Reports 2023

Gunfleet Sailing Club’s Fleet Championship race was held last Sunday 9 July in rather mixed weather conditions, with a very light wind picking-up before the start, a rain shower blowing through, and then a noticeable drop in wind strength as the competitors launched.

Gunfleet Sailing Club held its two-day 2023 Regatta over the weekend of 1 and 2 July, sponsored by Orsted, and Odiin, in lively conditions with a mixture of blue skies, sunshine, and squally winds, keeping competitors on their toes at all times; all money raised during the Regatta being donated to the Clacton Lifeboat Station.

Gunfleet Sailing Club saw twenty boats take to the water on Sunday 25 June 2023 when it held the Personal Handicap Race.  In place of the usual national class handicaps, issued annually by the Royal Yachting Association, Gunfleet sailors were given their own unique handicap based on the results they had achieved in the races held to date during this season.

Gunfleet Sailing Club broke away from the more traditional style of racing on Sunday 18 June 2023 to hold the Ken Potts Pursuit Race, which saw six separate starts; the timings of which related to the national class handicap ratings.  The fresh easterly wind eased off before the event got underway and veered southerly, causing last minute rig changes.

Gunfleet Sailing Club members revelled in the superb weather conditions last Sunday 11 June 2023 when they took part in the 3 in 1 race for the Hertford County Shield;  made up of three short back to back races with every result counting towards overall placings.  

The strong North/North-Easterly winds, that have dominated the east coast for the last two weeks, did not deter eleven boats from entering Gunfleet Sailing Club’s race for the Jubilee Trophy laqst Sunday 4 June 2023; victory going to Tim Dye in his Laser.

Gunfleet Sailing Club held two races, one for the faster handicapped craft, and the other for the slower handicapped dinghies last Sunday 28 May 2023; John Tappenden and Peter Downer wining the London fast handicap and Potters slow handicap respectively.

Gunfleet Sailing Club members took on some lively conditions on Sunday 21 May in order to take part in the race for the Bill Geddes Trophy, with Tim Dye winning, in his Laser, after a hard fought battle.

With very light winds Gunfleet Sailing Club opted for its standard handicap race on Sunday 14 May instead of the scheduled pursuit race. However in the second lap the wind filled in from the south west producing some tight racing.

Gunfleet Sailing Club held three races for the Club’s Wallet Trophy on Sunday 7 May. All three races were sailed over the same course and lasted only one lap giving helms the opportunity the learn from their mistakes and to improve their performance. The trophy was won by Simon Clarke sailing a Solo.

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the final race in its Spring Series last Sunday 30 April in weather more reminiscent of summer, with blue skies, unbroken sunshine, and a light onshore breeze.

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the second race in its Spring Series last Sunday 23 April, St. George's Day, in very mixed weather conditions, with Ken Potts once again taking top spot in his Laser.

Almost summer-like conditions greeted the members of Gunfleet Sailing Club on Sunday 16 April when they competed in the first race of the Spring Series; victory going to Ken Potts in his Laser.

Gunfleet Sailing Club kicked-off its 2023 sailing season last Sunday 9 April, delayed two weeks due to bad weather, with the race for the March Hare Trophy.  

Gunfleet Sailing Club burst into a hive of activity last weekend, 11 and 12 March, when members got together to get the old place all “prim and proper” for the start of the 2023 sailing season.  Some eighteen projects had been identified, a mix of routine maintenance and new improvements and, as well as the members, the weather also played its part.