Streaker Ramblings - Freeman Iceberg races 1 & 2 - 02/11/2014

It was blowing a gale - so said the Shoreham beach weather station - before we left home for Piddinghoe this morning for the first race(s) of the 2014 Freeman Iceberg Series. On arrival at the pond it was still blowing hard - top end force 4 with gusts in the force six region. It was not appealing to yours truly so having 'unpacked' and fixed the mast in position it was a case of finding a suitable place to berth the boat, put the cover on and tie it down very firmly.
There was a bit of activity in the dinghy berth area with Michael Veale (RS 200)  just about to go afloat, a threesome of Toppers and a few Lasers getting ready. The signing on sheet had twelve names on it including Alex Mills-Barton (full rig Laser), the NSSC's Olympic hopeful.
Eventually some nine boats went afloat on the RO's defined course. With the start line just north of the clubhouse and a short beat to the mark in the south west corner followed by a broad reach to the south east corner. After a gybe the next leg, behind the Island, was another hairy reach to a mark midway along the east side of the pond and then a beat back to a mark in the middle. Following that there was another very broad reach/run to the  Fisherman's bay area and a final beat back to the start line.

The start at 1100 hours was rather ragged with only a couple of boats near the line and moving very gingerly in the huge gusts that came through. First away were Michael and Mike in the RS200, to windward of Jo West (Pico), with John Nash (Laser full rig) behind her and Tim Cox (Laser Radial) just astern of them. By the time they sorted themselves out it was Jo who led down the first broad reach. Alex however was still on his way to the start line. By the time the leaders reached the first gybe Tim was out in front , followed by Jo and then Michael and Mike. Unfortunately Tim had failed to read the course board correctly and passed the middle east side mark heading on to the Fisherman's bay mark. The two Mikes suffered the first of their several capsizes along that second reach (using their Gennaker as on all the off-wind legs) as did John. Eddie Lansley (Laser Radial) who had been on of the late starters was now up to second place along that bottom reach  with Alex beginning to catch up too.

The third reach, from the mark in the middle of the pond to the one off the fisherman's bay led to more capsizes, Tim being one. By the end of the lap Alex was out in front, Edddie second, John third, Jo fourth and Tim fifth ahead of Michael and Mike. Jasper Thorp (Topper) held seventh ahead of Paul Langford (Topper) and Bill Hudson (Topper), Charlie Rigg (Topper) being nowhere to be seen.
By the end of the second lap the capsizes came thick and fast with Alex out ahead , then Eddie as Tim clawed back to third ahead of Michael and Mike. Jo had a very lengthy spell out of her Pico and in the oggin with Jasper and Bill not making it round the course.

Lap 4 saw no change in Alex's lead and Eddie and Tim were still second and third followed by Michael and Paul who had also had some swimming practice. The order was unchanged for the fourth lap by which time Jo and Paul had finished - it being an 'average lap time' series. Only Alex was left to complete the fifth lap, the results after handicaps had been applied, was a win for Alex, with Eddie second, Tim third, Michael fourth, Paul  fifth and Jo sixth.

Race 2 started at noon with just four entrants and of those it was Paul, having lost the outhaul fastening of his sail,  who failed to make the start. On an identical course, it was Michael who led off the line having squeezed Alex out at the windward end of the line, contacting him and pushing him into the mark. Alex was thus forced to do several turns although it did not slow him down for long. Second away, and the only other starter was Eddie. The gusts seem to have reduced a little in strength and frequency although there was more than enough breeze to get the boats up on the plane. This was still especially so on the reach up the east side.
By the end of the first lap Alex was in front of Michael with Eddie lying third and this order remained unchanged throughout all five laps sailed - well four for Eddie. After applying the handicaps Alex was the clear winner but Eddie took second place in front of Michael.
It had been a very breezy sail with  Alex the only sailor  not to take a dip - close on a couple of occasions - but all had had to work very hard. Holding the second race was a bit in doubt at first and took some by surprise.
Alan.S 1700