Larchmont, NY
October 18, 2015
The 2015 Viper 640 North American Championship set a lot of firsts. The largest Viper regatta in Class history and the largest North American Championship. It was also one of the windiest and one of the coldest.
Larchmont Yacht Club, with its fleet of 19 Viper 640s, hosted the Class’s 2015 North American Championship. Sailed from Thursday, October 15 through Sunday, October 18, an even dozen races were completed off Larchmont Harbor. When planning the Championship, the decision was made to have a four-day event in mid-fall when winds on Long Island Sound dodn’t cooperate. As it turned out, the competitors were treated to four days of competitive and challenging races in puffy, shifty northwest breezes that gusted to 20 knots frequently, with each day slightly colder than the day before after starting the week in shorts and short sleeves, and ending in full fleece layers and winter hats.
Viper 2015 NAs Awards Audience
In the end, it was Brad Boston (Sarnia, ON), sailing with long-time friend Curtis Florence and championship Viper crew Luke Lawrence, who will now put his name on the Championship trophy for the fifth time. Boston won four races with another pair of seconds for 45 points after 12 races. That put him 13 points ahead of Australian David Chapman.
LYC Cdre Tim Porter, Luke Lawrence, Curtis Florence, Brad Boston-First-2015 Viper North Americans
Brad Boston winning the boat end of line and flipping onto port – note signal boat chain to left in pix.
Chapman, sailing with Jack Jennings and Brendan Larrabee from the U.S., turned-in an extremely consistent performance with four seconds and 11 of 12 places in the top ten, winning the final day to jump from fourth to second overall. Given that there were 53 boats in the regatta, and that 25 boats had at least one top-10 finish, Chapman’s consistency was admirable.
Dave Chapman, Brendan Larrabee and LYC Cdre Tim Porter- second VIper 2015 NAs
In third place, with 64 points, winning one race and getting two seconds, was the host club’s Cardwell Potts sailing with his wife Jennifer, Ted Ferrarone, and Kendra Emhiser. Potts’ boat also received the Corinthian Trophy as the top-performing amateur team.
Kendra Emhiser, Jennifer Potts, Ted Ferrarone, Cardwell Potts – third 2015 Viper North Americans
In fourth place for the Championship and receiving the Governor’s Trophy (best performance by a skipper over 55 years old) was Dave Nickerson (Noank, CT), 85 points, with Scott Leming and Tim Desmond as crew.
Dave Nickerson – fourth at 2015 Viper NAs with LYC Cdre Tim Porter, Scott Leming and Tim Desmond
Dave Nickerson receiving Governor’s Cup (best over 55 skipper) by VIper Gov. Justin Scott and LYC Cdre Tim Porter
The Larchmont Yacht Club put on an exceptional regatta for the Viper Class. Operating out of the Club’s Victorian clubhouse overlooking the Long Island Sound, the full resources of the Club were made available to the sailors; those coming from Australia, the UK, Canada, and all corners of the U.S. quickly found that being ashore at LYC was as much fun as sailing the breezes in the high teens with relatively flat water. With uncharacteristically shifty northerlies dominating the regatta, the sailing was challenging and often presented opportunities to “get back into the race” by catching a shift. Boat speeds were often above 6 knots up wind and the downwind speeds would often exceed 16-17 knots. All in all, with the chilly temperatures on the final day (high of 50 degrees…in the sun), the competitors welcomed the comfort food and beer that greeted the every afternoon as they arrived on shore and the three nights’ dinner.
There were many people involved in the race management, housing, hospitality, the Club’s Marine Facilities department and Catering staff, and logistical aspects of the regatta, at the awards ceremony Viper Class Administrator Buttons Padin thanked Event Chair Peter Beardsley for his extraordinary efforts in amassing a 50+ boat Championship fleet. Working tirelessly, Beardsley created the choreography and chemistry that got virtually all local Viper owners to sail as he matched out-of-towners looking for a boat boats with prospective charterers and filling last minute crew needs. Sailing in a major regatta while trying to organize it is a Herculean task, yet Beardsley finished a very respectful 15th and garnered the gratitude of all involved.
Viper Class Admin Buttons Padin thanking NAs Event Chair Peter Beardsley for his hard work.
With the Championship racing in the books, and dozens and dozens of Viper 640s packed-up and traveling back to their homes from Larchmont, the Viper Class is now looking ahead to its fall and winter sailing circuit including the Mid Atlantic Championship in Hampton, VA (November 7-8), the 2015 Bermuda International Race Week (November 19-21), and the Turkey Day Regatta at California’s Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (November 21-22), plus the 3-part Sarasota (FL) Viper Series spanning weekends in December, January, and February.
Packing-up after 2015 Viper NAs.
The Viper 640 North American Championship is a qualifier regatta for the EFG Viper Pan-American Championship. Also helping make this regatta a success are PwC, Bell’s Beer, Flintlock Construction, Gubinelli Wines, Rondar Raceboats, Doyle Sailmakers, Gulf Performance Sailing, North Sails, UK Sailmakers, Sail22, APS, Landfall Navigation, and JCD.
