Grey
Skies and a brisk wind as I left Hove for Piddinhgoe and on arrival it did not
seem as windy as the forecast shown on XC Weather – 25 to 30 knots.
Consequently my Streaker was rigged and dry suit donned as some blue sky
patches appeared. I took to the water but very quickly decided that I did not
like the gusts and the average wind was also too much for my liking and so retreated
to the shore and de-rigged.
John
Freeman was ‘elected’ as RO, assisted by Emma Briggs and with Barry Lowdon and
Penelope Duncan in the safety boat. A course was set with a reaching start from
the mark in the south west corner, off the clubhouse, through the finish mark
off the ‘kids’ jetty to a mark off the east bank as shown below.
Seven boats took to the water for the start of the first race of the day and at the gun it was Rupert Smith (Streaker, NSSC) who was first away with Michael Veale and Mike Rosier (RS 200, NSSC) next , Tim Cox (Laser Radial, NSSC) third and Thomas Beck (Oppy, NSSC) fourth. Michael missed the ‘finish’ mark and had to go back to get on course.
Rupert zoomed off on the following reach with Andy Beck (Laser Radial, NSSC) beginning to get going and passing Thomas. Michael , now back on course passed Tim only to capsize on the leg from the ‘Fisherman’s Bay’ mark to the one the other side of the Island in the south east corner. Andy also capsized albeit a bit closer to the south east mark. Ed Rolestone and Thomas Harland Smith (Feva, NSSC) after a very late start began to make some progress as did Phil Clare (Laser Radial, NSSC) having also been very late to start. At the end of the first lap the order was Rupert, Tim, Michael and Ed.R followed by Andy, Thomas and lastly Phil. Capsizes were to be a feature of the day’s racing and caused a scattering of places.
Lap
2 and no one was anywhere near Rupert, who revelled in the conditions – even the
huge gusts. Michael had gone ahead of Tim, to lie second, although the latter
did take a dip.
Andy was lying 4th with Phil now astern and Thomas.B
still 6th as Ed.R and Thomas.H took to the water.
Lap
3 was led by Rupert from Tim who had gone ahead of Michael with Phil now behind
in fourth place, having passed Andy who had another swim. Ed.R was 6th 9 and
last) as Thomas failed to finish the lap.
Lap
4 and Rupert was now nearly a minute and a half ahead of Michael who had gone
ahead of Tim once more. Andy was in fifth place having passed a capsized Phil
on the way, and Ed.R was still 6th.
Lap
5 saw Rupert cross the line still ‘miles’ ahead of Michael, not withstanding
that he had had a spill when his rudder flew up as the halyard cleat failed
when he was bearing off from the ‘Fisherman’s Bay’ mark onto the broad reach to
the other side of the island.Tim was third to finish with Phil now back ahead
of Andy to finish fifth and Ed.R bringing up the rear. With handicaps applied
the winner was Rupert with Tim second and Michael third.
Race
12, held over the same course and with little change in wind strength or direction
set off at 11.35 with Michael first away close to the pin end.
Phill, a little
further up the line was next and then came Rupert closer to the shore. Next
away was Tim then Ed.R, Thomas.B and
lastly Andy. It was not long before Andy became the first casualty with a
capsize on the first reach towards the mark off the east bank. Michael
continued to employ his gennaker on the offwind legs although he still could
not match Rupert for speed being some 40 seconds behind at the end of the lap.
Third across the line was Thomas.B in his Oppy ahead of dad Andy with Phil
fifth Tim sixth and Ed.R retiring. At one point in time three boats were seen
to be capsized simultaneously.
Lap
2 saw Rupert cross the line 20 seconds ahead of Michael – the gennaker must
have paid off. Andy was up to third ahead of Phil and son Thomas with Tim
bringing up the tail end.
Lap
3 had Rupert leading Michael across the line by 40 seconds with Phill now ahead
of Andy – another spill? – and Tim ahead of Thomas.B
Lap
4 Rupert continued to pull ahead of second placed Michael who was still
followed by Phil. Tim went ahead of Andy and Thomas.B finished in 6th
place.
Lap
5 had Rupert still out in front of Michael, now a minute and sixteen seconds
ahead. Phil had another capsize dropping back behind Tim and Andy to cross in
fifth place.
Lap
6 saw the remaining five boats left on the course with Rupert crossing the line
still in the lead. Michael was second ahead of Phil who had passed both Tim and
Andy.
With
the results calculated the winner was Rupert with Michael second and Thomas.B
third.
It
had been a very blustery morning with nearly all the boats having suffered at
least one capsize – so many it was hard to spot who and where during the
racing. There were a few tired and happy looking faces in the changing room.
The
current XC Weather forecast for next Sunday is for a little less wind.
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