Tappenden Takes Trophy

Last Sunday 4 May Gunfleet Sailing Club held the race for the London Trophy; an event exclusively for the faster handicapped boats.  This also counted towards class points for the Solutions, Lasers and Hobie 405’s.  Conditions appeared ideal with a pleasant force three, touching four, south/south westerly wind, blue skies and sunshine.  The competitors all hovered by the line, edging nearer and nearer as the seconds ticked away, followed by a sudden surge at the start.  Unfortunately Matt Gough, in his Laser, knocked into the RS 400 of Paul Davis and Beth Ford and, as a result of failing to undertake a 720 degree penalty was disqualified.  The helms were all of a similar mind and tacked out to sea to gain the full impact of the flooding tide as they commenced the long beat to the Pier buoy but the wind then backed southerly, and those that spotted this first soon changed course and sailed almost parallel to the shore.  Others continued out to sea and wasted time, subsequently overstepping the mark.  It was then a broad reach back to Eastcliff before hardening-up slightly on the leg out to the Seaward buoy and then a dead run to the Kingscliff mark; the penultimate leg saw a beat to the AWS buoy followed by a reach down to the line.  Ken Potts in his RS 600 seemed unable to shake-off the RS 400 which used its asymmetric kite to full advantage on the downwind legs, whilst the Laser fleet seemed to have difficulty shaking off Peter Downer in his Comet, despite the latter being the slowest handicapped boat in the race.  Unfortunately for the Goughs this race was not a good one for them; following in her husband’s footsteps Yvonne Gough, also sailing a Laser, was disqualified as she sailed the wrong side of the Outer Distance Mark when completing the first lap.  At this halfway stage it was Davis and Ford in the lead but during the second lap they dropped back and eventually finished in fourth place, whilst Downer pushed his way up to take an impressive second place; the overall victory going to John Tappenden in his Blaze.  In the class points it was Sonny Hart that came first in the Solutions, Andy Dunnett was first in the Lasers, and Brogan Bates and Nick Cottee took the top spot in the Hobie 405’s. 

 

 

On the Monday the Club took a break from its racing programme to run its annual Rescue Boat, Radio and Winch Training; an opportunity for members to brush-up their skills on operating the safety boats, marine radios and the powerful recovery winch.