Viper 640 Recap
i everyone. I wanted to just thank everyone who helped out in each and every way possible to make the 2017 Beacon
H
Group Viper 640 North American Championships such a huge success. From members moving their boats out of either
dry storage or wet slips, to helping cleaning up the grounds, to volunteering for race or shore committees, to logistical sup-
port, to stepping up to sponsor at any level, and to just being supportive.
An event of this magnitude catches lots of interest on the internet. Thousands of eyes were on Fort Walton Yacht Club via
websites like Sailing Scuttlebutt, Sailing Anarchy, and Facebook. FWYC came out looking like a champ,
and we sure were.
Over the weeklong event I heard comments such as, “This is the best regatta ever”, “This
place is incredible”, “That’s it, we are changing our retirement plans, we are mov-
ing here”, “This is one of the most welcoming and friendliest clubs I have ever
been to.” My personal favorite was from an international sailor who told me,
“Bermuda was a waste of time compared to this regatta.”, referring to the
Viper 640 World Championships held in Bermuda last y