You want to sail where?????

[Eddy Parker]

I was emailing with a Viper owner in landlocked TN who was lamenting the lack of any one design sailing in his area.  Just to help a brother out, if I can work out the details, I plan on meeting him in Chattanooga, TN on November 15 for a one day race.  Are there any boats in Atlanta/Nashville/Columbia or elsewhere that might be willing to do a one day race on a lake.  Seriously, I grew up in Chattanooga and had no idea there was sailboat racing there.  Supposed to be a big pig roast after the race.  As Furna said, I've floated around in Miami, Charleston, Marblehead and Houston with no wind, just like everywhere else there will still be cold beer. 

http://www.privateeryachtclub.org/

[Nick Kofski]

I might if we could keep boats down that way over the winter; or leave there and pick up for a gulf coast/charleston regatta a few months down the road.

Never know, he might have a nice rest stop for a few northern vipers.  I know we're done in Chicago by that time of the year.

[Darren Gilbert]

Eddy,  Is this Jeff's boat?  Wild Turkey?

[Eddy Parker]

I could probably arrange some storage in TN, or I could move the boat to New Bern, NC and you could have the opportunity to do some winter sailing if you like.  We have a winter series that runs through February.  No racing if winds over 25 knots or real feel is below 35.  I'll have to check on the boats history, I'll see if I can get the owner to post it on here.

[Johnny Ballatin]

Sorry Guys, Eddy misunderstood my invitation to race at the Pig Regatta in Chattanooga when he asked if there is any racing events going on around the Knoxville/Chattanooga area around the Thanksgiving time frame. The Pig Regatta is not an open invitational event. I will be racing as a guest of PYC, as will Eddy, if he decides to come.

While this not Jeff's boat "Wild Turkey," it helps illustrate the landlocked Viper dilemma, of which Jeff is a part. There a few Vipers in the middle part of the country that have no Vipers to race against, unless they drive very long distance to see Viper OD racing. In my case, I drive from Knoxville to the LA, AL, FL Gulf Coast, a couple of times a year, to race with the GYA Vipers. My hope, in owning a land locked Viper, is that over time there will be more Vipers purchased and located at inland lake yacht clubs, thereby allowing enough of a Viper concentration  to have Viper attendance at regional regattas to compete in a OD Class. So far my efforts to help make this dream more of a reality have not proven very fruitful.  But, since I love sailing my Viper, I am not giving up the dream. There are a number of Inland lake venues and Clubs with scheduled regattas that could make this possible. I just need enough interested Viper owners. Maybe Eddy is the first in this journey.

Johnny Ballatin
# 178

[Nick Kofski]

Well Johnny if you wanna get something organized maybe you can get the some FL / ATL support and like I said if we could line something up mid winter further south maybe a few northern boats would make it as well.

And what regatta doesn't want vipers at it? (well besides a J/70 event)

Eddy I don't know the boats in your area but would they be willing to travel?

[Eddy Parker]

Boats in my area are myself right now - I will travel though.