The Yachtsman 2016-2017 RPAYC Yachtsman 2016-2017 | Page 53

VIPER WORLDS HELD IN BERMUDA
A
small but active RPAYC Viper 640
sports boat fleet represented the
RPAYC nationally and internationally
in the last 12 months.
VIPER 640
Mark Griffith (Old School Racing)
and Luke Ratcliff from the Viper called Heat
travelled to Bermuda in November 2016 for the
Viper Worlds, getting a taste of the America’s
Cup venue and enjoying good success in the
pre-worlds.
When it was decided that Bermuda would host
the Viper 640 world title, everyone was looking
forward to the big winds that prevail on the Great
Sound at that time of year. The wind came in but
unfortunately it was just too much on two of the
race days, cutting the program short. From 41
entries Old School Racing finished mid-fleet.
Heat travelled to this year’s Festival of Sails at
Geelong and narrowly missed out on the primary
sports boat trophy, finishing second by one point
over the four day point score.
Sydney Harbour Regatta (MHYC) in March was
also cut short due to the lasting effects of a nasty
East Coast low. The sports boat fleet and other
classes on the same course were sent ashore part-
way through Race 2 of the weekend series when a
number of crews found themselves in trouble on a
busy harbour in 30 plus knots. Heat won the small
sports boat division with a family crew, including
11 year old Harley.
The two RPAYC Vipers went head to head in
April at the 10th anniversary Sail Port Stephens in
the ASBA Sports Boat Nationals. RPAYC members
Andy Wharton and Barley Legal scored fourth and
fifth and next Club boat was Heat in ninth, 15 year
old IYD sailor Tyler on the helm, and Old School
Racing 12th.
South of Perth Yacht Club in WA won the right to
host the 2018 Viper 640 Worlds and next February
Mark Griffiths will compete with a QLD team while
the Ratcliff family will head south again in the
January holidays to try and go one better in the
Festival of Sails sports boat division.
LISA RATCLIFF
YAC H T SMA N
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