Elford Numbum Races 13 & 14 - 13/02/2022.

 Elford Numbum Races 13 & 14 –13/2/2022

It was bright but overcast with grey cloud, fairly cold and a noticeable breeze as we set off for Piddinghoe on Sunday morning for races 13 & 14 of the 2022 Numbum series. In the car were the Streaker’s dagger board and rudder which we had failed to take with us when we took the boat back down to the pond on Friday. On arrival I took these items over to the boat and having uncovered it felt that, although blowing at about force 4 at that time, that I could give it a go. The forecast from XC Weather was for wind speeds up to and exceeding 30 knots by midday, later there was a whistling in the rigging to be heard. – force 6.   

Having made the decision I changed and got the boat on the water, along with six others, just after the first gun of the sequence had been heard and almost got across the line at the start along with the others.

                                            Photos by Bett Simmons

Julian Dobson was RO for the day and he set an ‘M’ shaped course with a very short initial windward leg followed by a broad reach along the south shore to a mark in the south east corner finishing with a gybe. Thereafter it was a dead downwind leg behind the Island to a mark two thirds of the way along the east bank  to then return to a mark on the west side of the Island. This was followed with another off-wind leg to a mark off the Fisherman’s bay with a concluding windward leg back to the start/finish line – as below.

At the Gun Thomas Harland-Smith (Laser Radial) was first away and quickly off down the south bank leg followed by Michael Veale and Mike Rosier (RS 200) and then Lewis Johns (Laser full rig). Next to start was Andy Beck (Laser 4.7) with Alan Simmons (Steaker) and lastly Thomas Beck (Topper).

By this time the breeze had begun to increase and was very gusty and shifty and by the time he was halfway down that off-wind leg Alan decided not to continue, turned around and headed for the slipway. The first casualty at the gybe was Andy as his son Thomas did the job properly and stayed upright through that rounding.

Before he reached the mid east shore mark Lewis also took a swim, first of several, allowing Thomas H-S to pull away in front. The order at the line at the end of the lap was 1^st Thomas H-S, 2^nd Michael, 3^rd Thomas.B 4^th Andy, 5^th Lewis 6^th.

Lap 2 saw Thomas H-S well out in front of Michael with both Lewis  and Thomas.B taking dips but Lewis did get back to lie 3^rd a further 4 minutes astern and Andy ahead another 4 minutes behind him but ahead of Thomas.B.

Lap 3 had no place changes from those in lap 2 but with Thomas H-S now nearly 3 minutes ahead of Michael. Lewis had another swim (or two) and Andy made up some ground to, lie 2.5 minutes astern with Thomas.B 3 minutes further back and being finished.

Lap 4 and again no place changes with Thomas H-S now 3 and a bit minutes ahead of Michael      and Lewis another 5 minutes adrift with Andy still 2.5 minutes behind and both he and Lewis being finished.

Lap 5 was a two horse race with Michael finding it impossible to reduce Thomas H-S’s 3 minute lead. A late capsize for the pair in the RS 200 did not help.

With the calculation done the finishing order was Thomas Harland–Smith 1^st , Michael Veale and Mike Rosier  2^nd and Andy Beck 3^rd.

                     Race 13 - 13/01/2022 at 11.45

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		28.04	5	0.24.28	0.00.00	1.0
2	Menagerie	Hot Toddy	RS 200		NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1046		31.09	5	0.29.47	0.05.33	2.0
3	Laser Hull		LASER 4.7	None	NSSC	Andy Beck		1208		32.37	4	0.33.45	0.08.58	3.0
4	Menagerie		TOPPER 4.2	47124	NSSC	Thomas Beck		1416		28.42	3	0.33.47	0.07.55	4.0
5	Laser Hull		LASER	179808	NSSC	Lewis Johns		1100		30.06	4	0.34.12	0.08.34	5.0
5	Laser Hull		LASER	7	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1100		OOD				5.0
7	Menagerie		STREAKER	1832	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1128		RET				44.0

Race 14, starting at 11.25 was held over the same course, without any adjustments and there would be five starters 

At the gun Thomas H-S was first away again with Lewis, a bit to leeward, second across the line and then Thomas.B even closer to the west shore, Michael  was fourth to start and Andy fifth. 

Lewis made it down the south bank leg but then capsized after the gybe in spite of taking the south east corner mark ahead of Thomas H-S.

 All the other three boats passed him on this leg along the west bank there was an added hazard in the form of a (Paddle) boarder with an inflatable wing sail but all managed to avoid him. At the line the order was 1^st Thomas H-S, 2^nd Michael (a minute behind), 3^rd Andy, 4^th Lewis and 5^th Thomas.B.

Lap 2 had Thomas H-S leading Michael by a minute and a half with Andy in third place still ahead of Lewis. Thomas.B was fifth and last to cross the line having had a dip in the ogin.

Lap 3 with Thomas H-S still in the lead 2.5 minutes ahead of Michael saw Lewis climb up to lie 3^rd ahead of Andy with Thomas.B as the tail ender.

Lap 4  and the order was as in lap 3 with Thomas first across the line 2.5 minutes ahead of Michael and had Lewis take yet another dip, with both Andy and Thomas.B finishing.

Lap 5, the final lap saw Thomas H-S cross the line first with Lewis 5 minutes behind, having passed Michael who had a lengthy dip (and mast well and truly in the mud).

With the calculations done the final order was 1^st Thomas Harland-Smith, 2^nd Thomas Beck, 3^rd Andy Beck, 4^th Lewis Johns and 5^th Michael Veale and Mike Rosier.

Race 14 - 13/01/2022 at 11.45

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		28.43	5	0.25.02	0.00.00	1.0
2	Menagerie		TOPPER 4.2	47124	NSSC	Thomas Beck		1416		33.38	4	0.29.41	0.05.16	2.0
3	Laser Hull		LASER 4.7	None	NSSC	Andy Beck		1208		29.49	4	0.30.51	0.05.37	3.0
4	Laser Hull		LASER	179808	NSSC	Lewis Johns		1100		34.18	5	0.31.11	0.06.46	4.0
5	Laser Hull		LASER	7	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1100		OOD				5.0
5	Menagerie	Hot Toddy	RS 200		NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1046		35.56	5	0.34.21	0.09.45	5.0

In the second race the breeze appeared to decrease and there were some almost calm patches close to the clubhouse – but it was a myth and merely a minute lull between the gusts. Nobody is sure who wins the prize for the most capsizes but Lewis was certainly in the frame. The writer is not sure if Thomas H-S actually failed to take a swim, since he held such a lead in both races, but it was a bit achedemic anyway.

                                                          Strange Bird !

Alan.S 1832

PS. There is a very short blog for races 11 & 12 but as no racing took place due the forecast of strong winds it is of little consequence - but clik the relevant posting on the top left of this if you wish to read it.