- Welcome to 2009 Viper 640 North American Championship! April 15, 2009
Written by Jan Murray
September 17-20, 2009
The Western Long Island Sound Viper fleet welcomes our fellow Viperers to Southern Connecticut.
We’re planning 4 great days of racing, socializing and fun.
Here’s a few things we are working on. We have two nights of wining and dining at two of Long Island Sound’s oldest and nicest clubs for you and your two crew (included with your entry).
Thursday is rigging, tuning and practice hosted by Indian Harbor Yacht Club. It’ll be a great chance to get your boat ready, shake off the rust and get some practice out on the course. That will be followed by a great evening on the lawn at Indian Harbor, overlooking the Greenwich Islands.
Friday starts with a skipper’s meeting at Stamford Yacht Club. We’re happy to say that Ray Redniss is our Principal Race Officer supported by SYC’s ...
...read more - Class Rules Changes Approved April 9, 2009
Written by Charles Goodrich
Both proposed Class Rules Changes (as worded below) were passed/approved and will take effect immediately. Proposal 1 had 28 “Yes” votes which represents approximately 62% of the Class membership. Proposal 2 had 35 “Yes” votes which represents approximately 78% of the Class membership.
The following two amendments to the Viper 640 Class Rules have been proposed. The Technical Committee unanimously recommends that both amendments be approved.
PROPOSAL 1
10.2.1 Electronic devices which measure or calculate, water depth, current speed or direction, wind direction or wind speed are prohibited. (Deleting words:- boat speed, vmg from 10.2.1)
10.2.2 If an electronic device has not been specifically approved by the Viper 640 Class Association Technical Committee, it shall be assumed to be prohibited.
10.2.3 (i) The Tacktick micro compass is approved . (ii) The Velocitek SC 1 and the SpeedPuck are approved
PROPOSAL 2
6.1 c) The main sheet shall ...
...read more - New Viper 640 Tuning Guide Published April 6, 2009
Rondar published a 2009 Tuning Guide for the Viper 640. The document includes a discussion of the Viper 640’s critical rig controls, fundamentals of setting up the Viper 640 rig for best performance, and quick reference tables for both rig tune and sail trim settings appropriate to different wind strengths. Those rig tune and sail trim tables are suitable for lamination to carry with you on your boat as a quick reference tool.
We encourage all Viper sailors to download and read this guide, and put its recommendations into practice when setting up your boat.
V640_bennett_tuning_guide_rev1_1
...read more - 2009 Coral Reef Cup Report, Results and Photos March 22, 2009
Written by Dan Tucker
Viper 640 racing in the Coral Reef Cup ended about six hours ago, and I’m still jazzed! Today was the most fun I’ve sailing while racing so badly. Twelve Viper 640’s turned up at the invitation of the Coral Reef Yacht Club for three days of racing in one of the best one design venues in the world. The Club and the Etchells fleet invited us to join them and turn an annual Etchells event into a multi-class, one-design regatta. We can’t thank the CRYC, the organizers and RC enough for being such gracious hosts.
There’s nothing better to me than racing fast sportboats in good breeze, warm water and sunshine. Biscayne Bay simply delivers. After a 25 ½ hour delivery drive from Marblehead, MA, we were the last boat to arrive late Thursday. We met ...
...read more - Viper Swag! March 12, 2009
Written by Dan Tucker
Thanks to the efforts of Desert Fleet Viperette Stacey Loula, you can now order embroidered Viper gear online! You’ll find the link in the “For Sale” tab at the top of the page, or just click here!
Men’s and women’s polos, vests, fleece jackets, Gill gear, shorts, hats, bags. There’s tons of stuff! The vendor, Coral Reef Sailing Apparel, will share some of the profit with the Viper Class Association for everything you buy, so you can feel good about your purchase!
There will be Viperized shirts for Charleston Race Week too, thanks to the Viper Swagmistress!
...read more - Vipers in the desert! February 7, 2009
Written by Greg Jackson
Friday, finally… I hope the boss is gone for the rest of the day. I’m outa here!
2 pm and there are already four vippers rigged! Sweet! Mark and Drew, in from CA, go for a test sail and I get Laurent to help me install my new jib blocks. After a few beers and a party in the evening, I’m off to bed.
Desert Snakes
Saturday morning was a tense, with the Vipers getting ready for the Leukemia Cup and Birthday Regatta, the 49th running of this event. After a prepared breakfast, three successful races were run. The races were held in around eight knot wind, and mid seventy degree temps. My most successful day ever and second through fourth place within three points of each other.
Then back to the tent for dinner. Well done to the ...
...read more - Special Winter Offer on Sails January 30, 2009
Written by Brian Bennett
Rondar has a special winter offer on sails- $2,600 for a full suit of Hyde Sails. If ordered now, can be delivered to St Pete or Charleston.
See the Forum post for details
...read more - Charleston Race Week and Viper Atlantic Coast Championships January 28, 2009
Written by CRW
We are rapidly approaching the cut-off date for Registration discount. If you have not already registered and paid your entry fee for this great regatta, please consider getting registered before January 30th. It saves you money.
There are 32 Vipers already registered !!!
STOP PRESS : 36 Vipers registered for CRW.
The Regatta is based at the Charleston Marina Resort in this picture. After racing, tie up at the marina, step off the boat, enjoy a root beer float, take a splash in the pool and then wander down to the beach for the party.
We are the largest class at CRW and we have just heard the news that we are going to be allotted our own start line and circle. All the Vipers who went to CRW last year came back raving about the location, the sailing, the resort, ...
...read more - Missing Viper Shows up on Lake Michigan and History Repeats Itself! January 19, 2009
Written by Justin Scott
Well this story took a new twist. Ten Days ago we reported that Viper #34 which was missing from our roster turned up on Lake Michigan. The owner told us that he was the original purchaser of the boat new and had sailed it every season (often single handed). We were thrilled to hear from him and told his story of another “missing” Viper rejoining the fold in the article below. We invited him to meet up with Brian and Paul at the Chicago Boat Show and catch up on old times. Read the original article and what happens next.
Missing Viper Shows up on Lake Michigan
The growth of the class over the last two years has been fueled by new boats arriving from Rondar but occasionaly we still get calls from the owners of older boats that have been missing from our ...
...read more - Class Elections January 17, 2009
Written by Justin Scott
Class Officers are elected for a two year cycle, and the time for new elections is upon us.
Paul Zimmerman is stepping down as Technical Committee Chair after 4 years in that post. John McCormack is stepping down as Treasurer after two years. Thank you to both of them.
Jay Harrell (existing Class Secretary) has offered to stand as Class Treasurer. We have received nominations for David Guggenheim for Technical Committee chair and for Charles Goodrich as Class Secretary. I think all three will do excellent jobs.
This is Charles second year in the class. He was one of the moving forces behind the creation of the recent western Long Island Sound fleet. He has traveled extensively to class regattas and is well know to various fleets.
Jay has been a part of the class almost since inception. He ...
...read more - 2009 Lake Sinclair Invitational Report January 14, 2009
Written by Jay Harrell
Many people don’t realize it, but South Georgia has two sailing seasons each year – spring and fall. Summer is too hot, not to mention that the wind doesn’t blow much and the motor boats are in the way. The other thing that people don’t realize is that Spring Sailing Season starts in January. Yep, as soon as the holidays are behind us, it’s time to hit the water.
So it was for the first Viper 640 Regatta of 2009 and the kick-off of the 2009 Viper 640 Southeastern Series, held January 10-11 at Oconee Sailing and Yacht Club on Lake Sinclair Georgia. The weather forecast had been back and forth all week, but in the end Saturday arrived partly cloudy with temperatures in the upper sixtes and a nice front scheduled to push in some ...
...read more - Class sponsored coaching at Regattas January 8, 2009
Written by Justin Scott
The Etchells class and the Star class have recently introduced rules that prohibit coach boats. The Viper class has taken a different route for the last two years. We agree with those that point out that coaching on the day of racing, between races, is a much more effective way of helping a sailor lift his or her game than clinics or training days.
We also agree that an expensive coaching program is a hell of an advantage for a boat that can afford the dough and doesn’t accord with the Viper philosphy of providing economically affordable racing.
We love what coaching can do for sailors trying to improve their skills. But we want a level playing field.
In the Viper class we try and get the best of both worlds. Individual coach boats are not present. However we ...
...read more - Coral Reef Cup, Miami March 20-22 January 5, 2009
Written by Dan Tucker
The Viper Class has been invited to join the Coral Reef Cup on Biscayne Bay, March 20-22, 2009. This regatta is hosted by the Coral Reef Yacht Club. Miami and the Bay are the home of our newest Viper 640 Fleet, they’ve stepped up immediately to host their first Viper regatta. Let’s reciprocate by turning out for a warm welcome to the Viper family. There are 9 or 10 Vipers already committed for this regatta. Please let us know on the Class Forum if you’re planning on attending. We’d love to see 15-20 Vipers turn out for what is sure to be a spectacular Viper event! A strong turnout can have big impact on growing this fledgling fleet, so come on out!
Racing sailboats on Biscayne Bay in the winter has been described as, “practice for ...
...read more - 2008 Carolina Keelboat One Design Report November 20, 2008
Written by Jason Weisberg – USA82
The weekend of November 7th 8 Vipers gathered from north and South to compete at the Lake Norman YC Carolina Keel One Design regatta. The sailors could not have asked for a more beautiful setting.
The conditions on the first day were somewhat shifty but fair while we had wind that ranged from 7-15knts. The lake provided a beautiful backdrop of fall foliage as we race up and down the 1.1 mile legs. With the exception of an equipment failure for Justin Chambers and co. and mental failures by myself and crew, the day provided some exciting racing. The second day proved to be more challenging with diminishing wind speeds and ultra shifty lake conditions. We started with 5-8knts and wound down to 0. Prospective new Viper owners were inserted on and off ...
...read more
