Paul Pips'em To The Post

Gunfleet Sailing Club’s Paul Stanton celebrated victory last Sunday 20 May when he won the race for the Wallet Trophy in his Laser.  

The light easterly wind and blue skies did not hide the chilly bight in the air as the competitors meneuvered their way around the start line, Stanton leading the way on starboard tack, heading towards the shore on the beat to the Kingscliff buoy.  Tactically this was the correct thing to do as the flooding tide was proving very strong.  However, setting a fresh tack out to sea he very soon found Andy Dunnett blocking his way in a Laser and, being now on port tack, he went about to avoid a collision.  Having successfully achieved this, Stanton tacked once more, only to discover Clare Williams and Michael Giles calling starboard on him, in their Xenon.  Dave Fowell took the brave decision to head further out to sea in his Solo, hoping that the cleaner wind would compensate for the stronger tide, and whilst this tactic did not push him to the front of the fleet, it certainly didn’t disadvantage him.  Stanton lead round the first buoy closely followed by the Xenon, which immediately hoisted its asymmetric spinnaker, but it wasn’t long before it came down as the angle was not right.  Several competitors had to take speedy action to compensate for the flood tide that was, all too quickly, sweeping them past the Seaward mark.  The tide then worked in everyone’s favour with a run down the coast to Eastcliff, Michael Gutteridge and Derroll Pedder hoisting the spinnaker in their GP14 and accelerating at an impressive speed.  As the craft rounded the Eastcliff buoy the crews new they had the daunting task of beating back out to sea.  Dunnett caught a small gust and, in a momentary lack of concentration, found he had capsized; his main aim now to right the boat without getting wet.  Eddie White, who had been closing the gap in his Laser, ceased the opportunity to sail past and start chasing the Xenon.  It was clearly not the ideal conditions to be out  racing, so with the wind falling away and the tide strengthening, the Office of the Day hoisted the shorten course flag and started to count the competitors back in.

Special mention must go to Cadet sailor Alfie Searles who skilfully took his Topper around the course; his very first time racing the boat.

Results:  Wallet Trophy:
1.    Laser – Paul Stanton
2.    Xenon – Clare Williams and Michael Giles
3.    Laser – Eddie White