Freeman Iceberg Races 3 & $ - 11.11.2018

 

The XC weather forecast was showing 28 knots for 11.00 am on the computer before leaving home.

On arrival at the pond on this, Remembrance Sunday, the sky was grey and there were some vicious gusts showing on the water with some whistling in the rigging (a good impression of force 6 winds). Yours truly thought it might be a good idea to stay firmly ashore and got out the camera to catch any brave souls who might go afloat. As it happened only Michael Veale and Mike Rosier in their RS200 initially went on the water for a good blast around.

As 10.00 am came and passed the breeze seemed to abate quite a bit and the writer changed his mind, his outfit, and rigged his boat.

The RO, Ian Lambert again, with Laurence Venus as ARO, set an ‘M’ shaped course with the start from the ‘kids’ jetty, north of the clubhouse with the usual short first leg to a mark off the clubhouse. Eric Clack (Laser Radial, NSSC) and Penelope Duncan (Laser Radial, NSSC) crewed the safety boat.

After the two minutes silence at 11.00am, observed by all the competitors and Racing Staff, the first race of the day started at 11.15.

 

At the gun Alan Simmons (Streaker, Lancing) was first away from midway down the line with Thomas Harland-Smith (Topper, NSSC) second away and Michael Veale and Mike Rosier (RS200,NSSC) third. Alan managed to squeeze round the corner mark just ahead of Michael only to be blanketed by the RS’s Gennaker down the broad reaching leg along the south bank.

 

After turning the gybe mark in the south east corner Alan was soon passed by the RS and Tim Cox (Laser Radial, NSSC) also began to close up, passing Ed Rolestone (Topper, NSSC) and the nearby Thomas. The next leg, behind the Island, was a broad reach with some exciting planeing gusts. Bill Wates (Laser Radial, NSSC) was next to gybe followed by a very late starting Tiger Cox (Topper, NSSC) in seventh place. At the end of the beat to the mark off the south side of the pond there was difficulty in bearing off onto a run to the mark off the Fisherman’s Bay and the RS sped off. After another beat, back to the Starting and Finishing marks the order was Michael 1^st, Alan 2^nd, Tim 3^rd, Thomas 4^th, Bill 5^th, Ed.R 6^th and Tiger 6^th.

Lap 2. saw Michael pull further ahead and Tim to close in more on Alan – now just 13 seconds behind – and with Bill gaining a place to lie 4^th. Tiger had gone ahead of Ed.R as had Thomas.

Lap 3. and Michael was well ahead of Alan but with Tim just 3 seconds behind Alan at the line. There were no place changes behind these three but there were some capsizes leaving Ed.R struggling at the back of the fleet.

Lap 4. Whilst Michael remained unchallenged Tim went ahead of Alan to finish in second place with Bill 4^th, Tiger 5^th, Thomas 6^th and Ed.R 7^th.

With the handicaps applied the result was Tiger 1^st, Thomas 2^nd, Tim 3^rd, Ed.R 4^th as below.

R3

Rank	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	TOPPER	41179	NSSC	Tiger Cox		1358	34.29	0.00.00	1.0
2	TOPPER	44290	NSSC	Thomas Harland-Smith		1358	34.35	0.00.06	2.0
3	LASER RADIAL	49865	NSSC	Ian Lambert		1142	OOD		3.0
3	LASER RADIAL	81	NSSC	Penelope Duncan		1142	OOD		3.0
3	LASER RADIAL	8	NSSC	Tim Cox		1142	31.08	0.02.08	3.0
3	STREAKER	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		1128	OOD		3.0
3	LASER RADIAL	2063	NSSC	Eric Clack		1142	OOD		3.0
8	TOPPER	44813	NSSC	Ed Rollestone (C)		1358	37.04	0.02.35	4.0
9	STREAKER	1700	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1128	31.21	0.02.42	5.0
10	RS 200		NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1046	29.43	0.03.09	6.0
11	LASER RADIAL	133416	NSSC	Bill Wates		1142	33.11	0.04.11	7.0

 

After the usual Coffee/comfort break race 4 commenced at 12.10 over the same course. The wind maintained its same general direction with just as many strong and variable direction gusts.

 

At the gun Bill was away first with Michael to windward and Tim further upwind still. Alan was 4^th across the line with Ed.R next and lastly Thomas, Tiger having decided not to sail in this race. Tim soon took the lead from Bill as both he and Michael soon passed him. Alan also caught and went ahead of Bill as Thomas went ahead of Ed.R. At the end of the lap the order was Tim 1^st, Michael 2^nd Alan 3^rd, Bill 4^th, Thomas 5^th and Ed.R 6^th.

Lap 2. By the end of the lap Michael had gone well ahead of Tim, who despite a capsize on the running leg – from the mark opposite the middle of the south bank – and being passed by Alan whilst recovered and back aboard but sailing the wrong way, still crossed the line in second place. Bill remained astern of Alan but ahead of the Toppers of Thomas and Ed.

Lap 3. Saw no place changes in the fleet with Michael still out in front, followed by Tim and then Alan now 46 seconds astern. Ed.R was finished at the end of this lap.

Lap 4. And just 5 boats remained racing with Michael crossing the line a minute and 15 seconds ahead of Tim, who in turn was 46 seconds ahead of Alan in third position. Bill led Thomas over the line to finish in 4^th place.

With Handicaps applied Thomas was declared the winner of the race with Tim 2^nd and Alan 3^rd.

R4

Rank	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	TOPPER	44290	NSSC	Thomas Harland-Smith		1358	34.03	0.00.00	1.0
2	LASER RADIAL	8	NSSC	Tim Cox		1142	29.36	0.00.58	2.0
3	LASER RADIAL	49865	NSSC	Ian Lambert		1142	OOD		3.0
3	STREAKER	1700	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1128	30.22	0.02.05	3.0
3	LASER RADIAL	81	NSSC	Penelope Duncan		1142	OOD		3.0
3	STREAKER	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		1128	OOD		3.0
3	LASER RADIAL	2063	NSSC	Eric Clack		1142	OOD		3.0
8	RS 200		NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1046	28.21	0.02.07	4.0
9	TOPPER	44813	NSSC	Ed Rollestone (C)		1358	28.29	0.02.57	5.0
10	LASER RADIAL	133416	NSSC	Bill Wates		1142	32.13	0.03.35	6.0

 

The forecast must have put off quite a few possible competitors but as often the case the conditions at the pond were not as dire as predicted. Conditions were however quit difficult with savage gusts and shifts making the upwind legs, two per lap, hazardous. The mark turning at the end of the first beat was also tricky for freeing off for the ensuing run, which with the gusts had its own problems. It was a hard but enjoyable sail – for most of the small fleet that venture out.

After the racing finished the Pilot Cutter – Lewis Rowing Club? – was seen out on the water for a practice.

My thank to John Freeman who took photos of the racing, using my camera.

Alan.S 1700