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