- Small is Beautiful. Noel Leigh-Smith and Team “Viper QLD” dominate at Airlie Race Week August 16, 2013
https://www.viper640.org/efgpanam/
...read more - EFG Pan American Championship Qualification Series moves to Cowes August 1, 2013
This week there are two further stages to the EFG Pan American Championships Qualification Series .
Both are in the Solent UK.
One is online and Sportboat sailors from around the world can participate.
The other is on the water and starts on Saturday August 3rd. For news and pictures, please go to https://www.viper640.org/efgpanam/
...read more - More Great Pictures From Newport July 29, 2013
Check them out:
https://www.viper640.org/efgpanam/
...read more - Ched’s Perspective! Sail trim and tactics from the maestro at Newport July 17, 2013
After sailing the last two Viper regattas as crew I decided it would be fun to steer at the Bacardi Newport Regatta and get a different perspective. Kay and Karen were kind enough to offer up their Viper #98 and I quickly accepted. There were, as always, a bunch of things I learned over the weekend about Viper sailing…
I was joined by Jamie Ewing, my regular Lightning middle man, and my son Charlie Proctor as crew. This put us right around 500 lbs total crew weight and provided us with lots of hiking power and the strength I believe is required to make a Viper perform in a breeze.
Sail Newport did two separate score sheets for the weekend. ...
...read more - High Sierra Regatta – Pacific Coast Championships 2013 July 17, 2013
This year’s 2013 Pacific Coast Championships took place in one of the most remote and scenic venues on the west coast – Huntington Lake in the High Sierras. This year marked the 60th Anniversary for the High Sierra Regatta, hosted and run by Fresno Yacht Club volunteers.
Footage from one of the Friday starts captured by Glenn Vanheel:
Friday, the Vipers opted to sail an additional 3 races for the PCCs, which turned out to be the only windward/leeward races of the regatta. Special thanks to our own Glenn Vanheel and Mark Heinrichs, who volunteered to be race committee from the shore. They only had to use the I flag once after a general recall to keep the Vipers on their best behavior. The races themselves saw anything but your typical Huntington Lake breeze or courses. The boats that played it conservatively ...
...read more - Ontearing It Up July 9, 2013
The Great Lakes Viper Fleet had our ‘Ontario Championships’ June 29-30 at the Sarnia Yacht Club. As always, Southern Lake Huron did not disappoint providing plenty of wind, and some of the best fresh water sailing conditions on the planet. Viper sailors were treated to 2 days of very well run races (thank you Brad and Brandy Boston and family) at a great facility and the chance to connect during the Doyle Boston sponsored BBQ after each day’s racing. Conditions were excellent resulting in 10 races and some very tight racing.
Saturday – 6 Races Sailed – 10-15 kts, 2-3’ waves partly to sunny skies, 75 degrees.
Sunday – 4 Races Sailed – 8-12 kts, 2-3’ waves, overcast 73 degrees.
(Close racing on Sunday – pictures courtesy of Brandy Boston)
Video footage from Black Sheep (#29) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_mKvuTaPo8
...read more - EFG Pan American Viper 640 VIRTUAL Sport Boat Championships – Online! July 6, 2013
The Viper 640 Class Association, EFG International and SailX.com announces a series of online regattas .
The racing will be hosted by Sailx.com. Participants will be racing against each other in real time in simulated Viper/skiffs.
SailX is easy to use.
The tactics and performance of the boats are very realistic.
Sailx will improve your real world tactical skills.
You will be racing directly against other Viper teams and other sailors.
Above all, this is fun.
For more details, please go to https://www.viper640.org/efgpanam/
...read more - Lake Garda Euro Cup – Snow in June July 2, 2013
The European qualifier for the EFG Pan American Championship was completed on Lake Garda this weekend. Pictures and news on the Pan American page here: https://www.viper640.org/efgpanam/
+ more pictures from LBRW.
...read more - Long Beach Race Week 2013 July 1, 2013
Long Beach Race Week was the first regatta in the EFG Pan Am qualifying series. A full recap with photos will appear here in a couple of days, but in the meantime, check out the brand new EFG Pan American Championship blog for updates.
“After three days of racing, the top three boats were only separated by one point. This was easily the closest racing in a major Viper regatta that anyone can remember…….”
For more information about LBRW’s Pan Am scores and further information about the EFG Pan American Championship, please go to dedicated Pan American page : https://www.viper640.org/efgpanam/
...read more - The Other CRW: Cal Race Week 2013 June 23, 2013
At the beginning of June, the West Coasts Vipers rallied for Cal Race Week in Marina Del Rey. Once again, the Vipers lead the charge of largest one design start with 11 boats on the line. New to the class, but definitely not new to sailing, rockstars Kevin Taugher, Mike Pentecost and Garrett Brown dominated with 3 bullets, one 2nd and one 3rd. Team BITUSA and FNG couldn’t let team Hot Mess have all of the fun, each finishing with 1 bullet for the weekend. There were also a couple boats that traveled 5+ hours to compete: Reid Smythe (proud new viper owner from MPYC) and Steve Brown (have boat will travel from AYC). Final results posted here.
...read more - Better Know a Viperer: Paul Zinger June 21, 2013
If you’ve been to the major east coast Viper regattas over the past year, you may have noticed a shadowy character chain smoking in the drysail area, doing his best to close down every regatta party, and trying to soak up every bit of Viper knowledge and trivia the fleet is willing to share. That’d be Paul Zinger, certified sailing addict. Despite having been coached by some of the greatest sailors of his generation in junior sailing and college, he can often be found where the trouble is, both on and off the racecourse. The Man They Call Zinger doesn’t even own a Viper, using his New York City street savvy to beg, borrow, and burglar other people’s Vipers for the past season, skippering several major class events. How does he do it? And will he steal your boat next, ...
...read more - EFG Revamps Viper Pan American Championship Sponsorship June 13, 2013
The Viper 640 Class Association is thrilled to announce that EFG International has renewed its partnership with the class to revamp the Viper Pan American Championship for 2013-2014.
The key changes are to the regattas, sponsors and scoring system. Miami 2014 is now a “winner-take-all” event. You can “qualify” for Miami by doing one of several pre-championship qualifiers, including the EFG Cup just a couple of days before Miami Sailing Week. Other qualifiers include:
– Long Beach Race Week (June 28-30, Alamitos Bay YC)
– Newport Regatta / Viper ACCs (July 13-14, Newport, RI)
– Cowes Week (England – top sportboat division finisher gets a free Viper charter in Miami)
– Lake Garda K6 European Championship (June 24-28)
– Canadian Viper Nationals (CORK – Kingston, Ontario Aug. 23-25)
– Viper North Americans (Houston YC Oct. 9-12)
– Soto 40 South American Championship (TBA)
– Australian National Championship (TBA)
– EFG ...
...read more - Vipers Streak Chicago NOOD June 13, 2013
The Great Lakes Viper Fleet invaded the Chicago Noods this year for the first time in class history. Local boat owners Nick Kofski (#55) and Anthony Bowker (#194) were joined by five boats traveling to Chicago (#29, #41, #43, & #57) as the class sailed out of friendly Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club and shared the race circle with a bunch of Rhodes 19s.
Also in attendance was Dan Tucker from Rondar Raceboats USA, who came down to race with rookie Doug Hennessy. Dan was busy on Friday taking out potential owners and promoting the fleet (Thanks again!). On shore the others got together, shared some Goose Island beers (Thanks to Anthony), and shared tips and tricks while rigging up for the weekend.
The first day of racing saw light to moderate breeze. Both the Rhodes and Vipers were postponed until ...
...read more - The “New” New Englands June 4, 2013
While the New England region has always technically included Connecticut, when the Viper fleet thinks “New England”, they usually think first of the Newport Bridge and drinking on the wharves, or late nights at Maddie’s Sail Loft in Marblehead after a day of sailing on the Tinker’s Line. In 2013, the class asked everyone to travel into the southwest corner of the region to Cedar Point Yacht Club in Westport, CT, one of the best one-design clubs in the country, and home to a growing one-design regatta in early June. Throw in the desire of a couple of CPYC members to get Vipers, and making Cedar Point the site of this year’s New England Championship became a no brainer. Good decision too.
Cedar Point is like the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club of the northeast, or the Severn Sailing Association of Connecticut. It’s ...
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