Elford NumBum 2024 Race 3 & 4 - 14/01/2024

 Elford NumBum Races 3 & 4 – 14/01/2024

A bright sky, the odd patch of blue showing, cold and almost dead calm as we left Hove for Piddinghoe and the Elford NumBum races 3 & 4 Sunday morning. On arrival there were several boats already rigged but none on the water which was like a mill pond, flat and clam with not even the reed tops moving. Having changed and uncovered the Streaker the writer decided to see if there was any breeze, it did not look promising and after ten minutes or so along with Ed Thorburn (Finn) who was also afloat a call was made to those waiting on the shore that it felt as if the Streaker was going backwards – on the tide?

The RO for the day David Hitchens and ARO, aided by Dave Murley and Mark Ramsay in the safety boat, decided  that the start should be delayed for a while, having tentatively set an ‘M’ shaped course with a start line east of the first slipway, all as shown below:-

Photos by Bett Simmon

A tiny waft of air signalled the possibility of a race and eleven boats took to the water for a start at 10.55. At the starting gun Ed was first away near the south bank with Zoe McCaig (Laser Radial) second off in midline and then Jazz Turner (Hansa) next away closer to the pin end. Bill Wates (Laser Radial) was a second or two later, close to the pin end mark with Alan Simmons (Streaker) a little to leeward.

Ed was first to round the windward mark near the clubhouse with Bill in second place and Alan third at that mark and the next (finishing) mark a few yards to the east.

On the next leg, to the mark off the Fisherman’s Bay, Alan began to pull away from fourth placed Zoe who in turn stretched ahead of Jo Bruggenworth (Laser Radial) as Rupert Smith (Laser Radial) passed Jazz. Sean Beevers (Laser Radial) and Mike Rosier (Laser Radial)were well back along with Adam Bivany (Hansa) and Darrel Topp (Laser Radial).

By the end of the lap the order was Ed in  the lead with Bill second one minute ten second later and Alan third 6 seconds later. Zoe was in fourth place with Rupert behind her, then Jo was next in sixth place ahead of Sean. Mike was eighth with Jazz next and Darrel behind her and Adam in last place.

Lap 2 saw Ed still out in front but with Alan going ahead of Bill, as did Zoe. Rupert remained in fifth place with Sean behind him having overtaken Jo. The order behind remained unchanged. Adam was finished here.

Lap 3 had no place changes in the top four but Sean went ahead of Rupert to lie fifth. and Mike passed Jo. Jazz, and Darrel remained in the same relative order. Mike, Jo, Jazz were then finished.

Lap 4, the final lap, had Ed cross the line in first place with Alan second some four minutes behind. Zoe was next to finish ahead of Sean who had relegated Bill to fifth with Rupert behind him.

With the calculations made the winner  was declared as Jazz with Ed second, Alan third, Zoe fourth and Sean fifth.

Results:-

                                        Race 3 - 14/01/2024  

 

Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	BCE	Points
Menagerie		HANSA	No No	NSSC	Jazz Turner		1580	34.36	0.00.00	1.0
Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049	30.52	0.00.14	2.0
Menagerie	TFB	STREAKER	1832	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1128	35.11	0.02.15	3.0
Laser Hull	Bruce	LASER RADIAL	46	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1150	36.41	0.03.06	4.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	46237	NSSC	Sean Beevers		1147	37.07	0.03.38	5.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	26	NSSC	Bill Wates		1150	37.36	0.04.01	6.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	142208	NSSC	Dave Murley		1150	OOD		6.5
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	179808	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1150	37.49	0.04.14	7.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	61663	NSSC	Mike Rosier		1150	31.47	0.06.36	8.0
Menagerie		SUPERNOVA	526	NSSC	Mark Ramsay		1077	OOD		8.5
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	164421	NSSC	Jo Bruggenworth		1150	32.14	0.07.03	9.0
Menagerie		HANSA	2277	NSSC	Adam Bivany		1580	32.09	0.09.05	10.0
Laser Hull		LASER	7	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1098	OOD		11.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	217834	NSSC	Darrel Topp		1150	38.23	0.13.12	11.0
Menagerie		HANSA	1477	NSSC	Bex Foulshan		1580	DNC		20.0
Menagerie		RS QUBA	No No	NSSC	Will Apps		1260	DNC		20.0
Menagerie		SOLO	4084	Lancing	Todd Grady-Gales		1142	DNC		20.0
Menagerie		TOPPER	nO nO	NSSC	Phil Naylor		1358	DNC		20.0
Laser Hull		LASER	122461	NSSC	David Hitchens		1098	OOD		20.0

Race 4 was to be held over the same course with minor mark re-positioning and the breeze very slightly stronger but from the same direction.

At the Gun for the start, at 11.00, it was Alan who made the first break with Zoe behind him, Sean third - and Ed fourth. These were the positions at the end of the first short beat to the mark in the south west corner of the pond. Rupert was next ahead of Mike, Jazz, Bill, Jo and then Adam with Darrel bringing up the rear.

Ed began to overhaul the leading group on the leg towards the Fisherman’s Bay and rounded it in second place just astern of Alan. On the next but one leg Ed went ahead of Alan just behind the Island.

 The next leg, to the mark in the middle of the pond saw the leaders spread out a little and at the finish line off the clubhouse Ed crossed 14 seconds ahead of Alan who was 30 seconds ahead of Zoe with Sean 33 seconds astern of her. Rupert was fifth another 21 seconds behind Sean and then Bill a minute  and 12 seconds later. Jo  was lying seventh ahead of Jazz with Darrel next in 9^th ahead of Mike and Adam in last place.

Lap 2 Ed was out in front crossing the line 53 seconds ahead of Alan who was 44 seconds in front of Sean who had overtaken Zoe. Rupert was still in 5^th place with Bill next. Jo was next with Darrel up a place to 8^th in front of Mike who had

now gone ahead of Jazz and Adam.

Lap 3 had Ed still out in front of Alan, now by 59 seconds. The order behind down to Jo remained unchanged with Sean now 21 seconds astern of Alan. Mike having gone ahead of Darrel was now in 8^th place.

Lap 4 saw no place changes as Ed crossed the line first 2 minutes 19 seconds ahead of Alan with Sean just 9 seconds later. The order behind these three remained unchanged with all others being finished here.

Lap 5 and the breeze faded leaving just Ed, Alan and Sean racing, and finishing in that order.

With the calcs performed the recorder decided to disregard the 5^th lap and count positions for the fleet having sailed four laps. The result was therefore stated as a win for Sean, with Jazz second, Ed third, Alan fourth and Zoe fifth.

Results:-

  Race 4 - 14/01/2024

Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	BCE	Points
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	46237	NSSC	Sean Beevers		1150	30.55	0.00.00	1.0
Menagerie		HANSA	No No	NSSC	Jazz Turner		1580	31.54	0.00.03	2.0
Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049	28.27	0.00.15	3.0
Menagerie	TFB	STREAKER	1832	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1128	30.46	0.00.26	4.0
Laser Hull	Bruce	LASER RADIAL	46	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1150	32.26	0.01.31	5.0
Menagerie		HANSA	2277	NSSC	Adam Bivany		1580	34.14	0.02.23	6.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	142208	NSSC	Dave Murley		1150	OOD		6.5
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	179808	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1150	33.53	0.02.58	7.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	26	NSSC	Bill Wates		1150	37.40	0.06.45	8.0
Menagerie		SUPERNOVA	526	NSSC	Mark Ramsay		1077	OOD		8.5
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	164421	NSSC	Jo Bruggenworth		1150	38.30	0.07.35	9.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	61663	NSSC	Mike Rosier		1150	39.04	0.08.09	10.0
Laser Hull		LASER	7	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1098	OOD		11.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	217834	NSSC	Darrel Topp		1150	DNF		11.0
Menagerie		HANSA	1477	NSSC	Bex Foulshan		1580	DNC		20.0
Menagerie		RS QUBA	No No	NSSC	Will Apps		1260	DNC		20.0
Menagerie		SOLO	4084	Lancing	Todd Grady-Gales		1142	DNC		20.0
Menagerie		TOPPER	No No	NSSC	Phil Naylor		1358	DNC		20.0
Laser Hull		LASER	122461	NSSC	David Hitchens		1098	OOD		20.0

The lack of breeze before the start of the first race of the morning was ominous but a good call by the race team to postpone solved that problem. The second decision , by the recorder, to ignore the final (5^th) lap in the second race was, in the writer’s opinion a fair and reasonable one as it would have otherwise penalised the declared winner, Sean, as the breeze had fallen away.

The breeze, as forecast by XCWeather, for next Sunday is not brilliant at present but it can quickly change – it was far from correct for races 3 & 4. On the way to the club the sky had been largely cloudy with the odd patch of blue sky. As the morning proceeded more blue sky appeared only to vanish. On the way home the sky cleared to bright blue only for dark grey threatening skies to show in the north - rain or even snow looking a possibility. Nothing came before we got indoors, nor later in the day. It just shows how quickly the weather situation can change. So, as I constantly state, come along down to Piddinghoe anyway and see what the situation actually is like.

Alan.S 1832