Key West Race Week 2016

[Sail22]

Sail22 has been working with a group that is helping with the transfer for Key West Race Week from Premier Racing to another group to run the event. Good news is they are very good at running events and they are a 501c3 so they aren't looking at making a profit. Just can't lose money either. If this happens which we should know this week, I have some questions for Viper Owners. Course would most likely be inside which is behind Sunset Key. Great spot for small boats. Protected and less than 15 minutes from Truman Annex to race course.

Here are the questions -

1. Would you be interested in going?
2. Full week regatta or Wednesday to Friday?
3. Would you want to dry sail ramp or crane?
4. What else would need to happen for you to go?

Feel free to ask questions. If you haven't gone it's a great event and for a 3 man team its not as expensive as people say.

Thanks,

Ed Furry
Sail22, LLC
[email protected]
Viper USA 231

[Cole Constantineau]

Ed,

After this winter up here in Boston, I'm pretty sure I'm going to bring my boat south next winter (ie: Sarasota and Miami).  I'd be very interested in Key West if it happened...

To answer questions:

1:  Yes
2:  I'm probably up for either..
3:  Either works for me, but I prefer having a crane
4:  It would be nice to work out options to move boats from Sarasota--> Key West--> Miami  I can figure this out myself most likely..

[Peter Beardsley]

Zero interest on my end.  The best part about Sarasota was being able to leave the boat in one place for 2-3 months with the mast up and being able to fly in, fly out to race.  It was great to see the Sarasota circuit develop momentum and it's a great venue.  From everything I've heard, we can expect 50-100% more Vipers to attend the Sarasota events next winter, so I wouldn't want to take anything away from those guys. 

It was also great to see everyone in Miami at a major class event, though I'm not sure whether Miami momentum has resulted in a slightly lower than usual Charleston registration rate for 2015.  It's hard to do 'em all. 

That said, if there are Viper sailors with a lot of free time who are good at logistics and can make it all happen, or who have always wanted to race a Viper in Key West (and/or want to dive for the mythical Mark I that is somewhere on the ocean floor in Key West from many years ago), by all means, go for it.

[Cole Constantineau]

Just to add a datapoint Peter--I'm one of those who is VERY motivated to do the Florida circuit next year.  Sarasota and Miami are the things I'd be up for--if KWRW got in the way of those two events I probably wouldn't bother with it..

[Sail22]

Key West has been the same time for the last 25+ years. MLK Day is always the first day of racing. Logistically it is actually very easy to do if you have a small boat. Things change exponentially when you add more crew and waterline. The event wouldn't try to take away from any other event. Just give another venue that is a great place to race. Plus places like Key West will draw europeans as it is a destination. I know this event isn't for everyone and it isn't intended to be. Definitely hoping that the Sarasota Series grows. Getting dates out early for that would be great. We are already planning for next year as other classes are announcing dates.

Thanks,

Ed

[Joe Healey]

Ed,

I've always wanted to do Key West Race Week and would probably do it in the Viper if there were no Bacardi and Sarasota events. I will probably bring my boat down for the Sarasota 3 event series and then do Miami. It doesn't make sense for the amount of effort to go to KW for me.

As for Charleston I will bypass that all together again. Its an over rated event that has turned into a zoo with very poor facilities for the Viper.

[Peter Beardsley]

I think it breaks down as follows:

Things the Class will support as an Organization vs. Things Owners will support.  Over time, sometimes the two come together. 

I have no class officer hat to wear anymore, so this is just my opinion.  There is a lot of push to have a mast-up circuit at a single venue, preferably at a location where we have a local fleet in place.  The Sarasota guys have answered that bell and produced a great series that everyone should try to do at some point.  We will definitely be there next year and every year thereafter for the foreseeable future.

Miami is a special event for Vipers for many reasons, but a very important part of it is the support of EFG International.  Miami is very important to EFG, and EFG is very important to the Viper Class.  Thankfully it also happens to be a nice event so it's not hard to support. 

Key West is a special event for many others in the sailing community.  There may be people who have done it who want to go again, or others who have always wanted to go.  Like Ed said, cost is not necessarily the issue at KWRW for smaller boats, though it is a week of vacation and some logistical effort for those who are already in Sarasota.  That said, it doesn't mean that a dozen or so owners like Ed, Joe and others can't say "Key West is awesome, we're going" and try to get some momentum there.  If there are people with a lot of leisure time who can make it all work, definitely go for it.  I've done KWRW twice in other classes -- it's definitely a good time and the conditions are usually fantastic.  But if the Class only gets so many bullets to shoot on regatta promotion and class members' attention spans, I have a feeling that the focus will be on continuing to build in Sarasota and Miami, though that doesn't mean there wouldn't be some KWRW plugs along the way. 

I don't know what STC will do for a minimum number of boats to have a one design start, but even if it is only 8-12 Vipers in Year 1, that could still be a fantastic time and a solid success.  And maybe it'd be a lot more. 

[Craig Wilusz]

Zero interest on doing KWRW on a Viper on my end.
  Though having done Key Weird Race Week eight or nine times, and it's how I met my wife, KWRW has a fondess in my heart.  So...if a bunch of Viper sailors want to form a group and chip in , Deborah and I may be coerced into bring the Hobie 33 to it  with a bunch of Viper sailors sailing it as I want to see KWRW continue on. Hobie 33  "Myasasaur"

[Sail22]

The good news is there are both people in the Viper class interested in both KWRW and Sarasota type events. If the Vipers do go to KWRW it would be a three day event and sailed inside so not a normal KWRW outside with big waves. Plus less time off work and people can still enjoy Key West sailing. Plus if you want to take the whole week you can go out and check out the other racing. Pretty much a best of both worlds. Or jump on with Craig and do the feeder race down on the Hobie 33 and then do KWRW. That would be a lot of fun.

Keep the communication up. I will share any info when I can and help support any events that we can. Looking forward to CRW next.

Later,

Ed

[Steve Chapman]

I really enjoyed the Sarasota series this year and will probably keep 211 there for the next series. Adding KWRW to our calendar would be a challenge. However, sailing KW is on my bucket list. So if it develops and it doesn't compromise the winter series in Sarasota, I'm interested. However, as it stands, KWRW is in the middle of the Winter Series - I would not consider going to KW and returning to Sarasota.

Peter makes a good point - the joy of the Winter series is the mast up storage and ability to fly in fly out. We should help this event grow.

However, more events in FL are a good thing, so hopefully there are enough interested owners to make it happen. It could well appeal to those not doing Sarasota.