HPDO 2011 (Oct. 8-9, Rye, NY) - 30 registered so far...

[Lee Shuckerow]

On our way back to Detroit. Only an eleven hour trip so not too bad. It's a lot closer than charleston is from Rye. Had some really good races even though it was really light out there. Always fun sailing against the east coast guys and drinking up all of the free heineken.

[Justin Scott]

On our way back to Detroit. Only an eleven hour trip so not too bad. It's a lot closer than charleston is from Rye. Had some really good races even though it was really light out there. Always fun sailing against the east coast guys and drinking up all of the free heineken.

Safe Trip home boys.

Same to everyone who came from afar.

[Luke Porter]

Same to everyone who came from afar.

We're headed out crack of dawn tomorrow for the 15 hour haul home to Halifax. We had a great time; the event, the fleet and the people were as good as or better than expected. I'm pencilling this event in for next year. A big thanks to Peter Beardsley for inviting us in the first place and a huge shout out to Peter Bauer for letting a bunch of raggety Canadians crash at his place for 4 nights.

We're now sun baked, exhausted and my brain is full, but we'll be back!

Luke.

[Olaf Bleck]

Of course. Bring a sleeping bag. We will fit you in. Havent heard from Lee and Brad but they are also welcome.

Were you at Barcelona after the Larchmont Regatta? I really cannot remember who came. Jim King says he was there and that you are an excellent dancer (and that I am not). Ive told them they will have to move the tables because we will be dancing again. We have to work on Carina because she says she has some family obligation. Jackie says "Barcelona again?" "Absolutely!"

Justin, thanks for the crash space.

Some of us stayed at the AYC bar for a bit and then by the time I got to your place I was pretty cooked and passed out.  I heard what must have been the Barcelona crowd come in sometime later.  Sorry I missed it!

Kay and I dropped our boats at Stamford for next Sat.  I must have passed 5-6 Vipers while heading home.  That was pretty cool.  We just need to get a banner for everyone to hook to their trailers that says something like "If you're a sailor, buy one of these."

Was good fun!

[Darren Gilbert]

Wow what a fantastic time we had at HPDO.

The Viper fleet is full of great guys willing to share tips to bring the level of competition up.  I really liked the idea of the chalk talk, and Justin sharing some up to date information on Rondar.  This is the way things really should be in a one design fleet.  In particular thanks again to Lee, Brad, and Ben Steinberg for helping us rookies.

The 9 hour drive back to London, Ontario was pretty uneventful, just the way I wanted it to be.  Now time to give the boat a really good scrub down, and start getting it ready to be put away for the winter.

The only negative observation I had from the weekend was what I'll say is the lack of respecting the racing rules of sailing.  I'm not going to name names, but I saw boats hit marks and they didn't do turns.  Very basic port/starboard and windward/leeward situations occurred (specifically downwind) where we had to dramatically alter course and no circles.  We hit someone on the start line (first race I think), and the very first thing we did after the start was our spins.  This is a honourable/self policing sport and we're not doing the class any favours by not respecting the rules. 

Just my $.02...

[Jan Murray]

Hi Kids-

Alec and I were out watching you all sail this weekend on Charlotte.  It was great seeing you all, and especially the purple boat (we do miss it).  I'm sorry there wasn't a little more wind so you would really scream around the racecourse.

We took tons of photos.  I have tried to post some here, but this site won't let me post even one at a time :(  So I have up-loaded them to snapfish so you could see them all if you want to.  Here's the link
http://www1.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=3767736012/a=92737213_92737213/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Sorry about the snapfish thing.  If someone knows how I can post some here, please let me know.  I think we have picures of almost every boat.

I hope we see a lot of you next Saturday at the Stamford Yacht Club Viper Open.  Hopefully the wind gods will be kinder, and we will be able to get more exciting photos!

Jan

[Doug Mroz]

We were not at the chalk talk, but can some tell me the lastest that Justin spoke regarding Rondar? We had a horrible regatta, but had fun. Cant ask for much more since this was are only regatta this year. Just means we need to do more events next year.

[Olaf Bleck]

We were not at the chalk talk, but can some tell me the lastest that Justin spoke regarding Rondar?

Justin gave a rehash of what Paul Young said at Sarnia, but basically there is a Rondar subsidiary in Peabody, MA called Whitecap Composites that was started early this year.  They have been building Fireflies and some other things using resin infusion techniques.  The guys will be going over to the UK in the next few weeks and build some prototype resin infused Vipers, and then the intent is to have an identical set of molds in Peabody and build the hulls (identically) in both places.


For those that don't know, resin infusion layups use a core material that has little "veins" in it.  What you do is lay up the whole boat without resin, vacuum bag it, get it perfect, and then open some valves that then let the resin flow in and impregnate all the materials.  It allows for better boat building since you're working with dry materials and not against a time clock. You can bag and rebag the layup as needed until you've got it just right, especially in the inside corners where it's easy to get voids.


Should be a good thing.

[Peter Beardsley]

Fun pics, thanks Jan.  How high up were you when you took the pictures?  Looks like the first spreader of a sailboat with that angle, or a really high powerboat. 

Some video from Day 2 posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTW_I3T-wNQ&; -- the new Vicious Panda spinnaker comes into frame starting around 5:30 or so. 

[Chris Shaughnessy]

Had a little delay on the way back to NJ, just crossed the tappan zee bridge, slowing down for some traffic (luckily) when I felt as if the trailer had brakes locked up - odd since there are no trailer brakes.
few seconds later my right tire shreds itself and I trundle off to the shoulder. The (euro) tire guard had somehow split off a 2-3 inch dagger of steel from where it is attached to the frame & then stabbed this into my sidewall which promptly slashed right through.
Bad news was my Saab tire iron did not fit the Rondar trailer lugs. So as I was frantically making calls some fellow HPDOers spot me and pull over to help (towing a tempest I think, big thanks guys), honda tire iron works good and on my way - well at least to the nearest gas station where I put some air in my spare.
So there's 2 things I will always do in future - get a correct tire iron and keep air in my spare.
(In my defense I claim I didn't know I was the one towing home until I got there, else might have had a few more tools)
Now where's that thread about UK trailer tire sizes.....           

[Jan Murray]

Fun pics, thanks Jan.  How high up were you when you took the pictures?  Looks like the first spreader of a sailboat with that angle, or a really high powerboat. 

Some video from Day 2 posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTW_I3T-wNQ&; -- the new Vicious Panda spinnaker comes into frame starting around 5:30 or so. 

Peter -

I'm glad you enjoyed them.  Charlotte is an Eastbay 43 flybridge (we were the large gray hull stalking the vipers).  Alec and I have calculated that the boat is 25 feet off the water, so pretty far up - most of the photos were taken from the FB, some from the bow.

Jan

[Luke Porter]

Some video from Day 2 posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTW_I3T-wNQ&; -- the new Vicious Panda spinnaker comes into frame starting around 5:30 or so. 

We love that spinnaker! Looks great over our shoulders :)

[Peter Beardsley]

The HPDO pics from photoboat.com are now online.  http://www.photoboatgallery.net/p216666345

[Peter Beardsley]

Vipers make Scuttlebutt's "photos of the week".  http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/11/1014/

F-18s: it's what's for breakfast (except when they roll us doing 20 knots)