Patches
of blue sky among the dark cloud and a brisk breeze blowing from the south east
as we left for Piddinhoe. On arrival at the south end of the village the Pampus
Grass was barely moving but at the car park it was an altogether different
story. The forecast, at it lowest, was for 21 knots and gusts to 30 knots and it
was not far off that. Although I had brought my small (Wave) sail in the car it
was going to stay there and the boat was going to be out of bounds. Several
prospective sailors turned up and one by one decided not to sail. Michael Veale
and Mike Rosier (RS 200) were not in that group and rigged up, for at least a
blast around. They were however to be joined by three others – all cadets –
Jamie Smith (Laser 4.7), James Cuxson (Laser Radial) and Bill Hudson (Topper,
4.2 reduced rig).
The
RO for the day, Charles Humphries, assisted by Richard Beal set a course with
the start midway along the southern bank. The first leg was to be a beat up to
the South west corner, clubhouse mark, then down to the Fisherman’s bay area
before returning to a mark in the middle of the south side. Then there was to
be a run to a mark midway along the east shore after which it was along the
east side to the mark in the far south east corner and the final leg back up
the south side. Shortly before the start sequence commenced the wind shifted by
about 30 degrees. As a consequence the course direction was reversed – as shown
below.
At
the gun, all four boats by then being on the water – just – and both Jamie and
Bill having already capsized at least once, it was Michael first away, slightly
to windward of Bill.H. Jamie was next off, a boat or two behind and to windward
of James who was on port tack anyway and thus had to let Jamie round the
clubhouse mark ahead and set off down the south side on the long reach.
At the south east
mark it was James who took his first dip on the gybe as Jamie and Bill.H chased
away after Michael. On the fourth leg, back towards the Fisherman’s Bay mark there
were some extremely powerful gusts and Michael, with Gennaker hoisted, flew as
if a seaplane at take-off.
Behind
them James, having recovered, went by Jamie in similar fashion as Bill.H, some
way astern of these two almost took a dip on this leg. On the last leg both
Jamie and James suffered a near wipe-out when struck by a huge shift. James
made the best recovery although neither had fallen in. The finishing order was
Michael first some forty seven seconds ahead of James with Jamie a further ten
seconds astern and Bill.H last about a minute behind.
Lap 2 and Michael began to pull away from
James and he from Jamie. On the leg along the east side, behind the Island,
James nearly lost it again at the Gybe. Jamie was not so lucky and took a dip.
Up the following beat Jams was hard pressed again and had the end of his boom
in the water on more than one occasion. Jamie was struggling but it was Bill.H
who took another dip. On the final windward leg James had yet another capsize.
The order at the end of the lap was unchanged with Michael now one minute and
twenty seconds in front of James and Jamie another minute behind.
Lap 3
and at the end of the leg down the southern bank Michael ‘dropped it in’
on the gybe in the south east corner. On the way back, from the eastern mark,
Jamie went over again and was assisted by the safety boat, crewed by Johnathon
Vernon (Streaker) and Manuel Panzera. No sooner was he upright than he tipped
in again and having recovered he was to tip in yet again before crossing the line –
to finish.
Meanwhile Bill.H capsized close to the east
shore, he might even have gone into the reeds and so had the safety boat in
attendance. Having finally got the boat upright they towed him towards the
Fisherman’ Bay from where he sailed back to the pontoon, retiring having not
gone round the full course.
Lap 4 and only Michael and James sailed all
the legs with both staying upright. Michael crossed the line two minutes and
ten seconds ahead of James. With handicaps applied there was a well deserved win
for James, a second place for Michael and
third for Jamie.
Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place
Rank
|
Boat
|
Class
|
SailNo
|
Club
|
HelmName
|
CrewName
|
PY
|
Elapsed
|
BCE
|
Points
|
1
|
Donna
Lee
|
Laser
Radial
|
179808
|
NSSC
|
James
Cuxson (c)
|
1135
|
30.24
|
0.00.00
|
1.0
|
|
2
|
Hot
Toddy
|
RS 200
|
582
|
NSSC
|
Michael
Veale
|
Mike
Rosier
|
1047
|
28.14
|
0.00.11
|
2.0
|
3
|
Streaker
|
1832/1691
|
NSSC
|
Johnathon
Vernon
|
1138
|
OOD
|
3.0
|
|||
3
|
Laser
|
43382
|
NSSC
|
Richard
Beal
|
1091
|
OOD
|
3.0
|
|||
3
|
Laser
4.7
|
2063
|
NSSC
|
Jamie
Smith (c)
|
1195
|
29.56
|
0.05.56
|
3.0
|
||
3
|
Laser
|
138193
|
NSSC
|
Chas
Humphries
|
1091
|
OOD
|
3.0
|
|||
7
|
Topper
|
21137
|
NSSC
|
Bill
Hudson (c)
|
1340
|
DNF
|
5.0
|
|||
8
|
Misty
Blue
|
Streaker
|
1706
|
NSSC
|
Laurence
Venus
|
1138
|
DNC
|
7.0
|
||
8
|
Laser
Radial
|
83663
|
NSSC
|
Chris
Turner
|
1135
|
DNC
|
7.0
|
|||
8
|
Last
Bash
|
Streaker
|
1700
|
Lancing
|
Alan
Simmons
|
1138
|
DNC
|
7.0
|
||
8
|
Byte
CII
|
2941
|
Shoreham
|
Louise
Currell
|
1150
|
DNC
|
7.0
|
|||
8
|
Scoundrel
|
Streaker
|
1681
|
NSSC
|
Rupert
Smith
|
1138
|
DNC
|
7.0
|
||
8
|
Laser
Radial
|
122345
|
NSSC
|
Jo West
|
1135
|
DNC
|
7.0
|
|||
8
|
Laser
Radial
|
142208
|
NSSC
|
Dave
Murley
|
1135
|
DNC
|
7.0
|
|||
8
|
Laser
Radial
|
192842
|
NSSC
|
Jonty
Freeman
|
1135
|
DNC
|
7.0
|
|||
8
|
Laser
|
133416/26
|
NSSC
|
Bill
Wates
|
1091
|
DNC
|
7.0
|
|||
8
|
Laser
|
191067
|
Pevensey
Bay
|
Roger
McCall
|
1091
|
DNC
|
7.0
|
|||
8
|
Laser
Radial
|
81
|
NSSC
|
Penelope
Duncan
|
1135
|
DNC
|
7.0
|
|||
8
|
Sprint
15
|
1531
|
NSSC
|
Mike
Godwin
|
930
|
DNC
|
7.0
|
To cap the mornings entertainment off – for those
who had been shore based – Michael’s RS broke free from its mooring in front of
the clubhouse and he and Mike jumped into the pond to recover it before it
sailed off into the distance on its own.
Should you wish to see more photos, Bett took about 150 shots, Ian Johnson usually posts these on the NSSC Facebook page:-(https://www.facebook.com/NewhavenSeafordSailingClub/once) as soon as he receives the CD that I create. They are also shown in the NSSC clubhouse at Bishopstone.
The youngsters seemed to have had a ball and
had really been working hard. They were inclined to go for another race but the
RO felt that with only the one safety boat set up it would be wiser to cancel.
Alan.S 1700
For the full overall series results go to :-
No comments:
Post a Comment