Lack Of Wind Cuts Winter Series 5 Race Short

Members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club were pleased to be rigging-up their dinghies in order to take part in the fifth race of the Winter Series, in a pleasant force three gusting four southerly wind, having seen the previous two races blown off by gales.  At 11:00 the Club held a two-minute silence in memory of those who sacrificed themselves for their country, and by this time the wind had veered south-westerly and faded to a light breeze.  The competitors eagerly launched only to find the wind had dropped still further, and the freshly ebbing tide was actually pushing the craft back, away from the line.  At 11:15 the main race started and both John Heath in his Blaze and John Tappenden in his RS Aero managed to ghost very slowly across the start line.  Ken Potts found his Laser was just being pulled the wrong side of the Inner Distance Mark, and he tacked to correct this, and some seven minutes later he slipped very slowly across the line.  Dave Ingle had a similar issue in his RS Aero and decided it was all just too painful, so he retired back to the shore; only being beaten to the beach by Andy Dunnett, who had already had enough in his Laser.  Paul Jackson made a brave attempt to tack down the coast to the Eastcliff buoy but he too found the tide far too strong so retired, as did Robert Mitchell in his Laser, followed by Eddie White and Andy in their Comets; Chris Maloney in his Solo being the last to give up the struggle to get to the start line.

Meanwhile, ten minutes later it was time for the Cadets to take part in their race but the Toppers all found themselves being dragged up the coast by the tide, and it was clear they would never get to the start line.  In the main race it was Tappenden first round the Eastcliff buoy, followed by Heath, and then Potts, and these positions remained the same as the second mark, at Preston Park, was rounded.  With the tide now under them, the three approached the Lilley Farm buoy in the same order but attempting to head out to the Seaward buoy proved just too much, and eventually they agreed to call it a day and were grateful for a tow by the Rescue Boat back to the Club.