Category: Reports

Spring Series – 26/04/15

Spring Series – 26/04/15

The day’s proceedings commenced with the club members forming a large circle on the beach for a minutes silence in memory of Peter Johnson. We were joined by the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat who was stationed a short distance off shore which seemed a fitting tribute to a well-loved and much respected club member.  Following this boats were launched to commence the days sailing.

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The race team set a large windward leeward course with the F3 -4 from the NNE. For race one the tide was slack so the fleet were spread evenly going up the first beat. Phil in his RS700 and David in his Shadow lead the fleet round the course but close behind were the D-Ones and RS400’s who were having a close battle for position. The Shadow and RS700 managed to open up a two minute gap on the chasing pack but this was not going to be sufficient to save their time.  The following group were closely packed with just 10 seconds separated the first three boats as their crossed the line with the D-One’s of Chris and Ben taken first and second on corrected time and Richard and Carol in their RS400 in third.

By the time race two started the tide had started to flood so many boats stayed inshore up the first beat. Those who ventured just 100 metres or so further out benefited from a good lift which saw the fleet well-spaced as they rounded the windward mark. The RS400’s of Richard/Robyn and Richard/Carol were first to round the mark and had a small led on the rest of the fleet. Nick in his Phantom and Jamie in his Aero were close behind.  At the finish Richard/Carol had managed to slip past to take line honours and Richard/Robyn holding onto second place. Nick managed to save his time against Jamie with D-One Chris on a late charge to pip Jamie in corrected time.

The race team adjusted the line a tad for race three which added some port bias. Richard/Carol braved a port hand flying and thanks for some courteous sailing from Jamie crossed the fleet at the start. With the tide now stronger and the wind a tad lighter, most kept inshore with exception of William/Jack in their Fireball. Having got off to  a poor start they headed offshore and from the committee boat looked as if they were about to go further behind but picked up a good breeze and rounded the windward mark close to the leading pack. David (Shadow) and Phil(RS700) led the fleet round the course but the ever persistent team of Richard/Carol were never far behind and took the race win. Chris again won the battle of the D-One’s taking second with Richard and Robyn continuing their good form to finish third.

All in all a very pleasant day’s sailing with moments of sunshine and a good breeze throughout the day.

Spring Social – A Taste of the East in the East.

Spring Social – A Taste of the East in the East and thoughts from Annie.

Around 20 members and Guests gathered at the club house for a pre-dinner chat and drink, whilst Ed and Robyn slaved away in the kitchen. 

Just before we ate Annie wanted to say a few words which she has asked be relayed to the members who were unable to attend.  “I would like to say that I and Peter’s family are very grateful for the efforts everyone from the Club and emergency services made to give Peter the best possible chance last Sunday, Peter had spent the day doing what he loved and where he was most at home and was cared for by his friends.”

Curry was then served Poppadum’s, pickles, Chicken and / or Prawn Curry, Dhal, Curried Eggs, Rice, Nan bread and a dollop of Rita.  Ed did a tremendous job with most of us heading back for seconds. This was then followed by a loosely themed sailing quiz devised by the Highfield’s. Round 1 (first lap) Name that boat, picture round small sections of boat bows.  

 Here’s the easy one.

Fireball Bow

Round 2 – Nautical questions, eg “what is Ancraophobi?”,(quite fittings given the egg curry). Scores all very close after 2 rounds with team Sallis taking a narrow lead.  Onto desert Robyn’s delicious Apple Crumble and Ice cream, this received a big thumbs up from our youngest guest Ed Brown and all the dinners. Final round “Cats”

Picture round, Can you name them?

Snowball

 I did say “loosely themed”.

This round separated the men from the boys with the boys fairing much better, so just 1 point between all teams and a tie for first. Off the cuff tiebreaker – “What colour in Richard….. Fryers…… RS…… 300?”, Sallis first to line to take the honours for the team, Well D-one Chris and team.

Just to say a massive thanks you to Ed, Robyn, and the Highfield’s for a great evening.

 

Start or Season Report

Start of Season Race and Watling Plate 1 – 18 April 2015

Race officers have been asked to provide a report for the website and in the tragic circumstances of last Sunday and the loss of Peter Johnson, it is a report that is difficult to write. Peter was in good form on the committee boat on a very cold day and on the way back, we agreed that we had managed to give competitors some good courses in spite of a shifty N/NE Force 3-4. He felt that we had done a pretty good job. His collapse after coming ashore was a terrible blow to all who knew him.

As racing had been postponed the previous Sunday, boats were racing in both the first round of the Watling Club and for the Start of Season Race. The three races were run back to back in the Watling Plate format of sausage, triangle and reverse Olympic with the wind getting up well into F4 in the second race. It was windy enough to keep the safety boat busy with Steve Shaw in his Hobie Tiger training up his new crew, Kate Batty by capsizing with and without the kite! Twelve boats got to the line for the start but unfortunately the Fireball was damaged on launching and was not able to compete. There was some very close racing between the top five but in the end the RS500 sailed by Jamie Freeman and Keith Sykes won the first and third races to take the series with two wins from Chris Sallis (3 pts) in his D1 having just edged out Martin Browne D1 (5pts) by 5 seconds in the final race with the third D1 of Ben Falat (7 pts) finishing 4th.

Sometimes the results don’t matter and I think that we all feel that this was one of them.

David Brief

Race Officer

 

Race Report – Sunday 4th May

15 boats took to the water last Sunday for the first instalment of the Sprint series at Gorleston.

The race team set a large windward leeward course with a pleasant F2 SWerly. The flooding tide made short work of the beat to the relief of the ‘hikers’, I say that from experience!

Race 1 – Dave Abbott and Richard Sawyer in their Hobie Tiger led the fleet round the windward mark. Most of the fleet reached offshore where there appeared to be more wind but Gary Fryer sailing a RS300 soaked deep staying inshore and out of the tide which saw him round the leeward mark amongst the leading pack of RS400’s and D-One’s. A position he retained until the finish giving him a win of nearly two minutes on corrected time. The D-Ones were have a close battle with many place changes throughout the race, Martin Browne led over the line to claim second with Chris Sallis close behind to finish third.

Race 2 – the wind had picked up to F3-4 and with the tide easing the sea conditions began to change with some good rollers developing offshore providing great surfing conditions off wind. Dave and Richard again stormed off into the lead lapping many boats but could not gain enough to hold their handicap. Gary Fryer kept to his plan avoiding the tide downwind to win the race but this time by only a few seconds from the leading D-One, which this time was Chris Sallis. It is a rare occasion when no 400’s appear in the podium places but Commodore Ed Anderson, slumming it in his Laser instead of the Hobie Tiger edged out Richard and Carol by a few seconds to claim third spot.

Although Race 3 got under way the wind got a little friskier and the sea offshore was getting challenging with some big rollers. This led to a few capsizes with the added complication of the rescue having some fuel issues. This meant the committee boat having to leave station to assist and so the race was abandoned.

Results Here

Sprint_Results

Spring_Results

 

Start of Season Regatta 2014

A flat sea, the sun out, a variable breeze and a good turnout of 17 boats for this years start of season regatta.   The shifting breeze resulted in a tight first race with Jamie Freeman taking the win in his borrowed RS300, just piping the Highfields RS500 and Nick Favell in his Phantom.

Race 2 went the way of the Asymmetric boats , Chris Sallis taking the win in his D1 from Dave Houghton/John Symonds RS500 and Richard Fryer/Carol Smalls RS400.

Race 3 started with all to play for with a number of boats still in with a chance of the trophy.  It was another tight race with several changes at the front.  Richard/Carol took the race win by only 8 seconds from Chris, with Richard Browne and Crew in their RS400 (sorry Richard I don’t know your crews name!) taking a comfortable 3rd.

After 3 tight races and 3 different race winners, Chris Sallis took the trophy by one point from Richard and Carol with Phil and Tamsin 3rd.

Full Results