Streaker Ramblings - Freeman Iceberg - Races 7 and 8 - 28.11.2021

 

Freeman Iceberg Races 7 & 8 – 28.11.2021

The forecast on XC Weather did not look too good but on arrival at Piddinghoe, for Races 7 & 8 of the 2021 Freeman Iceberg Series, the sky was clear blue and the breeze about top end force 3 but it was bitterly cold. Even getting the covers off the boats was a problem as cold fingers did not want to ‘spring’ the cover strap catches. – eventually succeeded.

Alan got his boat rigged and stationed by the slipway only to decided that, the breeze having now increased to a top end force 4, he would stay ashore and perhaps see what it was like before the second race of the day.

Zoe McCaig was RO and assisted by Rupert Smith (he did not fancy sailing in the cold wind) she set a somewhat convoluted course – basically around the outside of the marks but with a loop in the middle, back towards the South shore – as shown below – and a Committee Boat start.

Eight boats eventually came to the line, Michael Veale and Mike Rosier suffered a jammed halyard and had to tie up the mainsail which meant they were very late for the start. Geoff Sheridan  (Byte CII –NSSC)  went afloat late and sailed parts of the course but effectively DNC and does not appear in the results here.

                                    Photos by Bett Simmons.

At the gun Thomas Harland Smith (Laser Radial – NSSC) was first to cross the  line close to the pin end with Yves Horent (Laser Radial) a bit astern but closer still to the pin and Duncan McDonald (Streaker – NSSC) below them but level with Thomas.

By the windward mark Thomas was first to round with Duncan behind him and Yves behind him. Ed Thorburn (Finn – NSSC) was close behind and Matt Springall (Laser full rig – NSSC) a touch further astern.

The second mark of the course (and the fourth), off the middle of the east bank, was a gybe and the downfall of a number of competitors to come.

By the end of the first lap Thomas was in the lead by 20 seconds from Duncan with Ed  third a further 23 seconds behind. Lewis Johns (Laser full  rig – NSSC) was fourth having caught and passed Yves – had had already capsized before the start. Matt must have also found the gybes treacherous as he was now 6^th but just 2 seconds behind Yves, with Sean Beevors (Laser full rig)7^th and Michael 8^th -  having finally started.

Lap 2 Thomas still held the lead fromDuncan by 28 seconds with Ed third 7 seconds further back. Matt pulled ahead of Lewis and Yves to hold 4^th place and Michael went ahead of Sean.

Lap 3 Thomas was being overhauled by Ed but still 19 seconds ahead and with Duncan in 3rd having been overtaken by Ed. The order behind these three remained unchanged. Yves finished at the end of this lap.

Lap 4 saw both Ed and Duncan get ahead of Thomas who fell back to 3^rd – a swim or a near one? Matt and Lewis were still 4^th and 5^th as Michael and Sean went up to 6^th and 7^th and were finished, Michael having lost his kicker as well as the pre-race problem with his mainsail.

Lap 5 and with just five boats still racing Ed was first to cross the finish line with Duncan 9 seconds behind and Thomas 17 second further back. Matt finished 4^th with Lewis a good way back, having done some swimming.

With Handicaps applied the result was a win for Thomas with Duncan 2^nd, Ed 3rdand Matt 4^th as below.

Results - unchecked :                     Race 7 - 28/11/2021

                              Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

	Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Finish	Elapsed	Laps	Corrected	BCE	Points
1	Laser Hull	Calimity	LASER RADIAL	72341	NSSC	Thomas Harland-Smith		1147		32.31	5	0.28.21	0.00.00	1.0
2	Menagerie	Chops	STREAKER	2102	NSSC	Duncan McDonald		1128		32.14	5	0.28.35	0.00.15	2.0
3	Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049		32.05	5	0.30.35	0.02.21	3.0
4	Laser Hull		LASER	207006	NSSC	Matt Springall		1100		34.29	5	0.31.21	0.03.18	4.0
5	Menagerie	Scoundrel	STREAKER	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1128		OOD				4.5
6	Laser Hull		LASER	179808	NSSC	Lewis Johns		1100		38.20	5	0.34.51	0.07.09	5.0
7	Menagerie	Hot Toddy	RS 200		NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1046		33.39	4	0.40.13	0.09.56	6.0
8	Laser Hull	Icteros	LASER	46737	NSSC	Sean Beevers		1100		37.03	4	0.42.06	0.12.06	7.0
9	Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	26	NSSC	Bill Waites		1147		OOD				7.7
10	Laser Hull	Sailfish	LASER RADIAL	174581	NSSC	Yves Horent		1147		34.50	3	0.50.37	0.15.19	8.0
11	Laser Hull	Bruce	LASER RADIAL	146162	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1147		OOD				13.3
12					NSSC	Paul Knipes				OOD				30.0

This had been an exciting course with solid windward legs, full pelt reaches and hairy downwind legs, all enough to test the competitors metal.

Race 8 was started, over the identical course, very soon after the last finisher crossed the line in Race 7. Yves, Sean and Michael did not compete in this race so there were only five starters.

At the gun Matt was first away from near the pin buoy with Ed below him and Duncan below Ed. Thomas was fourth to start somewhat behind and Lewis, having capsized before the gun, further back still.

It appears that Ed was first to round the windward mark but was overtaken by Duncan who crossed the line, at the end of lap 1, 13 seconds ahead with Thomas another 25 seconds behind, close in front of Matt (who capsized at the mark  behind the Island) and with Lewis just behind.

Lap 2 Duncan continued in the lead with Ed 14 seconds behind and Matt, Thomas and Lewis in the same order Lewis having had another dip.

Lap 3 and Ed had made a small gain on Duncan to lie 6 seconds astern with Matt 24 seconds further back. Lewis dropped further behind 4^th placed Thomas. – more swimming?

Lap 4 Duncan crossed the line 10 seconds ahead of Ed and Thomas moved ahead of (Swimmer?) Matt to lie 3^rd with Lewis as tail-ender and finishing his race here.

Lap 5 saw Ed finally into the lead from Duncan crossing the finish line 6 seconds in front. Thomas was third 22 seconds later but still ahead of Matt.

After the results calculations were made the winner of the race was Thomas 1^st, Duncan 2^nd, Ed 3^rd, Matt 4th and Lewis 5^th.

Results –Unchecked :-    Race 8 - 28/11/2021

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

Rank	Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Finish	Elapsed	Laps	Corrected	BCE	Points
1	Laser Hull	Calimity	LASER RADIAL	72341	NSSC	Thomas Harland-Smith		1147		31.51	5	0.27.46	0.00.00	1.0
2	Menagerie	Chops	STREAKER	2102	NSSC	Duncan McDonald		1128		31.29	5	0.27.55	0.00.10	2.0
3	Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049		31.23	5	0.29.55	0.02.15	3.0
4	Laser Hull		LASER	207006	NSSC	Matt Springall		1100		33.14	5	0.30.13	0.02.41	4.0
5	Menagerie	Scoundrel	STREAKER	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1128		OOD				4.5
6	Laser Hull		LASER	179808	NSSC	Lewis Johns		1100		28.59	4	0.32.56	0.04.33	5.0
7	Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	26	NSSC	Bill Waites		1147		OOD				7.7
8	Laser Hull	Bruce	LASER RADIAL	146162	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1147		OOD				13.3
9					NSSC	Paul Knipes				OOD				30.0

Yet another hard sail, with plenty of upsets and plenty of hairy reaches and gybes. Alan was glad however that he had not gone afloat as it would have certainly led to a capsize – which he has yet to experience with the D Zero. The current XC Weather forecast for next Sunday 5^th Dec is showing a lot lighter winds – but a lot can happen in a week!

Alan.S DZ 224