Boston takes over lead at Viper 640 North Americans

Larchmont, NY (October 16, 2015) – After a shifty Day 1 with light to moderate winds with major shifts, Day 2 at the Viper 640 North American Championships turned into the ideal day for racing a Viper 640 sportboat. The winds were out of the northwest as predicted, but the 8-10 knot forecast filled-in at 10-15 knots with gusts to-20, allowing for four races to be completed.

As with any fleet when the winds become brisk, the 48 boats on the line divided into the elites, the really good sailors, and those experienced sailors still learning their way around the Viper.

The top group was larger than smaller as 16 different boats scored at least one top-10 finish in the four races held. As an indication of how competitive the racing was, Day 1’s leader, Zeke Horowitz from the host Larchmont Yacht Club, won the first race of the day but then finished 15-10-11, dropping him to sixth overall.

Moving into first after seven races is 4-time Viper North American Champion Brad Boston (Sarnia, ON) sailing with Curtis Florence and Luke Lawrence. They had finishes of 2-9-1-1 to move them into first with a 10-point lead over Dave Nickerson (Noank, CT.). Nickerson, however, is in a tight race as the next four boats are within seven points of him: 3rd – Australian David Chapman (Willoughby, NSW), 4th – Cardwell Potts (from the host club), 5th – Tom Loutrel (Charleston, SC), followed by Horowitz.

PRO Charles “Butch” Ulmer enjoyed watching downwind finishes. “Some of the boats were sailing at ‘Warp 8′,” he commmented. “They were really hauling the mail!” Howard McMichael, who was in the mark boat, appreciated the clean sailing on the course. “Pretty amazing that with almost fifty boats on the course for four races, with many mark roundings with a lot of boats in close proximity, there was not a single protest today,” McMichael observed.

Scoreboard (Top 10 of 53; 7 races, 1 discard)
1. Jackpot, Brad Boston, Florence,Lawrence , CAN – 2 -4 -[14] -2 -9 -1 -1 ; 19
2. Mo’ Grins, Dave Nickerson , USA – 3 -[30] -1 -7 -7 -4 -7 ; 29
3. NATALIECHAPMAN.COM.AU, David Chapman , AUS – [19] -8 -6 -3 -2 -2 -9 ; 30
4. Blackout Proposal, Cardwell Potts , USA – 7 -[16] -5 -5 -1 -12 -2 ; 32
5. Choppy Seas , Thomas Loutrel , USA – [23] -1 -11 -9 -3 -8 -3 ; 35
6. Jenny, Zeke Horowitz , USA – 1 -3 -10 -1 -[15] -10 -11 ; 36
7. Oshunmare, Steve Chapman , CAN – 4 -5 -9 -20 -[30] -7 -12 ; 57
8. 85, Ted Green / Pete Largess , USA – 10 -[17] -13 -8 -14 -11 -4 ; 60
9. Team Rooster, Tyler Moore , USA – [22] -6 -16 -19 -5 -14 -6 ; 66
10. Ghost Panda, Peter Beardsley / David Owen , USA – 14 -[27] -18 -4 -19 -13 -5 ; 73

Event website – Scoreboard – Facebook

Report by Ed Padin.