Weather Has Final Say On SOS & Pursuit Race

Sunday faired little better, when the Club had hoped to run it’s Ken Potts’ Pursuit Race.  Although the winds had abated slightly, they were still touching 31 mph – the middle of a force 7, and the Officer of the Day hoisted the postponement signal; coupled with a second signal that there would be no more sailing that day.

 

However, the previous Wednesday evening members of the Gunfleet took the opportunity to have a pleasant sail in the fourth race of the Summer Series.  In a light north easterly wind many of the competitors tacked slowly to the line, trying to position themselves for the perfect start.  Paul Davis was spot-on when the start flag fell from the yardarm, but had depowered his Solution in order to avoid being the wrong side.  Simon Clarke and Emily Cossens, on the other hand, held back a little in their Scorpion and then powered-up with just seconds to go, quickly overtaking Davis and settling into an early lead.  The fleet beat up the coast to the Kingscliff buoy and once round it headed out on a broad reach to the Seaward mark.  Even at this early stage it was clear that the normally fast RS600’s were not having a good time and seemed to find it difficult to really shake off the opposition.  Gybing offshore and heading into the AWS buoy proved very straightforward and it began to look a little like a procession as the competitors once again headed back out to sea.  By the end of the first lap Davis had carved-out a small lead, which he hung onto throughout the second and final lap.  His nearest rival changed a number of times though, and in his inimitable quiet style Peter Downer pushed through the rank and came a close overall second in his Comet.