Elford NumBum 2024 - races 1 & 2 - 07/01/2024

 

Elford MumBum 2024 – Races 1 & 2

Blue skies with a few light white clouds, a light cold breeze but no rain upon leaving Hove for Piddinghoe. Must have been early as there was little apparent activity upon arrival. Julian Dobson was RO for the day assisted by Phil Naylor and with Bill Wates and Jo Bruggenworth in the safety boat.

Julian set a course, in an ‘M’ shape – as below – with start line from just south of the first slipway on the south bank.

                                    Photographs by Bett Simmons

The wind was from a northerly direction with a strength of a good force 3, giving a broad reach towards the mark to the south of the Island.

At the gun everyone wanted to be first away so there was a good bunch by the pin end mark. The honours go to Jazz Turner (HANSA) by a gnats whisker with Alan Simmons (Streaker) below her and just about level with Mark Ramsay (Supernova). Ed Thorburn (Finn) was, probably, next somewhat closer to the south shore.

Ed managed to get into the lead at the end of the long broad reach, rounding the south mark to tack off on a short tack towards the east bank. After another tack there was a longish beat to the west and then another short tack to the mark in the middle of the east bank. On this side of the pond Zoe McCaig (Laser Radial), Mike Rosier (Laser Radial) and Rupert Smith (Laser Radial) went ahead of Mark and Alan. Dave Murley (Laser Radial) soon caught up Alan and overtook at the end of those windward sections.

On the downwind leg to the mark in the middle of the pond Rupert caught and passed Zoe to lie in second place.

By now the breeze had freshened to a good middle 5 strength with Planeing on the reaches.

On the beat back to the mark off the Fisherman’s Bay Ed continued to lead Rupert with Zoe behind him. Mark was behind in fourth place with Mike and Dave ahead of Alan.

The order at the line was Ed in first place, Zoe, Rupert, Mark, Mike, Dave, Alan, Jazz, Bex and lastly Will - who had had a very late start.

Lap 2 saw Ed still out front with Zoe next and in very close combat with Rupert. Mark was still fourth with Mike close behind as Dave pulled away from Alan. Next across the line in eighth place was Jazz with Bex astern of her and Will still back marker.

Lap 3 had Ed in the lead with now Rupert in second place having just passed Zoe by 2 seconds – these two still going hammer and tongs. The order behind the top three was unchanged as Dave continued to stretch ahead of Alan.

Lap 4 the final lap saw no place changes as Rupert crossed the line 3 seconds ahead of Zoe, Jazz, Bex and Will having been finished.

With the calculations made the winner of the race was Jazz with Rupert second, Zoe third, Ed fourth and Bex fifth.

Results:-

Race 1 - 07/01/2024

Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	BCE	Points
Menagerie		HANSA	No No	NSSC	Jazz Turner		1580	32.15	0.00.00	1.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	179808	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1147	32.39	0.01.26	2.0
Laser Hull	Bruce	LASER RADIAL	46	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1147	32.42	0.01.29	3.0
Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049	31.16	0.02.43	4.0
Menagerie		HANSA	1477	NSSC	Bex Foulshan		1580	36.02	0.03.47	5.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	61663	NSSC	Mike Rosier		1147	35.10	0.03.57	6.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	142208	NSSC	Dave Murley		1147	35.37	0.04.24	7.0
Menagerie		SUPERNOVA	526	NSSC	Mark Ramsay		1077	35.45	0.06.26	8.0
Menagerie	TFB	STREAKER		Lancing	Alan Simmons		1128	38.33	0.07.51	9.0
Menagerie		RS QUBA	No No	NSSC	Will Apps		1260	32.49	0.15.40	10.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL		NSSC	Jo Bruggenworth		1147	OOD		10.0
Laser Hull		LASER	7	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1098	OOD		10.0
Menagerie		TOPPER		NSSC	Phil Naylor		1358	OOD		10.0
Menagerie		SOLO	4084	Lancing	Todd Grady-Gales		1142	DNC		21.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL		NSSC	Bill Wates		1147	OOD		21.

Race 2 was to be held over the same course with the wind if anything a touch stronger and coming from very slightly more to the East.

At the gun it was Mark, near the shore who was first away with Jazz next close to the pin end. Zoe was third with Ed just to windward of her and Rupert above him. Alan was well back but not quite as far back as Will.

Zoe was first to reach the far east mark (south of the Island) with Ed just astern.

By the time they reached the mark off the middle of the east bank Ed was out in front with Rupert next and Zoe just behind him. By the time the fleet began rounding the mark in the middle of the pond Mike was lying fourth ahead of Mark with Dave moving up and to windward of him. Alan was behind this group with Jazz behind and Todd Grady-Gales (Solo) behind her. Todd missed the first race having had to re-rig his halyard and was further delayed in the first lap of this race when his Mainsheet block/cleat and fixing pulled out and he had to make a bit of a lash up to continue.

The order at the end of lap 1 was Ed 1^st, Rupert 2^nd, Zoe 3^rd, Mark 4^th, Mike 5^th, Dave 6^th, Alan 7^th Jazz 8^th, Todd 9^th, Will 10^th and Bex 11^th.

Lap 2 had Ed crossing the line in the lead by 35 seconds from Rupert who was 9 seconds ahead of Zoe. Dave was next to round the finish mark with Mark next followed by Alan. Mike had had a problem (hit a mark?) as he was now astern of Alan, and Todd pulled back a place to lie behind Mike.

Lap 3 Ed was now 57 seconds ahead of Rupert whilst Zoe was a further 8 seconds astern. Dave retained 4^th place as Todd rose to fifth ahead of Alan and Mark dropped back to 7^th with Mike also dropping one place to lie 8^th. Jazz, Bex and Will were finished here.

Lap 4 no place changes in the leading four boats but Mark went back head of Todd and Mike passed Alan to lie 7^th. All bar the top three boats were finished at the end of this lap.

Lap 5 and the relative positions of the three remaining racing stayed the same with Ed crossing the line one minute and 50 seconds ahead of Rupert who was 5 seconds ahead of Zoe, these two having battled it out around the five laps with just a cats whisker separating them.

With the calculations made the winner of the race was Jazz (once more) with Rupert second, Zoe third, Ed fourth and Bex fifth – all as in race 1.

Results:-

Race 2 - 07/01/2024

Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	BCE	Points
Menagerie		HANSA	No No	NSSC	Jazz Turner		1580	31.37	0.00.00	1.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	179808	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1147	38.34	0.00.19	2.0
Laser Hull	Bruce	LASER RADIAL	46	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1147	38.39	0.00.24	3.0
Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049	36.44	0.01.45	4.0
Menagerie		HANSA	1477	NSSC	Bex Foulshan		1580	35.20	0.03.43	5.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	142208	NSSC	Dave Murley		1147	34.23	0.03.47	6.0
Menagerie		SOLO	4084	Lancing	Todd Grady-Gales		1142	35.10	0.04.42	7.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	61663	NSSC	Mike Rosier		1147	35.39	0.05.03	8.0
Menagerie		SUPERNOVA	526	NSSC	Mark Ramsay		1077	34.53	0.06.09	9.0
Menagerie	TFB	STREAKER		Lancing	Alan Simmons		1128	40.22	0.10.16	10.0
Menagerie		RS QUBA	No No	NSSC	Will Apps		1260	35.50	0.10.37	11.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL		NSSC	Jo Bruggenworth		1147	OOD		11.0
Laser Hull		LASER	7	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1098	OOD		11.0
Menagerie		TOPPER		NSSC	Phil Naylor		1358	OOD		11.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL		NSSC	Bill Wates		1147	DNC		21.0

A bit too breezy for the writer’s comfort but ideal for the Laser Radials who had some great sailing and on the water battles. There were a few ‘upset’ – as above – but few capsizes meaning that the safety boat crew were not too busy. The forward weather forecasts are for a High Pressure zone over the UK for this week which, if it lasts to Sunday 14^th, could see slightly less breeze – but don’t hold your breath.

Alan.S 1832