While most Viper racers are mostly racing one design, some owners are interested in using the Viper in handicap racing and other formats. Recently, the 1st Viper participated in what is becoming a quite famous solo regatta in Denmark, the SilverRudder Challenge. Ian “Paddy” Paterson raced Viper 224 (Previously Black Adder) for over 28 hours straight.
nicolajsen foto & film Paddy joined the Viper class 4 years ago when he purchased #224 to race locally out East Antrim Boat Club and Carrickfergus yacht club in Larne Lough and Belfast Lough of the Irish Sea. Paddy (54) and his wife crew for their daughter who is their helm in local handicap racing; against his 19 year old son and his friends. While his kids have been helming as long as they could walk, Paddy started sailing in his late teens and has been sailing ever since, mostly club racing keel boats and local regattas. He has also crewed numerous offshore and coastal races.
Paddy discovered the Silverrudder Challenge after reading about it on Sailing Anarchy and “thought, why not?”. The Silverrudder was his first solo race. To prepare, he did have to make some additions to the boat, as Paddy said “I did have to fit lights. I made a carbon mould to fit the mast head. It held in place by the screw for the sheave box. The wire fits past the main halyard and also came out the main halyard exit to a lithium drill battery. It lasts 72 hrs. I have an outboard bkt although I normally use an epropulsion. I decided to go with a petrol engine in case I had to self rescue from 60miles away. I also used a slightly smaller mainsail I have for racing IRC. I got my local sail maker to fit a reef in it. I really enjoyed the experience and the Viper could compete especially with some movable ballast on board. I didn’t know this was permitted until I got there.” As for provisions; “I planned food for a day and a half based on the forecast, mostly energy bars and running gels with some peanut butter wraps. And fruit it’s a short race with no sleep so ok to just keep eating sugars and crash after the finish. I did have a couple of flasks of coffee also.”
As for the race, Paddy finished 7th out of 39 boats that were entered into the “Keelboats mini” class (boats 18 to 25ft) with a total fleet exceeding 400 boats. And Patty reminded me that this is about the challenge (and the Finisher’s T-shirt) and not the results, though 7th seems pretty good for a 1st solo race for someone who “sailed a very conservative race with the finish line my goal”. As for the race itself; classes start at different times, simply sorted by size (i.e. no real handicap). Patty had this to add, “The first 10-12hrs the wind was about 15-20knts gusting 25 then it went lighter although I was never really becalmed.” When I asked about the Spin, he replied “Yes of course the first leg was good for me downwind 20knts of breeze kite up and sunny I did have a couple of broaches and I had to drop kite to see another competitor whose rig had come down. He was grand so I decided not to hoist again until the breeze backed off.” And finally, when prodded for any final thoughts, “I had to sail for about 5hrs in 15-20knts in a lumpy sea upwind port tack my leeward locker completely filled with water I struggled with the balance of the boat so I might make stiffer carbon doors see if I can make them watertight. I may also fit a slab reef on the jib. The Viper is a fantastic boat.”
I want to Thank Paddy for indulging my “junior level interviewing skills”, filling out my questionnaire which I cribbed a lot of this write-up from and congratulate him again on finishing the Silverrudder Challenge and demonstrating that the Viper is “a fantastic boat” even when it isn’t one design racing. – Jake Vick
