Once Upon A Strong Tide

On a slightly overcast Sunday afternoon the Gunfleet Sailing Club held its race for the Fleet Championships when thirteen boats took part.  Despite a force four southerly wind the very strong ebb tide made the first leg, to the Eastcliff buoy, a long and fairly tortuous affair.  Once round this mark the boats made reasonably quick progress out to the Seaward buoy before heading on a run into the Kingscliff mark.  There then followed a very slow beat back out to sea and, with a falling breeze, this took the utmost concentration of the helms to ensure they got their craft around the offshore buoy.  A second run then ensued as the boats headed back to Kingscliff before another beat back through the line.  After a fine start Andy Dunnett in his Laser lead the rest of the fleet and maintained his position as the class leader, whilst Paul Davis played a similar role in the Solution class.  Neither party was strong enough to take the top spot however, and it was John Tappenden in his Blaze that had gained a good lead at the end of the first lap; managing to build on this in the second and final lap.