VIPER PRICING UPDATE

If a Club or INDIVIIDUAL is looking to purchase a new Viper 640, now is a really good time.

As you may already know, the Viper 640 is manufactured by Rondar 2015 Opening Regatta FWYC (courtsey FWYC Members)Raceboats in England. With the Brexit vote back in June, the British pound dropped in value on the world currency markets.
At Rondar, we have always chosen to maintain price stability in US dollars for the US market, absorbing minor currency fluctuations up or down, as the British pound to the US dollar has been quite stable. However, this currency adjustment has been an extraordinary event. The British pound is beginning to rebound, but you can still take advantage of purchasing a new Viper 640 at a reduced cost. There may also be ‘loaner boats’ available for sale after the Viper 640 International Regatta in November. These boats will have been sailed for 5 days, and will come with all GYA package accessories & new sails.

In order to take advantage of the discount you must absorb the currency risk by pre-paying for your new Viper in full with your order. This Brexit currency discount is subject to change if the exchange rates do change appreciably, and we may revoke it entirely as conditions warrant.

For details and to confirm pricing, contact Dan Tucker at Rondar Raceboats, dan@rondarboats.com or 781.799.8132.

USA Red Team wins XXX Trofeo Marco Rizzotti International Team Race Cup

The USA Red Team from Lakewood Yacht Club (GYA Club) in Seabrook, TX wins the XXX Trofeo Marco Rizzotti International Team Race Cup (June 3-5, 2016). They earned an invitation to compete in Venice, Italy by winning the USODA Team Race Mid-Winter Championship in January 2016.

The awards ceremony was pretty emotional for everyone in the audience and those watching the live stream, as they presented Team USA Red with the winning trophy. They were holding the American flag and their trophies while the National Anthem was playing and a dozen jets flew over…quite a  spectacular ceremony for these 13 & 14 year old sailors!

Pictured from L-R (Coach Bernat Gali’, Zane Rogers, Dutch Byerly, Paul Houston, Yumi Yoshiyasu, and Michael Burns)

Viper Reminder

With the Opening fast approaching and many Viper 640s en route to Mobile, I want to remind owners of the new Vipers – whether a Club or an individual – that you will need to:

(1) Join the Viper 640 Class Association – one membership per boat, annual dues of $55.00.
(2) Register NEW sails ($50 per sail).

Clubs or individuals who have bought a used Viper, and who have not already done so, will also need to join the Class. Joining the class and registering new sails is easy. Go to the Join the Class page on the Viper web site. It’s simple and you can use a credit card to pay.

For new sail registration, go to the Sail Button Purchase and How to Register New Sails page of the site. Payment can be made with a CC via PayPal.

Alternatively, Class Administrator Buttons Padin will be in Fairhope the weekend of the Opening to assist anyone with joining the class and/or registering sails, and can accept checks or CCs. He will have sail registration stickers with him so there is no need to have the Class rush ship stickers to you.

Also, weather permitting, there will be some seasoned Viper sailors on the water Friday afternoon, 5/20, around 2:00 or 2:30 for on-the-water coaching. All who are interested are encouraged to come to Fairhope on Friday and join the fun. Then at 6:00pm Zeke Horowitz will be conducting the Viper 640 Tuning for Speed clinic.

Cathy Cromartie
GYA Commodore

Qualification series for the GYA applicant to the 2016 U S Adult Sailing Championship

The Gulf Yachting Association announces that the qualification series for the GYA applicant to the 2016 U S Adult Sailing Championship will be the 2016 J22 Midwinter Championship, to be held March 17-20, 2016, at Fort Walton YC, FL.  The top GYA  team will qualify to apply via resume to the Adult Sailing Championship Finals, and will receive the Norton Brooker Trophy.

The finals for the Adult Sailing Championship are scheduled for October 12 – 15, 2016, at St. Francis YC,  San Francisco, CA, in J22s, crew of 3.

Please see the U S Sailing website www.ussailing.org for more information or contact Karen Reisch  at 985.727.2869, or  kreisch1856@gmail.com

Supporting Yachting in the Southeast since 1901