John Comes Out On Top

The penultimate race in the Gunfleet Sailing Club’s evening Summer Series saw another win for John Tappenden in his RS Aero.

Under an overcast sky, and a lumpy sea, a fresh force four East/South-Easterly provided interesting conditions for the competitors.  Twelve boats were rigged-up on the beach and the question for many was what rig to use.  The Lasers stayed mainly with full rigs, although a couple went down a size to a radial, whilst in the Aero class Dave Ingle chose his 9 sail, which actually took him up from the more standard 7; a decision he would later regret.  In the Toppers, Finley Taylor used the 4.2 sail and this certainly proved a good choice.

The helms edged their dinghies up to the start line, using the freshly ebbing tide to hold them back until the class flag fell from the yardarm, signifying that the race had begun.  Right on the line were Simon Clarke and Robert Mitchell, in a Solo and a Laser respectively, close to the Outer Distance Mark and immediately romping up the coast towards the Kingscliff buoy.  Brian Allen had his Laser a little further inshore, but otherwise in line, whilst Andy Dunnett soon took his Laser windward of Clarke.  Not to be outdone, Tappenden powered his RS Aero up and slipped cleanly through them all to take an early lead; rounding the mark first, followed by Mitchell and then Dunnett.  The second leg was a reach to the AWS buoy and this was where Ingle capsized his Aero and had trouble righting it.  However, help was soon at hand when the Rescue Boat drew alongside and assisted him; a mix of exhaustion and outside assistance forcing Ingle to retire.  After curving around AWS it was a run to the Eastcliff buoy and it was at this point that Dunnett, accelerating his Laser impressively, knocked into Mitchell’s boom, and both boats promptly capsized.  This allowed Rob Lockett, and one or two others, to get in front, but had no impact on Tappenden who now had a comfortable lead.  The next leg was a beat out to the Seaward buoy and this split the fleet, with some hardening up and punching their way out to sea, with the strengthening tide pulling them away from the mark, whilst others tacked speedily and sailed back up towards the Club before going about and hoping they could lay the buoy in one; sadly this was certainly not the case.  What was proved was that Tappenden could outpoint everyone else, and that the further out you got the worse the effect of the tide.  It was no surprise that first round the offshore mark was Tappenden but, despite the earlier mishap, Dunnett was the next, followed by Lockett and then Mitchell.  The run to Lilley Farm buoy did not take long before a close reach back to the line.  At the end of the first lap, on handicap, it was Tappenden, then Lockett, followed by Clarke, but during the second lap Dunnett and Mitchell pushed Clarke down to fifth place.

Results – Summer Series - 6:
1.    RS Aero – John Tappenden
2.    Laser – Rob Lockett
3.    Laser – Andy Dunnett

Congratulations go to Andy Dunnett for winning the RNLI Pennant Race at Clacton Sailing Club’s Regatta, in his Laser.