Owner's Manual

[Mark Trainor]

Does anyone out there have an owner's manual for the Viper 640. Either Bennett era or Rondar or both. Thanks in advance.

[Geoff Ewenson]

Not sure there is an "owners Manual " but there is a wealth of knowledge available if you ask the right questions.
Suggest you start with that on this forum and bet you are overwhelmed with information.

[Mark Trainor]

There certainly is a lot of great information to be had on this site, but I'm finding in the evolution of the Viper 640, from it's inception in 1996 to present, there has been many changes. My thought is that an owner's manual from early models would give me a baseline and one from present day may give me a direction or goal as to "class legal" and optimum set-up. Lots of variations for a "one design". Just want to get things sorted out.

[John Leyland]

You might want to start with the "Used Boat Buyer's Guide" document posted by Peter Beardsley at the top of the used boat section to see any differences in the boats.   For what's legal you can go the the Class Rules at http://www.viper640.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Viper-640-Intl-Class-Rules-Rev.-061518.pdf and from there just fire away with questions on the forum as Geoff indicated.

[Mark Trainor]

I just got this from west coast Viper Representative, Tim Carter.

[Mark Trainor]

Thanks John!

[Justin Scott]

Mark........Rondar's manual is a great place to start and has lots of useful info.

Bear in mind that 21 is not a Rondar built boat and is something of a one-off.

21 started life as an early Bennett boat....somewhere between the 3rd and 6th Vioer ever built.  It originally came with an aluminum mast.  Joe acquired the boat before Rondar and the modern Class Association revamped the design and turned it into the boat it is today. Joe used it as a platform and tricked it out to overcome some of the design flaws of the original boat. He replaced the aluminum mast with a carbon mast. He got rid of the bow roller and replaced it with a hoop and several other features. These are some of the things that that Rondar and the Class Association  did when they took over and resumed production. This is not surprising since Joe was one of the original members of the new class association.

However, Joe was doing his experimental stuff before we sat down with Rondar and agreed all the standard identical equipment and rigging that would make the right balance for a one design Viper. Joe,s mast was a little more noodly (flexible) than the mast we all eventually agreed on. It works fine and has been grandfathered with 21 but it will need a slightly different tune than the std boat......I would make sure that it has a good amount of pre bend in breeze.

I am not sure what equipment has been upgraded. Has the keel bulb been upgraded? Peters buying guide has a good checklist.

But do not worry or overthink this. At the end of the day, the Viper is a very simple boat to sail. If you an get a few pointers and help from a local viper sailor, you will soon be grinning.

Take a picture of chain plate position and post here.