2023 Viper NAs - registration now open (Nepean, Ontario, Sept. 22-24)

[Peter Beardsley]

Looks like a bunch of boats have been signing up without much fanfare.  https://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=15857

I sadly have a family wedding that Friday in Colorado so I'll miss my first NAs since Sarnia 2011.

[Fletcher]

What are typical wind conditions on Lac Deschênes in late September?

[Technical Committee]

There have been a couple of amendments to the NoR.

One of them allows competitors not to carry sail numbers on their spinnaker. This is a standard NoR clause in Viper championship events going forward since March 2023. The WS Racing Rules of sailing require international classes (and the Viper is a WS international class) to carry numbers on spinnakers. This can only be changed by the NoR and SIs, so a class bylaw requires the inclusion of this change in sanctioned events going forward.

The rest of the amendments refer to the inspection process at the NAC.

[Technical Committee]

The TC and the OA are introducing some changes to the inspection process.  We want to explain the goals and answer any questions ahead of time.

The goals were threefold:

1. Create a substantially more efficient inspection process so that Competitors and Measurers have a useful, enjoyable process and get on the water sooner. 

2. Enhance the skipper responsibility through introducing a greater measure of self-certification into the inspection process. This is the culmination of a three year effort. Over the last three years, the Viper Class rules have been shortened, simplified and tightened. When Tyler took over as TC Chair he described the TC goals as providing rules that are "Easy to Understand and Easy to Enforce" and providing Closed One Design racing.

3. Provide competitors the confidence that these tighter simpler rules are enforced so that , truly it is a competition between sailors not boats.

 

[Technical Committee]

The changes include:

1. Each Competitor will be provided with an Inspection Checklist which must be completed and signed by the skipper before registration.

2. Inspection by a measurer prior to the commencement of the event  is highly recommended but not mandated. Before presenting for inspection by a measurer, the boat must be prepared in a certain very specific manner and the inspection checklist completed and signed by the skipper. Then, and only then , will the boat be inspected.

3. Each competitor will receive a three page document helping you prepare your boat for inspection at a championship event. What to do before you leave for the event, and what to do on the day of inspection.

4. Each competitor will choose an inspection time slot, not the precise time, but groups of half hour slots, with six boats for each slot.   

5. Prior to the start of the event, some competitors will be selected for sail measurement. 

6. Once the event starts, there will be some spot checks, selecting certain boats for measurement.

None of this is new to the sport of sailing, but some of it is new to a Viper Regatta.

Above all, the measurers are here to help.  They are not the rules police. They are available to answer your questions so that your boat does not inadvertently break a rule and get protested. They are here to help y'all sail on a level playing field

Please feel free to ask questions about the process.