Frostbite! Disappointingly warm southwest breeze on final day

The final two races were sailed on a post lunch tide in conditions that could only be said to be disappointingly warm with a soft southwest breeze, not really in keeping with the splendid nut removing northerlies that have been rattling through the dinghy park and keeping the winter sailor revved up.

The big surprise of the day was the return of Keith Fedi sailing his newer all singing, dancing Finn.

For Jacko this was a goodly sight to see as more than a few seconds rarely separates the two, with the racing never being over till the last windward leg. It is usually down to the last race winner taking the series title. This battle has gone on for many years.

It was David and Ron, ‘Fireball’ narrowly getting away with an early running down the start line on a port tack start but heading up with speed and blasted off on the dropping of the start flag. Dean, now sailing with Phil, (Mayland crew refugee) and with Malcolm and Ian, ‘Laser 4000’ in close pursuit.

It was short leg to the first mark rounding of 0 and as Jacko and Lorna reached the zone Keith made his first returning verbal barrage of what may have been featured on the balcony in the Muppet Show, with the old boys nodding heads, mumbling and shouting requests that had already been surrendered, but to no avail and the two old competitors sailed on past the mark. Keith still ranting as they tacked to the short return reaching leg only to start more verbal outtakes as he redefined the over lapped to windward rule!

All a bit sad and unnecessary in a series that has been sailed in the best of possible taste “till then”.

However it was not nearly so dramatic as Dave and Ron having lost the lead to Malcolm and Ian, sailed past Spit Nav. mark to the wrong side, taking Terri and Dave, ‘Fireball’ with them, causing as much verbal outgoing between the two Fireballs as Keith on his own at mark 0, and the fleet had only passed three marks thus so far!Dean and Phil, ‘Hornet’ kept cool as all around them appeared in chaos and even when a slight bumping occurred at a mark with Keith, showing signs of stress and failing to give sufficient room (oddly the only word not spoken all day) kept a cheery face and stuck to the task of beating up Jacko on time. Phil worked hard in yet another new crewing post and now knows more about changing boat than most and the pairing finished with two 4ths to be 5th overall.

Jenny Ball ‘Laser Radial’ has been a credit to the fleet finishing all races with 3rds, 4ths and 5ths always looked comfortable on the water to win 1st lady helm and 4th overall.

Dave and Ron have not made it too easy looking and have survived some heart stopping moments, boat damage, body abuse and ear bendings, but have supported the club bar above and beyond reasonable expectation, finishing with 2nd and 3rd in the score line to be 3rd overall.

Peter Playle ‘Laser’ DNS on the last day has had a well-sailed series with 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th to finish 2nd overall by four clear points, battling with fellow Laser sailor Martin resulting in close racing, the sale of his Laser and the purchase of a Solo for the new season. We wish him the very best.

Jacko and Lorna went to it like a ferret up a drainpipe and show good teamwork and an understanding of laidback sailboat racing in all conditions with a competitive slice of the Jacko jam pot to be 1st overall.

It should be noted that the MBSC Race Box do send in the online returns which is developing at a good pace like it has never done before. The PY is unlikely to stay still for a year at a time and suggested numbers may well be used in the next series.

A prize giving was held following the last race where Philip Spillane, club commodore, spread the prizes and thanked the countless club members that have endured a cold winter to run the Frostbite series, which in turn keeps the club alive. Thanks were made to the visiting sailors whose support, enthusiasm and love of the sport make the whole running of this series a worthy and valued thing to take part in and host. The club is a lesser place when you all leave.

Thanks to Jan Nuttall for sending in the photos

More info at http://www.maylandseabay-sc.org.uk/

Overall Results
1st    Alan Jackson and Lorna Laval    Merlin                 5 Points
2nd   Peter Playle                                Laser                16 Points
3rd   David Islin and Ron Suffield        Fireball              20 Points
4th   Jenny Ball                                   Laser Radial       21 Points
5th   Dean Saxon and Rob/Phil            Hornet               22 Points

Mayland Frostbite " pent up competitors" race 5

Four weeks of pent up competitor itching was let loose as the start flag dropped in the Maylandsea Bay Frostbite series race 5. High cloud, sun and biting northwest wind rattling through the rigging as the fleet busied themselves in a ‘bring it on’ contest to get back hanging over the gunwales.

The chatter featured on the new RYA PY’s and the fact that it was about time that Jacko and Lorna got hit on the PY numbers Lottery. I have had a look this and it is clear that the Merlin Rocket Class have a view! The class have an in house personal handicapping system that is reeled out at the national champs each year. The handicapping subcommittee bloke is well respected and actively sailing in the class and we do not put up any resistance to the numbers given. In 2009 the top flight was rated at 900 and the bottom end at 1044, (the timing meant that a 1044 rated boat must be not less than 9 mins. 35 sec. behind the lead boat in 60 mins) Jacko and Lorna where rated at 1020, not less than 8mins. The relationship Jacko to the RYA PYs is that he was 21 sec. off the pace in 2009 and 51sec. in 2010.

Suddenly I can hear a Phantom sailor puffing out “rubbish” it has been noted that Phantom sailors have led Jacko home more times than the other way round in 2009.
Class sailboat racing is best, the white of the eyes and the look of pain as the close quartet errors occur and boat lengths are gained and lost is why we take on the thrill and spill of the sport. Sadly it is in the office that we get picky on PY racing that is the norm for most of us, but it is a poor replacement for class sailboat racing.


With the advent of Internet fed returns (and it is so easy to do) we can see that the ball game will change rapidly but in the returns there is no field for assessing the skills factor. How do we know if we have been beaten fair and square? And I think the biggest worry is that clubs just use the RYA PYs and do not take part in the process. Clubs taking part should be listed and the competitors should be more supportive and accept that odd boats in a fleet will have PY numbers changed more often.

But hayho the fleet gathered at the outer north end of the line on starboard tack hard against the submerged remains of the spit with the tide pushing to the line and it was Peter in a Laser who blasted off the line at a goodly pace with Malcolm and Ian ‘Laser 4000’ close behind. In a moment of excitement Peter caressed the first rounding mark whilst over lapped and glided into a 360o turn sliding out the back door. Malcolm and Ian ‘4000’, now lead boat and in a tasty squall, sped off wind down the short leg to a jibe at 0 rounding mark only to find themselves victims of the late tide, shallow water and a full on farming session, also going out the back door. Jacko and Lorna ‘Merlin’ now lead boat and at full pelt approaching Spit-rounding mark to find the marina tugboat pushing a large mud laden batch towards the same spit channel mark from the opposite direction. Jacko’s temptation to pass in front quickly evaporated as he connected with a pair of big white eyeballs, panic struck, pressed against the tug’s windscreen. The rounding of the mark, batch and tug put Jacko below the windward lay line to the next mark Bay and opened the door the Dave and Ron in the Fireball.

Dave and Ron meant to “kick ass” with Dave looking for a balancing of the books having been dealt harsh treatment from Mayland race box with a DSQ for not signing on in race one and race abandon in the first running of race 5 (wind failed) was really gagging for a shutting down on the Jacko jam pot.
Dave is a worthy Fireball racer with many years of race scarring to prove it. Ron is keen and not over fit and the wind now 18 knots gusting 22 and a course designed for the Laser fleet with shy two sail reaching meant that it was race on.
The wind ward legs that was, saw Dave and Ron footing of at great speed while Jacko and Lorna hiked hard and stuffed the turkey. It was all close racing till the final knock out blow came as at last there was a leg you could get a kite on and with the Fireball having 150 metres lead the kite was thrown up only to find that it had been rigged sideways up. It set quite well and as Lorna chatted with Ron on how well the numbers looked horizontally it was race over finishing with a 3rd behind Martin Tarling sailing a Laser and 2nd in race two.

The Laser race was another full on affair between Martin and Peter. They appeared to be attached by a lengthy piece of string planing along the reaches and pushing hard up the beats, mostly lead by Martin, but some real pressure spilling out as Martin’s foot totally rapped in main sheet in a full on jibe was rapidly dragged to the back of the boat and with boat management in the back row Peter was through and away.
Martin regaining control started to wind Peter back in and as the boat length closed Peter got trapped in to rubber necking and took his eye of the wind just long enough for one error to occur and Martin was back in the lead to cross the line with a 20 seconds lead to finish with a 2nd and a 3rd.

As for Jacko and Lorna it was a tough day as Lorna in demonstrating a ‘mambo’ dance move that is quite well known to Salsa dancing circles whilst getting into the rubber wet suit in the ladies changing room (I might add) rendered herself some physical damage. Jacko has been there before and has knowledge of the effects of the misuse of pain killers, the glassy glazed look in her eyes and the unexpected laying down in the back of the boat not a sight a race driven Rocket helm needs to see, and has previously caused retirement due to the fear of verbal abuse when offering to “make things better” and “let me help you out”. It should be said that Lorna is a fiercely competitive lady and has been seen to fly the kite whilst laying in the back of the boat legs akimbo encouraging Jacko to sail better. “Scary” yes, workable? But as a helm you need to adjust your timing and how you present the request for a spinnaker hoisting, and the timing to put in a tack, not to be seen looking healthier than your front end girl. But the in the water therapy on arriving back at the beach always has a calming effect on your pained crew. Jacko and Lorna having survived the day finishing with two bullets and a helping hand back in to the now repaired car.

Thanks to Phil and Paul for taking and sending the Photos
Final race day March 21st at 14:00 races 7 and 8
More info at http://www.maylandseabay-sc.org.uk/

Results
Overall

1st    Alan Jackson and Lorna Laval   Merlin                4 Points
2nd   Peter Playle                             Laser               12 Points
3rd   David Islin and Ron Suffield       Fireball            15 Points
4th   Jenny Ball                                 Laser Radial    16 Points
5th   Kevin Whittle and Philip Spill      Fireball            21 Points

Shed load of misery befell the Mayland Bay fleet

Day 3: A shed load of misery befell the Mayland fleet, as a dank grey day dawned with low cloud and a day of light airs sailing got under way, for until now the fleet has had the joy of goodly breezes and sunshine all be that it has been some what a tad nippy.

Nigel Whiting had the misfortune to be in charge of the race box when the fleet came to a standstill against the incoming tide on a disappearing northerly breeze off of the north salting point and after an hour had passed the race abandon flag was flown.

Sad to say, some resentment was voiced by the fleet as for the first time in many years Jacko and Lorna were missing from the racing due to a car MOT failure. The MOT failure and the race being abandoned saving the non sailing Jacko was all a bit too much. The second race of the day was not sailable with no wind at all.

Day 4 was a shocker with a 1 degree wind chill, horizontal rain and 16 knots gusting 25 knots from the north, The BBC weather report saw off the fleet leaving only the desperate looking out at the seagulls flying backwards.

After the pub with no beer the next saddest place on the planet is the sailing club with no sailing.

There is a rumour that the Maylandsea Bay sailing club is to open a new series to dinghy sailors that are not to sure what sailboat racing is all about.

We can see that this will be a good laugh as it is again rumoured that some of the leading Mayland sailboat racers are involved.

Questions like “is Lorna to be giving instructions to helms” and will Jacko be explaining how to run over race marks? All will be revealed we are sure.

But we do know that the galley will be active, that the old salts in the club are a warm friendly bunch, and that Phil the commodore is leading the Splat the Duck frostbite competition. More info can be had at the club.

Next race day March 14th at 10:05 races 5 and 6

More info at http://www.maylandseabay-sc.org.uk/

Results

Overall

1st   Alan Jackson and Lorna Laval       Merlin 3 Points

2nd  Peter Playle                                 Laser 8 Points

3rd  Jenny Ball                                    Laser Radial 11 Points

4th   Dave Russell and Gary Jackson     Lark 15 Points