Viper Comparison to the J70

[Michael Gravitt]

I sailed a J70 in the Annapolis NOODS last weekend because there were not enough Vipers to get a start.  The J70 is a very well built boat but in a lot of cases overbuilt. There are a lot of places that they have used bigger gear than needed. The boat is heavy for the power that it has.  It was fun sailing with 48 boats on the line.  The class does not seem to be open to helping each other as the Viper sailors. Rig tune a lot more complicated and the ones that are getting close to figuring it out are by themselves on boat speed. Love my Viper!!!

[David Furna]

pretty impressive to have the 90 boat limit met on the first day the NA registration opens. The J70 is a HUGE success. Feel sorry for anyone who bought a J-80 a couple of years ago.

[Justin Scott]

No doubt a huge success.

So ride with the success of growth of sport boats rather than fight it. Congratulate and celebrate recent J70 owners new purchases, so that if someone wants something faster,  simpler, a bit more fun/exciting and much more affordable......they turn to the Viper.

In reality, three sport boat classes have gained one design traction in North America.

J70
Melges 20
Viper 640.

These three are way ahead of any other class in the 18-25' sportboat niche.

The Viper is sufficiently different to the heavier, high freeboard, crossover vehicles of the M20/J70 category that there is plenty of growth in front of the Viper. Think of all those thousands of Lightening/Thistle etc owners who might look to a sport boat.  The J70 is successor to the J24 and J80, not to the open, legs in, day racing keel boats and dinghies.