking upwind and, in the right conditions, hitting speeds in the high teens downwind. In short, these boats are as exciting to watch as they are to sail. This Championship is drawing competitors from around the world including 2018 World Champion Nick Jerwood ......read more - Women Racing Vipers in Palma May 17, 2019
The fourth event of the ONE Palma Viper 640 Winter Series took place over the weekend of May 10/12. RCNP hosted the event as part of the Sailracing Palmavela Regatta Trophy. The Vipers share racecamps with the TP52, the Maxi’s and many more....read more - VIPER 640 CLASS ASSOCIATION AWARDS TWO NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS April 25, 2019
During its regular meeting on April 1, 2019, the North American Executive Committee of the International Viper 640 Class association voted in favor of two yacht club proposals to host upcoming North American Championships for the Class. 2020 Championship The Class awarded the 2020 Viper 640 North Americans to the Noroton Yacht Club, Darien, CT, to be sailed October 15-19 on the Long Island Sound. Noroton, with its stunning new clubhouse, hosted the 2018 Viper 640 New England Championship reaffirming that the club’s reputation for excellent race management, racer-friendly facilities, and gracious hospitality were well merited. It is anticipated that as many as 60 of the 21-foot sport boats will compete at Noroton with teams coming from across the U.S. and Canada as well as Bermuda, the UK, Australia, Spain, and South Africa. “The Viper 640 sailors from Noroton Yacht Club and the ......read more - 2019 Viper 640 World / North American Championships December 29, 2018
The Registration is now open for the 2019 World Championships at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club in Long Beach, CA through Regatta Toolbox. Start making your plans to compete in what will be the largest and most competitive Viper 640 event of all time. ABYC has one of the largest Viper fleets in the world and welcomes competitors to come sail in sunny Southern California. For more information regarding this event please email fleet captain Tim Carter...read more - Rod Beauteaux Wins Western Australian State Title and a hug from Santa December 20, 2018
Western Australian State Championship We have been having some good racing leading up to Christmas. The Musto Regatta off Fremantle provided a weekend of good breezes and the States in early December promised more of the same. The State titles were held at SoPYC. The forecast was for light medium winds on Saturday morning and stronger breezes on Sunday morning. Because of weekend racing on the river, the races were all held in the morning. A fleet of nine boats hit the start line on Saturday. Unfortunately our World Champions, Nic Jerwood and Brian deVries were unable to compete. The first race had Rod Beurteauxleading around the first mark, in the first race, when their keel was tangled by a poorly laid mark rope. The rope was weighted down, deep enough not to be seen, but was not deep enough to clear the keel. Was this ......read more - Looking Ahead – Comments from Viper Int’l Chair November 30, 2016At the Class AGM in Bermuda, the members approved the International Class Constitution which created an International Board of Governors (The International Board). We asked the newly elected Chairman of the International Board to write a few lines describing the role of the International Board and their priorities for the next twelve months. Justin Scott wrote: First of all, let me explain who is on the board. The Class consists of three regions; North America, Australasia, UK and Europe. Each region has its own regional Class President and its own regional Executive Committee. The International Board consists of the three Class Presidents plus an elected Chairperson, an elected International Technical Committee Chair and three elected governors, one of who is serving as International Treasurer. Thus the current International Board consists of:- Steve Chapman – Class President of North America Ian Nicholson – Class President of UK ......read more
- New Viper 640 Class Officers Elected At AGM November 28, 2016Through the combination of online and in-person voting, a Constitutional Quorum of over 100 Owner Members cast ballots for new Class officers to serve two-year terms (2017-2018). The new slate of officers is: North American Region President – Steve Chapman Secretary – John Leyand Treasurer – Tony Chapman Northeast – Peter Beardsley Southeast – Travis Yates West – Geoff Fargo Great Lakes – Darren Gilbert European Region Europe Pres – Ian Nicholson Europe Secretary – David Pittman Australasia Region Australasia Pres – Graeme Monkhouse Australasia VP – Mark Griffin Australasia Secretary – John Park Australasia Tech Comm. Rep – Rod Beurteaux International Board (includes three Regional Presidents) International Board Chair – Justin Scott Int’l Gov. – Tony Chapman Tech Comm. Chair – Dave Nickerson Int’l Gov – Tim Carter Int’l Gov – Kay VanValkenburgh...read more
- All Rules Change Proposals And International Constitution Accepted at 2016 AGM November 28, 2016At the 2016 Viper 640 Class Association’s 2016 Annual General Meeting held November 17, in Bermuda, the Class voted on four specific changes to the Class Rules as well as voting on acceptance of an International Constitution. Over 100 votes were cast on each issue which represents a 50% quorum of Owner Members required for passage. The specific new rules follows: 1) Hiking Lines – Amends Rule 8.3 in the Equipment and Fittings Section – Passed with 96% approving The new rule will allow hiking lines to be attached the hiking straps and to the hiking strap eyes on the cockpit floor. The change allows a more direct line of support to the person hiking and can help pull the strap up so feet can get under more easily. It also better accommodates the needs of teams sailing 4-up. Effective March 1, 2017 2) GYA ......read more
- Zeke Horowitz, Ian Coleman, and Brendan Healey Win Aspen Viper 640 International Championship sponsored by EFG November 20, 2016Sunday, November 20, 2016 When it was decided that the Viper 640 sports boats would travel to Bermuda during November 2016 for its major regatta, everyone was looking forward to the big winds that prevail on the Great Sound at that time of year. Unfortunately on two of the days too much wind prevailed. The 4-day event, the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship sponsored by EFG, was held from Wednesday – Saturday, November 16-19, in conjunction with the 2016 North American Championship. The regatta came down to only six races over two days of sailing. As was the case on Thursday’s second day of the event when 25+ knot westerly winds with puffs well into the 30’s kept the racers ashore, the final day’s racing also had to be cancelled as the low hovering around Bermuda brought winds well in excess ......read more
- Cardwell Potts and Ted Ferrarone win EFG Viper 640 International Championship Warm-up Regatta November 14, 2016November 14, 2016 For Immediate Release Hamilton, 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. > > Hosted by the ......read more
- Dates for 2017 Viper 640 North Americans Announced October 3, 2016October 25-28, 2017 Ft Walton Yacht Club, Ft. Walton Beach, FL Mark your calendars now… The Ft. Walton Yacht Club will be hosting the 2017 NAs on the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. Craig and Deb Wilusz are working on all the details and will post the NoR shortly. Got any ideas for NA sponsors??? Contact Craig at contact@gulfperformancesailing.com....read more
- VIPER 640 CLASS ANNOUNCES ITS INAUGURAL INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA February 23, 2016February 24, 2016 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the design of the Viper 640 and the 10th anniversary of the relaunch of the Class Association. The Class is now a truly international class with Viper 640 fleets active in seven nations across three continents. The Class Association is celebrating these milestones by hosting the first Viper 640 International Championship, with sailors competing for a prestigious new trophy open to Viper teams from around the world. The International Championship will be hosted by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club on Bermuda’s Great Sound November 16-19, 2016, preceded by a warm-up regatta November 13-14. There are over 50 Viper 640s already registered for the International Championship, with representative teams coming from North America, Europe and Australia, and it is anticipated this number will grow in the ......read more
- Rumble in the Reach 2016 January 25, 2016Lets rumble…. Each year, East Fremantle Yacht Club holds the Rumble in the Reach for the Western Australian Sports Boat fleet. The “Reach”, or Blackwall Reach, is a narrowing of the Swan River, a gorge if you like, 1.2 km long and .33 km wide. It is affectionately known as the “Drainpipe” The prevailing southwesterly wind funnels down the reach. It is notoriously difficult to sail with currents and a swirling wind. The Rumble is open to all sports boats. It is a handicap start with boats off at 30 sec intervals. There are three races and if you place in a race, you are further handicapped for the subsequent race. The course is 600m from top mark to bottom. It is a normal windward leg and then a downwind slalom around four marks. The midway point of the course is set 100m in front ......read more
- The Snake Charmer Albany Regatta November 23, 2015Albany is the yachting Mecca this weekend with the Clipper Cup yachts coming from the Southern Ocean and the Vipers coming from Perth, 400 kilometres to the north. Three vipers have been purchased by Albany sailors and are now sailing out of Princess Royal Yacht Club. Most of the Perth fleet are off to join them for the inaugural Snake Charmer Albany Regatta. With at least seven vipers sailing, wining and dining down in Albany, it should be a great long weekend. The Regatta is named after Chris O’Keefe’s first viper “Snake Charmer” What’s better than having a Viper – having two. Chris is one of those lucky buggers. His original, “Snake Charmer” is now based in his hometown of Albany and his new boat in Perth. Both will be down at Albany this weekend. Chris with Rod Beurteaux imported the first container of Vipers ......read more
Viper 640: Fang (Tim Reger, Tony Johnson, Rob Murdoch)
Australian Sportsboat of the Year 2014
Viper 640 Australian SMS Results:
- 1st Australian Sportsboat of the Year 2014
- 4th in Geelong Race Week regatta. – four, first places out of 8 races
- 2nd NSW ASBA state titles
- 1st Airlie Race Week
- 1st WA ASBA State title.
