Streaker Ramblings – Freeman Iceberg Races 13 & 14 – 18.12.2016

The forecasts were nearly right, if anything too strong, as on arrival at Piddinghoe there was barely a whisper but what little there was came from the North, North East. The sky was fully overcast but it was bright with it and the sun was attempting to break through, although it has to be said it did not manage to fully show whilst the racing was on.

RO for the morning was Bill Giles and he eventually felt enough breeze to set a course for as shown below.

 

Only three Cadets signed on for the racing and as a result they joined in with the Seniors in the same start.

 

First away at the gun was Rupert Smith (Streaker) – except that he was a bit too keen and was over the line as the gun (Whistle) went and had to get back to the correct side. In the middle of the line it was Charlie Rigg (Topper) who was first (legally) away. At the shore end Laurence Venus (Streaker) made a clean start but at the pin end – where there was some ‘puff’- it was Alan Simmons (Streaker) who got the best start.

 

Ed Thorburn (Finn) swept through the fleet and was first to round the ‘windward’ mark just off the ‘Fisherman’s Bay’ only to generate a loud clunk as his boom hit it. Alan who was close behind heard the ‘collision’ and let Ed know of his error, which he quickly corrected by way of ‘turns’. Tiger Cox (Topper) was third to pass the mark with  Laurence fourth, having sailed the previous leg in the shadow of the bank. On the run across to the south east corner the breeze was even more fitful but Laurence charged up behind Alan and was less than a length behind at the mark.

 

 

He was unable to get past Alan on the ‘fetch/beat’ along the southern shore and finished the lap in third position. Rupert crossed fourth with Dave Murley (Laser Radial) fifth, Tiger sixth, Penelope Duncan (Laser Radial) seventh, Roan Brigg – in his new Topper – eighth, Natasha Stonestreet (Laser full rig) ninth. Richard Beal (Laser Radial) finished the lap in 10^th place followed by Charlie 11th and Alexander Danks (Peco S/H) in 12^th position.

Lap 2 had Ed maintaining the lead and Laurence catching (and passing) Alan, as both ran out of breeze at the south east mark and getting just clear ahead. He then romped away but was unable to close the gap (a minute and forty nine seconds) behind Ed. Fourth placed Rupert closed the gap behind Alan to 32 seconds. Behind these four Dave, Tiger, Penelope and Roan remained in the same relative positions. Richard went ahead of Natasha to lie 9^th with Charlie remaining 11^th as Alex retired.

Lap 3 and now nine boats were left racing, Charlie and Natasha having been finished at the end of lap 2. Ed still led and crossed the line 2 minutes and thirty seconds ahead of Laurence as third placed Alan (a minute behind) crossed the line still 32 seconds ahead of Rupert.  Dave was next at fifth with Tiger behind him and Roan overtaking Penelope with Richard coming home 9^th.

Lap 4 was contested by only five boats with Ed crossing the line three minutes and forty nine seconds ahead of Laurence. Alan had closed the gap on Laurence reducing the deficit to seventeen seconds at the finish with Rupert having closed in on him. Dave was the last boat to finish in fifth place.

With the handicaps applied Ed was the winner, with Tiger and Laurence taking joint second place and Alan fourth.

Seniors R13

 

Class	H Cap	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	Elapsed	BCE	Points
Finn	1042	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		33.50	0.00.00	1.0
Streaker	1137	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		37.39	0.00.44	2.5
Topper	1341	41129	NSSC	Tiger Cox		33.18	0.00.39	2.5
Solution	1090	398	NSSC	Bill Giles		OOD		3.0
Streaker	1137	1700	Lancing S C	Alan Simmons		37.56	0.01.01	4.0
Streaker	1137	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		38.08	0.01.13	5.0
Topper 'c'	1341	58082	NSSC	Roan Briggs		33.58	0.01.19	6.0
Laser Radial	1136	142208	NSSC	David Murley		38.55	0.02.02	7.0
Laser Radial	1136	81	NSSC	Penelope Duncan		34.43	0.07.03	8.0
Laser Radial	1136	43382	NSSC	Richard Beal		37.50	0.10.10	9.0
Topper 'c'	1341	27531	NSSC	Charlie Rigg		33.55	0.12.09	10.0
Laser	1095	52386/138193	NSSC	Natasha Stonestreet		29.32	0.11.45	11.0
Pico 'c'	1347	Peril	NSSC	Alexander Danks		DNF		13.0

 

The second race of the day, programmed race 14, was sailed over the same course, with just a tickle more breeze, at least there were no more dead calm areas on the surface of the pond. Alexander did not take part in this race thus eleven boats came to the line for the start.

 

At the gun the three Streakers were equally along the line with Laurence at the shore end, Rupert to his lee and Alan below him. Sandwiched, between Rupert and Alan, was Penelope but still going towards the shore as the gun went. Ed was next away at the Pin end below Alan.

 

First to round the ‘windward’ mark was Ed with Laurence next, Alan third and Rupert not far astern of Alan with Dave fifth. This order was maintained to the line until the end of the first lap. Behind Dave came Penelope in sixth place, Richard seventh, Roan eighth, Tiger ninth, Charlie 10^th and Natasha eleventh.

Lap 2 saw Ed pull away from Laurence to lead by 40 seconds as Laurence pulled away from Alan and Rupert closed in behind him. Behind this leading group there were no place changes but Natasha was finished at the end of the lap.

 

Lap 3 Ed increased his lead by 9 seconds ahead of Laurence as Rupert overtook Alan on the run from the Fisherman’s Bay mark to that in the south east corner crossing the line 9 seconds ahead. Dave, Penelope and Richard maintained their positions as in lap 2 as Charlie climbed up ahead of Tiger and Roan dropped back to last, 10^th place. Apart from the first five boats the second five were finished at the end of this lap.

 

Lap 4 Ed continued to pull away from Laurence, crossing the finish line two minutes and thirty six seconds ahead. Rupert was third to finish some two minutes forty nine seconds behind Laurence and the same distance ahead of Alan with Dave unable to make any impression on those ahead of him.

With the Handicaps applied it was Laurence who was the winner with Ed second, Rupert third and Alan fourth.

Seniors R14

 

Class	H Cap	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	Elapsed	BCE	Points
Streaker	1137	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		42.22	0.00.00	1.0
Finn	1042	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		39.46	0.00.56	2.0
Streaker	1137	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		45.11	0.02.49	3.0
Solution	1090	398	NSSC	Bill Giles		OOD		3.0
Streaker	1137	1700	Lancing S C	Alan Simmons		47.07	0.04.45	4.0
Topper 'c'	1341	27531	NSSC	Charlie Rigg		42.17	0.04.48	5.0
Topper	1341	41129	NSSC	Tiger Cox		43.36	0.06.07	6.0
Topper 'c'	1341	58082	NSSC	Roan Briggs		48.23	0.10.54	7.0
Laser Radial	1136	142208	NSSC	David Murley		54.46	0.12.26	8.0
Laser Radial	1136	81	NSSC	Penelope Duncan		41.32	0.09.47	9.0
Laser Radial	1136	43382	NSSC	Richard Beal		43.09	0.11.24	10.0
Laser	1095	52386/138193	NSSC	Natasha Stonestreet		38.41	0.28.29	11.0

 

The Cadets having started with the Seniors in race 13  do not get their own separate report and since only two competed in the second race of the day (again starting with the seniors) the do qualify for  a (Cadet) result  for race 14.

 Cadets R13

 

Class	H'cap	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	Elapsed	BCE	Points
Topper 'c'	1341	14/7/10	NSSC	Roan Briggs		33.58	0.00.00	1.0
Topper 'c'	1341	27531	NSSC	Charlie Riggs		33.55	0.11.16	2.0
Peco 'c'	1347	Yellow S/H	NSSC	Alexander Danks		DNF		4.0

As noted above, even the forecast breeze failed to show up and what little puff that did appear made the conditions very difficult to cope with. Everyone did manage to complete at least one lap but even when the direction swung further east in the second race there was not much of a windward leg to promote place changes. The ‘long range’ forecast for Boxing Day does not offer a great deal more breeze but the situation may change – Christmas day is altogether different.

Alan.S 1700

To all who read this blog Bett and I wish you a very happy Christmas and a Happy New Year.