Streaker Ramblings - Freeman Iceberg Races 13 & 14 - 17.12.2016

A frosty start from Hove and on arrival at the pond at Piddinghoe there was no breeze what-so-ever. Although the shore edges were free there was a coating of Ice, about 5mm thick over the central areas of the pond as indicated in the Photo – note the gulls standing up!

John Freeman, assisted by Emma Briggs (with Bill Wates and Andy Rollestone in the safety boat - minus 'Engine' as no one had a key to the engine store) was persuaded to act as RO and more out of hope than anger, with the help of Jonty, set a course expecting the breeze to be from the west as shown below.

 

Just before the start the slightest zephyr popped up, sufficient to get the 13 strong fleet across the start line, with Paul  Ryan (Laser full rig – Hardway) well on the wrong side as the gun went – as Duncan McDonald (Streaker – NSSC) forcing Laurence Venus (Streaker – NSSC) to tack onto starboard. Rupert Smith (Streaker – NSSC) was next away close to the shore.

 

 By the time the mark off the clubhouse was reached, at the end of the first ‘windward’ leg, Duncan was leading the fleet.

 

The first part of the leg along the west bank was ice free near the bank, further out they route was blocked with sheets of ice and Duncan followed by Laurence, Rupert and Chris Foster (Laser full rig – Lancing) managed to navigate their way through without too much trouble. Further back and the fleet bunched up with no one going too far too quickly. Roan Briggs (Topper – NSSC) and Ed Rollestone (Oppie – NSSC) were up with Chris and Andy Beck (Laser Radial – NSSC) and Jonty Freeman. Paul having re-crossed the line began to gain places on the leg to the mark off the Fisherman’s Bay staying out from the west bank where he found enough air movement to overcome the ‘ice pack’.

 

Alan Simmons (Streaker – Lancing) meanwhile was ‘blanketed‘ by Thomas Beck (Oppie -  NSSC) and had to go out towards the centre of the pond with little benefit.

Once round the mark at Fisherman’s bay Duncan began to pull away from Laurence and also found a route through the ice back up to the finish off the clubhouse. Laurence rounded the mark to the southeast of the Island only to come to a halt caught in the ice which was closer to the south shore.

 

Eventually a tiny stirring came up from the east bank and he led Rupert up the leg to the clubhouse. Roan passed Paul to cross the line in fourth place with Andy sixth, Jonty seventh and Alan eighth. Chris.F came home 10^th, Julian Dobson (Laser full rig – NSSC) came home  eleventh, and Thomas 12^th, last as James failed to finish. That leg up the south bank was a real ‘Killer’ with Duncan finishing (the only lap of the course) very nearly 20 minutes before Laurence made it.  Rupert was a minute later and Roan yet another minute astern.

 

Results:-

                                                         R13 - 17.12.17

 

Rank	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	H'Cap	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	Chops	Streaker	1934	NSSC	Duncan McDonald		1132	47.00	0.00.00	1.0
2	Skimmer	Oppie 'c'	2530	NSSC	Ed Rollestone		1665	71.27	0.02.19	2.0
3		Laser Radial	26/133416	NSSC	Bill Wates		1139	OOD		3.0
3		Topper 'c'	48082	NSSC	Roan Briggs		1347	68.41	0.12.45	3.0
5		Oppie 'c'	5641	NSSC	Thomas Beck		1665	85.30	0.16.22	4.0
6	Mistyblue	Streaker	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		1132	66.48	0.19.48	5.0
7	Scoundrel	Streaker	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1132	67.48	0.20.48	6.0
8		Laser Radial	17642	NSSC	Andy Beck		1139	70.44	0.23.27	7.0
9		Laser Radial	192842	NSSC	Jonty Freeman		1139	70.51	0.23.34	8.0
10	Last Bash	Streaker	1700	Lancing S C	Alan Simmons		1132	71.06	0.24.06	9.0
11	Night Boat	Laser	156163/49864	Hardway	Paul Ryan		1097	69.25	0.23.52	10.0
12		Laser	171864	Lancing S C	Chris Foster		1097	73.37	0.28.04	11.0
13		Laser	7/176670	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1097	74.10	0.28.37	12.0
14		Topper	27531	NSSC	James Cuxon		1347	DNF		14.0

 There was some debate about a second race but a tiny breeze began to fill in and eleven boats came to the line over the same course.

 

This time it was Laurence first to start mid way along the line with Duncan down to leeward second off. The third starter was Chris .F astern but between the two Streakers.

 

By the clubhouse mark these three led the fleet with Paul fourth to round and Rupert next. The three leaders pulled out a handy gap from the rest of the fleet on the leg along the West bank and had no further problems with the ice which had been pulled into the centre of the pond by then. At the end of the lap Laurence was leading Duncan by nearly 40 seconds with Chris a further 10 seconds back. Rupert was lying fourth, Paul fifth, Julian sixth and Alan seventh. Roan was in eighth place with James ninth, Ed tenth and Thomas eleventh.

Lap two and nobody could catch Laurence who had pulled out another 10 seconds ahead of Duncan. Alan went ahead of Rupert, Paul and Julian into fourth place as ED went ahead of James and Thomas remained in eleventh place.

Lap 3 and Laurence continued to extend his lead to one minute 44 seconds in front of Duncan with Alan getting into third place  as Paul went up to lie fourth and Chris fell back to lie sixth behind Julian and Paul as Rupert also lost places. James went back ahead of Ed to ninth place again.

Lap 4 and the first three places remained unchanged as Chris and Julian went ahead of Paul. Rupert, Roan and James remained in the same positions as in lap 3 whilst the two Oppies had finished.

Lap 5, the ultimate lap, and Laurence crossed the line two minutes 38 seconds ahead of Duncan with Paul climbing back up to third place dropping Alan back to fourth, Julian fifth, Chris sixth and Rupert seventh , the two Toppers having already finished.

 

Results:-

                                                                  R14 - 17.12.17

 

Rank	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	H'Cap	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	Mistyblue	Streaker	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		1132	43.46	0.00.00	1.0
2	Chops	Streaker	1934	NSSC	Duncan McDonald		1132	46.24	0.02.38	2.0
3	Last Bash	Streaker	1700	Lancing S C	Alan Simmons		1132	48.07	0.04.21	3.0
3		Laser Radial	26/133416	NSSC	Bill Wates		1139	OOD		3.0
5	Night Boat	Laser	156163/49864	Hardway	Paul Ryan		1097	47.49	0.05.24	4.0
6	Scoundrel	Streaker	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1132	49.21	0.05.35	5.0
7	Skimmer	Oppie 'c'	2530	NSSC	Ed Rollestone		1665	44.12	0.05.35	6.0
8		Laser	7/176670	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1097	48.51	0.06.26	7.0
9		Laser	171864	Lancing S C	Chris Foster		1097	49.19	0.06.54	8.0
10		Oppie 'c'	5641	NSSC	Thomas Beck		1665	45.33	0.06.56	9.0
11		Topper 'c'	48082	NSSC	Roan Briggs		1347	49.33	0.07.53	10.0
12		Topper	27531	NSSC	James Cuxon		1347	55.06	0.13.26	11.0

The first race of the day was very hard going with the lack of breeze and the ice pack on the water. It did improve for the second race - hence five laps for the faster handicapped boats - and was almost pleasant, certainly in comparison with the lack of breeze - with the later breeze measured at Seaford, up to 15 mph.

There are no races next Sunday, Christmas Eve, and thus just the final one, at 11.00 am on Boxing day. The usual provision has been made for Mulled Wine and Mince Pies after the racing concludes and whilst awaiting Laurence's hassle with the days results and the overall series positons followed by the Prize Giving including of course for the cadets who sailed this year.

The next racing will then be on New Year's Day -  2.00 pm being the usual start time - see the NSSC web site (or NSSC on Facebook) for confirmation.

Meanwhile here's wishing all my readers a very Happy Christmas and bountiful New Year 2018.
Alan.S 1700