Laying-Up Diner & Dance Sees 75 Members Joining In

Gunfleet Sailing Club held its Laying-Up Dinner and Dance last Saturday, 12 November, at the Clacton Golf Club.  Gunfleet's Commodore Richard Walker welcomed 75 members to the evening and, following an excellent meal, looked back over the Club's first year of sailing with the new sea defence scheme.   The racing had been well supported but the cruises had suffered from bad weather at times.  The Regatta, sponsored by Discount Windows and Conservatories, had seen some keen competition and the Club's Cadet Week, sponsored by Dong Energy, had been very well supported and great fun; very much thanks to the many adult members volunteering to help.  The recent trialling of special sand mats, to assist the craft over the beech, had proved a great success and the Club intended to purchase a set ready for the 2017 season.  Walker then invited Daisy Swinbourne, Gunfleet's Cadet Commodore, to present the trophies:

 

March Hare - Ken Potts

Spring Series - Andy Dunnett

Toppo Single Helm - Ken Potts

Cadet Single Helm - Harry Swinbourne

Wallet Trophy - Andy Dunnett

Egg and Bacon - John Tappenden

Jubilee Trophy - Ken Potts

RNLI Charity Shield - Ken Potts

Tee Dee Challenge Trophy - Ken Potts

Potterer’s Pot - Richard Walker

Ken Potts’ Pot - Steve Swinbourne

Austin Ladies Trophy - Yvonne Gough

Bill Clarke Shield Peter - Downer

Hertford County Shield - Paul Stanton

London Trophy - Paul Davis

Jim Suckling Shield - Andy Dunnett

Summer Series - Ken Potts

Tony Chadd Trophy - John Tappenden

Class Points:

Laser - Ken Potts

Solution - Robert Gutteridge

405 - Tom and Ed Philpot

Topaz - Steve and Daisy Swinbourne

Topper - Harry Swinbourne

Sea Ranger - Richard Walker

Bill Geddes Trophy - Ken Potts

Double “G” Trophy - Ted Newson

Bob Agate Trophy - Owen Hooper

SOS Trophy - Tom and Ed Philpot

Spirit of the Wind - Robert Gutteridge

Fleet Championships - Paul Stanton

Autumn Series - Ken Potts

Tarrant Trophy - Dave Fowell

Senior Leading Helm - Ken Potts

Junior Leading Helm - Harry Swinbourne

Terry Baker “Cheers” Trophy - Derroll Prdder

Stan Camp Progress Cup - Robert Lockett

Junior Merit Trophy - Harry Swinbourne

Cissbury Merit Trophy - Tom Philpot

Stein Ladies’ Merit Trophy - Helen Swinbourne and Rebecca Goodchild

Gentlemen’s Merit Trophy - Jon Meggison

 

The evening concluded with dancing to “Topper The Pops”

 

 

 

On Sunday the Gunfleet Sailing Club held the fourth race in its Winter Series, under blue skies and unbroken sunshine, with a force 2 to 4 offshore wind keeping the competitors on their toes.  As the boats nudged their way towards the line the tide turned and started ebbing, just holding everyone back enough to ensure a clean but close start.  Andy Dunnett lead the way, on a reach, to the first mark at Eastcliff,  but soon found himself in the wind shadow of Derroll Pedder's Solution; Pedder quickly taking over the front place.   There then followed a broad reach out to the Seaward buoy and whilst the leading boats stayed tight, positions seemed to change repeatedly.  Rob Lockett was driving his Laser hard and even got ahead of the Solution, holding him back for several legs before Pedder finally got the better of him.  As the boats beat towards the AWS buoy various tactics were tried, with varying degrees of success, and then it was a clean run back out to Seaward.   By this time Ken Potts had skilfully sailed his Laser into a modest lead, enhanced slightly by the beat to the Kingscliff buoy when he executed some perfect lay-lines; going on to be the first to sail through the line at the end of the first lap.  As the second lap unfolded it appeared that things had settled down and a clear pecking order was being established when, on the run from AWS to Seaward, Dunnett released his kicking strap, in order to attempt to increase boat speed, promptly capsized and could only watch as several of his competitors sailed cleanly past him.  He did well to right the boat, chase after the tail end of the fleet, and start to push his way up towards the top.  However, in the third and final lap his luck gave way when his tiller extension broke, forcing him to rather more cautiously complete the race.