Andy Wins The Wallet Trophy After Some Exciting Racing

Gunfleet Sailing Club held another of its three in one events on Sunday 9 May, this time for the Wallet Trophy, with three back to back races, all of which count towards each competitor’s overall position.  Conditions proved interesting as whilst the wind direction remained a fairly constant south-easterly direction its strength varied from a light force 2, up to a force 4, back to a force 2 before settling at a 3.  

At the start of the first race the two that lead the way were Ken Potts and Robert Mitchell sailing Lasers, but both were just a bit too eager and were subsequently confronted by the individual recall flag; Potts returned to start correctly but Mitchell blissfully cracked-on and was therefore disqualified.  The first leg was a reach down to the Eastcliff buoy, assisted by the last of the flood tide, where the Lasers of Andy Dunnett and Paul Stanton rounded it together; but by the time they had beaten out to the Lilley Farm mark Dunnett had nudged ahead.  At this point there was a slight difference of opinion as to the course with Stanton and Mitchell incorrectly heading to the AWS buoy and then out to the Seaward mark whilst the rest of the fleet correctly broad-reached to the ODM, then tacked out to the AWS before heading to the Kingscliff buoy and finally back through the line.  Throughout this first race Rob Lockett pushed his Blaze hard but had to make do with fourth place, Dunnett, Potts, and Yvonne Gough taking their Lasers into the top three positions, in that order.

The second race saw a clean start with Mitchell leading the competitors away, but Brian Allen quickly took his Laser past many of his fellow sailors, whilst slightly further back were Carlo Bardetti and Eddie White, also both in Lasers.  As they all reached the Eastcliff buoy Potts led Dunnett, with Lockett and Allen just behind.  As they tacked-off so the tide turned and began to ebb, the wind fell away, and the sea became a little lumpy.  Dunnett then had a slight mishap when he struck Allen’s boat which had right of way on a starboard tack; the resulting 720 degree turn dropping him back down the fleet.  Things then settled down with Potts winning the second race, Mitchell second and Gough third.

In the final race it was Dunnett that reached Eastcliff first, followed by Lockett and then Potts, but there was some real match racing between the ODM and AWS buoys but Dunnett held his own and took the third race and the trophy overall.

Results – Wallet Trophy:
1.    Laser – Andy Dunnett 
2.    Laser – Ken Potts
3.    Laser – Yvonne Gough

Gunfleet Sailing Club started its Wednesday evening series of races, for the Tony Chadd Cup, the previous Wednesday 5 May in a cold south-westerly wind and some ominous looking cloud.    First away was Robert Mitchell in his Laser, who stood out at the ODM as the competitors headed out to sea, making the most of the last of the flood tide, on a beat to the Eastcliff buoy; John Tappenden being at the opposite end by the IDM in his RS Aero.  By the time the fleet arrived at the first mark Tappenden had pulled away, followed by Ken Potts and Andy Dunnett, both sailing Lasers.  It was then a run to the AWS buoy before a reach out to the Seaward mark.  At this point the tide turned and started to ebb up the coast, requiring the helms to compensate for the drag; all the time Tappenden maintaining a reasonable gap from his nearest rival.  Following a gybe round Seaward it was a broader reach to the Preston Park buoy, straight down to the Kingscliff mark and a beat back to the line.  Mitchell was starting to challenge Dunnett whilst just a little further back was Michael Gutteridge in his Solo, but at the end of the first lap it was Tappenden still out in front.  With the tide now against the fleet the beat to Eastcliff on the second lap became quite a slog and it required real concentration to maintain a good speed.  Unfortunately for Tappenden the gap between his Aero and Potts’s Laser narrowed, so giving the lead to the latter, and with the light starting to go, and the air getting colder, the course was shortened from three laps to two, and the winning gun went to Potts.

Results – Tony Chadd Cup - 1:
1.    Laser – Ken Potts 
2.    RS Aero – John Tappenden
3.    Laser – Andy Dunnett