Walker & Spooner Take The Potterers' Pot

Another busy weekend at Gunfleet saw the second training session for Cadets and Otters on the Saturday 18 June (visit the Cadets and Otters 2016 section of the website for the full story, and pictures).  Then, in the evening it was the ever-popular Walking Treasure Hunt when teams of Club members tramped the streets of Holland on Sea, finding answers to questions; rounding the evening off with bacon baguettes and ice cream.  The winning team was the NewJays with the maximum score - some sharp cookies!

 

It was the turn of the slow handicapped boats to race the next day, Sunday 19 June, at Gunfleet Sailing Club, with the honours going to the Club’s Commodore Richard Walker and Cadet Henry Spooner.

 

The Potterer’s Pot race, which is specifically for Toppers, Topazes, Comets and Sea Rangers, saw all four classes represented in almost perfect conditions.  In a southerly force three to four, coupled with blue skies and sunshine, it was Richard Walker and Henry Spooner that lead the fleet in their Sea Ranger at the start, but Peter Downer was literally snapping at their heels in his Comet.  Downer then decided to tack out to sea on this first leg and make the most of the last of the flood tide, as the competitors sailed close-hauled down the coast to the Eastcliff buoy.  On the following reach out to the Seaward mark Downer pulled away; whilst setting a perfect course in his Topper, Harry Swinbourne overtook Walker and Spooner.  The third leg was a run to the Kingscliff buoy but unfortunately Downer headed to the wrong mark, and by the time he realised he had lost a lot of ground.  Leading the Topaz fleet were father and daughter Steve and Daisy Swinbourne and, despite a disappointing start, they were clearly gaining ground as the race went on.  Once round Kingscliff it was a beat back to Seaward and this split the boats.  Some headed straight out to sea, aiming for the last of the flood tide to draw them onto the buoy, whilst others sailed parallel to the coast, convinced the tide had turned; from the shore it appeared the latter sailors had done wisely.  A second run back to Kingscliff and a fetch across the line saw a very tight finish, and the end to an exciting race.

 

 

The previous Wednesday evening the Club held the fourth race in its Summer Series in very changeable conditions.  As the crews rigged, the offshore wind was blowing between 15 and 25 mph but by the start it had fallen away to 5 mph, dropping at times to just 2 mph.  It was good to see the Hobie 405’s out but they failed to make the top three places.