Best Duels You have ever had in a Viper . Smack Talking included.

[Justin S]

What are some of the best and most fun duels or rivalries you have had in your Viper?

Downwind gybing duel , trying to get the jump.......or upwind, in shifting conditions trying to get bow out.
   
Who bought the rum afterwards?

Two of my favorites were:
1. Being slam dunked by Dan Tucker upwind at Charleston Race Week when we first all bought Vipers.
The key to the race was going to be starting on starboard near the committee, holding a lane almost to layline, tacking just before port layline, catching the leftie off James Island out of the ebbing current and praying you got to the 3 BL circle in good shape .  All went well as this new kid from Sarnia bailed early and took our stern.  We were a bit conservative and didnt go all the way to layline but as we came back on port, we owned all the boats that had gone right. Only one boat went deeper into the left pocket. When we tacked back onto starboard for the windward mark, they slammed one in our face. Who was it? Bloody Dan Tucker!  I had met Dan first racing J22s in Boston Harbor 18 years previously.  Then a year after I acquired a J24 he showed up in the J24 fleet.  I had shaken him off briefly when I took a few runs at the Rhodes 19 North Americans (cant say I blame him) .....but here was the little Fu*#er again(not so little now) tacking in my face for the umpteenth time .  I got past him downwind to win the race and buy the rum. The new kid from Sarnia went on to win 5 Viper North American Championships so what do I know?  Both of my crew that day, including Jason Hyerstay , went on to buy their own Vipers.

I have added a RC Laser to my fleet recently and there are rumors that Dan has been seen at Redd's Pond. Will he never give up ?

2.   Almost any regatta where Jonesy and I have been on the same start line. I think I miss Jeff Jones from the Great Republic more than almost any other former Viper sailor. We had some great battles in Miami, but perhaps my favorite moment was rounding the windward mark at the Sarnia North Americans on the last day in 25 knots of solid Huron Breeze, immediately behind Jeff.  Trying to sell the dummy, I yelled as loudly as I could to my crew (who had discussed the plan upwind) "DO NOT HOIST THE CHUTE....2 SAIL CONDITIONS". We were so close that even a moments hesitation on their part and we would have rolled them  Jeff standing facing forwards did not even look back "Yeah Right! Ass####" and we both hoisted, for one hell of a sleigh ride.  Sadly Jeff bought the rum that day.....but the evening had its compensations when Jeff was knocked flat to the ground by one punch from a 120 lb lassie crewing on another boat.
The heady cocktail that was jeff Jones onshore would always get taken up a notch if Tim Carter was there.....but I will let them describe the party in the RV at Lake Pleasant because I was not there. But that didnt stop Jeff and Tim calling me at 3 am to tell me why I should be there. 

Jeff's subsequent decline to lesser classes is well known. The last I heard about Jeff is that he was racing in the Catalina 22 Class at Lakewood Yacht Club, scraped into the Silver Fleet at the RS 21 North Americans (there was no Bronze fleet) and is taking Adult sailing Classes and Anger Management therapy (Dont say the trigger word!) on alternate Thursdays.

Picture of Dan and Jeff + Jeff and what remains of his keel attached.


However, my all time favorite spot that I have raced in Vipers was Perth Australia...and my all time favorite three way battle was the last 2 days of that regatta with Mambo Kings vs  Nick Jerwood/Brian DeVries vs Keith Swinton. It was a bucket list experience.  A clip from the Day 3 video shows the final downwind to the finish of Race 10 and starts at 1.55 in the video.  Nick, Brian and Matt in the Red chute.  Myself, Connor and Swifto in the White chute. There were a lot of gybes!  https://sopyc.com.au/viper-640-world-championship-2018/ .  They were very deserving and hospitable world champs.   
     

       

[Peter Beardsley]

Jeff's making plans to be in Gulfport in October.  All you have to do is snag a boat to join him. 

[Justin S]

Jeff's making plans to be in Gulfport in October.  All you have to do is snag a boat to join him.

If he is not too scarit of an ole fashioned whupping!