Snake Bytes
July 22, 2021
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REGATTA RESULTS
This summer may be hot and lazy, but the Viper sailors around the world have been active.
Annapolis NOODs, May 1 and 2, Eastport Yacht Club, Annapolis: Tyler Moore, Vir Menon, and Javier Rotger started the regatta with 4 bullets and finished the eight races with only 17 points, with no throw-outs. Results HERE.
Viper 640 Atlantic Coast Championship, May 22 and 23 , Eastport Yacht Club, Annapolis – Brad Boston, Lee Shuckerow, and Eric Vingrass two bullets and two seconds on Day 2 to handily claim the Championship. Results HERE.
Viper 640 Gulf Coast Championship, May 22 and 23, Fairhope Yacht Club, Fairhope, AL – Lee Eikel, Doctor Jiggles, Mad Dog topped the 16-boat fleet totaling 18 points over the 8 races. Results HERE.
Southern Bay Race Week, June 4 – 6, Hampton Yacht Club, Hampton, VA – Women helms Mary Ewenson and Jane Moore were both warming up for the North American’s. Peter Ill, Mike Moore and Rob Suhay took away top honors after starting with three first’s. Results HERE.
Larchmont Race Week, July 10,11,17, 18, Larchmont Yacht Club, Larchmont, NY – Cardwell & Jennifer Potts, Ted Ferrarone, and Meredith Killion came away with the win scoring 1, 2, 1, 1. Results HERE.
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WORDS OF WISDOM FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CHAIR
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Teamwork
In May, our team normally has a great routine: a social gathering with partners to share some beers and catch up on what happened in the depths of winter, plan the summer campaign, a first meet-up at the club to raise the mast, wax the hull and do spring maintenance and finally our first local race of the season, usually late May.
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No such luck last year, and the same again this year. Last summer we sailed in family units in a very shortened season. This year, well, we didn’t have the preseason routines but thanks to vaccines and public health efforts many of us have now returned to our clubs, a few events have happened safely, and teammates are now itching to get back into it.
If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to renew your crew relationships. I have really enjoyed reconnecting with my sailing community this year and expect that competitive sailing will be very exciting this summer. Best of all will be sitting round the bar with a beer discussing post race tactics with my team and the rest of the fleet, enjoying the company of Viper mates again while we plan our campaign to get to the North Americans in Norton this coming October!
Steve Chapman
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Join In!
Lots of racing going on around the country as different areas come out of COVID at different rates. Check out the results for some of the regattas above. Much planning has occurred on a number of future events. Some highlights below. For full list of upcoming events see the website, link here (and if you don’t see your event or one that you know is planned, please contact Buttons, HERE.
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Women’s North American’s: October 2-3, Noroton Yacht Club, CT; link HERE
North American’s: October 7-10, Noroton Yacht Club, CT; link HERE
Sarasota Winter Series: Dec 11-12, Jan 15-16, Feb 19-20, Mar 18-20
Miami Bacardi Race Week: Early March, 2022
2022 North Americans, Gulfport: October 2022
And we are getting reports of local sailing starting up all over: weekday evening beer can races, local regattas, sprints, distance races, around-the-bridges races, around-the-tunnel races – all shapes and varieties. Our growth as a class depends as much on our local efforts as it does on our national and international schedule. We all have a home base, and it is always easier to sail locally than to go trailering. More boats racing is always more competitive and more fun for everyone.
Class Captains often take the lead, but anyone can initiate the email to nudge everyone to come out this weekend, or bring a communal cooler, or help other boats with crew or repairs or updates. It is one of the things that makes us unique as a class: a welcoming, helping, (and competitive!) spirit. So, whether it is helping out locally, racing in the North American’s even though you never have before, or planning to race Sarasota this winter – jump in!
Peter Ill
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CLASS DUES
COVID and a system change threw off our collection of 2021 Class dues. A number of payments that were set up for autopay, failed, due to these issues. If we show you as unpaid on class dues, we will send you an invoice in the next 48 hours. If there is a mistake, or if you have a question, please contact Buttons HERE. He can see everything in the system and can sort it out. If indeed you owe dues, we would greatly appreciate it if you would take care of that promptly. You can do it online by clicking through the invoice that comes in email, or you can do it online, here, or you can contact Buttons and he can take care of it manually. Many thanks.
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Bow Numbers
Bow numbers are now required. Some race committees may start refusing entry to boats without them. Click here to order them. Allow three weeks for production – they try for faster, but sometimes takes that long. Cost is currently $57.50. Cost will go up to $75 on September 1. Best to get on it. Order bow numbers HERE.
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We’re about 70 days out from the two 2021 Viper 640 North American Championship Regattas being held at Noroton Yacht Club in Darien, CT, this October. The fleets for both the Women’s NAs (10/2-3) and the open NAs (10/7-10) are robust. We have heard from 10-15 more boats who are tentative.
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If you’re planning on sailing in either event, please register as soon as you know. The event committee is working diligently to provide you a world-class regatta experience and, given the limitations of some pandemic protocols, it always helps to know fleet sizes. Early bird registration discounts are gone, but late registration premiums are on the horizon.
The Women’s North Americans entry list is up to 11 boats with more strong women teams expected to enter in the near future. The event only requires that a woman helm, so if you haven’t yet considered entering, we encourage you to support this event and put a team together. The best part is that current entries include some of the woman Viper sailors who have been crewing or helming in our races for years including Nancy Griley, Mary Ewenson, Rachel Beardsley, Eleni Asimacopoulos and Cam Farrah.
These are going to be the two Viper 640 regattas you won’t want to miss. Great October conditions on Long Island Sound, solid competition, and, most importantly, you’ll be with some of the best people in the world. Win, lose or draw, you will never forget being part of the 2021 Viper North American Championships.
BTW, Bob McHugh and Nancy Pearson, Noroton’s co-chairs, are working with local hotels on special rates for the regatta. They should be finalized next week at which time we will forward them to all registrants via Yacht Scoring and post that info on the Class Web page for the NAs.
Register for the 2021 Viper North American Championships today!
Women’s North Americans NoR, link HERE.
North Americans NoR, link HERE.
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CHARTER BOATS NEEDED
FOR NAs
If you are in the Northeast, or anywhere else in North America for that matter, and you’re not planning on sailing in the North American’s, please consider chartering your Viper for the NA’s. Heck, you can use the charter fee to help offset your summer sailing expenses. If you’re interested in chartering your Viper for either of these two NA’s in October, please email both Peter Beardsley and Buttons Padin providing your name, phone, email, and Viper hull number. We can provide direction in terms of charter fees and hopefully enable more out-of-town sailors to participate.
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CALL FOR CLASS RULES
CHANGE PROPOSALS
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It’s time for any proposed changes to the Class Rules be forwarded to the Technical Committee. Per the Class Constitution, Class Rules proposals must be supported by at least five Member votes or a member of the Technical Committee, or a Regional Technical Committee Representative or a Regional Class President or a Governor
Submit your proposals as soon as possible to Technical Committee Chair Tyler Moore with a cc to Class Administrator Buttons Padin.
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UPCOMING REGATTAS
July 24-25 – Jr. Lipton Challenge – Southern Yacht Club, New Orleans, LA, link HERE.
July 23-25 – Marblehead Race Week/NOOD, link HERE (10 registered so far).
July 31 – Hampton Sprints, Hampton Yacht Club, Hampton, VA
August 6-7 – Shelter Island Race Week (a new Viper event), Around The Island HERE Anniversary Regatta HERE.
August 14-15 – Nepean One-design Regatta, Nepean Yacht Club, Toronto, Ontario, link HERE.
August 27-29 – Bayview One-design Regatta, Bayview Yacht Club, Detroit, MI, link HERE.
August 28-29 – Viper New England Championship, Boston Yacht Club, Marblehead, MA, link HERE.
October 2-3 – Women’s North American’s, Noroton Yacht Club, Darien, CT., link HERE.
October 7-10 – North American’s, Noroton Yacht Club, Darien, CT., link HERE.
December 11-12, Jan 15-16, Feb 19-20, Mar 18-20, Sarasota Sailing Squadron, Sarasota, FL
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BETTER KNOW A VIPERER:
SAM VASQUEZ
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When asking around the fleet who would be a good first entry into the “Better Know a Viperer” series from the Gulf Yachting Association (GYA), I unanimously got one name back: Sam Vasquez. There may be no more widely known sailor in the Gulf than Sam: insanely friendly, welcoming, enthusiastic, funny, he connects with everyone he meets, regardless of their background. I know I personally look forward to seeing Sam when travelling down to Miami for Bacardi every March–him and his multiple teams from Gulfport always seem to be first in the boatyard in the morning and last to leave Sandbar every night–he’s a gravitational force and a sparkplug that gets people out on the water!
Read the full interview with Sam HERE.
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Questions or comments?
Have a something to share? Have a question or comment? How about a great Viper photo? Contact Viper 640 Class Administrator Ed “Buttons” Padin at epadin@padesta.com.
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Ed Padin: Viper 640 Class Administrator, Office: 914-834-8286 Address: 18 Normandy Lane, New Rochelle, NY 10804
Viper 640 Class Association Website: www.Viper640.org Facebook Unsubscribe
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