Elford Numbum Race 5 - 30/01/2011

By 9.00am the sky was blue from edge to edge, a few tiny clouds on the horizon, with the sun ‘blazing’ down. A fresh north easterly was eddying around the house and the windscreen required de-icing and upon starting out it was barely 2°C.
At the pond the boat cover was frosted over and there was a lot more breeze on the pond side than in the car park. A wind check showed about 10 knots from the eastern side of the water. Shortly afterwards white horses appeared on the water and the wind was whistling through the rigging (force 6?).

Alan Simmons (Lancing SC) prepared his Streaker but looking at the ‘waves’ and, on his 73rd birthday, he was keeping his options open as to whether to launch or not.

Kay (RO) soon arrived to set the course with the help of Rupert Smith who was on safety boat duty with daughter Alice. An extra buoy was laid just off the Clubhouse to get a good windward start and it was then off to a yellow mark midway along the eastern bank. From there it was a run/reach to the southern corner east of the Island.
A gybe followed with a close reach back across the pond to a pink mark in the north east corner, finish off with a reachy run to the twin buoy finish line. It was effectively a figure of eight out to the corners of the pond.

Eventually six boats came to the start, Including Alan who reckoned he could start and then almost immediately retire to the comfort of the clubhouse since it blowing a good force 4 to 5.

The actual start was rather confused when most of the boats attempted to use the twin buoys as the ODM resulting in a general recall. The real start was not a lot tidier but it was Matt Springhall (Laser full rig – NSSC) to get away first with Alan.S and Paul Ryan (Laser full rig – Hardway SC) not too far behind.
The first lap was fairly uneventfull and it did seem that the breeze had eased a little – well Alan reckoned he could cope – provided he did not capsize and decided to continue racing. Tim Cox (Laser Radial – NSSC) was hot on his heels and beginning to close up. Behind these four Michael Veale and Mike Rosier (RS 2000 – NSSC) were finding out the problems of a wide, slippery, hull in the gusty wind and were shortly to take a dip when Michael lost his grip on the tiller. Bill Wates (Laser Radial _ NSSC) had tipped in once before the start – well it was windier then anyway.

In lap two Paul.R – having sorted out his Mainsheet and Outhaul intertwining - took a spectacular spill on the final offwind leg .This activity allowed Matt.S to pull away a little only to be overhauled by the end of the following lap.
Alan.S closed up on Paul, after his dip, but was slightly to leeward on the first beat of the next lap allowing Tim.S  to get ahead of Alan. However these two continued to battle it out to the finish, being rarely more than 15 seconds apart.
Likewise Matt.S having been passed by Paul.R in lap 3 continued to harry him - they were rarely more than 8 seconds apart - until he too had a trip- up on the reach from the south east corner in lap 6, but with a speedy recovery, he soon made up the difference and was only 2 seconds adrift at the finish.
 Neither of these two were sufficiently ahead of Alan.S to beat him on handicap – a pleasing ‘present’ for the birthday boy!
Although the breeze began to ease in the later stages, and the temperature reached 6°C in the end, the wind chill was extreme and frozen fingers all too present. The safety boat crew are to be praised for their efforts in the chill conditions.
Results (Unofficial/Preliminary) :-
1st. Alan Simmons, 2nd. Paul Ryan, 3rd. Matt Springhall, 4th Tim Cox, 5th Michael Veale,
6th. Bill Wates.

Alan.S 1700