The Viper 640 Class Association
4051 E Desert Crest Dr.
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253

Viper 640 Crew Weight & Size Analysis
2015 North American Championship

January 25, 2016

During the GYA Board of Directors meeting earlier this month, the Viper 640 Class Association was asked to canvas sailors regarding the total crew weight they race with. To meet this objective, the Class sent an online survey to the 50+ boats that participated in the 2015 North American Championship regatta held at Larchmont Yacht Club from October 15-18, 2015. A total of 39 competitors responded to the questionnaire providing final standing, total crew weight, and crew headcount.

It should be noted that the conditions for the event ranged from 12-15 knot range the first day to winds in the higher teens with gusts in the low 20 knot range for the remaining days. Because the winds were from the north throughout the regatta, the sea state was relatively flat throughout (1-2 foot seas). That being said, for the most part, the personnel making up these crews are the same people most of the Viper owners sail with on a regular basis, so this data is applicable for most events.

The highlights are as follows:

Crew weight

• There is a wide range of crew weights that is competitive in the Viper 640.
• The average of all crew weights at the 2015 North Americans: 550 lbs.
• Crew weights ranged from a low of 490 (#10) to a high of 650 lbs. (a new Viper sailor finishing 48^th)
• The winning crew weighed-in at 610 lbs.
  • Of the nine respondents within the Top-10 finishers, the average crew weight was 568 lbs. Of note, only two of those crews weighed below 550. Range: 490-610
  • Of the 18 respondents within the Top- 20 finishers, the average crew weight was 550 lbs. Range: 490-610
• These weights are largely in keeping with the same survey conducted after the 2014 NAs in Long Beach, where there were also strong breezes and 2-3 foot seas. In that study of the Top 15 finishers, crew weights ranged from 510 to 590 lbs.

Crew size

• 33 of 39 boats sailed with crews comprised of three sailors
• Of the six 4-person crews, most were two men and two women, one was three women and a man
• There is no statistic that indicates one crew size is better than another as the third placed boat was sailed by two men and two women.

The following is the detailed data on a boat-by-boat basis:

If anyone has question on this data, please contact Viper 640 Class Administrator Ed “Buttons” Padin at epadin@padesta.com.

GYA SPORTBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP AND INTERCLUB SERIES
2016 – 2017

The Gulf Yachting Association Sportboat Championship and Interclub Series will be sailed in the years 2016 and 2017 in parallel with the 2016 and 2017 Capdevielle Series, as outlined herein, for the purpose of introducing and transitioning the Viper 640 as the GYA Interclub Boat effective in 2018.

REGULATIONS

1.0       NAME
The Series shall be known as the GYA Sportboat Championship and Interclub Series.

2.0       ELIGIBILITY
2.1       All GYA Member Clubs in good standing shall be eligible to participate and be scored in the Interclub Series.
2.2       Individuals, whether or not members of a GYA Member Club, shall be eligible to participate in each regatta but will not be scored in the Interclub Series.

3.0       GOVERNING RULES
3.1       The series shall be governed by the current edition of the International Sailing Federation Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) and the Class Rules of the Viper 640 Class Association, except as modified herein.
3.2       To be eligible for Interclub Series scoring, helmspersons for entries representing GYA Member Clubs shall be members of the GYA Club they represent. Crew members need not be members of any GYA Club. There shall be no limit to the number of races a person can be helmsperson.

4.0       SERIES ADMINISTRATION
4.1       AWARDS – At the GYA Annual Awards Banquet, the highest scoring GYA Club shall be declared the Interclub Series Champion and presented a suitable award which shall be furnished by the GYA.
4.2       SCORING – The Cox-Sprague Scoring System, as adopted by the GYA, shall be used to score the Interclub Series. The winner shall be determined by the points accumulated in the Series Regattas as established in 4.4.
4.3       CHAMPIONSHIP ELIGIBILITY – To be eligible for scoring in the interclub series, participating GYA clubs shall also enter a Flying Scot in the companion Capdevielle class. All GYA Clubs that participate in at least one of the Series Regattas in the Point Year shall be eligible to win the championship, however, all Series Regattas in the Point Year shall be counted in the scoring for each club.
4.4       SERIES REGATTAS – The Series Regattas (Events) to be included in the scoring shall be as follows:

2016 POINT YEAR:

2017 POINT YEAR:

5.0       COMPETITION BOAT
5.1       The series shall be sailed on the Viper 640.
5.2       Any boat in full compliance with the Viper 640 Class Rules, whether owned, borrowed or chartered by the competing individual or GYA Member Club, may be used.

6.0       EVENT MANAGEMENT
6.1       ENTRY FEES – Entry fees shall be determined by the Host Club.
6.2       NUMBER OF RACES – Scheduled shall be five. One race shall be completed to constitute the regatta.
6.3       SCORING – The RRS Low Point System (Appendix A) shall be used however, no scores shall be excluded. Ties shall be resolved using RRS A8.
6.4       AWARDS – The Host Club shall furnish trophies to be presented to the winning, second and third place entries. The Host Club may furnish and present other awards, if desired.