Super Weekend of Activity Down the Gunfleet

It was an absolute perfect weekend for members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club.  On Saturday afternoon 3 July the series of Sailing On Saturdays (SOS) for the Club’s 67 Cadets and Otter members began with over a dozen boats on the water.  In a pleasant onshore wind, blue skies and unbroken sunshine the youngsters made the most of developing their boat handling skills as well as having a great time swimming from one craft to another, and once the fleet was all put away there was a grand barbecue for everyone.

Then on Sunday 4 July twenty boats took part in the race for the Bill Geddes Trophy, with competition particularly keen as the event also counted towards class points.  Prior to the start the force four wind had swung from a westerly direction to south west but as the boats took to the water so it veered still further towards the south and strengthened to force five.  The craft were soon beating down the coast to the St. Michael’s buoy on the very first of the flood tide.  Once around the mark it was a broad reach back to the AWS buoy with the fast handicap craft simply slicing through the water.  There then followed a beat out to the Seaward mark before a very lively run up to the Kinscliff buoy.  During this leg it was necessary to gybe and for those that got caught out, and this was often whilst surfing down a wave, the inevitable capsize then followed.  A number of boats did go over including Paul Davis and Eddie White, both sailing Solutions, and Simon Mathewson in his Vortex.  At the end of the race, although there could only be one winner, all the competitors agreed it had been one of the best races of the season.      

Results: Bill Geddes Trophy
1. RS600 – Ken Potts
2. RS600 – Kelvin Morton
3. Solution – Simon Clarke

The previous Wednesday evening eleven boats entered the fourth race in the Gunfleet Summer Series and in a strengthening onshore breeze the helms soon got around the course, getting faster on each lap.  

Results: Summer Series – 3
1. RS600 – Ken Potts
2. Blaze – John Tappenden
3. RS600 – Kelvin Morton