Elford NumBum Races 11 & 12 - 9/2/2025

 Elford Numbum Races 11 & 12 – 09/02/2025

Cold and grey overcast with barely any breeze as we set off for Piddinghoe on Sunday 9^th Feb. On the way down the sun was trying to break through the gloom but it did not succeed.

On arrival there was a fairly stiff breeze top end 3 to low end 4 blowing from the north and Michael Veale as RO, assisted by Bill Wates with Tim Cox and Mike Rosier in the safety boat, set an unusual course (as below) with the start and finish from the clubhouse and an initial long beat to the mark near the site of the old reed Islands in the north of the pond.

        Photographs by Bett Simmons

At the start of the first race Rupert Smith (OK) and then Alan Simmons (Streaker) were a trifle early at the pin end and had to dip back over the line before tacking taking off on a short beat on starboard ahead of the other starters and then heading out across the middle of the pond.

Ed Thorburn (Finn) was third across the line with Zoe McCaig Laser Radial) fourth and Red Sheridan (Oppy) fifth.

Rupert was first to tack onto port from a position off the north east end of the island with Ed holding on a little longer and Zoe close behind. Having rounded the mark in the north, heading off to the mark in the south east and then tuned back to round the Island Rupert was still ahead of Ed on the reach back across the pond to the mark off the south bank. By the end of that leg Ed had taken the lead with Rupert leading Zoe. 

These three crossed the line at the  end of the first lap in that order with Dave Murley (Laser Radial) 4th, Pete Henderson (Laser Radial) 5th, Alan 6th and Geoff Sheridan (Byte CII) 7th.

No positions were recorded for the first lap and not sufficient to record positions in Lap 2. It should be noted that Calvin Laidlaw  (Hansa s/h) suffered a snapped mast and retired ashore in the first lap of the race and ending his racing for the day.

Lap 3 saw Ed 26 seconds ahead in the lead with Zoe second having passed Rupert by 19 seconds. Dave was still 4th ahead of Alan who had passed Pete. Geoff was7th ahead of Jo Bruggenwirth (Laser Radial) with Andy Beck (Lightning) 9th, Red 10th, Adam Billany (Hansa s/h)11th and Anna McNaughton and Niall McMenemin (Hansa) 12th.

Lap 4 had Ed maintaining his lead from Zoe who likewise pulled away from Rupert. Dave remained in 4th place ahead of Alan with Pete next – all as in lap 3. Jo moved up ahead of Geoff to lie 7th with Andy behind. Adam was 10th, Anna 11th as Red dropped back to 12th place. Anna was finished here.

Lap 5 there were no place changes in the front six boats but Jo dropped two places to lie 9th behind Geoff and Andy. Adam continued to hold 10th place and Red 11th, both were finished here.

Lap 6 again no changes at the front with the top seven holding their positions. Jo went back ahead of Andy to lie in 8th place.

Lap 7 was sailed by just the top five boats, with no place changes from lap 6. Ed crossed the line one minute 16 seconds ahead of Zoe who was a minute and 24 seconds ahead of Rupert. Dave was 4th and Alan 5th.

With handicaps applied and calculations completed the winner of the race was Adam with Zoe 2nd, Anna 3rd, Red 4th and Dave 5th. See results below.

Results (Provisional) :-

R11 - 09/02/2025

Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	BCE	Points
Menagerie	Phoebe	HANSA s/h	28	NSSC	Adam Billany		1580	33.53	0.00.00	1.0
Laser Hull	Bruce	LASER RADIAL	46	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1154	36.06	0.01.27	2.0
Menagerie		HANSA	228	NSSC	Anna McNaughton	Nial MacMenamin	1630	30.23	0.02.25	3.0
Menagerie	Seahorse	OPTIMIST	4769	NSSC	Red Sheridan		1628	38.17	0.03.22	4.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	142208	NSSC	Dave Murley		1154	39.13	0.04.34	5.0
Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049	35.50	0.04.20	6.0
Menagerie	Saxon	OK	2239	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1100	38.30	0.05.28	7.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	43382	NSSC	Pete Henderson		1154	36.08	0.06.26	8.0
Menagerie	TFB	STREAKER	1832	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1124	41.37	0.07.52	9.0
Menagerie	Mothers Ruin	BYTE CII	3394	NSSC	Geoff Sheridan		1132	36.30	0.07.22	10.0
Menagerie	Blitz	LIGHTNING 368	225	NSSC	Andy Beck		1160	37.49	0.07.58	11.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	1644421	NSSC	Jo Bruggenworth		1154	37.44	0.08.02	12.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	26	NSSC	Bill Wates		1147	OOD		23.7
Menagerie	Hot Toddy	RS 200	582	NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1046	OOD		27.2

Alan had the attachment to his mast for the kicking strap completely fail in the last few yards of the final beat and having realised that it was unrepairable went ashore and did not take part  in the second race of the day.

Race 12 held over an unaltered course started at 11.40.Unfortunately as Bett had been helping Alan to pack up his Streaker and had the batteries on her camera fail there  is no view of the start – nor the rest of that  race – shots from race 11 are within the text of this part of this report.

Lap 1 it would appear that the top four from race 11 were off the mark quickly with Rupert first to cross the line at the end of the lap 2 seconds ahead of Ed. Zoe was third just 10 second behind Ed and with Dave not far behind in 4th place. Andy was lying 5th with Pete 13 seconds astern. Red was next in 7th place in font of Adam. Anna was in 9thahead of Jo. Geoff retied before completing the lap and Mark and Calvin did not take part in this race.

Lap 2 with Ed in the lead Rupert went ahead of Zoe to lie 2nd with Dave still 4th. Pete went ahead of Andy to lie 5th and Red overtook Adam. Anna remained 9th ahead of Jo.

Lap 3 the fist six places remained unchanged with a battle ongoing between Rupert and Zoe with her just 3 seconds behind at the line. Adam went ahead of Red to hold7th place and Jo gained a place to lie 9th ahead of Anna.

Lap 4 Ed was now 44 seconds ahead of Rupert with Zoe 11 seconds later at the line. Andy was now ahead of Pete and in 5th place. Jo had progressed to lie 7th ahead of Adam, Red and Anna, the latter finishing here.

Lap 5 no positional changes in the entire fleet this lap although the fight for second place was still as intense with Rupert 10 seconds ahead of Zoe. Both Jo and Adam were finished here.

Lap 6 just six boats were still fighting it out with Ed first over the line with a one minute and 44 second lead over the second boat to finish. After the reach from the back of the Island and on the last short leg to the finish line Zoe gained the inside berth from Rupert and nipped over 4 seconds ahead of him. Dave, Andy and Pete were 4th, 5th and 6th  to finish.

Lap 7 Ed was given the honour to sail this lap on his own all others having finished.

With handicaps applied and calcs made the winner of the race was Zoe with Adam 2nd, Red 3rd, Ed 4th and Dave 5th. See Results below.

Results (Provisional) :-

R12 - 09/02/2025

Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	BCE	Points
Laser Hull	Bruce	LASER RADIAL	46	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1154	32.37	0.00.00	1.0
Menagerie	Phoebe	HANSA s/h	28	NSSC	Adam Billany		1580	38/09	0/00/56	2.0
Menagerie	Seahorse	OPTIMIST	4769	NSSC	Red Sheridan		1628	39.37	0.01.16	3.0
Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049	36.08	0.01.33	4.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	142208	NSSC	Dave Murley		1154	34.11	0.01.34	5.0
Menagerie	Saxon	OK	2239	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1100	32.41	0.01.36	6.0
Menagerie	Blitz	LIGHTNING 368	225	NSSC	Andy Beck		1160	36.29	0.03.42	7.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	43382	NSSC	Pete Henderson		1154	36.42	0.04.05	8.0
Menagerie		HANSA	228	NSSC	Anna McNaughton	Nial MacMenamin	1630	36.08	0.05.25	9.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	1644421	NSSC	Jo Bruggenworth		1154	34.59	0.07.48	10.0
Menagerie	Mothers Ruin	BYTE CII	3394	NSSC	Geoff Sheridan		1132	DNF		12.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	26	NSSC	Bill Wates		1147	OCS		12.0
Menagerie	Hot Toddy	RS 200	582	NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1046	OOD		27.2

 Conditions, especially the wind, were somewhat stronger than on previous weeks, much to the delight of some competitors. Damage to several boats was experienced and the was even a case of a Dry Suit taking on a good amount of Pond water. We wont mention the forecast for next Sunday 16^th – just come down to the pond and see if it looks OK for you!

Alan.S 1832.