Freeman Icerberg Races 3 & 4 - 10/11/2024

 

Freeman Iceberg 2024 Races 3 & 4 - 10/11/2024

Once again it was a grey overcast sky with just a hint of a blue patch, but it came to nothing during the morning. There was not a sign of any breeze upon leaving home and nothing more once we had arrived at Piddinghoe for Races 3 & 4 of the 2024 Freeman Iceberg Series.

Laurence Venus as RO again, assisted by David Hitchens and with Zoe McCaig and Paul in the safety boat, had the unenviable task of trying to set a suitable course in next to no breeze. He did eventually organize a shortened version of last Sunday’s course with the weather mark set to the west of the island as shown below:-

 

This being Remembrance Sunday There was a two minute silence at 11.00 and the race started at 11.10. The fleet of 16 boats (in the first start) were all aligned, mostly close to the line, with Ewan Hamilton (Laser 4.7) first to ‘drift’, across the line well towards the shore. Geoff Sheridan (Byte CII) started in second place close to the pin end with Andy Hamilton (Laser full rig) to leeward of him. Fourth away was Ed Thorburn (Finn)  with Dave Perkins (Laser Radial) just behind and to weather.

Ed was first to get round the weather mark with Geoff not far behind followed by Mark Ramsay (Supernova) with a significant lap to Ewan with Alan Simmons (Streaker) astern, these two having negotiated a Laser who had caught the mark and was hogging and entangled with it.

Ed soon tacked off towards the east in the hope of finding some puff whilst Geoff had born off and looked as though he might get to the next mark in the lead. It was not to be but the two boats rounded the mark in very close order. Behind them Mark was third to round with Rupert Smith (OK), having sneaked past Alan and Ewan, next to turn. Pete Henderson (Laser Radial) also went ahead of Alan briefly only to drop back on the next leg.

On the third leg, towards the mark off the fisherman’s Bay, Geoff went ahead of Ed but after turning onto the final leg to the finish Ed went back ahead of Geoff to cross first. Rupert had by then caught up and crossed the line at the same time as Geoff. Next to finish was Mark, followed by Julian Dobson (Laser full rig) then Alan. Andy Beck (Lightning), Pete in 8^th place, Bill Wates (Laser Radial), Ewan,  Andy Hamilton (Laser full rig), Dave Parkins (Laser Radial) and then the Hansas. Adam Billany was 13^th to finish, followed  by Jazz Turner, Chris Hobday then at 16^th was Red Sheridan in his Oppy. Jane Thompson and Bea Brammah was the next Hansa in 17^th and last place.

With handicaps applied the winner of the race was Red Sheridan with Jane second,. Adam was third, Jazz was fourth and fifth was Chris Hobday. A clean up

Results (Provisional):-

Race 3 - 10/11/24

Rank	Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Start	Finish	Elapsed	Laps	Corrected	Points
1		Sea Horse	Optimist	614	Red Sheridan		1628	11.10	11.57.10	0.47.10		0.28.58	1.0
2			Hansa 303	12	Jane Thompson	Bea Brammah	1630	11.11	11.58.22	0.47.22		0.29.04	2.0
3		Pheobe	Hansa 303 s/h	28	Adam Billany		1580	11.11	11.57.34	0.46.34		0.29.28	3.0
4		Violet	Hansa 303 s/h	848	Jazz Turner		1580	11.11	11.57.48	0.46.48		0.29.37	4.0
5		Bruce	LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6	146162	Zoe McCaig		1154			OOD			5.0
5			Hansa 303 s/h	2277	Chris Hobday		1580	11.11	11.58.09	0.47.09		0.29.51	5.0
7		Mothers Ruin	Byte CII	3394	Geoff Sheridan		1135	11.10	11.49.33	0.39.33		0.34.51	6.0
8			Finn	595	Ed Thorburn		1047	11.10	11.46.54	0.36.54		0.35.15	7.0
9		Saxon	OK	2239	Rupert Smith		1100	11.10	11.49.33	0.39.33		0.35.57	8.0
10		TFB	Streaker	1832	Alan Simmons		1124	11.10	11.50.52	0.40.52		0.36.21	9.0
11			LASER 4.7/ ILCS 4	197705	Ewan Hamilton		1213	11.10	11.54.23	0.44.23		0.36.35	10.0
12			LASER/ ILCA 7	7	Julian Dobson		1102	11.10	11.50.50	0.40.50		0.37.03	11.0
13			Supernova	526	Mark Ramsay		1075	11.10	11.50.05	0.40.05		0.37.17	12.0
14			LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6	122461	David Hitchins		1154			OOD			12.5
15		Blitz	Lightning 368	225	Andrew Beck		1162	11.10	11.53.43	0.43.43		0.37.37	13.0
16			LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6	43382	Pete Henderson		1147	11.10	11.53.51	0.43.51		0.38.14	14.0
17			LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6	26	Bill Wates		1147	11.10	11.54.22	0.44.22		0.38.41	15.0
18			LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6	2063	Dave Parkins		1154	11.10	11.56.31	0.46.31		0.40.19	16.0
19			LASER/ ILCA 7	142221	Andy Hamilton		1102	11.10	11.54.57	0.44.57		0.40.47	17.0
20					Paul					OOD			18.0

Race 4 was sailed over the same course, this time with a little bit of breeze but with the start from the Jetty (to the north of the clubhouse) to the former finish mark off the club house.

First to cross the line, which was a bit forward of the mark, was Red in his Oppy. Next to go, at the shore end of the line was Rupert in his OK, whilst Ewan in Laser 4.7 was a bow ahead of Andy.B in the Lightning.

With a bit of tacking required to round the first mark the order on the beat along the south shore was Rupert, Mark, Andy.H, Ed .T in his Finn, Ewan, Pete and then Alan. Behind these came Julian, Bill, Red and Geoff in the Byte.

First to round the mark at the end of the first leg was Rupert followed by Mark with Ed on his outside but to windward. Rupert was still ahead at the mark off the east shore with Ed behind him having overtaken Mark. Alan was next in fourth position with Andy.H astern and Geoff inside Andy B. Pete was next and Julian outside this group, then Bill and Ewan.

By the time the fleet reached the finish mark Ed had still not caught Rupert. Mark was still third but Alan was fast closing in, 15 seconds behind as Geoff also closed in on Alan. Julian was up to 7th, Ahead of Pete with Andy.B 10th and Red 11th.

Next came the first of the Hansa, who had started a minute after the main fleet, with Adam Billany lying 12th ahead of Jane and Bea. Ewan was 14th ahead of Jazz with Chris behind her. Anna was in 17th place and last as Dave Parkins did not start.

 

Lap 2 Saw Ed overtake Rupert to lead round the mark off the Island as Alan had to tack in the light and variable conditions  to retain 4th place behind Mark with Geoff now ahead of Andy.H. At the finish line Ed was 35 seconds ahead of Rupert with Mark a good deal further back (2 minute 22 seconds) and Alan 26 seconds behind with Geoff 10 seconds further astern. Pete was lying 7th as Julian dropped back to 11th with Ewan now up to 9th ahead of Bill (Laser Radial) and Andy.B. There were quite a few places changes behind.

 

Lap 3 Had Ed in the lead from Rupert by 49 seconds with Mark, Alan, Geoff and Andy,H retaining position as in lap 2. Bill was now up to 7th place having passed Pete and Ewan. Andy.B and Julian were also ahead of Ewan with Adam still 12th and ahead of Jazz. Red was 14th head of Chris, Anna and Jane.

 

Lap 4 Ed stretched his lead over Rupert to minute and 13 seconds whilst third positioned Mark pulled further ahead of Alan who remained ahead of Geoff. Bill in 6th place stayed ahead of Julian who had pulled up ahead of Andy.H who had dropped back to just ahead of 9th placed Andy.B. Ewan was 10th as Pete, Red, Adam, Jazz and Anna had been finished at the end of lap 3,

 

Lap 5 was sailed by just the leading three boats, all other competitors having already been finished. Ed crossed the line a minute and 39 seconds ahead of Rupert with Mark a further Minute and 38 seconds later.

With Handicaps applied the winner of the race was declared as Rupert 1st, Ed 2nd, Mark 3r, Adam 4th and Red 5th as shown below:-

Results (provisional):-

                                                Race 4 - 10/11/24

Rank	Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Start	Finish	Elapsed	Laps	Corrected	Points
1		Saxon	OK	2239	Rupert Smith		1100	11.25	12.06.38	0.41.38	5	0.37.51	1.0
2			Finn	595	Ed Thorburn		1047	11.25	12.04.59	0.39.59	5	0.38.11	2.0
3			Supernova	526	Mark Ramsay		1075	11.25	12.08.06	0.43.06	5	0.40.06	3.0
4		Pheobe	Hansa 303 s/h	28	Adam Billany		1580	11.26	12.04.14	0.38.14	3	0.40.20	4.0
5		Sea Horse	Optimist	614	Red Sheridan		1628	11.25	12.05.18	0.40.18	3	0.41.15	5.0
5		Bruce	LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6	146162	Zoe McCaig		1154			OOD			5.0
7		Violet	Hansa 303 s/h	848	Jazz Turner		1580	11.26	12.05.52	0.39.52	3	0.42.03	6.0
8		TFB	Streaker	1832	Alan Simmons		1124	11.25	12.03.03	0.38.03	4	0.42.19	7.0
9		Mothers Ruin	Byte CII	3394	Geoff Sheridan		1135	11.25	12.04.51	0.39.51	4	0.43.53	8.0
10			LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6	26	Bill Wates		1147	11.25	12.05.45	0.40.45	4	0.44.25	9.0
11		Blitz	Lightning 368	225	Andrew Beck		1162	11.25	12.06.36	0.41.36	4	0.44.45	10.0
12			LASER 4.7/ ILCS 4	197705	Ewan Hamilton		1213	11.25	12.09.02	0.44.02	4	0.45.23	11.0
13			Hansa 303	228	Anna McNaughton	Niall Macmenemin	1630	11.26	12.10.40	0.44.40	3	0.45.40	12.0
14			LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6	122461	David Hitchins		1154			OOD			12.5
15			LASER/ ILCA 7	7	Julian Dobson		1102	11.25	12.06.02	0.41.02	4	0.46.33	13.5
15			Hansa 303 s/h	2277	Chris Hobday		1580	11.26	12.10.08	0.44.08	3	0.46.33	13.5
17			LASER/ ILCA 7	142221	Andy Hamilton		1102	11.25	12.06.10	0.41.10	4	0.46.42	15.0
18			LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6	43382	Pete Henderson		1147	11.25
19			Hansa 303	12	Jane Thompson	Bea Brammah	1630	11.26	12.03.53	0.37.53	2	0.58.06	17.0
20					Paul					OOD			18.0

With so little breeze at the delayed start of Race 3 (due to the 2 minute silence) it is perhaps questionable as to whether it should have been started. With the leading boat having taken nearly 37 minutes to complete just one lap it is however obvious that  a delay of greater than that would have been necessary and thus unacceptable. This is in no way a criticism of Laurence who had very a difficult decision to make to start the race when he did as it cannot have been an easy choice for him to take with the only other option to cancel it. The fact is that the breeze did finally arrive permitting a five lap race be held.

Alan.S 1832