Bright
and Sunny weather greeted the 11 odd competitors for the inaugural races of the
2013 Winter Freeman Iceberg Series at Piddinghoe. The wind had been forecast at
anything up to 29 knots and although Alan.S could not record more than 12 knots
there were seriously strong gusts across the pond. Alan was unsure as to whether to venture out
on the water or not but finally decided to give it a try after Ed Thorburn
(Finn - NSSC) and Michael Veasey and Michael Rosier (RS200 - NSSC) had launched.
Rupert
Smith – RO for the day – had set a course starting halfway along the south side
with a beat up to the corner close to the clubhouse and thence off onto a very
broad reach/run along the west side. After a gybe just off the Fisherman’s bay
it was back to the mark by the clubhouse and the northwards once more. From the
Fisherman’s bay mark it was over to the middle of the eastern side and then
behind the island to start the long beat back along the south bank.Having launched, Alan tried out the legs along the west bank, back and forth a couple of times, until back in the Fisherman’s bay he was hit by a very heavy gust which tipped him over. It was a dry capsize but the mast got well and truly stuck in the mud and it was a couple of minutes before he got free and got the boat up. The decision had by then been made that the bank was the best place to be and he headed home to take no further part in the racing.
For the first start ten boats were on the water and it was Jonty Freeman (Laser Radial – NSSC) who was first away. Close behind was Ed Thorbrn and in third place the two Michaels in the RS 200. Jonty was in front at the windward mark and stayed out ahead for the rest of the lap with Ed unable to catch him in the gusty wind. At the first gybe mark a few competitors got it wrong and took a dip which was to be a fairly frequent occurrence. Tim Cox (Laser Radial-NSSC) finished the first lap in third place ahead of the RS200 and Darren Field and Louise Currel (Vago-NSSC) although carrying a reefed mainsail were in fifth place. Zoe McCaig (Laser Radial-NSSC) and David Murley (Pico2-NSSC) crossed the line simultaneously followed by Bill Wates (Laser full rig-NSSC) with Alex Cameron bringing up the tail in a Club Topper. Another Topper had been on the water but did not start the race.
By the end of the second lap Jonty.F was still out in front some 17 seconds ahead of Ed.T.
In lap 3 Ed.T passed Jonty.F on the leg along the west bank – his bigger sail area down wind gave him a considerable advantage over the Radial. Darren.F and Louise.C overtook Tim.C and David.M crossed the line level with Zoe.M, whilst Alex.C retired. Lap 4 saw the only change when Zoe.M drew ahead of David.M.
The final lap saw Ed.T finish first just 18 seconds ahead of Jonty.F whilst the two Michaels were about two minutes behind. With the handicaps applied Jonty.F was the clear winner with Ed.T second and David.M 3rd.
Alan.S
considered entering the second race as the breeze seemed to have eased a bit
but on further consideration decided to stay ashore. Steve Duncan (Laser full
rig – NSSC) had missed the first race but went afloat for Race Two.
This started
shortly after the finish of the first race with Jonty.F first across the line on
starboard, tacking towards the south bank, with then a quick tack on to port
put him ahead of Ed.T , Michael.V and Tim.C. All that was required was a short
hike on starboard again to make the windward mark for this group. As Jonty.F
was about to pass the mark – to tack off onto the next leg – he was overwhelmed
by a huge wind shift and the boat came over on top of him. The rest of the
fleet had to bear off around him whilst he struggled to get his boat upright.
It took him several attempts with the boat capsizing again and again but when
he finally managed it the rest of the fleet was long gone. He sailed the next
two legs and then came ashore feeling pretty tired from his exertions.
Meanwhille Ed.T went into the lead and stayed there until the finish of the
race. Tim.C took an early dip close to the first gybe mark (at the Fisherman’s
bay) and went over and up several times. Michael.V and Michael.R stayed upright
for the first lap but lost ground to Ed.T whilst Steve Duncan (Laser full rig –
NSSC) hung on in third place. Next up was David.M in the Pico in turn ahead of
Zoe.M. Darren and Louise, having been ashore at the clubhouse at the start went
back to the line and then joined in the race making it up to sixth by the end
of the first lap.
Another Pico – with a red sail – and unkown helm (he failed
to sign on) was in 7th place, Tim.C finally got upright long enough
to make eigth place with Alex.C last but having sailed the wrong course. Bill.W
took no part in this race having expended enough energy in the first race.
By
the end of lap two Ed.T was still out in front and the two Michaels lying
second ahead of Steve.D. Zoe.M had passed David.M but Darren and Louise had
been unable to catch up with anyone else whilst Tim.C had had another serious capsizing
session and leading him to abandon the race in the following lap.
Lap three saw Ed.T still out in front but the two Michaels had a swimming session with Steve.D still about two minutes behind them. Zoe.M also spent a goodly while with mast in the mud and she eventually went ashore. This put David.M up to 4th place with Darren and Louise just 20 seconds behind. Lap four saw Steve.D retire – the violent gusts were just too much like hard work.- leaving Ed.T ansd Michael.V in front and Darren and Louise pulling through to third ahead of David.M
Only Ed.T and the two Michaels completed the fifth and final lap. With the handicaps applied Ed.T was first, David..M second and the two Michaels were third.
Quentin Thorp and Simon Hudson in the safety boat never had a moments peace, chasing after overturned boats throughout both races but recovered all – with no reported damage to boats or crews. All but three boats suffered at least one capsize and some several dips.
Results:-
| Posn | Class | Sail No | Club | HelmName | CrewName | R1 | R2 | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Finn | 595 | Ed Thorburn | 2.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | ||||
| 2nd | Pico 2 | 2072 | David Murley | 3.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | ||||
| 3rd | Mirror | 69544 | Quentin Thorp | Jasper Thorp | 3.0 OOD | 3.0 OOD | 6.0 | |||
| 3rd | Simon Hudson | 3.0 OOD | 3.0 OOD | 6.0 | ||||||
| 3rd | Laser | 133416 | NSSC | Rupert Smith | 3.0 OOD | 3.0 OOD | 6.0 | |||
| 6th | RS 200 | 582 | NSSC | Micheal Veale | Mike Rosier | 4.0 | 3.0 | 7.0 | ||
| 7th | Laser Radial | 192842 | NSSC | Jonty Freeman | 1.0 | 10.0 DNF | 11.0 | |||
| 8th | Vago | 808 | NSSC | Darren Field | Louise Currell | 7.0 | 4.0 | 11.0 | ||
| 9th | Laser Radial | 16 | Tim Cox | 5.0 | 10.0 DNF | 15.0 | ||||
| 10th | Laser Radial | 64200 | Zoe McCaig | 6.0 | 10.0 DNF | 16.0 | ||||
| 11th | Laser | 133416 | NSSC | Bill Wates | 8.0 | 10.0 DNF | 18.0 | |||
| 12th | Topper | 3 | NSSC | Alex Cameron | 40.0 DNC | 10.0 DNS | 50.0 | |||
| 12th | Laser | 177577 | NSSC | Steve Duncan | 40.0 DNC | 10.0 DNF | 50.0 | |||
| 14th | Topper | 15 | NSSC | Jamie | 10.0 DNS | 40.0 DNC | 50.0 | |||
| 14th | Topper | 3 | NSSC | Bea Cameron | 10.0 DNF | 40.0 DNC | 50.0 |
Alan.S 1700
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