Lively Conditions Keep Helms On Their Toes
A fresh southerly force four wind greeted Gunfleet Sailing Club members as they arrived last Sunday morning 17 May to take part in the race for the Hertford County Shield. White horses were already starting to appear and as the competitors prepared their craft so the wind freshened, and 15 minutes before the “off” the strength had increased to force five gusting six. This was enough to deter a number of would be entrants who de-rigged their boats but stayed dressed in wetsuits in order to help launch both the Club Rescue Boat and the seven boats whose helms decided to give it a go.
Following a lively start the fleet reached at an alarming pace to the Kingscliff buoy, assisted by the last of the ebb tide. Capsizes had already occurred prior to the start and it was Kelvin Morton in his RS600 that took the honours for going over the most times during the event. Having reached well into double figures with the number of capsizes Morton decided to retire after the second lap. The rest of the helms battled it out, as much against the elements as each other, and after beating out to the Seaward mark attempted to gybe their boats before a very broad reach down to the AWS buoy. There then followed another gybe before beating back out to sea. Paul and Katie Davis felt discretion was the better part of valour and sailed their Xenon under mainsail alone, leaving the jib furled and never attempting to use the spinnaker.
For Ken Potts it was the perfect weather and, having launched himself out on the trapeze wire and stood well back on the racks of his RS600, he simply flew along. In fact it only took him fourteen minutes to complete the first lap, less time to get around the second lap, and even quicker on the third and final lap. It was of little surprise that he won the race but all those on the water deserved credit for taking part in a very lively event.
Results – Hertford County Shield:
1. RS600 – Ken Potts
2. Laser – John Heath
3. Solution – Mark Venables
