Elford Numbum race 15 - 26/022023

Elford Numbum Race 15 - 26/02/2023

Blue skies, with lots of darkish clouds, a light breeze and cold as we left for Piddinghoe this morning. On arrival the clouds lifted, but were due to come back and go again during the morning and afternoon. The breeze was a good force  three touching four before the start and increased rapidly to a strong force 4 quite quickly.

Laurence Venus (RO), assisted by Sean Beevers, with Andy Beck and Alisdaire Fortune in the safety boat, set an ‘M’ shaped course, as below, with the start line from the small jetty north of the clubhouse to a pink mark to the east with a windward leg towards the mark off the Fisherman’s Bay. The next leg was a reach towards the south bank followed by another beat towards a mark off the east bank. There followed an off-wind  leg to a mark in the south east  corner (gybe) thence a reach to the white mark in the south  west corner and a short leg to the finish line (from the clubhouse to the start mark).

Photos by Bett Simmons

At the gun Alan Simmons (Streaker) was first across the line but with Ed Thorburn (Finn) nearer to the pin end. Next to go was Zoe McCain (Laser Radial) and the Geoff Sheridan (Byte CII) and Bill Wates (Laser Radial) followed by Dave Murley also in a Radial. Alan had chosen the wrong end of the line and had to tack to clear the west bank ending up as tail end Charlie.

Ed was first to round the windward mark followed by Zoe, then Geoff, Bill, Dave and lastly Alan The order was much the same on the second beat, to the mark off the east shore but Bill went ahead of Geoff. Every one, bar Alan, went round the gybe at the mark in the south east corner. Alan failed to come out of the gybe. He capsized and as is usual his mast sunk into the mud. The safety boat soon turned up and quickly took Alan ashore as his hands had stopped working and there was no way that he could get his boat upright. 

In fact the safety boat having returned to the capsized Streaker struggled themselves for a goodly while until they managed to drop the sail and finally tow the boat to the south bank. Alan went off for a hot shower whilst Bett started to stow the sail and put the cover on the boat. 

At the end of lap 1 the order was Ed first, Zoe 2^nd (13 seconds behind), Bill 3^rd 35 seconds behind her , Geoff 4^th  7 seconds later and Dave 5^th  another 5 seconds back. Terry Jones (Laser Radial) had intended to race but when changing managed to put is foot through his dry suit foot – and did not fancy the chance of a capsize without the proper protection and thus never went afloat.

Lap 2 and the order remained unchanged with Zoe crossing the line now 17 seconds behind Ed in the increasingly blustery and shifty breeze. Bill was still 3^rd, a further minute later and 14 seconds  astern.  Geoff was 4^th, 9 seconds back and lastly Dave also 9 seconds behind him.

Lap 3 Ed continued to lead and crossed the line 19 seconds ahead of Zoe. Geoff went ahead of Bill to lie 3^rd, two minutes 37 seconds behind her but just 5 seconds in front of him. Dave had dropped back to lie 42 seconds astern in 5^th place.

Lap 4 No place changes for the leading pair with the gap now 29 seconds. Behind them Bill went back ahead of Geoff by 39 seconds and Dave retired. It was not seen but it is suspected that he had a capsize.

Lap 5 with now just 4 boats racing Ed extended his lead over Zoe to a minute and 35 seconds. Geoff went back ahead of Bill to cross the line in 3^rd place with Bill then 44 seconds behind.

Lap 6 Ed seems to have got into his stride as he continued to pull away from Zoe in the increasing breeze and crossing the line two minutes and 4 seconds ahead. Geoff remained ahead of Bill by 32 seconds to lie 3^rd. Zoe, Geoff and Bill were then finished.

Lap 7 was sailed solely by Ed

With the calculations made Zoe was declared the winner of this the final race of the series, Ed was second, Geoff 3^rd and Bill 4th

Results:-

Race 15 - 26/02/2023

Rank	Fleet	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Finish	Elapsed	Laps	Corrected	BCE	Points
1	Laser Hull	LASER RADIAL	146162	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1147		44.16	6	0.45.02	0.00.00	1.0
2	Menagerie	FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049		49.64	7	0.47.44	0.02.50	2.0
3	Menagerie	BYTE CII	2623	NSSC	Geoff Sheridan		1144		48.57	6	0.49.55	0.04.48	3.0
4	Laser Hull	LASER RADIAL	26	NSSC	Bill Wates		1147		49.29	6	0.50.20	0.05.13	4.0
5	Laser Hull	LASER	46237	NSSC	Sean Beevers		1100		OOD				4.5
6	Menagerie	STREAKER	1832	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1128		RET				7.0
6	Laser Hull	LASER RADIAL	142208	NSSC	David Murley		1147		RET				7.0
6	Laser Hull	LASER	48154	NSSC	Terry Jones		1100		DNS				7.0
6	Laser Hull	LASER RADIAL	85185	NSSC	Alisdair Fortune		1147		OOD				7.0
10	Menagerie	Motyh non Foiling		NSSC	Andy Beck		1145		OOD				11.5

 

As this was the last race of the series further calculations were needed to ascertain the series overall placings. 

The series was won by Todd Grady-Gales, from Lancing SC, who was unfortunately not in attendance to receive the Trophy, with Ed Thorburn taking 2^nd place,  Zoe McCaig 3^rd, Alan Simmons (Lancing SC) 4^thand Michael Veale (and Mike Rosier) 5^th.

Thomas Beck (Laser Radial) - also not present - won the Cadet Trophy.

This has been another excellent series, 15 races sailed and none lost to strong winds or otherwise bad weather – unlike the Freeman Iceberg series which lost 2 races, although one was recovered on the last day. Breezes were generally light  in strength which was perhaps not to everyone’s liking but gave  the opportunity for all to get afloat. The organisation as always went like a dream, especially with Laurence Venus acting as RO (bar one day) through out the series with various members acting as ARO and the safety boat (apart from the odd failure to turn up) (again crewed by club members)  not overly tasked 90% of the time. Thanks go from the writer to NSSC for an enjoyable well organised winter’s racing at Piddinghoe,  thanks also to Bett Simmons for the mass of photos she has taken and which have been used selectively  in these blogs/reports.

This blog is the last at this end of the year, there may be another edition during the NSSC Sailing Week, otherwise look out for more reports from November 5^th onwards.

Alan.S 1832

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