Streaker Ramblings - Freeman Iceberg Races 3 & 4 - 09/11/2014

After Saturday’s almost continuous rain and strong wind it was a very pleasant surprise to awake on Sunday Morning to bright clear and sunny blue skies. The lack of breeze at Hove was slightly worrying although the Wind Finder and Windguru forecasts for Seaford indicated 8 to 9 knots by 10.00 am.

On arrival at Piddinghoe the pond was found to be like glass with not even a tiny ripple. With the boat rigged it was still difficult to find a whisper although the breeze was forecast to be from the north west and that was the way the boat was pointed to hoist the sail.

More in hope than anger the RO, Charles Humphries, sought out the more experienced helms for aid in setting a viable course. Finally it was decided to set a basic, simple but short, rounding – no loops/ sausages to be included.

Being Remembrance Sunday all competitors were asked to stay ashore until after the two minutes silence had been held, and to congregate near the main flagpole on the south shore at 11.00 am.
At 11.15am Race 3 of the series was set to go with a reaching/running start, from close to the clubhouse on the south west shore thence off towards the Fisherman’s bay before turning eastwards to a mark midway along the east shore. From there it was to be east of the Island, not to the corner mark, but one laid a little further west for the final beat up to the mark in the south west corner just off the clubhouse.

Some 16 boats took to the water and at the start gun it was Laurence Venus (Streaker) who led off the middle of the line. A touch to windward the second boat away was Alan Simmons (also in a Streaker) with Michael Veale and Mike Rosier (RS200) next up and the rest of the fleet in a very tight bunch just above the mark at the end of the line. By the Fisherman’s bay mark Alan was inside Laurence and rounded ahead and led him past the Island. Several of the rest of the pursuing fleet found the ‘pudding’ even though they thought they had cleared the Island – its remnants still lie hidden under water some distance to the south. At the next mark Alan tacked, as he thought, towards the middle of the pond for more breeze whilst Laurence held on to close with the south shore. He found the breeze first as Alan tacked back towards the shore only to see Laurence steaming away. To add to the insult Rupert Smith and Chris Turner (Vago), having caught up behind the Island by using their Gennaker also caught up with Alan as did Graham Hardy (Laser full rig) – the Streaker and Vago finishing the first lap simultaneously. Next to cross the line, after Graham was Michael in the RS 200, then Tiger Cox (Laser full rig) followed by Julian Dobson (Laser full rig).

Apart from Laurence, who seemed un-phased by the fickle shifting breeze and continued to pull away, the rest of the front of the fleet continuously changed with Michael up to second place in the second lap, Alan having dropped back to 9^th? (according to the lap sheet). Rupert still held 3^rd place and Graham 4^th whilst John Nash (Laser full rig) had climbed to 5^th from his previous 8^th place, as Julian.D climbed up to 6^th and Tiger dropped back one position to 7^th. Darren Field and Louise Currell (RS200) also pulled up from 11^th to 8^th. Whilst between the Island and the mark denoting the start of the windward leg Jamie Smith (Laser 4.7) had a coming together with Darren which resulted him capsizing – in no wind!

In the third and final lap position changes were still the name of the game – except for Laurence who continued to pull away from the rest of the fleet. Darren jumped up the score board to finish some two and a half minutes behind but in second place on the water ¾ minutes in front of Alan who had also climbed back up the fleet to 3rd. Michael dropped down to 4^th Having been passed by these two and with Julian also climbing up and Graham dropping back a place.

With the handicaps applied Laurence was the winner with Alan second and Darren third. Julian.D took fourth place, Graham fifth and Tiger sixth.

R3

11	Vago	808	NSSC	Rupert Smith	Chris Turner	1064	38.10	0.07.53	10.0
12	Laser Radial	142208	NSSC	David Murley		1122	43.30	0.11.34	11.0
Rank	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY No	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	Streaker	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		1146	32.37	0.00.00	1.0
2	Streaker	1700	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1146	35.49	0.03.12	2.0
3	Laser		NSSC	Jo Whitehead		1088	OOD		3.0
3	RS 200	285	NSSC	Darren Field	Lousie Currel	1051	35.00	0.05.05	3.0
5	Laser	7	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1088	36.51	0.05.53	4.0
6	Laser	163443	NSSC	Graham Hardy		1088	37.10	0.06.12	5.0
7	Laser	5	NSSC	Tiger Cox		1088	37.12	0.06.14	6.0
8	Laser	136424	NSSC	John Nash		1088	37.15	0.06.17	7.0
9	Laser	133416	NSSC	Bill Wates		1088	37.30	0.06.32	8.0
10	RS 200	582	NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1051	36.37	0.06.42	9.0
13	Laser	30678	NSSC	Terry Jones		1088	30.48	0.10.09	12.0
14	Topper		NSSC	Jasper Thorp		1322	40.12	0.15.07	13.0
15	Laser Fun	7729	NSSC	Julian Stephens	Paul Vincent	1055	33.1	0.13.00	14.0
16	Laser 4.7	2063	NSSC	Jamie Smith		1185	53.20	0.30.51	15.0
17	Laser	207509	NSSC	Alex Mills-Barton		1088	DNS		17.0
18	Pico	No No	NSSC	Charlie Rigg		1335	DSQ		27.0

  

Race 4 Commenced at 12.20 after awaiting the finishes of Charlie Rigg(Peco), David Murley (Laser Radial, and Jamie Smith.

The same course was used and it was Terry Jones (Laser full rig) who shot out in front from the middle of the line with Julian.D down to leeward and Jasper Thorp (Topper) third away. Alan was nearer the west bank with little breeze and Laurence, to windward of a substantial bunch near the far end of the line, caught the puff first. Very quickly Laurence began to pull up and although Terry was first to round the Fisherman’s bay mark Laurence was soon in the lead. Alan seemed to have four or five boats ahead of him at this mark but began to pick up places when he sailed close behind the Island – with plate half up and then got the inside at the mark beginning the first beat. Just before they got behind the Island Rupert and Chris had a catastrophe when he overbalanced and the Vago capsized. At the end of the lap the order was Laurence, Julian.D, Alan, Darren, Terry and Michael.

By the end of the second lap Laurence was still ahead and the next four positions remained unchanged. John still held 7^th place but Tiger had overtaken Rupert to lie 8^th and Graham had passed Bill Wates (Laser full rig) , David and Juilan Stephens (Laser Fun) to lie 10^th. Jasper was unchanged at 14^th
Lap 3 saw Laurence continuing to romp out in front – a lead of two and a half minute at the line. Alan was still challenging Julian for second place but not quite able to pass him yet although just one second behind at the end of the lap. Meanwhile Terry dropped back to 7^th having been overtaken by both Michael and John. Graham also pulled back from 10^th to 8^th taking the scalps of Rupert and Tiger on the way. David also gained a place to lie 11^th having overtaken Bill Wates (Laser full rig)
So to the final lap, lap 4, and there was no challenging Laurence’s substantial lead as Alan finally got past Julian.D but with both Darren and then Michael closing in on him to take 4^th and fifth positions at the line
With the handicaps applied it was another Streaker one, two finish with Julian.D 3^rd, Darren 4^th and Michael fifth.

R4

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

Rank	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY No	Elapsed	BCE	Points
1	Streaker	1706	NSSC	Laurence Venus		1146	32.50	0.00.00	1.0
2	Streaker	1700	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1146	35.50	0.03.00	2.0
3	Laser		NSSC	Jo Whitehead		1088	OOD		3.0
3	Laser	7	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1088	36.35	0.05.25	3.0
5	RS 200	285	NSSC	Darren Field	Lousie Currel	1051	36.54	0.06.47	4.0
6	RS 200	582	NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1051	39.50	0.09.43	5.0
7	Laser	136424	NSSC	John Nash		1088	33.1	0.09.38	6.0
8	Laser	30678	NSSC	Terry Jones		1088	33.20	0.09.57	7.0
9	Laser	163443	NSSC	Graham Hardy		1088	33.22	0.09.59	8.0
10	Laser Radial	142208	NSSC	David Murley		1122	34.29	0.10.22	9.0
11	Laser	5	NSSC	Tiger Cox		1088	33.30	0.10.07	10.0
12	Laser	133416	NSSC	Bill Wates		1088	34.38	0.11.15	11.0
13	Vago	808	NSSC	Rupert Smith	Chris Turner	1064	34.02	0.11.10	12.0
14	Laser Fun	7729	NSSC	Julian Stephens	Paul Vincent	1055	38.05	0.15.25	13.0
15	Topper		NSSC	Jasper Thorp		1322	32.24	0.13.28	14.0
16	Pico	No No	NSSC	Charlie Rigg		1335	39.45	0.20.38	15.0
17	Laser 4.7	2063	NSSC	Jamie Smith		1185	DSQ		27.0

With the breeze not exceeding force 1 all morning and with big holes and shifts to contend with it was a difficult day's sailing - except for Laurence who seemed to revel in it - but was overall a pleasant sail, especially compared with the near horrendous winds of last Sunday (2nd Nov)

 

Alan.S 1700