Potts Gains His Third Win In The Winter Series

Gunfleet Sailing Club’s fifth race in its Winter Series was held on Sunday 10 November 2024 in a west/south-westerly force 2 to 3 wind on the last of the ebb tide.

At a clean start it was John Tappenden that lead the fleet in his RS Aero, close to the Inner Distance Mark and on starboard tack, heading out to sea.  He wasn’t alone in this tactic, with Simon Clarke to leeward of him in his Europe, and Ken Potts to Clarke’s lee in his Laser; just behind them being Paul Jackson’s Solo.  The two RS Aeros of Dave Ingle and Brian Allen started out, a fraction later, by the Outer Distance Mark but immediately felt the increased strength of the adverse tide.  Trying a different tactic was Gary Hollis in his Laser as he started on port tack, heading towards the shore where the tide was that much weaker.  And this was the dilemma throughout the race; when beating down the coast did you gain the greater breeze out at sea but have to fight a stronger tide, or did you benefit from less tide close to the shore, but lose some of the wind’s strength.  Upon arrival at the Eastcliff buoy it looked like Potts might be clearing it first but Allen smoothly rounded the mark and immediately accelerated as his RS Aero reached out to the Seaward buoy.  By the time the competitors made the offshore mark, Potts was snapping at Allen’s heels, and as they all cleanly gybed and headed in to the AWS buoy, Ingle was working hard to close the gap on his fellow Aero sailors.  There then followed a very broad reach to the Kingscliff buoy, at which point Hollis capsized and although he speedily righted his Laser, it was down to the Rescue Boat crew to pick up his hat!  Then came the final beat back to the line and, once again, thoughts were divided on which way to tack.  Potts was quick to head out to sea in the belief that, so close to low water, the tide would be slack; Clarke and Jackson, on the other hand, believed it was beneficial to harden-up, head close to the shore, and then tack out.  At the end of the first lap, Potts proved his point by being first on handicap, but Clarke was second and so continued to split opinions.  During the second lap the wind swung more south-westerly and freshened a touch but did little to change the positions.  The third, and final, lap saw a bit of movement further down the fleet but nothing to worry Potts who took the winning gun.

Winter Series - 5:
1.    Laser – Ken Potts
2.    Europe – Simon Clarke
3.    RS Aero – John Tappenden