How fast can a Viper go??

Jon Stubbs · December 26, 2011, 05:39:36 AM

When we got the Viper we purchased Velocitek Speedpucks as well .....and a tradition began.

We have a winner of the race but we have another winner ..... top speed on the Puck.
Speed can be gained any time between leaving and returning to the dock.
After the race it is "Pucks on the Bar" and show your speed. The winner of the race gets their first place flag and the "Real" winner gets the better prize - A bottle of Snake Charmer - a reasonable Australian red .

Which brings me to the question "How fast can a viper go? The fastest we have seen on flat water is 19.96knots. This was on the Swan River so you might have a foot of chop if you're lucky.

Has anyone cracked 20knots in flat water?
There was a picture of someone in Longbeach with over 20ks but having sailed there many moons ago there are some pretty good swells out past the breakwaters.

What's your top speed? Where? Flat water or swell?
..... and not behind your Porsche....

Robert Bernard · December 26, 2011, 09:27:42 AM

18.5 kts. Last Christmas eve on the indiatlantic river in Melbourne Fl. Some chop, but we were skipping over the tops of waves.

Drake Borer · December 26, 2011, 10:27:35 AM

19.7 on an empty lake Travis (Texas). Kinda scary, widest part of the lake at that point was well under one mile, had to pull off many gybes with it blowin stink (top gust recorded was 41 knts). Never got a chance to get a good long run in.

Paul Zimmerman · December 26, 2011, 05:44:02 PM

23 knots, Fort Worth Boat Club.
Flat lake water

Justin Scott · December 26, 2011, 09:36:36 PM

Timbo......Long Beach

Jon Stubbs · December 26, 2011, 10:07:02 PM

Warp speed, Mr Scott!!!

That was a huge difference between the highest 10sec average of 15.5 to the max of 23.2.
Was it in waves?

Paul, 23 knots on flat water is awesome.

Tim Carter · December 27, 2011, 03:55:30 AM

Agree, high 19's and up on flat water is really hauling the mail. Here in Beach Boy Country you can get out on one of those "Big Wednesday "type days and hook up on one and watch the floor drop away by 10'..... HOOOO RAAAAAA!! (just watch the bottom)

:)

Justin Scott · December 28, 2011, 06:02:30 PM

Quote from: Jon Stubbs on December 26, 2011, 10:07:02 PM
Warp speed, Mr Scott!!!

That was a huge difference between the highest 10sec average of 15.5 to the max of 23.2.
Was it in waves?

Paul, 23 knots on flat water is awesome.

Not me. That is Tim Carter in the picture holding his velocitek.

Fastest I have ever been in a Viper was on the water was at Coral Reef Cup on Biscayne Bay. Huge burst came down the course after we had rounded the windward mark. Never seen or heard anything like it. The wind was drumming on the water as it came down towards us. We had just about time to fasten seatbelts and 40 seconds later, the Bay was flattened and there was a yard sale of swamped Etchells and broached Vipers. Plenty of mast stumps from both classes! Somehow we stayed up and flew the down hill leg. I had Lenny , aussie skiff sailor as crew and he kept yelling "You're low of the mark Justin, you're low of the mark" until I told him to STFU and that we had to go where this one was taking us. The hull was pretty much out of the water. Sadly history does not record any speeds because the boats with gps all went swimming....but gawd it was fun. Thats the beauty of Biscayne Bay, the worst that happens is that you go swimming in crystal clear warm water surrounde by a huge coral reef, so you might as well go for it. But no puck = No record.
My fastest recorded time was CRW when my puck hit 18 point something. The whaler behind taking video says on the video that the speedo is over 20 which shows how unreliable that is.

Garrett Johns · December 28, 2011, 09:39:40 PM

Great stuff!!! LOVE the stories! Makes me want to go Viper sailing now! Also the one of JJ down at Lakefest. Forget what he got up to before the infamous "crash".

Garrett Brown · December 29, 2011, 01:26:58 AM

I have no doubts that a viper will go over 25. We defiantly had ours close on the second (canceled) day of turkey day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6baKLLxcxI
The puff at 6:36 pulled most of the boat out of the water.

Matt Sole · January 02, 2012, 11:10:33 AM

Pussies, white sails for half the vid and no gybes, grow some balls man!!

Dan Tucker · January 02, 2012, 12:18:46 PM

Quote from: Matt Sole on January 02, 2012, 11:10:33 AM
Pussies, white sails for half the vid and no gybes, grow some balls man!!

LOL

Matt, still drunk from New Year's Eve? He usually is this outspoken after a few. (well, maybe not!)

Somers Kempe · January 02, 2012, 04:04:16 PM

Hit 17.2 today which was nice. Most of the boat was out if the water, and probably could have gone faster if we shed some weight (had four onboard)

Had a chase boat with a camera, will see if we got an good video.

Jeff Jones · January 03, 2012, 10:44:39 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0GafFgVPH4&feature=channel_video_title

Video doesnt do the conditions justice. Gusting into the high 40's. Racing cancelled, they couldn't even get the comedy boat's out of the cove.

We were well + 20 when the keel snapped. the last 5 or so seconds of the video you can see the boat jump up and rock - that was with no bulb. After it snapped, i freaked and let the boat roll. Hindsight, it would have been just as well to enjoy the ride for another 3/4 mile or so.

Warning - if you plan on doing 20 + knots, make sure your bulb upgrade was done by a professional.

Better picture of the conditions below.

Lee Shuckerow · January 18, 2012, 04:28:54 PM

Jackpot has hit a high of 22.2 at hpdo three years ago. We had a high average of 19.8 on the velocitek. We weren't even pushing the boat hard at that time. At north Americans in sarnia this year when half the fleet didn't race we only pushed up to 17knots. We all have to practice more in the breeze. The boat can handle it. At hpdo it was blowing thirty plus and the boat was a dream downwind once we put the kite up.