Pensacola Viper - Sea Buoy Race - Strike early, Strike often!

Started by Justin Scott, August 21, 2008, 12:27:21 PM

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Justin Scott

Rick Zern from Pensacola writes:-

"We only recently got my V640 sailing again after a long repair and refurbishment process due to the boat ending up in a tree after a tornado last October.  We raced the boat for the first time last weekend and won our annual Sea Buoy Race correcting out over Melges 32s, aTripp 33, a Tripp 26, J/105, J/27 and many more.  We sailed in our "Pursuit Start-Wednesday Nite Race" last nite and ended up third behind a J/27 and a Tripp 26 but beat a Melges 24, Beneteau 36.7, Tartan Ten and more.  It is such a great boat! 

I have been racing in the Melges 32 class lately and those boats really beat the crew up!  Injuries that our crew has incurred over the last 2 years are 2 torn wrist ligamnets, two shoulder surgeries, 1 knee surgery and numerous lower back ailments.  It is so refreshing to sail on the Viper, the boat is so refined and simple that it is a total joy to sail!  Putting the boat in and out of the water is so much easier than with the Melges 24s or 32s; we just pull up to the hoist and raise the boat up letting the keel just slide into place and then drop it in the water.  Ramp launching is just about as easy, too - the main and jib halyard in conjunction with the vang block and tackle easily raises and lowers the keel.

Many people are excited about the boat in this area, and one has threatened to buy a boat in September............we'll see.

I have attached a couple of pictures attached as we came into the dock delivering the boat to the Sea Buoy race last Friday nite."
Viper - Mambo Kings
Right Coast Refreshments Committee