Reports 2010

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 starti

Once again unsettled weather did not deter the members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club from taking part in the race for the Hertford County Shield last Sunday 9 May.  Leading the fleet from the start was Andy Dunnett in his Laser as the boats beat up towards the Kingscliff buoy in fresh northerly wind; many of the craft tacking out to sea to gain the full effect of the last of the ebbing tide.  There then followed a broad reach out to the Seaward buoy and by this time the Club’s RS600’

For the second week running members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club found themselves facing blue skies, sunshine but practically no wind when they took part in the fourth race of the Spring Series last Sunday 25 April.  The competitors drifted to the line and as the race started it was Paul Davis in his Solution that lead the fleet.  Fighting the ebbing tide the boats gently made their way to the Eastcliff mark before reaching out to the Seaward buoy, and as the craft headed out to sea

Being totally unaffected by the erupting Icelandic Volcano the members of Gunfleet Sailing Club made the most of the fine weather last Sunday 18 April with seventeen boats getting on the water, ten of these to take part in the third race of the Club’s Spring Series.

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the second race in its Spring Series last Sunday 11 April in what turned out to be very lively conditions.  Sunshine and blue skies tempted many sailors onto the water but a north/north easterly force four to five wind over ebbing tide made for a very lively sea.  Wisely Mark Venables in the Magno and Paul Davis in the Xenon both put reefs in their mainsails and just as all ten competitors launched so the wind strengthened.  Capsizes started occu

The traditional mixed weather over the Easter Holiday did nothing to deter the enthusiastic sailors from the Gunfleet Sailing Club.  On Sunday morning 4 April the first race in the Spring Series took place under bright sunshine, blue skies and a chilly force 3-4 north westerly wind.  The first leg took the craft on a bit of a procession as they reached along the coast to the Clacton Pier buoy, but the gusting offshore winds kept the competitors on their toes with the faster han

Over 50 members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club celebrated the start of the 2010 sailing season last Saturday 27 March at the Fitting-Out Supper, held in the Clubhouse at Holland on Sea.  Commodore Richard Walker thanked all those that had spent time at the Club’s Work Weekend a little earlier in the year and welcomed the enthusiasm for what promised to be a bumper season for the Club.  There then followed the traditional fish and chip supper.

Commodore Richard Walker launched his new book “The History of Clacton’s Sailing Clubs” on Saturday 23 January down at the Clubhouse and it proved a great success.  Richard gave an illustrated talk on the three clubs – Clacton on Sea Sailing Club, Gunfleet Sailing Club and Gunfleet Boating Club, how they were formed and their development over the years, and then spent the rest of the evening signing copies of his book for an enthusiastic audience.