Reports 2010

Gunfleet Sailing Club held its final Sailing On Saturday (SOS) for Cadets and Otters on 4 September and this included the last race in the SOS Series for Toppers and Topazes.  As the Topper fleet got underway both Simon Mathewson and Ben Richardson got cracking good starts and were neck and neck as they headed to the Kingscliff buoy.  In a brisk force three wind the small craft went at a great pace, and as they reached the first mark Mathewson pulled ahead and maintained the positio

Last Sunday evening 29 August over 80 Club members came together at Gunfleet Sailing Club to celebrate a very successful Gunfleet Cadet Week.  The Week started the previous Monday in strong winds and as the week went on so the wind got even stronger but this did not stop over 40 Club Cadets and Otters having a great time on, in, and off the water each day.  Despite the rather extreme conditions the youngsters managed to get their boats on the sea three out of the five days and had s

Gunfleet Sailing Club received a visit from a surprise guest last Sunday 22 August when former England Rugby Player Jason Leonard OBE popped in to wish the Club’s youngsters all the best at their forthcoming Cadet Week.  Jason, who holds the world record for being the most-capped forward, has done a bit of sailing and visited the Gunfleet to see for himself the activities on offer to budding young sailors.  He was so impressed that he hoped to return later in the week and get out on

Gunfleet Sailing Club held its annual pursuit race last Sunday 15 August for the Potts Trophy.  In a force four gusting five northerly wind fourteen boats took part but unlike the usual races, where competitors start at a fixed time and complete a set number of laps with the winner being determined on a handicap system, this race staggers the start in line with the handicaps and at a predetermined time the race is terminated and in theory all the competitors should be together.  In

An offshore breeze greeted the 12 boats taking part in Gunfleet Sailing Club’s long distance race for the Jim Suckling Trophy last Sunday 8 August.  Paul Davis got a cracking start in his Solution but was soon overhauled by Simon Clarke, also in a Solution although this was not to last.  The first leg took the craft to the Pier buoy and with the wind gusting between the buildings on land positions varied as the race went on.  Once round this mark it was back to the Seaward buoy

Last Wednesday evening 28 July 2010 members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club took part in the penultimate race in the series for the Tony Chadd Trophy.  Thirteen boats came to the start line, and in a fresh offshore breeze the craft were soon well on their way to the St.

Last Saturday evening, 24 July 2010, 40 members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club took part in the annual Crabbing Contest, with a further 30 people supporting them from the shore.  In an exciting challenge eventually prizes were awarded for the largest, smallest and prettiest crab, plus the one that did the best Elvis Presley impression!!

The waters off Gunfleet Sailing Club were unusually empty last Sunday  18 July when members sailed up to neighbouring Clacton Sailing Club to take part in their Regatta.  In fresh south/south westerly winds the Gunfleet dinghies competed alongside the host club’s catamarans in what turned out to be a lively but enjoyable morning race.  Gunfleet’s John Tappenden won the RNLI Pennant in his Blaze for being first mono-hull and Gunfleet Cadets Ben and Ollie Withams took the wi

Twenty one boats from Gunfleet Sailing Club headed out on a cruise to the Gunfleet Wind Farm last Saturday 10 July accompanied by the Club’s two Rescue Boats.  As the fleet left the beach there was a light onshore breeze but as the boats beat out to sea so the wind freshened and small white horses started appearing.  It wasn’t long before the craft were thrashing through the water and within a very short space of time they had all arrived at their destination.  Running back hom

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

Glorious blue skies, unbroken sunshine and a light easterly breeze greeted the early morning sailors of Gunfleet Sailing Club when they took part in the second race of the Egg and Bacon Series last Sunday 27 June.

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

Laser dinghies from across Essex and Hertfordshire came to the Gunfleet Sailing Club last Saturday 5 June to take part in the Gunfleet Laser Challenge, and the competitors were greeted by sunshine, blue skies and a light north easterly breeze.  In the first race it was Ian Newman from Brightlingsea Sailing Club that lead from the start, although Gunfleet’s Paul Davis did slip in front for a short while during the second lap.  As the race progressed the light wind fell away, making t

Gunfleet Sailing Club held its race for the Jubilee Cup last Bank Holiday Monday, 31 May, and fourteen dinghies took part.  Under heavy grey skies and a stiff offshore wind the boats headed off, with Paul Davis in his Solution leading the competitors, on a reach to the Kingscliff buoy.  There then followed a broader reach out to the Seaward mark before a beat inshore to the AWS buoy.  A number of members suffered from slight wind shifts as they aimed to slip round this las

It was a packed two days last weekend 22 & 23 May for members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club.  On Saturday 20 dinghies plus the two Club Rescue Craft headed up the coast, Walton way, on the first of the season’s cruises.  A light easterly breeze and unbroken sunshine made it a memorable day and the armada of small boats certainly made a spectacle to those on the shore, particularly when they all landed for lunch.  After taking refreshment the boats returned to the Club on the