About the Class
The Viper 640 International Class Association is a group of avid Viper owners and equally devout Viper crew. We share useful tips on the boat and help each other and prospective Viper sailors get out on the water.
The Rebirth of the Viper 640
The Class Association was relaunched in 2004 in Marblehead when a small group of Viperers met at the upstairs bar in Maddies Sail Loft to consider the possibilities for the Viper going forward. Since then, the Class has grown to represent close to 300 owners and over a hundred crew. Importantly, in 2017, the Class members (the actual “owners” of the Class Association) voted to apply for World Sailing international class recognition and World Sailing formally certified the Viper in 2018.
This World Sailing was a major threshold for the Class Association because it was based on the continued international growth and acceptance of the Viper 640 as an exceptional sportboat.
Today, Vipers race all manner of regattas from local “beer can” races where the Viper sails on a handicap basis, to regional, Class sanctioned events, to major national, continental, and world championship regattas.
New builder brought new life to the Class
In 2005, the Class Association appointed Rondar as the class builder and Rondar agreed that the Class should be responsible for approving all future class builders. Rondar subsequently agreed that the molds are controlled by the Class Association, creating a Class that is truly controlled by its members. The first new Rondar boat arrived in the U.S. in October 2006. Rondar has sold over 250 boats and the total number of boats in North America, Australia, Europe and South Africa has grown to over 300.
Today’s Viper 640 International Class Association
The Viper 640 International Class Association is run by its members for its members. The class remains proud of its grass roots origins, serving its sailors interests above all others.
In addition to the original fleet in Marblehead, there are Vipers and Viper fleets in Australia, Bermuda, Canada, South Africa, Arizona, California, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Florida, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, Chicago, New Jersey, Long Island Sound, the Chesapeake, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, and the Pacific Northwest.
