Elford Numbum Race 8 - 20.02.2011

Totally grey and fully overcast as we left Hove this morning. The Seaford Windguru was forecasting an easterly force 3 to 4 and for once this proved to be the case on arrival at Piddinghoe. It was cold but it stayed dry through the racing.
The course, starting at the twin buoys off the clubhouse consisted of an initial beat to the north east corner thence off on a run to the southern side of the Island. Following this there was a second beat, leaving the Island to starboard, to a mark towards the north east corner and then a second run to the south east corner of the pond to a a yellow mark. The final leg was a long fetch/reach up the southern side of the pond to the start mark.

Six boats went afloat and at the start it was Michael Veale (NSSC) sailing single handed in his RS 200 at the shore end with Alan Simmons (Streaker – Lancing SC) to weather and Roger McAll (Laser full rig – NSSC) at the pin end - all in a line. Just behind were Laurence Venus (Streaker –NSSC), Darren Field (Laser Radial - NSSC) and Bill Wates (Laser Radial – NSSC).
By the end of lap one Roger.Mc had taken the lead with Alan.S behind and Laurence.V very close behind with Darren.F in fourth spot.
By the end of the second lap Laurence had passed Alan and was in hot pursuit of Roger and after three laps caught and passed him on the second run. He also caught a bit of breeze and began to pull out a goodly lead leaving him unchallenged to the finish.
Meanwhile Alan kept catching up with Roger on the offwind legs only to lose out again upwind, where the Laser pointed so much higher, with Alan getting ahead in lap 4 only to drop back in lap 5, but finally climbing back in front for the critical laps 7 and 8.

Just behind, by mid race, Darren.F was being challenged by Michael.V but again the gap between them kept varying. Michael was using his Spinnaker but things did not always go quite right and he nearly had a spill in the final lap allowing Darren to pull well out ahead of him.
Bill W was plugging away in the background – no capsizes this week – and is gradually getting the hang of things, the lighter breezes of the day being much to his liking.
At the close of the race it was Laurence.V some 3.1/2 minutes out in front followed by Alan.S with Roger.Mc ½ minute behind him.
Results:- 1st Laurence Venus, 2nd. Alan Simmons, 3rd. Darren Field, 4th. Roger McAll,
5th. Michael Veale, 6th Bill Wates.
A very enjoyable race, not too much effort needed to keep the boats going – not exactly survival conditions – and time to concentrate on tactics a little. The breeze did begin to drop off a little as the race progressed so that the odd spurt no longer became possible.
Next Sunday – 27th February – is the final race of the series. – and Prizegiving.
Yours truly will be in the Safety boat.
Alan.S 1700.