2012 Viper Northeast Circuit

[Peter Beardsley]

One of my tasks as Regatta Coordinator is to help define circuits and work to promote the events.   The Northeast Circuit will be formally resurrected this year, with scores updated here after each event.  The 6 regattas selected for the Northeast Circuit are as follows:

1. Wickford Regatta, May 19-20 (sign up today at http://www.wickfordregatta.com)
2. Larchmont YC Memorial Day May 26-27
3. New England Champs @ SailNewport July 13-15
4. Marblehead NOOD July 27-29
5. North Americans @ Eastern YC  Sept. 6-9
6. HPDO @ American YC Oct. 6-7

Each of Western Long Island Sound, Newport and Marblehead has 2 regattas that count.  There's no minimum number of events to qualify -- if you do one, you're counted.  However, if you want to do well, you should go sailing.  You can only throw out your worst overall regatta finish of the 6 events, and if you sail fewer than 5 events, you can only throw out events that you didn't sail (i.e., if you finished 40th out of 50 at NAs, but didn't sail Wickford and your DNC at Wickford was only worth 16 points, you're throwing out Wickford, not NAs, unless you sailed in 5 out of 6 regattas).  Depending on motivation, we may even put together prizes at the HPDO for the top 3 or 5 teams in the circuit and for teams who attended the most events -- stay tuned. 

The goal was to pick the 6 events that were likely to have the largest turnouts in 2012 in the northeast.  This can always be adjusted in 2013 if new fleets pop up, regattas change, people petition to have another event included, etc.  We'll see how it goes for this year and if something doesn't work perfectly, we can talk about it over the winter. 

[Jason Hyerstay]

Someday I would love to host a Viper event on Lake Champlain. We are about 5 hours from Newport, Stamford, Larchmont, and about 4 hours from Marblehead.

I'm hoping that I'll be settled in enough after getting flooded out in Irene and then getting married that I might be able to come to some of these northeast events this year. I still have to schedule a delayed honeymoon first.

Cheers,

jason

[Peter Beardsley]

Jason -- would love to see you back on the circuit this summer.   For people in the northeast who can only make one Viper event, make it North Americans and circle the date (NOR and entry will be posted shortly).  If you can make two Viper events, consider doing New Englands and North Americans.  Anything else is gravy. 

[Jonathan Nye]

Someday I would love to host a Viper event on Lake Champlain. We are about 5 hours from Newport, Stamford, Larchmont, and about 4 hours from Marblehead.

I'm hoping that I'll be settled in enough after getting flooded out in Irene and then getting married that I might be able to come to some of these northeast events this year. I still have to schedule a delayed honeymoon first.

Cheers,

jason

There's absolutely no question we should pick a fall weekend and migrate en masse to sail on Lake Champlain. That or Lake George. Jonathan

[Matt Sole]

Two weeks after the HDPO could be fun, a semi frostbite regatta.

[Doug Mroz]

Peter, can we get ACRW on the northeast curcit for next year? I believe we spoke about it before. I am on the committee for ACRW, so I can try and push it to August next year, which should fit nicely into the northeast schedule.

[Peter Beardsley]

The thought for the circuit as mentioned above is to have the largest, most competitive regattas in the circuit.  There is a secondary goal, which I know has been important to the fleet in the past, of supporting events in areas that may have growing fleets -- certainly we benefited from that greatly at Larchmont over the years, so I don't want to deny anyone else that opportunity. 

In the case of Lake Champlain, let's see a few Vipers on a starting line for an event first and figuring out what would be an appropriate event for future years before we get too far ahead of ourselves.  For ACRW, it's a definite possibility since there are already 4-5 Vipers committed to sailing in 2012, and hopefully there will be some momentum if the first effort works out well. 

The best way for a regatta to get on the circuit for future years would be:

1. No conflicts with existing regattas and well spaced between other circuit regattas.  For those who are looking for a new regatta, I might suggest events in mid June and/or mid August or early September for 2013. 

2. Committed regatta already in place with dedicated infrastructure so that there's no question mark as to "can it be done" at Venue X since we know that it will be done -- multiclass regattas are a good start there.  If you look at the 2012 Northeast Circuit, the Viper NAs are the only stand-alone Viper regatta on the circuit. 

3. Committed event chairman who does a lot of legwork to get Vipers lined up in advance and who is really sharp on communication and working with the class. 

If I had to look ahead to 2013 a bit on what dates might work and where the gaps are, we can say the following:

- May is spoken for since Wickford and Larchmont Memorial Day are recurring events

- June is a question mark - will depend on when Viper ACCs are.  My understanding with ACCs is that even numbered years it will be down south (probably Charleston) and odd numbered years up north (probably Newport).  If we're able to get a Bacardi June event as we had in 2011 for 2013, great.  It couldn't happen in 2012 since SailNewport is hosting an America's Cup World Series circuit event at the same time, which is why the major Newport regatta will be a few weeks later in 2012.  In any case, mid to late June is a real possibility depending on how ACCs shakes out.

- July will always have Marblehead NOOD at the end of the month, and mid-month may have Newport Regatta as ACCs, depending. 

- August is mostly open.  WLIS ironically is the only place hosting open Viper regattas in August in 2012 -- early August at Indian Harbor and late August at Stamford YC.  WLIS in August has its moments -- never quite as bad as people think, but usually not as nice as May, June, and mid September onward.  I've got to think that the Jersey Shore in August is a better place to sail as far as breeze goes.  But Doug, please don't underestimate the difficulty in moving a regatta date -- I know this is the first year back for ACRW after a long hiatus -- if all of the other fleets like sailing in July, it may be hard for one of the smaller fleets to demand a date change. 

- September will be totally open in 2013.  The NAs will not be a northeast circuit regatta in 2013 or 2014.

- October may be up for grabs in 2013 as well.  Houston is hosting the NAs in mid October, which will almost definitely step on the HPDO.  Consequently, it may not make sense to have the HPDO as part of the circuit in 2013 -- we'll have to talk to everyone over the coming months and see what makes sense there. 

Long story short: there are opportunities to slot in different events for the circuit in the future, but they'll have to make sense timing-wise and the class will have to show interest in sailing there, and the local organizers will have to show a lot of interest in having us there since there are a number of other great options available at this point. 

[Jonathan Nye]

Really well thought out. And just as important - well articulated.

My comment about Champlain/Lake George was not in the context of making such an event part of a series (yet). Rather as more of a lark and something fun for boats to do. We once trooped a dozen Dyer 9s to a local lake in Mt. Holly VT and had a blast. Doing something similar for Vipers could be a hoot.

Jonathan

[Dan Tucker]

I just got off the phone with Dave Dougal, the lone snake on the Lake (George). He's not taking the local J/Boats dealer pushing the J/70 lying down. We're going to work on organizing a Viper demo up there.

J/24 Changing of the Colors Regatta is one of the all-time greats. I've long wished we could have something similar for the Vipers up there. Who knows, maybe this this the jumpstart??

[Peter Beardsley]

They put on a nice show for Changing of the Colors, with a good party, which is why most people attend.  It definitely isn't for the breeze though.  I only did the event once and it was a wash -- no wind either day basically.  I was subsequently told after making the 4-5 hour drive with our team that typically it is windy one day with no wind the other day.   That would have been good to know in advance!  The other thing that makes that regatta work is that there's a local J/24 fleet on the lake and in areas that aren't too far a drive away in upstate NY.  And despite the regatta name, people don't usually go for the foliage -- it's the last weekend in September or first weekend in October -- in any case, almost zero change in colors by that point, though a very pretty venue otherwise in the mountains.

[Justin Scott]

I still have to schedule a delayed honeymoon first.

Cheers,

jason

For the perfect Honeymoon, here are a few suggestions:

Charleston in April. Delightful warm spring weather....romantic blooms everywhere. Quiet resort on Mt Pleasant with ocean views.

Marblehead in September. Crisp fall in a charming New England harbor town. Best weekend is weekend after Labor Day when the tourists have gone but the weather is still delightful. Narrow winding streets, lots of shops for the new wife, oozes history (birthplace of the US navy), fresh seafood landed daily at the town dock (book at either Maddy's or the "'ding" for seafood) .

Houston in October 2013:  Uhhhh . Ummmm. I'll get back to you on that one.

[Justin Scott]

Ive done 2 northern fresh water regattas : Ive done Changing of the Colors and I've done CORK.

CORK is awesome.

- Great Breeze
- Great town
- Canadian Viper fleet turns out in force
- Accesible to a lot of Vipers.
- Inexpensive accomodation at the University
- Historic, bucket list regatta and a trip down memory lane for all you kids who went their as junior sailors.
- Its in August when there is not much else going on.

I'd like to go back there again some year (Ive spent all my hall passes this year)

[Darren Gilbert]

Ive done 2 northern fresh water regattas : Ive done Changing of the Colors and I've done CORK.

CORK is awesome.

- Great Breeze
- Great town
- Canadian Viper fleet turns out in force
- Accesible to a lot of Vipers.
- Inexpensive accomodation at the University
- Historic, bucket list regatta and a trip down memory lane for all you kids who went their as junior sailors.
- Its in August when there is not much else going on.

I'd like to go back there again some year (Ive spent all my hall passes this year)

Justin - I'm all for hauling my boat to Kingston for CORK.  Maybe this is something we can try to push for 2013?

[Jonathan Nye]

Marblehead ... oozes history (birthplace of the US navy)...

interesting given the recent discussion about Champlain and Lake George and Whitehall NY's claim to be the birthplace of the US Navy. But we all know it was actually Philadelphia.
Jonathan

[Matt Rowlinson]

Ive done 2 northern fresh water regattas : Ive done Changing of the Colors and I've done CORK.

CORK is awesome.

- Great Breeze
- Great town
- Canadian Viper fleet turns out in force
- Accesible to a lot of Vipers.
- Inexpensive accomodation at the University
- Historic, bucket list regatta and a trip down memory lane for all you kids who went their as junior sailors.
- Its in August when there is not much else going on.

I'd like to go back there again some year (Ive spent all my hall passes this year)

Justin - I'm all for hauling my boat to Kingston for CORK.  Maybe this is something we can try to push for 2013?

A very big + 1 for CORK 2013 from CAN 70