Streaker Ramblings - Elford Numbum - Races 1 & 2 - 04/01/2015

Cold, Grey overcast skies and virtually no breeze as we headed off from Hove to Piddinghoe for the initial races of the Elford NumBum Series. On arrival at the pond there were murmerings of a breeze from the north west, sufficient for Adam (and other helpers) to set the course  below :-

Penelope Duncan and Mike Godwin crewing the safety boat were not overly stretched today being required only to adjust positions of the marks.

Eleven Boats took to the water, even Stuart Ford (wearing shorts despite the low temperature) in a Mirror Dinghy. The line close to the clubhouse was just about long enough for the fleet which by and large headed towards the shore with Bill Giles (Solution) closest in and just to windward of Laurence Venus (Streaker)

At the gun Rupert Smith and Chris Turner (Vago) were first to tack away onto port with Darren Field and Louise Currell (RS 200) next away. Alan Simmons (Aero 7) found a slot just by the pin and quickly also tacked off on port, having seen the lack of breeze nearer to the shore. At the Fisherman’s bay mark Alan was in front of the fleet, having found that little extra breeze mid pond, and coming in on Starboard. As he finally crossed the line to start Laurence had just four boats behind but he quickly began to build up speed. Once around the fisherman’s bay mark he held up on the port side of the leg to gain clear air and and round the mark in the middle of the pond passing Rupert, Bill Wates (Laser full rig) and Bill.G to lie 3^rd with Darren a few lengths ahead. By the end of the lap, after another windward leg to the mark. A broad reach behind the Island and another, close reach up the south side the lap conclude with Alan first across the line, then Darren 28 second behind and  Laurence just 10 seconds behind him. In fifth place Rupert was 20 seconds in front of Bill.G with Michael sixth, David Murley (Laser Radial) seventh, Bill Wates (Laser full rig) eigth, Graham Hardy ninth, Chas Humphries tenth and Stuart 11^th.

Lap two saw Alan still out in front but with Laurence steadily gaining and passing Darren on the way. Rupert held on in fourth with Bill.G behind him but still ahead of Michael. Graham pulled back two places passing Bill.W and David but Chas and Stuart remained in tenth and eleventh positions. Stuart’s race finished this time round - as the middle of the fleet were finishing their third lap.

Lap 3 (the final lap) saw Laurence continuing to make up distance on Alan in the slightly stronger breeze (possibly as much as force 2) and on the final close reach, in the final leg, passed him to cross the line 14 seconds ahead. Darren was third home some 34 seconds later and Rupert was next some two minutes later.

With the handicaps applied Laurence was the outright winner with Alan second and Darren third whilst Bill.G took fourth place.

 

Race 2 commenced at 12.05, with blue skies and the sun out, as Laurence was  first away at  the shore end of the line but in relatively clear air. Rupert tacked away onto port close by the pin end, again into better breeze, with Graham, mid line, covering Darren. David, nearer the shore, was covering Michael. Alan well back and near the pin but once on port had the whole of the rest of the fleet to windward and he in its shadow. Almost in desperation he tacked back and through the tail-enders who were still on port tack. It was Rupert who rounded the Fisherman’s Bay mark in the lead and set his Gennaker but Laurence was not far behind and passed him on the next windward leg to the mark in the middle of the east side. Alan had also climbed up the fleet a bit and also passed Rupert and Bill.G on that leg, only to hit the mark and do turns. That left him lying fourth and unable to make much headway up the final reach. Laurence meanwhile galloped out in front to be 50 seconds ahead of Rupert at the finish of the lap. Bill.G was third across and Alan fourth. Graham held sixth ahead of Michael, then Darren. Bill.W was lying 8^th  followed by David, then Chas and lastly Stuart – who again finished at the end of this lap (and just ahead of the 4^th placed boat completing lap 3)

Lap 2 and Laurence was still making the running at the front but Graham had moved up from 5^th to lie second having passed Rupert, Bill.G and Alan on the way. Bill.W also headed up the field climbing from 8^th to 6^th ahead of both Michael and Darren. David, Chas and Stuart remained in unchanged relative positons.

Lap 3 saw Alan and Rupert both passed Graham to lie 2^nd and 3rd respectively, whilst Laurence continued to romp ahead. He finished a minute and a half ahead of Alan. Graham finished 4^th ahead of Bill.G.

With the handicaps worked out the winner was of course Laurence, Alan held on to second place with Graham third, Rupert 4^th and Bill.G 5^th.

By the time of the start of the second race it was a beautiful day, though not exactly warm and the breeze was very light. The RS 200s and the Vago all used their Gennakers on the offwind legs but really to little avail as they were rarely full enough to provide any forward propulsion. At least it was a day to concentrate on Tactics and boat/sail control rather than survival/staying upright as per last week.

Results:-

R1

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

Rank	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY No	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	Mistyblue	Streaker	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		1146	33.05	0.00.00	1.0
2		Aero 7	1150	Lancing SC	Alan Simmons		1065	33.19	0.02.34	2.0
3		RS 200	285	NSSC	Darren Field	Louise Cullen	1051	33.53	0.03.33	3.0
4		Solution	398	NSSC	Bill Giles		1080	36.18	0.05.07	4.0
5		Vago	808	NSSC	Rupert Smith	Chris Turner	1064	35.59	0.05.16	5.0
6		Laser	163443	NSSC	Graham Hardy		1088	37.21	0.05.56	6.0
7		Laser Radial	142208	NSSC	David Murley		1122	38.49	0.06.26	7.0
8	Hot Toddy	RS 200	582	NSSC	Micheal Veale	Mike Rosier	1051	37.01	0.06.41	8.0
9		Laser	133416	NSSC	Bill Wates		1088	38.37	0.07.12	9.0
10	Gay Amigo Won	Laser	138193	NSSC	Chas Humphries		1088	41.45	0.10.20	10.0
11		Mirror	5	NSSC	Stuart Ford		1385	38.24	0.11.45	11.0

R2

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

Rank	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY No	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	Mistyblue	Streaker	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		1146	29.30	0.00.00	1.0
2		Aero 7	1150	Lancing SC	Alan Simmons		1065	31.00	0.03.35	2.0
3		Laser	163443	NSSC	Graham Hardy		1088	32.50	0.04.50	3.0
4		Vago	808	NSSC	Rupert Smith	Chris Turner	1064	32.27	0.05.04	4.0
5		Solution	398	NSSC	Bill Giles		1080	32.59	0.05.11	5.0
6		Laser Radial	142208	NSSC	David Murley		1122	35.51	0.06.58	6.0
7		RS 200	285	NSSC	Darren Field	Louise Cullen	1051	33.36	0.06.33	7.0
8		Laser	133416	NSSC	Bill Wates		1088	35.04	0.07.04	8.0
9	Gay Amigo Won	Laser	138193	NSSC	Chas Humphries		1088	35.22	0.07.22	9.0
10	Hot Toddy	RS 200	582	NSSC	Micheal Veale	Mike Rosier	1051	34.25	0.07.22	10.0
11		Mirror	5	NSSC	Stuart Ford		1385	32.47	0.09.01	11.0

 

Alan.S 1700