One
of the most successful Sailing Weeks in recent history was held between the 5th
and 9th August at Newhaven & Seaford Sailing Club. The weather
was fine and warm with but one overnight session of rain, to the annoyance of
the campers and breezes varying from almost dead calm to a frisky mid force
five on the last day. It was on the last day only that the two morning races,
the Cadets and the Adult Fun races, were not held due to a strong breeze and
lots of white horses and even that abated a little by lunch time. Three Cadets
had decided to sail but were dissuaded by parents and no adults looked likely
to go out. The car park/camping area was packed and a total of 36 boats (including
two visitors) entered at least one race.
The
Cadet series, for the Miller Cup, was convincingly won by Alice Smith with
three bullets and a second place sailing a Laser Radial. In the morning Fun Races Penny Springall and Carolyn Turner sailing in the only Squib entered took home the honours.
The overall winner of the week, the afternoon race series, were Rupert Smith and Chris Turner in their Fireball with four first places, two thirds and three fourths. The results for the Fast and Slow fleets were extracted from these races as below.
The Fast Fleet Trophy went to Rupert Smith and Chris Turner in their Fireball with an almost perfect score of eight firsts and a third out of the nine races sailed. The Slow Fleet trophy went to Laurence Venus in his Streaker (using the club handicap of 1148) with four firsts, a second and a third, from the six out of nine possible races that he sailed in.
Of the two visitors Alan Simmons (Streaker LSC) finished 5th overall (and 4th in the Slow Fleet) whilst Alan Hall and Ruth Watson (Enterprise) were 31st overall (18th in the Slow Fleet).
Top Catamaran of the week was a Dart 18 sailed by Ian Johnson/Steve Turner and Trevor/Ian Fen coming 12th overall and second in the Fast Fleet.
A
full set of results is published on the NSSC web site, there is not space enough to publish these on this blog - http://www.nssc.org.uk/cms/index.php/sailing/club-series-results
With so many races/ series it is not possible to record all the lap positions but I will try to give a few occurrences. For instance on Tuesday morning the cadets sailed off towards the harbour and all but two Toppers rounded the mark at that end of the bay. Alan Simmons was first away in the Adult Fun Race, on the same course, but as he approached the mark the wind died to nothing. He had to sail past the mark and the Toppers who were close to it. All three started to drift down tide towards the harbour whilst the rest of the adult fleet arrived by the mark in a bunch. Fortunately for Alan he caught the merest sniff of breeze and was able to sail out to sea, clear of the rest and the bear off for the Seaward mark off the Clubhouse, establishing a goodly lead which he held to the finish only to be beaten into second place by Zoe McCaig in her Laser Radial.
On Wednesday, Alan once more on the safety boat in the morning, left the berth and got out into the harbour main channel when the engine cut out. The breather plug on the fuel tank had been done up so tightly it was impossible to release and although the main tank cap had been eased it was not enough to prevent the tank going under vacuum. Fortunately Ark was close at hand and had spare fuel tanks aboard and a transfer was achieved swiftly in mid channel. Thereafter the safety boat behaved as good as gold.
It was good to see the club Toppers being used by the younger club members but in some cases even the light breezes in the first part of the week proved that the Sea is as yet perhaps an adventure too far and had to be shepherded back to the beach as they were making little or no progress around the courses. A special mention should be made of Nia Hall sailing a Laser 4.7 who finished third in the Miller cup but sailing in the PM series finished 7th overall , scoring two third places amongst the adults and came 6th in the Slow Fleet.
In the PM races it seemed that Mark Lambert sailing his father’s full rig Laser had a very goodly turn of speed with a lowest position of fourth and claiming third overall and second in the Slow fleet – not to mention being one of the few who did not capsize all week. Fast though he was he could only beat Laurence in two races.
Alan Hall and Ruth Watson in their Enterprise had one ignominious race when they approached the windward mark on port just as a bunch of faster boats were piling in on Starboard. Somehow they got half way across this bunch, who were screaming that they were not right of way boat, and then they proceeded to capsize in the ensuing melee.
In another race, but again at a mark down at the harbour end of the bay, Michael Veale in his RS 200, tried to force his way between Alan.S and the mark. Alan saw this projecting Asymmetric Spinnaker Pole coming straight at him and pinging through his rigging whilst unable to bear away due to the proximity of a Catamaran sailed by Dave Robertson. Although he did not capsize he did lose several places.
In one of the morning races, Alan on the Safety boat attended a Cat that had capsized and after several attempts finally got it righted. Had it been fitted with righting lines the crew, even though not heavy weights, could have probably up ended it on their own.
On Thursday afternoon in the second race, at the westward end of the beat to the windward mark Laurence Venus capsized when tacking. He lost grip on the newly replaced tiller so he said later. He righted his boat only to see it flip again by which time Alan.S was breathing a sigh of relief, not to be behind as usual. By the final lap however he had caught up with Alan and then proceeded to wrongly call ‘starboard’ on the Miracle sailed by Kathy and Roger Thomas – they were on starboard and about to round the windward mark correctly. Both he and Alan having rounded outside the Miracle Laurence then worked his way inside Alan by the next mark and then flew away on the final two legs to finish ahead.
On the final day, as stated above, there was no sailing in the morning and then by lunch/launch time the breeze dropped from about 15 to 10 knots. By then however there was a good steep sea running and help was required from the younger, fitter, competitors to launch through the surf. Once afloat the breeze began to build again until it was a mid force five or so. The course included a very long dead downwind run over waves which were up to five feet or so high. At the end of this leg Matt Springall, sailing a full rig Laser, capsized at the Gybe mark allowing Alan.S to catch up. With not more than a boat length between them they sailed the next leg to the finish line and half way up the ensuing beat. Matt tacked off to seaward and Alan then also tacked and capsized while so doing, much to his annoyance. On the third lap Alan failed to bear off enough and ended up on a screaming, out of control, broad reach and unable to let off anymore sail. The last time round he went dead down wind.
At the other end of the bay Dave and James Robertson, sailing a Hobbie 16, had a spectacular capsize fairly close inshore. They were unable to right the Cat and at one time had both safety boats in attendance. Once finally ashore it was obvious that the mast had suffered – a banana bend as Dave put it.
Overall it was the most successful Sailing Week in recent years, with the weather being extra kind. The organisation was up to the usual high standards with plenty of volunteers for RO, ARO, Ark helms and crews, Safety Boat Helms and Crews, both in the mornings and afternoons. The Galley crew, Jane, Clive and helpers, did an excellent job keeping all well fed and the bar crew more than adequately keeping up with the thirsts of those present, the Club can be proud of its efforts.
Alan.S
1700
