Early Morning Race Success

An early start did not deter the members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club when ten boats came to the line last Sunday morning 16 May for the first race in the Egg and Bacon Series; however competitor Matthew Gough only just made it, with seconds to spare, when he realised he had left his wetsuit at home.  Conditions were certainly very inviting with the sun shining from a bright blue sky and a force two to three south westerly wind blowing.  Andy Dunnett, in his Laser, gambled by starting on port tack but was forced to go about as the RS600’s bore down on him on starboard.  The long beat down the coast to St. Michael’s buoy saw the boats start to spread into their natural handicap positions; although some of the Lasers seemed unable to shake off Peter Downer in his Comet who steadfastly stuck close to them throughout the race.  Following a pleasant reach out to the Seaward mark the competitors gybed and completed the normal sausage down to the AWS buoy and back out to Seaward.  The leading RS600’s then did the traditional (for them) downwind tack to the Kingscliff buoy whilst the less extreme boats undertook a very broad reach in a straight line.  However, in the Solution fleet, with Simon Clarke leading, Paul Davis also tried downwind tacking in the hope of gaining on his rival.  Alas this tactic did not pay-off and he had to be content with being second Solution and fifth overall.  Reward for all the competitors was to return to shore to a full English breakfast prepared by the Club’s Rear Commodore.

Results: Egg and Bacon - 1
1. RS600 – Ken Potts 
2. Solution – Simon Clarke
3. Laser – Andy Dunnett