Andy Takes The Trophy

Gunfleet Sailing Club held its long distance race for the Jim Suckling Trophy last Sunday 24 July, with Andy Dunnett taking the winning gun in his Laser.

 

Sunshine, blue skies and a pleasant force 3 to 4 southerly wind greeted the competitors and, at a very close start, it was Andy Dunnett that led the competitors away from the line on port tack; all except John Tappenden who headed up the line on starboard tack therefore requiring right of way.  Many of the helms then tacked and followed Tappenden into deeper water, so benefitting from the freshly flooding tide, as they headed down the coast to the Pier buoy.  Once they reached this mark it was out round Clacton Pier and on to Martello Bay, before reaching back up the coast, heading over a mile out to sea to an offshore buoy.  By this time Dunnett had carved-out a small lead with Tappenden in second place and Ken Potts, also in a Laser, laying third.  Slightly further back it was husband and wife Matt and Yvonne Gough, both sailing Lasers, that were neck and neck, whilst Rob Lockett, Harry Swinbourne and Tom Philpot, all three also sailing Lasers, were holding off Peter Downer in his Comet.  Charlie and Harry Spence retired in their 405 after finding the asymmetric spinnaker was jammed, and in the Topaz fleet it was Steve and Daisy Swinbourne that lead over Eddie White.  The boats gybed around the offshore mark before reaching down to the AWS buoy, fetching back out to Seaward and then sailing a dead run to the Kingscliff buoy.  The last leg, a beat back to the line, saw Dunnett finish 24 seconds before Tappenden, so claiming victory.

 

 

In the afternoon many female members of the Club took part in Ladies Who Launch, giving them greater experience in sailing on the high seas before returning to the Clubhouse for a strawberry cream tea.

 

The day before, as part of their Sailing On Saturday, the Cadets and Otters sailed up the coast to the Boating Club where they had the experience of riding on jet-skis and taking a lively trip on a banana, thanks to the generosity of the Boating Club members.

 

The previous Wednesday evening the Club held the fourth race in the Tony Chadd Series in a fresh southerly wind which, as the competitors rigged-up, appeared to be building.  However, shortly after the start the wind began to fall away and veered towards the south west.  Both Ken Potts and John Tappenden, sailing Lasers, were just a bit too eager and had already begun to cross the line as the start hooter echoed across the water.  Seeing the individual recall flag flying from the yardarm they quickly returned back and started again.  As the race went on, so they skilfully picked-off the other competitors but it looked unlikely that they would get in front of Andy Dunnett.  On the penultimate leg of the second lap Tappenden saw his chance and took the lead, leaving Dunnett in second place.

 

 

Gunfleet Sailing Club is now busy getting ready for its 2016 Cadet Week, this year sponsored by Dong Energy.