Freeman Iceberg Races 1 & 2 - 05/11/2023

 

Freeman Iceberg 2023 – Races 1 & 2

Back and publishing the Streaker Rambling Blogs for this winters Dinghy racing at Piddinghoe,  the writer hopes that this will interest those competing and followers of these missives.

Bright and Sunny with little cloud and a light breeze – not the XC Weather 20+ knots as forecast – as we left 160, Poplar.

On arrival, having changed the boat cover for the boom up version, it looked to the Author a possibility so he went to change and then prepare the boat. There were a few ruffles on the water, minor gusts it appeared, just prior to launching.

It was a bit more gusty than it had appeared but with the Streaker on the water it was thought that this helm could cope. Nine other boats also went afloat for the first race of the 2023 Freeman Iceberg Series.

Laurence Venus as RO, assisted by David Hitchin, with Judd and Will in the safety boat, set an ’X’ shaped course  – without a single gybe – as shown below:-

At the gun for race 1, timed from 10.30am, it was Ed Thorburn in his Finn who was first to cross the line at the south bank end, and then quickly tack off on port. Next away was Sean Beevers (Laser full rig) then Zoe McCaig (Laser Radial) and fourth, at the pin end, Tim Cox (Topper). All these three also tacked onto port for the short first beat to windward, to the mark in the south west corner.

Ed.T was first to round and set off on the short fetch to a mark off the clubhouse, followed by Sean.B, Michael Veale and Mike Rosier (RS 200) with Matt Springall (Laser Radial) close behind and Tim.C behind him. Next up were Zoe.M, Bill Wates (Laser Radial) and Alan Simmons (Streaker).

                                            Photos by Bett Simmons

       

The next leg, was a dead downwind leg which allowed Zoe.M to get ahead of Matt.S and Alan.S ahead of Bill.W, with Pete Henderson (Pico) and Beatrice Bromah (Oppy) bringing up the rear.

At the end of the lap the order was Ed.T in first place with Sean second, Michael.V third, Matt.S fourth, Zoe.M fifth, Alan.S sixth, Bill.W seventh, Tim.C eigth, Pete.H nineth and Beatrice.B tenth.

 

Lap 2 saw Ed.T still in front with Michael.V lying second, Sean.B third Matt.S fourth and Zoe.M fifth. Bill.W went ahead of Alan.S, to lie sixth, who was finding the gusty conditions not to his liking. Tim.C meanwhile was just 16 seconds behind Alan.S. Pete.H and Beatrice.B were still ninth and tenth respectively.

 

Lap 3 saw no feasible challenge to the frontrunner Ed.T but Sean.B overtook Michael.V, as did Matt.S. Zoe.M then Bill.W were next over the line with Tim.CX now ahead of Alan.S.

 

Lap 4 saw no further place changes except that Beatrice.B retired and Alan.S, in eighth place was finished.

 

Lap 5 similarly saw no place change with Ed.T still in the lead way ahead of second placed Sean.B. Apart from Ed.T, who went on for another lap, the rest of the fleet were finished.

 

With handicaps applied the result of the race was a win for Ed.T with Tim.C second, Matt.S third, Sean.B fourth and Zoe.M fifth.

 Results:-

Race 1 - 5/11/2023

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	Laps	Corrected	BCE	Points
Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049	41.35	6	0.39.38	0.00.00	1.0
Menagerie		TOPPER	44941	NSSC	Tim Cox		1365	46.11	5	0.40.36	0.01.06	2.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	200706	NSSC	Matt Sprigall		1147	39.04	5	0.40.52	0.01.11	3.0
Laser Hull	Icterus	LASER	46237	NSSC	Sean Beevor		1100	38.19	5	0.41.48	0.01.59	4.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	146421	NSSC	Zoe McCiag		1147	39.58	5	0.41.49	0.02.05	5.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	26	NSSC	Bill Wates		1147	41.12	5	0.43.06	0.03.19	6.0
Menagerie	Hot Toddy	RS 200	582	NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1046	39.42	5	0.45.33	0.05.09	7.0
Menagerie	The Final Bash	STREAKER	1832	LANCING	Alan Simmons		1128	37.36	4	0.50.00	0.07.47	8.0
Menagerie		PICO	No No	NSSC	Pete Henderson		1330	39.02	3	0.58.42	0.12.40	9.0
Menagerie		OPTIMIST	21	NSSC	Beatrice Brammah		1655	RET	2			12.0
		RS QUBA	No No	NSSC	Will Apps		1260	DNC				12.0

Please note that all results shown here are as calculated by the writer, using Sailwave, and may vary from the official results, posted on WhatsApp or the club website – the 2023 NSSC Handicaps are yet to be obtained by the writer.

 

Race 2 was to be sailed over the same course, with the start timed from 11.50 am. With the fleet minus Beatrice.B and Alan.S but now including Will Apps in an RS Quba, it was Ed.T first away again at the south shore end of the line. Next to cross was Matt.S followed by Michael.V with Zoe.M close behind.  all four heading towards the south bank before tacking off on port.

Unfortunately Bett Simmons’s camera ran out of battery at this point and thus any further pictures taken were later in the race.

At the end of the first lap the order was Ed.T 1^st, Michael.V 2^nd, Matt.S 3rd, Zoe.M 4^th Bill.W 5^th, Tim.C 6^th, Sean.B 7^th, Pete.H 8^th, and Will.A 9^th.

 

Lap 2 saw Ed.T in the lead from Matt.S having passed Michael.V and crossing 10 seconds ahead. Zoe.M was still 4^th with Bill.W astern and now ahead of Sean.B and Tim.C. Will.A was now ahead of 9^th placed Pete.H.

 

Lap 3 gave no change in order of the top four boats however  Bill.W was still in 5^th place ahead of Sean.B with Tim still 7th and Will.,A went ahead of last placed Pete.H, these last two being finished.

 

Lap 4 had the first four places unchanged with Sean.B going ahead of Bill.W and Tim.C bringing up the rear

 

         

Lap 5 Ed.T led across the line ahead of Matt.S with Michael.V 3^rd. Sean.B 4^th having overtaken Zoe.M and Bill.W 6^th with Tim.C 7^th. 

Calculations having been made the winner of the race was noted as Tim.C – although Ed.T had been sent off on a sixth lap. He actually capsized on the reach just south west of theIsland and was eventually towed back close to his berth on the south bank. The RO took pity on him to count his 5^th lap position. Tim.C was first, Matt.S was 2^nd, Ed.T 3^rd, Zoe.M 4th and Bil.W 5th

Results:-

Race 2 - 5/11/2023

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Elapsed	Laps	Corrected	BCE	Points
Menagerie		TOPPER	44941	NSSC	Tim Cox		1365	43.29	5	0.31.51	0.00.00	1.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	200706	NSSC	Matt Sprigall		1147	36.54	5	0.32.10	0.00.22	2.0
Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049	34.27	5	0.32.50	0.01.02	3.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	146421	NSSC	Zoe McCiag		1147	38.10	5	0.33.17	0.01.38	4.0
Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	26	NSSC	Bill Wates		1147	39.29	5	0.34.25	0.02.57	5.0
Laser Hull	Icterus	LASER	46237	NSSC	Sean Beevor		1100	38.10	5	0.34.42	0.03.08	6.0
Menagerie	Hot Toddy	RS 200	582	NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1046	37.08	5	0.35.30	0.03.49	7.0
		RS QUBA	No No	NSSC	Will Apps		1260	36.27	3	0.48.13	0.12.22	8.0
Menagerie		PICO	No No	NSSC	Pete Henderson		1330	38.42	3	0.48.30	0.13.17	9.0
Menagerie	The Final Bash	STREAKER	1832	LANCING	Alan Simmons		1128	DNC				12.0
Menagerie		OPTIMIST	21	NSSC	Beatrice Brammah		1655	DNC				12.0

As stated before the gusty conditions were not to the writer's taste, hence he sailed just the first race, others seemed to enjoy it none the less. The curent outlook for Sunday 11th is for lighter  winds but the only way to be sure is to turn up on the morning and see how it feels.

Alan Simmons