Sunday 7 January 2018

Streaker Ramblings - Elford NumBum - Races 1 & 2 - 07/01/2018



On arising from bed just before 8.00 am there were blue skies and just a light breeze – in spite of a windy forecast. On arrival at Piddinghoe just before 9.30 am it was a different story. Using a hand held anemometer the speeds were measured at between 16 and 26 knots and there were distinct, and breaking, waves ahead of a very gusty wind from the eastern side of the pond and some nasty looking black clouds overhead.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

As normal in these conditions Michael Veale and Mike Rosier began to prepare their RS 200 by which time Ed Thorburn acting as RO, with Rupert Smith deciding it would be prudent to act as ARO, had plotted a simple triangle course.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There were several other helms present, Biill Wates, Roger McCall, Penelope Duncan and yours truly, all thinking less about sailing and more about staying ashore. Paul Ryan turned up a little later and also opted to ‘view’ rather than participate. Chris Foster however decided to go afloat in his Laser – full rig - and young Ed Rollestone reckoned that he could cope in his Oppie and thus with three signed on, the race could proceed.  With the RS 200 already on the water and the other two launching the countdown went ahead at 10.30 am.


 
The two Mikes had been storming around for quite a while and Chris had been round the pond once and was just about to enter the starting area when his mast snapped off just above deck. He was blown back onto the south shore.

Ed.R, in his Oppie, had launched from the Windsurfer bay but then found it difficult, if not impossible, to control his boat and ended up being blown onto the main pontoon on the south bank. Ed.T then decided to abandon the start (and Race) as only the RS was still sailing. The two Michaels continued to hare up and down – and over at least once - before calling it a day.

This was not a good start for the Elford Numbum Series but hopefully next Sunday will come with less extreme winds, and perhaps a trifle warmer temperature.

Alan.S 1700

Wednesday 3 January 2018

Streaker Ramblings - New Year's Day 2018


Not a good forecast for the day, mid 20s knots dropping to about 6 knots around late morning and then increasing to the higher figures again. The sky was a light grey but with full cloud coverage and it was raining as the boats were being uncovered. The breeze was about force 2 to 3 as the fleet assembled on the water. Amazingly and in spite of the gloomy forecast some 22 boats went afloat, among the participants some familiar faces from previous years. The breeze got up a little during the racing but barely above a middle force 3.
Laurence Venus, as RO, assisted by John Freeman set a somewhat different course than we had been used to before Christmas – it had a sausage type leg as is shown below:-

At the gun it was Jonty Freeman (Laser Radial - NSSC) who led off the line with Geoff Sheridan (Byte, original rig _ NSSC) and then Rupert Smith (Streaker - NSSC). Alan Simmons (Streaker – Lancing) was next away nearer to the west shore. There was a bit of a rumble on the line with Geoff, Chris Foster Laser full rig – Lancing) Alan and a fourth boat, all coming together as they sailed up the line before the gun. Calls were made and it was Geoff who was deemed to be at fault and required to do a 360 degree turn.
So finally all were off along the west Bank to a mark off the Fisherman’s bay with Jonty first to round with Rupert next and then Alan. On the first beat, back from the mark to the south west of the island (first part of the sausage leg) it paid to head towards the south west corner for a few yard before tacking off to the Fisherman;s Bay mark and Alan caught up with Rupert who had tacked immediately on rounding. The next leg towards the east shore allowed him to close the gap even more and although he went to the east of the Island as Rupert went to the west, he caught up and passed Rupert on the final leg back towards the clubhouse.
 At the line Alan was 9 seconds astern of leader Jonty with Ed Thorburn (Finn –NSSC) another 7 seconds behind then came Chris, Rupert and Duncan McDonald in 6th place. Michael Veale and Mike Rosier RS200 –NSSC) came next ahead of Roger McCall (Laser full rig –Pevensey Bay). Julian Dobson (Laser full rig –NSSC) held 9th place ahead of Bill Wates (Laser Radial – NSSC), Zoe McCaig (Laser Radial – NSSC), Roan Briggs (Topper – NSSC), Dave Murley Laser Radial – NSSC) and Andy Beck (Laser Radial – NSSC) in 14th position. Penelope Duncan (Laser Radial – NSSC) was next to cross the line ahead of Brandon Rudd – sailing singlehanded ( Laser II – Plumpton), then Geoff, Tim Cox (Topper – NSSC), and James Cuxon (Topper – NSSC). Ed Rollestone (Oppie – NSSC) in 20th led Bea West (Oppie – NSSC) and Thomas Beck (Oppie – NSSC) across the line at the end of the first lap.
Lap 2 and Jonty was still leading the fleet but Alan had mistaken the course from the mark to the south west of the island and headed for the mark at the clubhouse instead of that off the Fisherman’s bay. In so doing he allowed Four boats to get ahead of him. Ed.T was catching up with Jonty and Duncan had recovered to lie third with Chris.F fourth and Rupert although still sixth was ahead of Alan. Further back Zoe passed Bill to lie tenth, and Andy went up two places to lie twelfth ahead of Dave as Penelope dropped back behind Brandon and Roan. There were no places in the remainder of the fleet.

Lap 3 and Ed.T took the lead from Jonty and Rupert moved ahead of Chris to ile fourth behind Duncan,. Alan stayed at sixth as in the previous lap  Lower down the fleet Penelope passed Brandon and Roan to, lie fourteenth as Brandon slipped back to lie nineteenth astern of Geoff, Tim and Ed.R. Bea remained ahead of Thomas but James failed to finish the lap.

 
Lap 4 had Ed.T extending his lead but with Duncan getting just a second ahead of Jonty at the line Rupert, Chris  and Alan stayed in the same positions as in lap 3 with Roger moving ahead of Michael by 19 seconds. There were no places changes in the group behind Michael, with Julian leading Zoe, Bill, Andy, Dave and Penelope. Brandon made a comeback to finish 15th behind Penelope, with Geoff next, then RO and lastly at 18th Tim – the Oppies having finished at the end of the 3rd lap.

Lap 5, the final lap and there were just eleven boats still racing  with Ed.T crossing the line a minute and seven seconds ahead of Duncan, Chris.F was third home seventeen seconds further back and Jonty fourth to finish. Next home was Rupert then Alan followed by Roger, Michael, Julian, Zoe and lastly Bill.

Rank
Boat
Class
SailNo
Club
HelmName
CrewName
PY
Elapsed
BCE
Points
1
 Chops
Streaker
1934
NSSC
Duncan McDonald
 
1132
46.16
0.00.00
1.0
2
 
Laser Radial
192842
NSSC
Jonty Freeman
 
1139
46.47
0.00.14
2.0
3
Scoundrel
Streaker
1681
NSSC
Rupert Smith
 
1132
47.04
0.00.48
3.0
4
 Skimmer
Oppie
2530
NSSC
Ed Rollestone
 
1665
41.41
0.00.51
4.0
5
 Last Bash
Streaker
1700
Lancing
Alan Simmons
 
1132
47.22
0.01.06
5.0
6
 Spike Bolland
Laser
171864
Lancing
Chris Foster
 
1097
46.33
0.01.43
6.0
7
 
Topper
48082
NSSC
Roan Briggs
 
1347
46.32
0.02.29
7.0
8
 
Finn
595
NSSC
Ed Thorburn
 
1045
45.09
0.02.26
8.0
9
 
Laser Radial
64200
NSSC
Zoe McCaig
 
1139
49.40
0.03.07
9.0
10
 
Topper
41179
NSSC
Tim Cox
 
1347
47.09
0.03.06
10.0
11
 
Laser
191067
Pevensey SC
Roger McCall
 
1097
48.02
0.03.12
11.0
12
 
Laser Radial
133416
NSSC
Bill Wates
 
1136
50.09
0.03.43
12.0
13
 
Laser
7
NSSC
Julian Dobson
 
1097
49.22
0.04.32
13.0
14
 Snowy
Oppie
62
NSSC
Bea West
 
1665
45.02
0.04.12
14.0
15
 
Laser Radial
176742
NSSC
Andy Beck
 
1139
42.20
0.05.05
15.0
16
Hot Toddy
RS200
582
NSSC
Michael Veale
Mike Rosier
1047
48.54
0.06.06
16.0
17
 
Laser Radial
142208
NSSC
Dave Murley
 
1139
42.48
0.05.33
17.0
18
 
Oppie
5641
NSSC
Thomas Beck
 
1665
48.23
0.07.33
18.0
19
 
Laser Radial
81
NSSC
Penelope Duncan
 
1139
44.50
0.07.35
19.0
20
 
Byte (Orig Rig)
672
NSSC
Geoff Sheridan
 
1148
45.55
0.08.23
20.0
21
 
Laser II
10098
PLumpton College
Brandon Rudd
 
1065
44.58
0.10.09
21.0
22
 
Topper
27531
NSSC
James Cuxon
 
1347
DNF
 
23.0

With the handicaps applied the winner of the race and the ‘Laurence Venus Trophy’ was Duncan  with Jonty Second, Rupert third, Ed R fourth and Alan fifth. The Trophy was duly presented together with the Freeman Iceberg Trophy which he should have received on Boxing Day. Prizes were also presented to Thomas Beck, second in the Cadet series within the Iceberg series and to Roan Briggs who was third in the series.
A very good turnout for the NYD race, considering the forecasts, and as it happened ideal conditions that did not involve too much strenuous effort on anyone’s part. A good omen for the year to come, starting with the Elford Numbum series on Sunday next 7th Jan with the first race due to start at 10.30 am.

Alan.S 1700
PS. My thanks to John Freeman for using my camera to capture some of the action above and to Anna Freeman for pics from her phone - in the absence of Bett Simmons.