Streaker Ramblings - Newhaven & Seaford SC - 19/07/2014

We left home at 09.00 for the short drive – about 30 minutes – to Newhaven and Seaford SC, having taken the boat over on Thursday and having taken Coffee at ‘The Shore Break’, the club franchised Café in the clubhouse during weekdays. The café staff also cater for the sailors over Sundays and for Open Meetings..

The sky was blue and virtually cloudless and just a gentle breeze was blowing from Seaford town at the east of the club. The programme was for three races, originally one in the morning and two back to back in the afternoon although this was changed to two B to B in the morning at the race briefing .
The RO set a course consisting of a trapezoid but  with a loop on the shore side of the course, starting from  a  two sailed motor sailor, acting as the committee boat. The wind was somewhat shifty and a postponement was called for it to settle and the marks to be more accurately laid.

At 11.10, and  the gun for race 1, it was Mike Hobin (West Oxfordshire) who was first away with Ian Bradley (Ouse ASC) just below him and  Graham Butler below Ian and at the pin end of the line. Nick Carter (Burghfield) was well on the wrong side of the line and eventually crossed correctly but well back. At the first windward mark Mike was just ahead of Graham but after the first reach and long run back towards the harbour Graham took the lead. Unfortunately he headed off on the second reach whilst everyone else started on the second beat. In the following pack Ian was lying second but being hard pressed by Laurence Venus (NSSC) with Alan Simmons (Lancing ) lying 5^th , Gary Hogan (Emberton Park) 6^th and Nick 7^th.

In lap 2 Graham regained his lead ahead of Mike and Laurence passed Ian to hold third, Alan , Gary and Nick remained in the same positions to the finish of the race.
Race 2 was started shortly after the first race had finished and the course, and start line, had been adjusted to suit the fickle wind strength and direction. This time it was Ian who was soon in the lead followed by Graham and then Mike. Next up was Laurence, then Alan, Gary and lastly Nick. Graham made no mistake and  headed the correct way up the second beat.By the end of lap 1 Ian was firmly in front followed by Graham then Mike. In the second lap the wind had dropped to almost nothing and at the first Windward mark, although Ian managed to creep round, Mike, Graham, Laurence and Alan all bunched up and really struggled to make the mark. Laurence ‘drifted’ into second place but caught the mark as the incoming tide pushed him into it. He rounded and then did his turns. The other three were still struggling. Alan looked as though he might pass the other two but whilst standing he suddenly overbalanced and tipped in leaving Mike and Graham to finally get round. At the finish it was Ian first, Laurence second and Graham third.

Race3, after lunch (cost included in entry fee) and a bit more course mark adjustment, started at 12.20, with Mike again in the lead but with Alan next across the line and to windward of him. Ian, had been closest to the pin end but a wee bit behind Mike and Alan. Laurence appeared to be  tucked in behind Alan but in fact was over the line and was called back. By the time he re-crossed he was at the back of the fleet but soon began to claw his way back. It was not a good start for Graham who was behind, but to windward of Gary with Nick at the back again. By the middle of the run back along the shore, Mike was in front but Graham had caught right up. By the end of the first lap the order was Graham, ahead of Mike with Laurence third, having quickly passed Nick, Gary and Alan, In the second and final lap Laurence moved in front of Mike after some nifty downwind sailing  leaving the rest of the order unchanged.

Overall the meeting was won by Graham with Laurence second and Ian third, clinching it from Mike on a tie break with a win in race two to count against mike’s 2^nd placing. Alan was 5^th, having been thus placed in all three races whilst Gary had four 6^th places and Nick, not sailing in the third race finished 7^th.

The weather was kind, mostly sunny although there was a shower and thunder and lightning threatened. The breeze was very light but its strength and direction meant that launching and beaching were ‘plain sailing’ even without a beach party.

Results :-

			Race 1	Race 2	Race3	Points	Position
Graham Butler	Frensham Pond	1760	1	-3	1	2	1
Laurence Venus	NSSC	1706	-3	2	2	4	2
Ian Bradley	Ouse ASC	1817	-4	1	4	5	3
Mike Hobin	West Oxfordshire	1814	2	-4	3	5	4
Alan Simmons	Lancing	1700	-5	5	5	10	5
Gary Hogan	Emberton Park	1757	-6	6	6	12	6
Nick Carter	Burghfield	1828	7	7	(DNC)	14	7

>