Morton Makes The Right Move

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the third race in its Winter Series last Sunday 8 November in a chilly easterly wind and overcast skies.  Just as the race started Paul Davis and Dave Fowell were forced to retire when the downhaul on their Xenon rudder broke.  Also forced to retire were Cadets Aaron Baker in his Topaz and Robert Gutteridge in his Topper.  Simon Clarke was first away in the Solution on the beat to the Kingscliff buoy but was soon overtaken by Kelvin Morton in his RS600.  There then followed a lively reach out to the Seaward mark and a run down to the Eastcliff buoy.  Both legs made for pleasant but uneventful sailing with the fleet in somewhat of a procession.  However, the subsequent beat back out to the Seaward mark split the craft up as different tactics were tried.  Morton proved at this point to judge the strength of the tide just right and made it out to the buoy in one tack, unlike his fellow competitors.  From this point forward there was no turning back for Morton who romped home to victory.  Despite the tricky upwind legs Cadet Tom Fadden pushed his Topper hard which resulted him in just missing out on third place.

Results – Winter Series 3

1. RS600 – Kelvin Morton
2. Solution – Simon Clarke
3. Laser – Andy Dunnett