Scorpion Has A Real Sting In Its Tail

Last Saturday 31 May Gunfleet Sailing Club’s Cadets and Otters took part in the first race of their Class Points Series.  The youngsters, who all sail Toppers, Topazes, Hobie 405’s or Lasers, had four individual class starts with four separate courses, designed to test boat handling to the full.  In a light easterly breeze it was the Topper class first away and right from the very beginning it was clearly going to be Harry Swinbourne’s race, whilst in the Topaz class Zak Thomas had his work cut-out with Alice Fuller challenging him at every opportunity.  Such was the competitiveness of the five Hobie 405’s, coupled with the very strong ebbing tide, that a number of them were over the line at a very bunched start.  Over-reacting to the individual recall flag the whole fleet turned back and re-crossed the line but the craft were soon on their way.  Conor and Finlay Williams were quick to pull away, flying their asymmetric spinnaker at every opportunity, although Charlie and Harry Spence put some pressure on during the first lap.  On the second lap they were overtaken by Ross and Caleb Aylen who only picked-up their 405 a couple of weeks ago.  Finally the Lasers were off and, again, the individual recall flag was hoisted with both Robert Gutteridge and Aaron Baker the wrong side of the line.  Gutteridge was quick to correct his error and sailed a very clean course to take a well deserved first.

 

Whilst racing took place for the more experienced young sailors the Club’s novice Cadets and Otters were given sail training tuition on the water with a fleet of Toppers, sailing up to Clacton Pier and back.  The Club’s Cadet Officer Chris Williams escorted them in a Club Safety Boat, ensuring the new helms got to grips with handling their craft through the many different points of sailing.

 

 

It was an early start for Members of the Gunfleet on Sunday when thirteen boats took part in the first race of the Club’s Egg and Bacon Series.  Bright blue skies and brilliant sunshine were a real attraction but the down side was the very light offshore wind.  The boats ghosted out to the start line and stemmed the flooding tide as they waited for the race to commence, only to find at that very moment the breeze fading to nothing and their craft drifting backwards.  The one exception to this was the Scorpion, sailed by Simon Clarke and Emily Cossens, which appeared to capture the very last breath of wind, and hold on to it, so taking them silently to the Kingscliff buoy.  However, the wind did reappear, although taking a little while to settle down in direction; allowing the rest of the fleet to give chase.  It was then out to the Seaward buoy and on this leg several of the competitors misread the impact of the tide and found themselves having to put a tack in to claw their way back to the mark.  Following a gentle gybe, and another change in wind direction, it was a fetch back to shore and the AWS buoy, a second gybe and then a reach to the Eastcliff mark.  Finally the boats sailed, close-hauled, back to the line.  At the end of the first lap Clarke and Cossens had a comfortable lead with Peter Downer second in his Comet, and Richard Walker third in his Sea Ranger.  With the wind now settled in direction, but building in strength, the second lap was both quicker and less frustrating; several positions changing throughout.  Nobody, however, could get anywhere near the Scorpion that romped home to a comfortable win.  For their efforts the competitors were all rewarded with a Full-English breakfast on arrival back to shore.  

 

 

The previous Wednesday evening Gunfleet Sailing Club started its Summer Series of races with twelve boats taking part.  In a light onshore breeze, and freshly flooding tide, it was Robert Gutteridge that lead the competitors across the start line on the reach to the Eastcliff buoy, but he was soon overtaken by the more powerful dinghies.  Once round the first mark it was evident the Paul Davis and Beth Ford in their RS 400 had got a strong lead, being in front of the faster-handicapped RS 600’s of Ken Potts and Kelvin Morton.  There then followed a tough beat out to the Seaward buoy with two camps, as far as tactics were concerned.  Some pointed as high as they could and slowly edged their way out to sea, whilst others sailed slightly freer off the wind, so gaining speed but having to tack more frequently.  At the end of it all it was clear that the former tactic paid off and it was an impressive sight to see Peter Downer’s Comet ahead of many of the Lasers, although his boat is handicapped much slower.  As the race progressed so the wind became lighter, resulting in the shorten course flag being hoisted; much to the relief of many of the competitors.