2017 Beacon Group Viper 640 North American Championship

Started by Craig Wilusz, January 20, 2017, 12:06:54 PM

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Ed "Buttons" Padin, Class Administrator

Here is the Viper 640 Safety and Equipment Check List each boat will need to review with the Technical Committee before sailing.
Ed "Buttons" Padin
Viper 640 Class Administrator
erpadin [at] padesta [dot] com

Craig Wilusz

Boats have been rolling in for the past few days.  The regatta peaked at 77 entries.  Of course the usual attrition began, after Irma, Maria, life, work etc.  Looking like 58-60 Vipers on the line for the big event this week.  The Marlow Ropes Warm Up regatta on Sunday had over 20 Vipers out blasting around in 15-24 knots throughout an incredible Sunday afternoon.  Monday found lots of Vipers going through the measurement/inspection process.  North Sails had a free one day Viper Seminar on Monday as well.  The Fort Walton Yacht Club manager came in on his day off to open up the bar in the afternoon for the sailors to partake in some adult beverages.   A few brand new Vipers were sold and came in containers just in time for the 2017 Beacon Group Viper 640 North American Championships.  The Aussies shipped over four Vipers and have somehow taken over the key to the trophy cabinet in the bar. An inflatable 'Roo and  the Australian National Flag have found a home behind some silver.  
Craig and Deborah
#100 Myasasaur

Craig Wilusz

Results are up after Day One.  https://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=2996

Four Races, North breeze, quite shifty, breeze strength up and down from great planning conditions to low soaking deep  with the chute up.  

Lots of video and photos on the event Facebook page : www.facebook.com/Viper640NorthAmericanChampionships/
Craig and Deborah
#100 Myasasaur

Craig Wilusz

Craig and Deborah
#100 Myasasaur

Craig Wilusz

Craig and Deborah
#100 Myasasaur

Craig Wilusz

We are getting video links and pic on the Fort Walton Yacht Club Facebook page, and posting some of the vids and pic links in the sportboat forums
Craig and Deborah
#100 Myasasaur

Craig Wilusz

Craig and Deborah
#100 Myasasaur

Darren Gilbert

I hope everyone made it home safe and sound after the Fort Walton NA's. 

A big thanks to Craig, Deb, and the whole Fort Walton Yacht Club team.  You guys put on a great show and were fantastic hosts.

For those I didn't get a chance to talk to, I hope to see you all in Kingston July 2018 for the next NA's.  Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions.  The information will be coming shortly so keep your eyes open.

Finally, congratulations to Cajun Underwriting, Jackpot, and Choppy Seas for their Gold, Silver, and Bronze.  And congratulations to Mo' Grins, 'Merica, and Southern for their Gold, Silver, and Bronze in the Corinthian fleet.  I hope you all will be back to defend in 2018.

Cheers!
Darren
Formerly Black Sheep (#29), Black Sheep II (#194) and Black Sheep III (#106)

Ed "Buttons" Padin, Class Administrator

BEACON GROUP VIPER 640 NORTH AMERICANS – THE BACK STORY

You have probably seen the real-time coverage of the Beacon Group 2017 Viper 640 North American Championship and grinned in admiration at what you saw presented by Petey Crawford from Penalty Box Productions. Great weather, great sailing, lots of boats...and one heck of a good time was had by all.

Ft. Walton Yacht Club had been planning this event for well over a year and their crack team of over 60 club volunteers allowed this largest ever Viper regatta to run like a Swiss watch. From welcoming the early arrivals on the first weekend and Sunday pre-event, to the staging of boats in the boat park,toconvincing members to move their boats out of slips for the week so the Vipers could use them, Ft. Walton Yacht Club treated the class to a world class event wrapped in the arms of gracious southern hospitality.

In addition to the planning and volunteerism, FWYC member Cliff Farrah stepped-up with his Beacon Group to help underwrite the event.  In addition, the Committee arranged attractively priced hotels and housing in the Emerald Coast neighborhood. Here on the Emerald Coast, there were restaurants galore, friends old and new, nightlife within and outside the club every night.  This eventcertainly exceeded the Viper Class' "Garage Band of Sailing" fun meter standards.Hey, what other class would task the skipper who was leading in the standings to referee a midget wrestling tournament?https://www.beacongroupconsulting.com/

And then there was Sam Vasquez representing Gulfport Yacht Club. Not only did Sam bring beer from his Mississippi Brewing Company, but he brought as crew three teenage 420 sailors from GYC. The quartettook turns driving and rotating through all the positions on the boat. PeteyCrawford interviewed the juniors and they, to a sailor, gushed with excitement at being able to race a Viper in this level of an event. https://www.facebook.com/Viper640NorthAmericanChampionships/. In fact, one of the juniors said he couldn't wait, "to get my own Viper so I can go out in thump Sam!" All in fun, all in the spirit of Viperdom, and perhaps the beginning of the next gen of Viperers.

To some extent, the Beacon Group NAs was a Viper love fest. Boats came from across North America (Geoff Fargo from Santa Barbara, CA, received recognition for traveling the furthest in North American to attend). Ted the Roo (Perth, Australia), the inflatable kangaroo, was deemed to have traveled furthest in the world. Dave Nickerson received both the Masters award for top placing skipper over 50 and top Corinthian team trophy. But it was a comment from Mary Ewenson (Annapolis, MD) that best summed up the Championship: "There are a lot of great boats to sail these days,but there aren't many fleets with whom I'd want to spend a week! We've made great friends in the class!"
Ed "Buttons" Padin
Viper 640 Class Administrator
erpadin [at] padesta [dot] com

Craig Wilusz

FWYC Letter Log, the Fort Walton YC newsletter, has some articles about the 2017 Beacon Group Viper 640 NAC's

Online reader can be found here:
https://view.joomag.com/fwyc-letter-log-november-2017/0938881001509743429?short
Craig and Deborah
#100 Myasasaur

Darren Gilbert

Formerly Black Sheep (#29), Black Sheep II (#194) and Black Sheep III (#106)