Sunshine Greets The Winter Series Sailors

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the third race in its Winter Series on Sunday 27 October in, what appeared to be, real summery weather.  Blue skies and unbroken sunshine were coupled with a light, force 2 to 3, offshore breeze, resulting in the Club itself being a suntrap whilst rigging-up.

The craft ghosted out to the line, immediately feeling the force of the ebb tide dragging them up the coast towards Frinton.  As the seconds ticked away so the competitors slowly edged their way forward; John Tappenden finding that he had arrived at the line, in his RS Aero, just a fraction too early so he headed-up into the wind to avoid being the wrong side.  This allowed the others to catch-up and, in Ken Potts’s case, slip past him in his Laser to leeward.  It was then a slow reach down the coast to the Eastcliff buoy before a smooth gybe, followed by a broad reach out to the Seaward mark; however, the strengthening  ebb tide tried to drag the boats the wrong side, particularly when the wind dropped a little.  Brian Allen had decided to use the largest rig on his RS Aero, and this paid dividends as he slipped past his fellow sailors and lead the fleet back to the Lilley Farm mark in what was planned, by the race officer, to be a beat.  Unfortunately such was tide, coupled with the wind fluctuation, that the helms all made it in one.  Whilst Allen kept his lead, as the fleet then reached to the Preston Park buoy, Tappenden was pushing him hard, whilst a little further back was Dave Ingle in his RS Aero.  The final leg, back to the line, saw the wind dropping off, and as the leading craft started on their second lap so the little breeze there was, faded away.  Such was the strength of the tide that competitors fought to stop themselves going backwards; Andy Stafford retired in his Lightning and accepting a tow back to the Club from the Rescue Boat.  With no sign that the wind was going to pick-up it was decided to finish the race on the single lap and the boats then limped home or were escorted back to the beach.  

Winter Series - 3:
1.    Laser – Ken Potts
2.    RS Aero – Brian Allen
3.    RS Aero – John Tappenden