Tuesday 28 April 2015

Streaker Ramblings - Burghfield - 25th April 2015

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A bit soggy as we left Hove for Burghfiled, near Reading, for the Streaker Southern area Championships. The forecast was for it to dry up and for there to be north easterly breeze of up to 12 knots. The meeting was to be a joint venture with Solos and Comets and some 13 Streakers had entered although one failed to make it onto the water.

 
The RO set a course for the first race as a simple trapezoid with the committee boat start up in the far north west end of the lake with the Streakers having the first start followed by the solos and finally the comets.
At the gun Veronica Falat (Waveney & Oulton Broad) was first away, in mid line, with Matt Whitield (Tamworth) just to windward and Ian Bradley (Ouse Ameteur) a bit closer to the committee boat. With a long beat ahead the fleet split to pass either side of the closest Island, and then reformed to the west, with multiple tacks to reach the windward mark (mark 4). First to get there was Graham Bulter (Frensham Pond) followed by Mark Langston (Beccles), then Ian Bradley, Howard Frear (Sutton Bingham), Veronica Falat, Alan Simmons (Lancing), Matt Whitfield and Chris Abela (West Oxfordshire).
There was then a gap before Ian Whifield (Tamworth) rounded followed by Peter Withrington (Burghfield), Peter Russell (Burghfield) and lastly Nick Carter (Burghfiled).
There was then a short reach to mark 2 followed by a long run back north to mark 10 where again the fleet split on port and starboard tacks. After mark 10 there was a short close reach to mark 9 before the long windward leg began again. In the following lap Veronica decided to take a dip on the downwind leg when there was a large gust as she gybed and fell out of the boat. She recovered without losing too much to the competition and finished the race in fifth place.




The racing amongst the leading half of the fleet was always close but it was Howard who took first place ahead of Graham with Ian Bradley third and Ian Whitfield fourth.





Because of the start line was at the top of the lake, even Bett’s 45 time zoom lens could not pick up all the detail, especially with the Islands obscuring the start area and following the course change for the second race after lunch.

It seems, from the photographic evidence, that Veronica was first away at the gun for the second race with Ian Whitfield next and then Ian Bradley. With the line a bit further east the fleet stayed largely on the east side of the main Island on the windward leg to mark 4. Howard was once again in control leading Ian Bradley and Veronica by the end of the beat after a good bit of close tacking.
By the end of the race this order was maintained with Howard taking the gun. Graham took fourth place from Mark in fifth. Sixth place went to Ian Whitfield withChris seventh, Matt eighth and Alan 9th. Peter Russell10th, Peter Withrington 11th and Nick 12th.


The final race was sailed over yet another course starting between marks 9 and 8. With the view from the Clubhouse once again obscured by the Island it appears that the port hand end of the line was preferred with Ian Whitfield first away and Howard not far behind but to windward. Next off were Matt Whitfield and Veronica (also to windward) with Ian Bradley just behind. Alan had been contemplating a port hand start but gave it best as the fleet got too close to the pin end of the line.
 By the end of the windward leg to mark 5, Ian Bradley was in the lead from Veronica with Howard lying third, Ian Whitfield fourth and Graham fifth. After the reach across to mark 13 Graham pulled through ahead of his group to lie fourth behind Veronica with Matt (on Port tack) just ahead of Howard and with Mark close behind the pair.
After another beat back from mark 8 Ian Bradley was still ahead but Mark was second ahead of Howard and Veronica. At the finish the leader was Ian Bradley with Veronica second, Matt third and Howard fourth. With all the racing finished for the day it was left only for the prize giving, the meeting and Southern Area Championship trophy going to Howard Frear, Ian Bradley (on equal points)took second place and Veronica third. A day of not too excessive wind, mostly top end force three, but with some stronger gusts (and complete lulls near the Islands), mostly blue skies with a bit of cloud and the rain holding off until all were packed up and going home. The racing for the most part was very close at the front of the fleet and even further back there was some tight competition. We had to stop on the way home, at Reading services, to get some air in a nearly flat trailer tyre – cost £1.00 - b…y cheek ! but to be expected on a Motorway I suppose.
Results:-
 
Alan.S 1700

PS. to see the 'Official Report' go to :- http://www.streaker-class.org.uk/Articles/25 (Best done using Firefox or alternative browser to IE - the updatedStreaker web site is not fully readable with IE 11)

Thursday 23 April 2015

Streaker Ramblings - Frensham Pond - 19/04/2015


A bright sunny morning, with a cool north easterly breeze, as we set off for Frensham Pond SC. A nice country drive through Steyning, Storrington, Petworth and Pulborough to Midhurst on a familiar route. Leaving Midhurst, where the turn off was closed, we had to go into the town before heading for Fernhurst, Shottermill, Hindhead and then Churt. We then missed the turn off into Pond Lane and had to quickly turn round and finally got to the club with plenty of time to spare before rigging the boat in the car park amongst the trees.
This was to be a joint event with Solos (18 boats) and small Streaker contingent of just 5 boats. The North easterly was still blowing, straight down the longest axis of the water and at a good force 4 (about in line with the forecast seen just before departure). Once afloat, with difficult launching from the lee shore slipways, a complex course as set with the details only available from the committee boat – see the course chart(s).
 
The Solos had the first start and were well clear before the Streaker first race count down. First away, at the pin end was Veronica Falat (Waveney and Oulton Broad) with Alan Simmons (Lancing) at the committee boat end then Hugh Marston (Frensham Pond ) just to windward of Graham Butler (Frensham Pond). Last to start was Nick Carter (Burghfield). Veronica was first to round the windward mark ahead of Graham, then Hugh followed by Alan. On the following long run (to mark 7) Graham took the lead from Veronica with the other two hard on their heels. Meanwhile Nick got caught out by the gusts on the windward leg and capsized, after assistance from the safety boat he retired from the race.
On the third leg (second Beat) Graham, who had been leading, lost the pin securing his mainsheet jammer to the thwart and also had to retire. Veronica as now in the lead and continued, through the remaining legs and lap to pull away from Hugh who likewise left Alan well behind.

Race 2 was held over the same course with once more all five boats coming to the line for the start. Veronica as again first cross the line in mid line this time with Hugh next away whilst pushing Alan hard up to the committee boat.
 
Alan tacked away and lost out to the leading trio with Graham soon in the lead which he held to the finish. Alan began to make up some lost ground until, on the reach from mark 3 to mark 5, he succumbed to a heavy gust and took a swim. A battle for second place ensued in the latter part of the race with Hugh finally passing Veronica (who also had a dip) to take second place.

 
After lunch the RO decided that the wind had swung a little and set a new course ( see above). The breeze had also faded somewhat. Alan again chose the committee boat end and was first away ahead of Graham with Veronica once more at the pin end. Hugh was well on the course side of the line at the gun and whilst retuning to the correct side he collided with Nick and capsized as a result.

Going up the windward first leg Graham was just ahead of Alan when he was caught by a massive header, he bore away and tried to catch the resultant wind load by sitting out hard. However he missed his toe straps and performed a spectacular back flip into the oggin.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
At the windward mark Alan found himself in the lead which he maintained for the entire first lap only to be overtaken eventually by Veronica with Graham coming home behind the pair but ahead of Hugh who recovered sufficiently to pass Nick in the later stage of the race.

The fourth and final race, on the same course as the third, saw Veronica soon take the lead in the slightly stronger breeze that had developed again. Alan was in close pursuit and held on until the final stages when Graham managed to get past and take second place. Hugh was somewhat behind and Nick did not take part in the race – three races in one day having been ‘enough for me’ as he put it when we met up ashore.

With three first places (and discarding a third place) Veronica was the winner of the meeting. Graham took second place with Hugh third, Alan fourth and Nick fifth.

Results:-

Sail No
Helm
Club
Race 1
Race 2
Race 3
Race4
Posn
1829
Veronica Falat
W & OB
1
(3)
1
1
1
1760
Graham Butler
Frensham Pond
(Retd)
1
3
2
2
1824
Hugh Marston
Frensham Pond
2
2
4
(4)
3
1700
Alan Simmons
Lancing
3
(4)
2
3
4
1828
Nick Carter
Burgfield
(Retd)
5
5
DNC
5

 Alan.S 1700