Streaker Ramblings - Freeman Iceberg Races 13 & 14 - 16.12.2018

 

There was a deep calm, no noticeable breeze with fairly blue skies and some dark cloud upon leaving Hove for Piddinghoe. On arrival at Piddinghoe there was no more air movement and a distinct touch of frost on the boat covers but no ice on the pond.

Jonty Freeman was RO assisted by Dave Murley with Bill Wates and ‘An Another’ as Crew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even the vapour from my electronic cigar could not determine any direction of air movement  but Jonty set up an ‘M’ shaped course with a short beat to the south west corner mark and then a ‘windward’? leg down the south bank.

 

Shortly before the race start time Jonty decided to run the course in the reverse direction with the first leg along the west bank towards the mark off the ‘Fisherman’s Bay’.

 

 

Few, if any boats found enough propulsion to be anywhere near the line at the start gun at 10.30 a Laser – Radial? near the pin end and Ed Thorburn (Finn – NSSC) appeared to be first to start. At the bank end of the line there were a group of boats, Alan Simmons (Streaker – Lancing) nearest to the bank, Penelope Duncan (Radial), an Oppy and then Tim Cox (Radial – NSSC) further down the line. On the way towards the mark off the ‘Fisherman’s Bay’

Tim gradually pulled away from the pursuing fleet of eleven boats but it must have taken 20 minutes before he was able to turn the mark with Alan and Ed.T next to go round.

As Tim got to the mark on the east shore, to go along  the leg behind the Island a breath of breeze began to fill in to send the fleet up the south shore leg back towards the finish line at the south west corner, off the Clubhouse and Jonty sounded the shorten course signal with Ed.T firsts to cross about a minute ahead of Tim with Alan third a further 18 seconds behind. Fourth home was Rupert Smith (Streaker, NSSC) another minute or so behind Alan. Ed Rollestone (Laser 4.7 was 5^th, Julian Dobson (Laser full rig, NSSC) 6^th, Thomas Harland Smith (Radial, NSSC) 7^th, Terry Jones (Comet, NSSC) 8^th, Penelope 9^th, another Laser full rig (helm unknown) 10^th and Ewan Hamilton (Oppy, NSSC) 11^th and last as Thomas Beck (Oppy, NSSC) failed to finish.

With handicaps applied Ewan was the race winner  with Tim second, Ed.R third and Alan fourth.

R13

Rank	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	OPTIMIST	4064	NSSC	Ewan Hamilton (C)		1655	40.16	0.00.00	1.0
2	LASER RADIAL	8	NSSC	Tim Cox		1142	32.49	0.05.02	2.0
3	LASER RADIAL	192842	NSSC	Jonty Freeman		1142	OOD		3.0
3	LASER RADIAL	142208	NSSC	Dave Murley		1142	OOD		3.0
3	LASER 4.7`	4.7	NSSC	Ed Rollestone (C)		1207	34.50	0.05.28	3.0
6	STREAKER	1700	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1128	33.07	0.05.40	4.0
7	COMET	473	NSSC	Terry Jones		1205	35.32	0.06.13	5.0
8	FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1051	31.46	0.06.12	6.0
9	STREAKER	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1128	34.26	0.06.59	7.0
10	LASER RADIAL	72341	NSSC	Thomas Harland Smith (C)		1142	35.13	0.07.26	8.0
11	LASER	7	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1098	34.50	0.08.07	9.0
12	LASER RADIAL	81	NSSC	Penelope Duncan		1142	36.35	0.08.48	10.0
13	LASER	52300	NSSC	?		1098	37.50	0.11.07	11.0
14	OPTIMIST	5642	NSSC	Thomas Beck (C)		1655	DNF		45.0

Race 14 started at 11.30 over the originally set course with the first leg a short beat, from the line between a pink mark off the ‘Kid’s Jetty, towards the south west mark off the clubhouse. This time there was a bit of Breeze from the south.

 

 

 

 

Rupert was first away, mid line, with Ed.R nearest to the pin mark, Ed.T was next away  and then Alan, from the shore end of the line. Rupert  ended up below the mark and had to tack to round allowing Alan (on Starboard tack) to get ahead with Ed.T just behind him.

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The rest of the fleet rather bunched up at this corner mark with a few loud calls for right of way being heard.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ed.T  passed Alan and pulled away on the leg down the South bank towards the mark in the southeast corner. By the end of the lap the order was Ed.T first, Alan second 29 seconds astern and then Rupert third 30 seconds behind him. Tim crossed fourth, Terry fifth, Penelope sixth, the ‘unknown Laser’ seventh, Ed.R  eigth, Brendon Rudd and Lewis Johns (LaserII,NSSC) – who had not sailed in the first race of the Morning- in ninth place, Julian tenth, Thomas.H eleventh, Thomas.B  twelvth, and Ewan thirteenth.

Lap 2 was led by Ed.T 29 seconds ahead of Alan with Rupert another 29 seconds astern. The ‘unknown laser helm had moved up to 5^th place passing Terry and Penelope. Ed.R was lying 8^th with Thomas.H behind him. Brendon was back to 10^th ahead of Thomas.B, Julian and Ewan having failed to finish.

Lap 3 and Ed.T continued to lead the fleet with Alan still 2^nd and Rupert now third just two seconds astern, having made some rapid progress. with Tim a good way behind in 4^th place.  Terry was ahead of the ‘unkown Laser’ helm and lying 5^th. There were no place changes behind but all bar the first four boats were finished here.

Lap 4 the final lap and, perhaps due to slightly increasing breeze pulled away from Alan and Rupert who were now having a battle royal. Rupert managed to get an inside berth from Alan at the mark after the leg behind the Island. However he was too low to round the mark in the middle of the pond and had to tack onto port allowing Alan to regain second place on the following run to the ‘Fisherman Bay’ mark. On the windwardleg back to the finish Rupert gained ground again but was not quite able to get ahead of Alan who  crossed just 5 seconds ahead

With handicaps applied Ed.T was the winner with Alan second, Rupert third and Tim fourth.

R 14

Rank	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1051	31.54	0.00.00	1.0
2	STREAKER	1700	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1128	34.53	0.00.39	2.0
3	LASER RADIAL	192842	NSSC	Jonty Freeman		1142	OOD		3.0
3	STREAKER	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1128	34.58	0.00.44	3.0
3	LASER RADIAL	142208	NSSC	Dave Murley		1142	OOD		3.0
6	LASER RADIAL	8	NSSC	Tim Cox		1142	38.37	0.03.57	4.0
7	COMET	473	NSSC	Terry Jones		1205	31.54	0.04.28	5.0
8	LASER 4.7`	4.7	NSSC	Ed Rollestone (C)		1207	34.12	0.06.43	6.0
9	LASER RADIAL	81	NSSC	Penelope Duncan		1142	33.29	0.07.29	7.0
10	LASER	52300	NSSC	?		1098	33.18	0.08.18	8.0
11	LASER	72341	NSSC	Thomas Harland Smith (C)		1098	34.32	0.09.32	9.0
12	LASER II	10098	NSSC	Brandon Rudd	Lenis Johns	1075	39.12	0.14.44	10.0
13	OPTIMIST	5642	NSSC	Thomas Beck (C)		1655	DNF		45.0
13	LASER	7	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1098	DNF		45.0
13	OPTIMIST	4064	NSSC	Ewan Hamilton (C)		1655	DNF		45.0

 

The first race of the day was held in extremely difficult and almost breezeless conditions, a second lap would have been possible as the breeze had filled in but the time was against holding it.

The second race was held in much more feasible wind with four laps completed by the leaders, much to the relief of the RO and the competitors and with some close and enjoyable racing throughout the fleet.

Next Sunday the last two races before Christmas are due to be held although XC Weather is forecasting 26 knots but that is a long way off in terms of forecast. The best bet is to turn up and see on the morning.

Alan.S 1700

Photos were taken by myself, John Freeman (with my camera) and Michelle Smith