Tim Conquers Big Seas

It was a lively sail in mountainous seas for those taking part in Gunfleet Sailing Club’s second race in its Autumn Series on Sunday 29 September 2024.  

Just a few minutes after high tide, the competitors started to launch into a grey and murky sea; a dead onshore wind, blowing force five to six, greeted them, as the large waves crashed onto the shore.  First casualty was John Heath in his Blaze, when the boat broached and got flung back to the beach.  A second attempt was made to launch but such was the strength of the seas that his boat sustained a bent pintle and Heath was forced to retire.  The rest of the competitors got out successfully and were flying around in order to judge the best position on the line.  At the start it was Brian Allen that lead in his RS Aero, followed by the Europe of Simon Clarke, and then Derroll Pedder in his RS Aero.  Against a freshly ebbing tide the dinghies fetched down the coast to the Lilley Farm buoy, by which time Tim Dye had taken the lead in his RS Aero, Allen just behind him.  This was followed by a run into the Eastcliff mark and during the leg, Pedder slipped past Allen and was busy chasing Dye.  At Eastcliff the helms all cleanly gybed their craft and reached to the AWS buoy before bearing away, on a screaming reach, to the Kingscliff buoy, the tide speeding them on their way.  The penultimate leg was a beat out to the Preston Park buoy, all competitors hardening up and throwing in a single tack; the final leg being a reach back to the line, and by now Dye had pulled well ahead and was lapping-up the conditions; second was Pedder, and third was John Tappenden in his RS Aero, having had a very poor start and subsequently worked his way through the fleet.  During the second lap Tappenden pushed his way up to second place whilst Clarke had pulled away from Allen.  The third lap saw the wind veer a little and resulted in both Dye and Pedder having to put a short tack in to make Lilley Farm, whilst the rest of the fleet sailed as high as they could and made it in one; this helped Tappenden to narrow the gap.  When it came to the beat, from Kingscliff to Preston Park, Clarke threw a tack in the opposite direction in the hope of gaining additional ground but with little success.  The fourth, and final, lap resulted in little change, with Dye romping home to victory.

Autumn Series - 2:
1.    RS Aero – Tim Dye
2.    RS Aero – John Tappenden
3.    RS Aero – Derroll Pedder