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 6^th 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 9^th 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 14^th 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 20^th 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 15^th behind Penelope, with Geoff next, then RO and lastly at 18^th Tim – the Oppies having finished at the end of the 3^rd 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 7^th 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.