Gunfleet Regatta Proves a Real Success

Gunfleet Sailing Club had an extremely busy weekend on 19 & 20 June when it held its annual Regatta.  On Saturday, under the skilful management of Cadet Officer Andy Ford, seven teams of young sailors took part in a wide variety of games on and off the water, including a Triathlon, a balloon race using Topaz dinghies, collecting bottles with numbers, tug of war and egg throwing.  Despite the very strong offshore winds the crews handled their boats with extreme skill and although there were a number of capsizes there were no casualties and everyone had a great time.

On Sunday there continued to be strong and gusty offshore winds, but this did not deter 34 boats taking part in the race for the RNLI Charity Shield.  The fleet included eight catamarans from Clacton Sailing Club and a number of dinghies from Hertford County Yacht Club, as well as a visiting sailor from Portsmouth.  Paul Davis from the home club lead the fleet from the start line but it wasn’t long before the faster handicapped cats and dinghies started to pass him.  However, as the craft reached down the coast to St. Michael’s buoy they were caught by sudden gusts and wind shifts resulting in a number of capsizes; the first being a Vortex.  On the broad reach out to the Seaward mark, with the ebb tide under them, the catamarans simply took off and flew along at alarming speeds.  There then followed a beat into the AWS buoy before running back out to sea, fetching to the Kingscliff buoy and back through the line. 

Results: RNLI Charity Shield
1. Dart 18 – Liam and Ian Wright – Clacton Sailing Club
2. RS600 – Ken Potts – Gunfleet Sailing Club
3. Blaze – John Tappenden – Gunfleet Sailing Club

Whilst the race was underway the Club was pleased to welcome a visit from the crew of the Clacton Lifeboat Station who arrived in the Town’s two lifeboats.

In the afternoon class racing took place with 39 boats taking part.  First away were the Club’s one design Sea Rangers, the oldest fleet in the Club going back over 50 years.  There then followed, at five minute intervals, the different classes until the last fleet, the Menagerie group set off.  A sudden gust hit the catamarans as they started and two Dart 18s immediately capsized.  The other two people who seemed keen to go over were father and son helms Simon and Sebastien Mathewson, the former sailing a Vortex and the latter a Byte.  At one point it appeared as though it was a competition as to who could capsize the most.

Results: Class Racing
Sea Ranger – Trefoil Trophy
1. Richard Walker
2. Lesley Sacre
3. Kirk Challis

Topper – Mad Hatter Challenge Trophy
1. Alex Ewart
2. Tom Fadden
3. Robert Gutteridge

Topaz – Dave Fowell Trophy
1. Mark Venables
2. Bethany Ford
3. Jon Meggison

Laser – Paxton Trophy
1. Paul Stanton
2. Matt Downing
3. Andy Dunnett

Solution – Tim Webster Trophy
1. Simon Clarke
2. Paul Davis
3. Eddie White

Dart 18 – Tottie Trophy
1. Liam Wright
2. Martin Chivers
3. Peter Boxer

Menagerie – 1893 Regatta Trophy
1. Blaze – John Tappenden
2. RS600 – Ken Potts
3. Comet – Peter Downer

Each year the proceeds of the Gunfleet Regatta are donated to the Clacton Lifeboat Station and as a result of the Club’s 2010 Regatta £552 will be presented to the RNLI.