Streaker Ramblings – Freeman Iceberg – races 13 & 14 – 13th Dec 2015

Grey and overcast, with the sun almost breaking through the clouds and just a hint of breeze as we journeyed over to Piddinghoe. With a forecast of wind from the south west at a maximum of 9 knots, this was barely noticeable on arrival at the pond and it did not look as though there would be many takers. As it happened the breeze did begin to fill in, to a force 1, from slightly more to the west than predicted and altogether some 17 boats, 8 of them cadets, took to the water for the first race.

A visitors was spotted just off the Clubhouse, believed to be a Little Grebe (or Dabchick) in winter plumage.

With the scheduled RO reporting in ‘sick’ and unable to attend a new RO had to be found. Fortunately Rupert Smith stepped into the breech with Carissa Wood standing in as ARO and Bill Wates operating the Safety boat.

Rupert set a course with the start well along the south side of the pond and a ‘crisp’ windward leg up to the mark just off the clubhouse, thence to the Fishermans’s Bay area. Thereafter there was another beat back to a mark in the centre of the pond followed by a run towards the middle of the east shore. From there, there was a close fetch to the south eastern corner behind the Island, and then a final beat up the southern shore.

Five minutes after the cadet/novices start, which had encompassed James Cuxson (Laser Radial), Natasha Stonestreet, Toby Wride, Will Trutt and Charlie Rig all in Toppers plus Bea West and Thomas Back both in Oppies, the main fleet was away.

Laurence Venus (Streaker) was a bit premature and was called back whilst Jo West (Laser Radial – rather than her full rig) took the berth close to the shore with Louise Currell (Byte CII) a bit further offshore and Andy Richlinski (Laser full rig) a little behind. Laurence having re-crossed the line was, effectively, in fourth place as Michael Veale and Mike Rosier (RS 200) was well down by the pin end. .A bit further back from the line but further to windward Alan Simmons (Streaker) managed to turn the clubhouse mark lying fifth. By the end of the ensuing run Jo.W turned the Fisherman’s bay mark leading Laurence and then Andy. By the end of the lap Laurence was in the lead by half a minute from Jo.W with Alan third 15 seconds behind and Andy 10 seconds behind him. In fifth place was Michael  with Louise behind and Zoe McCaig (Laser Radial) seventh. Behind her Carolyn Turner (Laser Radial) led Jazz Sayed (Topper), Jamie Smith (Laser 4.7) and Penelope Duncan (Laser Radial)

Lap 2 and Andy .R passed the previous lap’s leading three to be front runner just four seconds ahead of Laurence and Alan had  moved up to third place and Michael had moved into fourth. Jo dropped back to fifth  whilst Louise,,Zoe and Carolyn stayed as in lap 1. Penelope went up to ninth ahead of Jamie as Jazz dropped back to 13^th.

Lap 3. Laurence regained the lead from Andy crossing the line just three seconds in front. Alan maintained his third place but now almost a minute behind and with Michael not far astern of him. With Jo.W  leading the rest of the fleet from 5^th place and the rest in the same order.

Lap 4, the last lap of the race and, crossing the finish line, Laurence was 17 seconds ahead of Andy with Alan having made no impression on the pair ahead of him but a few more second in front of Michael. Behind him Zoe crossed in 4^th place having passed both Jo.W and Louise. Carolyn finished in 8^th place ahead of Jamie who had eventually passed Penelope whilst jazz had been finished after three laps. With the Handicaps applied Laurence was the winner with Alan second, Andy.R third and Charlie Rigg fourth.

 R13

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Finish	Elapsed	Laps	Corrected	BCE	Points
STREAKER	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		1138		31.54	4	0.35.02	0.00.00	1.0
STREAKER	1700	Lancing SC	Alan Simmons		1138		33.09	4	0.36.25	0.01.15	2.0
STREAKER	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1138		OOD				3.0
LASER	133416(26)	NSSC	Bill Wates		1091		OOD				3.0
LASER	1		Andy Richlinski		1091		32.11	4	0.36.52	0.01.36	3.0
TOPPER	27531	NSSC	Charlie Rigg (c)		1340		41.29	4	0.38.42	0.03.55	4.0
LASER RADIAL	64200	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1135		35.37	4	0.39.14	0.03.48	5.0
TOPPER	11/44954	NSSC	Jazz Sayed (c)		1340		31.34	3	0.39.16	0.03.24	6.0
BYTE CII	2941	SHOREHAM	Louise Currell		1150		36.17	4	0.39.26	0.04.03	7.0
LASER RADIAL	179808	NSSC	James Cuxson (c)		1135		44.54	5	0.39.34	0.05.08	8.5
LASER RADIAL	122345	NSSC	Jo West		1135		35.56	4	0.39.34	0.04.07	8.5
RS 200	582	NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1047		34.00	4	0.40.36	0.04.39	10.0
LASER 4.7	2063	NSSC	Jamie Smith (c)		1195		39.22	4	0.41.11	0.05.52	11.0
LASER RADIAL	158365/83663	NSSC	Carolyn Turner		1135		38.48	4	0.42.44	0.06.59	12.0
LASER RADIAL	81	NSSC	Penelope Duncan		1135		39.32	4	0.43.32	0.07.43	13.0
OPPIE	2387	NSSC	Bea West (c)		1665		30.21	2	0.45.34	0.07.01	14.0
TOPPER	No No/17566/37585	NSSC	Natasha Stonestreet (c)		1340		36.47	3	0.45.45	0.08.37	15.0
TOPPER	15693	NSSC	Toby Wride (c)		1340		49.10	4	0.45.52	0.11.36	16.0
TOPPER	3/28290	NSSC	Will Strutt (c)		1340		44.18	3	0.55.06	0.16.08	17.0
OPPIE	3938	NSSC	Thomas Beck		1665		49.18	2	1.14.01	0.25.58	18.0

 

After short break, and a general wind shift to the north, Rupert (RO) decided to send the fleet(s) the opposite way around the course with the start from a fishing jetty to the east of the clubhouse.

At the start of race 14, Laurence was definitely first away in clear air with Jo.W next across the line closely followed by Zoe. Jazz should have been next but ended up in irons after a close encounter with Alan. By the time he had tacked back to the correct side of the line and then rounded the clubhouse mark there were eight boats ahead of him. Andy.R was even further back going down the reach towards the mark in the south east corner. Michael used his Gennaker down that leg and by the mark was up to second place.

By the end of the lap Laurence was 25 seconds ahead of Michael. Alan also pulled back several places, to lie equal third with Zoe at the end of the lap with Andy.R just 17 seconds astern of them. Jo.W dropped back to cross the line in sixth position with James (in the adult race this time) seventh, Penelope eight, Caroyln ninth, Louise 10^th, Jamie eleventh, Jazz in twelfth and Andy Beck (sailing a National 12 with son Thomas) in last place.

Lap 2  saw Michael close the gap on Laurence to cross the line just five seconds astern as Alan moved up to third place another 32 seconds behind. Andy.R was in 4^th place some 44 seconds astern of Alan and with Jo.W a further minute behind.  Zoe dropped back to sixth place and Louise gained three places to lie seventh. James was down a place to lie eigth and Penelope was still ahead of Carolyn. Jamie was next with Andy.B now ahead of Jazz.

Lap 3. Laurence still retained his lead from Michael with the latter still 5 seconds ahead at the line. Alan had closed the gap during the lap to be just 8 seconds behind Michael and closing fast. Andy.R was still 4^th but falling back a little. Jo.W, in fifth position led an unchanged remainder of the fleet, with the exception of Jazz by now back in front of And.B and Carolyn who had ‘got lost’ (her term) on the course and had retired ashore.

Lap 4. Alan was now 22 seconds behind the leader Laurence having passed Michael leaving him 38 seconds astern in third place. Andy.R was still fourth another minute behind, followed by Jo.W, Zoe and Louise. James and Penelope crossed the line simultaneously in front of Jazz (in 10^th) place having just overtaken Jamie and with Andy.B last man home in twelfth place.

Lap 5, the final lap, Laurence crossed the line in first  place ahead of Alan who try as he may could only close the gap to 19 seconds at the line. Michael was third home 45 seconds later with Andy.R a further 53 seconds behind him. Net home was Jo.W with Zoe, Louise James and lastly Penelope in ninth position.

After applying the handicaps the order was Laurence first, Alan Second,  Andy.R third and Jazz fourth, much the same as the previous race with Toppers taking fourth place  in each race.

R14

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Finish	Elapsed	Laps	Corrected	BCE	Points
STREAKER	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		1138		42.54	5	0.37.42	0.00.00	1.0
STREAKER	1700	Lancing SC	Alan Simmons		1138		43.35	5	0.38.18	0.00.41	2.0
STREAKER	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1138		OOD				3.0
LASER	133416(26)	NSSC	Bill Wates		1091		OOD				3.0
LASER	1		Andy Richlinski		1091		44.34	5	0.40.51	0.03.26	3.0
TOPPER	11/44954	NSSC	Jazz Sayed (c)		1340		43.55	4	0.40.58	0.03.30	4.0
RS 200	582	NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1047		43.41	5	0.41.43	0.04.13	5.0
LASER RADIAL	122345	NSSC	Jo West		1135		47.34	5	0.41.55	0.04.47	6.0
BYTE CII	2941	SHOREHAM	Louise Currell		1150		49.30	5	0.43.03	0.06.09	7.0
LASER RADIAL	64200	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1135		49.07	5	0.43.16	0.06.20	8.0
LASER RADIAL	179808	NSSC	James Cuxson (c)		1135		49.35	5	0.43.41	0.06.48	9.0
LASER RADIAL	81	NSSC	Penelope Duncan		1135		49.52	5	0.43.56	0.07.05	10.0
TOPPER	27531	NSSC	Charlie Rigg (c)		1340		47.20	4	0.44.09	0.06.55	11.0
TOPPER	No No/17566/37585	NSSC	Natasha Stonestreet (c)		1340		49.13	4	0.45.55	0.08.48	12.0
LASER 4.7	2063	NSSC	Jamie Smith (c)		1195		44.12	4	0.46.14	0.08.10	13.0
TOPPER	15693	NSSC	Toby Wride (c)		1340		50.45	4	0.47.20	0.10.20	14.0
NATIONAL 12	3210	NSSC	Andy Beck	Thomas Beck	1064		45.03	4	0.52.56	0.12.58	15.0
OPPIE	2387	NSSC	Bea West (c)		1665		42.26	2	1.03.43	0.17.20	16.0
LASER RADIAL	158365/83663	NSSC	Carolyn Turner		1135		DNF				18.0

 

A very pleasant day for sailing, not a lot of wind, no sun, no rain but quite warm and courses with some good windward legs – to sort the wheat from the chaff. 

There is now only one more Sunday before Xmas and thus I wish all my readers a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Good sailing in 2016.

Alan.S 1700