Streaker Ramblings - Burghfield Streaker Open - 22.04.2017

Overcast with just a hint of sun and no breeze as we left Hove for Burghfield SC at Theale off the M4 near Reading. On the way there was a bit of drizzle in the air but it did not last long. This was a combined event with Solos, Comets and Streakers with the latter having a fleet of 15 boats. With a very light breeze the RO set a complex course with the start at the far end of the lake from the clubhouse – as shown below.

Having watched the Solo starts it was obvious that it paid to cross the line close to the pin end mark..It was Veronica Falat ( Waveney & Oulton Broad) who chose that position with Mark Langston (Beccles) just to leeward and Alex Reindorp (Chipstead) about third in line. The first leg in the light breeze did quite a bit of sorting out with Alex and Howard Frear (Sutton Bingham)  pulling through in the lead. Veronica tried to squeeze through a gap that was not there and struck James Davies (Redditch) causing him to capsize and requiring her to do a 720 degree turn.

In mid fleet there were a few battles going on with Rupert Smith (Newhaven & Seaford) leading a group just ahead of Doug Horner (Swanage) , Alan Simmons (Lancing) and  Mark Langston.

By the end of the race the Brenda Hoult (Hayling Island) had taken the lead with Howard Frear in second place, Alex Reindorp third, Veronica fourth and Duncan McDonald (Newhaven & Seaford) a canny fifth. Paul Grace (Chipstead) was 6th , Alan Simmons 7^th, Rupert Smith 8^th, Doug Horner 9^th, Mark Langston 10^th, James Davies 11^th, Chris Smith (Island Barn) 12^th, Chris Abella (West Oxford) 13^th, Peter Withrington (Burghfield) 14^th and Ken Hydon (Burghfield) 15^th.

 

 

Race two was sailed, Back to Back, over the same course and again the port hand end of the line was favoured with Alex Reindorp first away with Mark Langston a trifle behind but to windward Chris Abella third across the line and Brenda Hoult fourth. Starting nearer to the committee boat end Howard to weather of Alan and with Rupert further below him were stuffed when a boat above them would not head up.

It was Veronica Falat who rounded the windward mark in the lead and set off on the run back to mark 6 with Alex not far astern and Brenda a touch behind him. The Fickle breeze cause chaos with three Comets climbing through the mid fleet Streakers – having started 5 minutes later – and the front runners catching up with the Solo’s tail-enders.

 At the end of the race the order was Veronica 1^st, Howard 2^nd, Duncan 3^rd, Alex 4^th and Dough 5^th. Chris Abella did not finish this race and did not sail again after the lunch break.

After lunch the Committee boat was repositioned to suit the shift in the main direction of the breeze and the Z mark was also moved and the whole course changed as indicated below.

The Solos, starting first, had a general recall and had to go to the back of the queque. Yet again however  the port hand end was favoured although no one tried a port tack start and nearly all those at that end soon tacked onto Starboard for the first part of the windward leg to mark Z.

From the available photos it appears as though Brenda was first to start – except that she is recorded as DNC for race 3 - with Ken Hydon, well to leeward, next and Mark Livingston 3^rd away with Rupert Smith close behind. At mark Z Veronica was first to round followed by James Davies then Brenda, Rupert and Mark.

The breeze continued to cause upsets as Alex at one point led a trio with Duncan alongside and Howard just astern. Likewise Rupert led a foursome with Veronica behind , Brenda below him and Peter Withrington yet further below him. At the finish Veronica was first home followed by Howard in second place then Alex third, Paul Grace fourth and Mark Langston fifth.

For the fourth and final race of the day a new course was set with Committee boat and Mark Z adjusted. This time it was a rectangular rounding with no cross-overs or loop backs.

There are no photos of this race so there is no information on the first starters or any part of the race, only the finishing order with Duncan taking line honours, Brenda second place, Rupert third, Veronica fourth and James Davies fifth.

With the overall results posted the winner of the event was Veronica with 6 points, Brenda was second with 9 points and Duncan third also with 9 points, Alex was fourth, 10 points and Howard fifth, 11 points

Results:-

A long day’s sailing in light and fickle breezes, enough to try any ones patience and meaning that no one was completely consistent in all four races – a good sharing out of placings. Yours truly found the strength of the breeze more to my liking and I did beat Rupert I two of the four races.

The next open in the South east is at Downs SC – 21.05.2017 - and after that at Island Barn on 08.07.2017.

Alan.S 1700

Streaker Ramblings - Southern Area Champs - Bough Beech 01.04.2017

The runaway winner of the Southern Area Championship, held at Bough Beech on 1^st April was Brenda Hoult, from Hayling Island  Sailing Club, sailing boat number 1975. The Streaker event was held concurrently with an open meeting for RS 600s and Supernovas with the Streakers the last class to start on a roughly rectangular course as indicated below.

 

The wind was a fresh top end force four from the SSW, dam end of the Reservoir. With the RS 600s and the Supernovas away cleanly the Streaker fleet was a bit over anxious (and early) with a large section, of the thirteen strong fleet, over the line at the gun and causing a general recall.

 

The RO was not exactly prepared and although he made the required two further sound signals he did not have the first Substiute ready to hoist. Belatedly he put up code flag X (individual recall) and finally found the first Sub.

For the second start  the Streakers were a bit more disciplined and the fleet got away with no more early birds. First away however was Brenda towards the pin end with Paul Grace (1887- Chipstead) in the bunch closer to the committee boat end of the line. It is impossible to tell from the photo of this start who was third away as the view was virtually head on but a likely contender is James Dawes (1977 - Redditch). Yours truly was well at the back and had no real view of the front line. It would appear that Brenda picked the wrong side of the course as the real race appeared to be between Paul and James with a battle well and truly joined between the pair.

 

As boats did not need to pass through the line on the upwind leg, until the class flag was hoisted to indicate a shortened course, there is no way to know the individual lap positions through the fleet. At the finish James was the winner with Paul second, Howard Frear (1777 – Sutton Bingham) third, Chris Smith (1844 – Island Barn) fourth and Brenda fifth.

The second race, held back to back in slightly less breeze, had a clean start with Ian Priest (1933 – Scaling Dam) first away close to the committee boat. Second over the line was Paul with Howard a little behind but to weather and James behind this group. Brenda again chose a position further down the line towards the Pin end but going like a bomb and was shortly firmly in the lead.

 

By the time the fleet had tacked towards the west bank Brenda was in command and pulled even further ahead on the downwind leg. At the gun it was Brenda in first place with Duncan MacDonald (1934 – Newhaven & Seaford SC) in second place, Ian third, James fourth and Chris fifth.

The third and final race began with the RS600 start at 2.30pm and the Streakers some fifteen minutes later – just as the leading RS helm was about to pass close to the line. The wind was still from the same direction and at much the same strength as in race 2. At the gun Alex Reindorp (1953 – Chipstead) was first away close under the committee boat with Howard just behind but to weather, Paul to leeward and James at the back of this group. Brenda was once more lower down the line towards the pin end. 

 

Brenda was off like a train once more and in the lead as the majority of the fleet tacked towards the west bank. Howard held second place on this tack and onto the run with Sandra Hill (1941 – Bough Beech) lying third. By the finish of the race Brenda was first across the line with Howard second, Ian third, Paul fourth and Chris fifth again. James failed to finish this last race – did he capsize?

A few boats were seen to succumb, especially on the penultimate , broad reach,  leg where a gybe was required before the bottom mark. Among those lower down the ranks, outside the top five places, there was no less action Alex was tenth in the first race but then sixth in the next two races. Phil Halldron (1905 – Downs) had a pair of eighth places, discarding a tenth in the second race. Sandra counted an eighth and ninth whilst discarding an eleventh in the first race. Peter Withrington (1939 – Burghfield) had two 11^th places and a discarded twelfth. Alan Simmons (1700 – Lancing) had a twelfth, a tenth and a thirteenth.

 

Phil, Peter and Alan had some close competition in all three races with frequent place changes. Neil Gibson (1569 – Redoubt)  took 9^th place in the first race and then failed to start in the second and third races.

With the results all finally entered up the winner of the event was, as stated above, Brenda Hoult, James Dawes was second, Howard Frear third, Paul Grace fourth and Ian Priest fifth.

Overall Results.

Posn	Boat No	Helm	Club	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Nett points
1	1975	Brenda Hoult	Hayling Island	(5)	1	1	2
2	1977	James Dawes	Redditch	1	4	(14DNF)	5
3	1777	Howard Frear	Sutton Bingham	3	(7)	2	5
4	1887	Paul Grace	Chipstead	2	(9)	4	6
5	1933	Ian Priest	Scaling Dam	(7)	3	3	6
6	1934	Duncan MacDonald	Newhaven & Seaford	6	2	(7)	8
7	1844	Chris Smith	Island Barn	4	(5)	5	9
8	1953	Alex Reindorp	Chipstead	(10)	6	6	12
9	1905	Phil Halldron	Downs	8	(10)	8	16
10	1941	Sandra Hill	Bough Beech	(11)	8	9	17
11	1700	Alan Simmons	Lancing	(13)	12	10	22
12	1929	Peter Withrington	Burgfield	(12)	11	11	22
13	1569	Neil Gibson	Redoubt	9	(14DNS)	(14DNS)	23

The wind conditions were ideal for most of the fleet, yours truly excepted I now like a little bit less, quite steady in direction and of a goodly strength even when it dropped off a little.
A good sized fleet even with a few familiar faces missing but it is a bit early in the year. Burghfield is the next event on Saturday 22nd April.
Alan.S 1700
PS. Look out for the official (Class Association) report , either on the class web site or on Facebook