Lake Champlain Viper 640 Regatta

[Peter Beardsley]

We are sailing 4-up and if needed could throw you one of our people if Jason and Mark can't find someone local.  We'll figure it out, great to hear you're coming to VT. 

[Jason Hyerstay]

I have several people available. Let me confirm availability.

I'm hoping Ben Steinberg will be signing up too. He thought he might be able to do this one. It would be cool if he could sell #22 to someone up here!

Cheers,

Jason

[Jason Hyerstay]

I only have time for a quick message, but I want to thank everyone who came up to race! We really enjoyed hosting this regatta and it was a privilege to get to race with you guys on our home waters. we hope you will all return in 2015!

Cheers,

Jason

[Dave Nickerson]

Jason - Huge thanks to you and your team at LCYC.  You guys simply knocked it out of the park for your first Viper regatta.  This is obviously not your first rodeo and this event is immediately up there with Wickford as the best small club event in the northeast.

Sailing out on Lake Champlain yesterday was stunningly beautiful.  Sometimes I found myself just looking around, rather than watching the tell tales!  Hopefully there will be some good photos to share with those who couldn't make it. 

Looking forward to next year!
Dave/Steve/OJ

[Paul Zimmerman]

I have to echo Dave's comments.  I have not been racing much this season, but this regatta made me realize what I love about it.  This has to rate up there as one of my all time favorite events.  Well done Jason, Dale and crew.  I felt like I was at summer camp , except at camp, the counselors did not come out and distribute Long Trail Ale and Vermont cheese and crackers as we were rigging and de-rigging boats.  Lastly, passing out Long Trail on the tows in was a nice touch.

[Bob Bowditch]

Jason,
I have to echo the comments of others; wonderful regatta in every respect. Jeff, Charlotte and I had a great time and will definitely be back for the second annual. It's got me thinking that we should do one up in our neck of the woods in Maine but you've set the bar awfully high. Please thank all the folks who put in so much time and effort to cover all, and I mean all,
the details. I hope you enjoyed it; we sure as hell did!
Bob Bowditch

[Jason Hyerstay]

Thanks a lot guys! This feedback means a lot. We are exchanging regatta debrief emails, and it feels good to hear from the guests that we exceeded expectations. We really tried hard to treat this event not just as a single event, but the start of a long-running tradition. Our club has been very supportive of this event, and we see sportboat racing as the way to bring younger racers into sailing and ensure the long-term viability of our club.

Now that you have seen our venue, we'd love to hear any tips on how we can handle additional racers. I think we should move all our lasers and extra trailers from the south side of the lot so we can park a few more boats and trailers next to our local sportboat fleet. We thought about doing a distance-based haul-out order, but folks were pretty equidistant and I think we got boats back to the lawn as quickly as possibly.

I think the customer service stuff we did in terms of beer, cheese and crackers, etc. really helped make everyone feel welcome. I had a blast racing, but also really enjoyed being a gracious host. It felt great to make everyone feel welcome and share our beautiful venue with visiting racers. I'm so glad we went out to the open lake on Sunday so we could race with the Green Mountains to the east and the Adirondacks to the west.

You guys treated our venue so well and you are all welcome back next year with open arms! Lake Champlain is now a loyal part of Viper Nation.

Cheers,

Jason

[Jason Hyerstay]

Some spectator photos from Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204197406910467&set=p.10204197406910467&type=1&comment_id=10204205914883161&offset=0&total_comments=9

[Cole Constantineau]

Jason, Dale and crew, thank you so much for the great event.  It was really apparent you guys put in a lot of work to make this thing happen.  It was really something I won't forget, racing out on the main part of the lake, with the trees turning and the Adirondacks as the backdrop--really beautiful waters up there!  I'm looking forward to doing this again!

[Peter Beardsley]

Some spectator photos from Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204197406910467&set=p.10204197406910467&type=1&comment_id=10204205914883161&offset=0&total_comments=9

Jason,

I can't view these photos -- not sure if it is a FB privacy setting or not.  Can you maybe share the album on your FB feed? 

[Jason Hyerstay]

I had her post them to our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/lcyc.info

Cheers,

Jason

[Peter Beardsley]

Better late than never: my fault, not Jason's: http://www.viper640.org/component/content/article/14-news/466-vermonstering-in-search-of-champ

[Jason Hyerstay]

Thanks for the write-up, Peter.

Have any of you who attended received your photos and photo discs yet?

Cheers,

Jason

[Peter Beardsley]

Received a few days ago, haven't had a chance to open it up and check it out though.  Thanks!