Elford NumBum Races 3 & 4 -09/01/2022

Bright and Sunny, but cold, as we left for Piddinghoe on Sunday morning – 09.01.2022 – with virtually no breeze.

On arrival at the pond and rigging the D Zero it was found that the pool of water on the cover was frozen with a sheet of Ice about 1/8” thick and it was ‘sealed’ to the cover. The result was near frozen fingers.

Thomas Harland-Smith was RO assisted by Bill Wates with John? in the safety boat. As a light breeze began to fill in  Thomas set the course – as below – with the start mid-way down the south bank between a mark just offshore and another towards the middle of the pond giving a first leg as a beat up to a mark in the south west corner, off the club house. It was then a broad reach to a mark to the west of the Fisherman’s bay followed by a run to a mark off the middle of the east bank. The next leg was a beat back to F/B mark and another run to the east mark. From thence it was a close reach behind the Island to a mark in the south east corner and then a final beat back through the ‘gate’ to the mark off the club house.

A small fleet, just 6 boats, came to the start line and at the gun it was Lewis Johns (Laser full rig) who crossed the line first near the outer mark with Ed Thorburn (Finn) next and near the middle of the line. Next away was Alan Simmons (D Zero)  just to windward of Sean Beevers (Laser full rig). Last away were Alisdair Fortune and Darrel Topp (both Laser full rigs).

Ed.T was first to round the windward mark ,off the club house, followed by Lewis and then Sean. 

On the short reach along the west bank Alan discovered that his rudder had become un-cleated, probably due to a close call on the south bank and was delayed until he could re-cleat it allowing the other to speed off ahead. By the end of the lap the order was sorted into Ed.T in1st place, Sean 2^nd, Lewis 3rd, Alan 4^th and Alisdair 5^th. Darrel did not complete that first lap – believed to have had an argument with his boom leading to a bit of a cut head.

Lap 2 saw no changes in the order from lap 1 although Sean closed the gap to Ed.T to 23 seconds (from 3) seconds in lap 1 and Alan also pulled back a little behind Lewis.

Lap 3 and again there were no positional changes as Ed.T pulled away from Sean to cross 43 seconds ahead  but Alan made no further headway astern of Lewis.

Lap 4 Saw Ed.T take line honours 38 seconds ahead of Sean with Lewis 3^rd another 11 seconds behind.  Alan was 4^th to finish but well back and Alisdai r was even further astern. With the handicaps applied and calculations made the winner of the race was Sean Beevers with Lewis Johns 2^nd ,  Ed Thorburn 3^rd , Alan Simmons  4^th and Alisdair Fortune  5^th.

Results preliminary unchecked:- 

Race 3 - 09/01/2022

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		OOD				1.0
1	Laser Hull	Icteros	LASER	46237	NSSC	Sean Beevers		1100		39.42	4	0.36.05	0.00.00	1.0
3	Laser Hull		LASER	179808	NSSC	Lewis Johns		1100		39.53	4	0.36.15	0.00.11	2.0
4	Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049		39.04	4	0.37.15	0.01.12	3.0
5	Menagerie		DEVOTI D-ZERO	224	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1029		42.37	4	0.41.25	0.05.29	4.0
6	Laser Hull	Yellow Tak	LASER	85185	NSSC	Alisdair Fortune		1100		47.49	4	0.43.28	0.08.07	5.0
7	Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	26	NSSC	Bill Waites		1147		OOD				37.0
7	Laser Hull		LASER	217834	NSSC	Darrel Topp		1100		DNF				37.0

Race 4, starting at 11.45 was sailed over the exact same course with now five starters and at the gun it was Sean first away nearest to the inner line mark off the south bank.

Lewis was next across the line with Alan nearer to the pin end but to weather. Ed.T started closer to the shore end of the line, on port tack.  Ed.t was first around the mark off the club house and off on the first reach followed by Lewis, then Sean.  Alan was 4^th to round being a bit stymied by the odd stiff gust at this end of the pond. By the end of the lap the order was set for the race with Ed.T crossing 16 seconds ahead of Sean then came Lewis 15 seconds later with Alan another 22 second behind. Alisdair brought up the rear 36 seconds later.

Lap 2 Saw Ed.T extend his lead over 47 seconds and Sean to 62 seconds ahead of Lewis with Alan having caught up with the latter to lie 8 seconds astern, Alisdair brought up the rear.

Lap 3 No place changes by the time the fleet crossed the line but the gaps did alter with Ed.T still ahead of Sean by 59 seconds whilst Lewis pulled back to be 43 seconds behind Sean14 seconds in front of Alan.

Lap 4 The final lap had Ed.T cross the finish line ahead of Sean still and with Lewis pulling away from Alan and Alisdair Last to finish. With the calcs all done the winner of the race was won b Ed Thorburn with Sean Beevers 2^nd and Lewis Johns 3^rd.

Results preliminary unchecked:-

Race 4 - 09/01/2022

 

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		OOD				1.0
1	Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049		37.31	4	0.35.46	0.00.00	1.0
3	Laser Hull	Icteros	LASER	46237	NSSC	Sean Beevers		1100		39.29	4	0.35.54	0.00.09	2.0
4	Laser Hull		LASER	179808	NSSC	Lewis Johns		1100		40.04	4	0.36.25	0.00.44	3.0
5	Laser Hull	Yellow Tak	LASER	85185	NSSC	Alisdair Fortune		1100		42.05	4	0.38.15	0.02.45	4.0
6	Menagerie		DEVOTI D-ZERO	224	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1029		40.46	4	0.39.37	0.03.58	5.0
7	Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	26	NSSC	Bill Waites		1147		OOD				37.0

It had been a nice sunny, if cold day with just enough breeze (excepting the odd strong-ish gust)  to make for interesting, although far from close, racing. There must have been something very interesting on elsewhere or there might have been more takers.

The outlook for Sunday 16^th Jan is for wind of much the same strength but from the north west.

Alan.S DZ 224