Davis And Ford Take Winning Gun

It was an early start for members of Gunfleet Sailing Club, last Sunday 19 April, when they held the first race in the Egg and Bacon Series.  The sun shone which, coupled with a force two touching three northerly breeze, provided a very pleasant backdrop to the event.  Andy Dunnett had a fine start in his Laser but was soon overhauled by the much more powerful RS 600, sailed by Ken Potts.  The wind, however, had a few tricks up its sleeve and started to swing easterly, requiring the competitors to beat to the first mark when the original plan was a fetch.  The next leg, out to the Seaward buoy, changed from a run to a reach but the return journey, back to the first mark, remained as a beat.  Tactics soon came into play and John Tappenden in his Blaze seemed to refuse to let the RS 400’s pull away from him, although their difference in handicap should have seen this occur.  However, the second beat saw some clever tactics from the 400’s, whilst a lot further back Robert Gutteridge, sailing his Solution for the first time this season, appeared to have problems getting the boat to perform.  Also out for the first time this year was Aaron Baker in his Laser.  Leading the slow handicap fleet, once again, were Tom and Ed Philpot, joined by Finlay Williams, in their Topaz.  After heading back out to sea it was a reach towards the Pier before tacking back through the line.  At the end of the first lap Potts had a small lead, which he hung onto on the second lap.  Unfortunately, on the final lap the wind dropped away a little, and the flooding tide strengthened, making the final leg a slow and painful affair.  This, coupled with Potts losing time sailing to the wrong buoy, saw Paul Davis and Beth Ford slide into the lead in their RS 400; and to add insult to injury Simon Clarke and Emily Cossens also managed to move up from fourth place to second.  

 

A little later the whole race was relived in the Clubhouse as the sailors tucked into a full-English breakfast.