Streaker Ramblings - Freeman Iceberg races 13 & 14 - 15.12.2013

Grey and overcast, a slight breeze from the south west as we left Hove. The forecast, depending upon which one you read, was for the wind to increase up towards force six. On arrival at the pond the wind was a good force tree to four, still from the south west.

Rupert Smith, RO for the day, set a course starting from the committee boat moored mid pond with a beat up to the mark just off the clubhouse in the south west corner. This was followed by a broad reach down the south side to a mark in the south east corner with a gybe onto a leg to the east if the Island and up to the Fisherman's Bay. Another gybe and a short close reach led to a mark in the middle of the east side of the water followed by a beat back to the clubhouse mark. It was a roughly  ‘figure of eight’ course which saw reaching boats cross those going to windward.
In spite of the forecast some eighteen boats ventured afloat and the start of race 13 saw most of the fleet heading for the port end of the line, on starboard tack. At the pin it was Chris Turner (Byte CII) first across and to windward of Steve Duncan (Laser full rig) just to windward with Jazz  Sayed (Laser 4.7) just below him. Laurence Venus (Streaker) was over the line at the pin and had to tack round behind the then crossing fleet. Alan Simmons (Streaker) was in about mid line but with clear air and even nearer the committee boat Matt Springall (Laser full rig) also had plenty of room and clean air.

First to the mark off the clubhouse was Matt followed by Tim Cox (Laser Radial) – who had started at the committee boat end and benefitted from some favourable shifts in that first leg. Next to round were Michael Veale and Mike Rosier (RS200) and then Alan. On his first tack after crossing the start line Terry Jones (Laser full rig) had his first swim of the day. The reach down the south side was subject to quite a few heavy gust – top end four – allowing Tim to pass the RS200 which was a bit overpowered with its Gennaker up. After the gybe it was almost a run until out of the shadow of the Island when the gust came fast and furious but with huge lulls too. Darren Filed and Louise Currell (Vago) were reefed down but still flying their gennaker on the reaching legs.

By the end of the first lap the order was Matt in first postion then Tim, Alan, Michael.V, Steve, Laurence and Chris .Bill Giles (Solo) was in 8^th place followed by Bill Wates (Laser full rig), Darren, Jazz, John Smith (Laser full rig), Chas Humphries (Laser full rig), Terry, Dave Murley (Pico), Bea Cameron (Topper), Josh Smith (Topper) and lastly Carolyn Turner (Pico).

In the second lap the order of the leading pack, of seven, remained unchanged but Bill Wates passed Bill Giles and Jazz passed Darren. Terry, having recovered from his dip, edged past Chas and into 13^th on the water. The order of the group of slow handicap boats remained unchanged.

In lap3 Matt stayed out in front with Tim chasing and Steve and the RS200 passed Alan dropping him to 5^th with Laurence gradually closing the gap between the Streakers. Jazz pulled up one place passing Bill.W. Bill.G lost two places and Chas gained two with no more adjustment at the back.
Lap 4 saw Steve pass Tim to lie second behind Matt whilst Jazz took another scalp to go 8^th behind Chris. Terry, due to a swim, dropped back two to 15^th with John and Dave passing him.
There were no place changes in lap 5 for the first ten boats whilst Bill.G dropped four places, probably swimming, whilst John, Dave and Terry each gained one place.
Lap 6 saw the RS200 pass Tim to go 3^rd with Alan just seven seconds behind and Laurence a further ten seconds adrift. Terry lost out to  Bill.G dropping to 15^th.
The final lap saw no places changes in the leading four boats but Alan just managed to overcome a late challenge from Laurence by catching a gust and breaking an overlap close to the gybe mark at the Fisherman's bay, holding him off on the ensuing reach and on the final beat . With the handicaps applied the finishing order was 1^st. Matt, 2^nd, Alan, 3rd.Steve, 4^th Laurence and 5^th. Jazz.
It was a very close call as there were just eight seconds between 1^st and 4^th places on corrected time.  

Race 14, starting at 12.00 hrs, was to be held over the same course. This time the RO went afloat single handed, rowing out to his anchor point whilst the ARO decided to stay ashore and out of the rain which was by then falling fairly hard. Sailors Chris, Laurence, Bill.G and Carolyn had decided not to take part.

In this race it was Michael,V who won the start with Jazz just below him and Steve a touch behind, Matt was not on the front line and shielded by Terry, himself below Steve. This time it was Chas who was the first casualty with a capsize just after crossing the start line. At the windward mark Michael was leading from Jazz with Steve in third place. Next came Darren and then Alan, who had crossed the line at the committee boat end. An early casualty of the first reach, where the gusts were now really zapping across, was Bea in her Topper but it was a dry capsize. Michael held the lead along the second reach behind the Island but came a cropper on the gybe at the Fisherman’s Bay allowing Steve to get in front. Alan had passed Darren and was hard behind Jazz who headed up at the gybe.

This action left Alan to round inside,  just avoiding Michael – still half over.- and was setting off towards the east bank mark when Jazz, having gybed and at full throttle, rammed into him causing him to capsize. Whilst trying to get his boat upright Tim gybed, almost out of control, and rammed him for a second time and putting a hole in his transom. Finally he got the boat upright but could not get back on board, the usual problem of the projecting buoyancy aid in the way. The safety boat had arrived and Alan requested a push to help him back on board but before they could move he realised he was standing on top of one of the old reed Islands and was able to launch himself back on board and then try to catch up with the fleet who had all passed him.

By the end of Lap 1 Steve was leading from Michael with Matt lying third and Tim fourth. After them came Darren, then Jazz (having done her turns) Terry, John, Bill.W, Dave, Alan, Chas, Bea and Josh.

By the end of lap 2 Steve was still in front but Matt had passed the RS200 as had Tim. Darren was lying 5^th followed by Jazz, Terry, Bill.W, Dave, Alan, Chas and Bea  - Josh having retired.
Lap 3 saw Matt closing on Steve but not managing to pass whilst Michael overtook Tim. Darren had a spill and thus dropped back from 5^th to 7^th allowing Jazz and Terry to gain two places each. Alan pulled up two places to 9^th   whilst Dave dropped to 11^th. John also had a spill  as did Bill in spectacular style and whilst righting the boat was 'seen' to 'disappear' altogether.
In Lap 4 Matt ovetook Steve to lead the fleet and Alan gained another place whilst Bill.W was taking more swimming lessons and fell from 6^th to 11^th.
The final and 5^th lap saw Matt still out in front of Steve and pulling further ahead whilst Tim dropped back behind Michael by half aminute and Jazz lost a little to Tim with Alan gaining a trifle .Terry came in in 8^th position a minute and a half ahead of Dave.
If you thought the first race positions were close once the handicaps were applied Dave Murley ,in his Pico, finished equal first with Matt with Steve in third - just 11 seconds adrift from these two.
The forecast ‘gale force wind’ did not appear although the gusts were of the order of high force five by the end of the second race. Most of the competitors, even those who had capsized (some more than once), came ashore with smiles all over their faces.

Results:-

R13

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

Posn	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	Laser	85296	NSSC	Matt Sprigall		37.29	0.00.00	1.0
2	Streaker	1700	Lancing SC	Alan Simmons		39/39	0/00/04	2.0
3	Laser Radial	7757	NSSC	Rupert Smith		OOD		3.0
3	Laser	203084	NSSC	Steve Duncan		37.35	0.00.06	3.0
3	Otter	981	NSSC	Colin Cryer		OOD		3.0
3			NSSC	Charlie Gribble		OOD		3.0
3			NSSC	Penelope Duncan		OOD		3.0
8	Streaker	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		39.44	0.00.09	4.0
9	Laser 4.7	206330	NSSC	Jazz Sayed		41.38	0.00.57	5.0
10	Laser Radial	16	NSSC	Tim Cox		39.26	0.00.55	6.0
11	Pico 2	2072	NSSC	David Murley		40.53	0.01.31	7.0
12	Byte C11	2941	NSSC	Chris Turner		41.07	0.01.36	8.0
13	RS 200	582	NSSC	Micheal Veale	Mike Rosier	38.57	0.02.38	9.0
14	Laser	133416	NSSC	Bill Wates		42.26	0.04.57	10.0
15	Vago	808	NSSC	Darren Field	Louise Currell	37.25	0.05.58	11.0
16	Laser	175741	NSSC	Chas Humphries		39.02	0.06.54	12.0
17	Topper	11	NSSC	Bea Cameron		39.21	0.07.01	13.0
18	Laser	177611	NSSC	John Smith		39.24	0.07.16	14.0
19	Solo	3754	NSSC	Bill Giles		42.03	0.08.07	15.0
20	Topper	4	NSSC	Josh Smith		41.12	0.08.52	16.0
21	Laser	30678	NSSC	Terry Jones		42.33	0.10.25	17.0

R14

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

Posn	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	Pico 2	2072	NSSC	David Murley		33.03	0.00.00	1.5
1	Laser	85296	NSSC	Matt Sprigall		26.59	0.00.01	1.5
3	Laser Radial	7757	NSSC	Rupert Smith		OOD		3.0
3	Laser	203084	NSSC	Steve Duncan		27.11	0.00.13	3.0
5	Laser 4.7	206330	NSSC	Jazz Sayed		29.41	0.00.24	4.0
6	Laser Radial	16	NSSC	Tim Cox		29.25	0.01.42	5.0
7	Streaker	1700	Lancing SC	Alan Simmons		30.34	0.02.05	6.0
8	RS 200	582	NSSC	Micheal Veale	Mike Rosier	28.52	0.02.44	7.0
9	Vago	808	NSSC	Darren Field	Louise Currell	30.31	0.04.07	8.0
10	Laser	30678	NSSC	Terry Jones		31.25	0.04.27	9.0
11	Laser	177611	NSSC	John Smith		27.23	0.05.48	10.0
12	Topper	11	NSSC	Bea Cameron		33.14	0.07.10	11.0
13	Laser	133416	NSSC	Bill Wates		28.05	0.06.30	12.0
14	Laser	175741	NSSC	Chas Humphries		28.15	0.06.40	13.0

Alan.S 1700