Laying-Up Dinner Dance Fitting Tribute To Superb Sailing Season

Gunfleet Sailing Club celebrated the end of the 2012 sailing season in style with its Laying-Up Dinner and Dance, and Presentation of Trophies, at Clacton on Sea Golf Club last Saturday evening 13 October.  Club Commodore Richard Walker welcomed some 70 members and looked back at a season packed full of events.  In this, the Club’s 50th year of operation, there had been an extremely successful programme of Club races as well as the ever-popular cruises. But on top of this the Club had held the Solution class National Championships, where boat and helms from around the country had come to Clacton and enjoyed three days of superb sailing, and eating.; the many written compliments from the visitors confirming this.  At the Clacton Sailing Club Regatta Gunfleet’s Ken Potts had won the CUDC Cup and Gunfleet’s Conor and Finlay Williams had won the Cadet Trophy.  In Clacton Sailing Club’s other big event, the Double Dan, Gunfleet’s Paul Davis had gained victory, beating the Brightlingsea Sailing Club catamarans.  The Gunfleet Regatta had been very well attended with some exciting racing for the RNLI Shield, and also in the Class racing held that afternoon.  The Club’s annual Cadet Week was blessed with fine weather and 40 of Gunfleet’s youngsters enjoyed the best event to date.  At the party that followed there were 107 meals served and every attendee got a special T-Shirt and commemorative coin.

 The biggest record of the season had been the number of postponed races due to extreme weather conditions; no less than twelve, but they were all rescheduled and the members got used to playing catch-up. 
 
Richard Walker then presented the following trophies:
 
March Hare - Peter Downer
Spring Series - John Tappenden
Toppo Single Helm - Peter Downer
Cadet Single Helm - Charlie Spence
Bill Clarke Shield - John Tappenden
Egg and Bacon - John Tappenden
Ken Potts’ Pot - John Tappenden
Potterer’s Pot - Richard Walker
Austin Ladies Trophy - Bethany Ford
Jubilee Trophy - Ken Potts
Tee Dee Challenge Trophy - Ken Potts
Jim Suckling Shield - Ken Potts
Summer Series - John Tappenden
RNLI Charity Shield - Ken Potts
London Trophy - John Tappenden
Tony Chadd Trophy - Ken Potts
Wallet Trophy - Ken Potts
Hertford County Shield - Ken Potts
Class Points:
Laser - Andy Dunnett
Solution - Paul Davis
Topaz - Bethany Ford
Topper - Robert Gutteridge
Sea Ranger - Richard Walker
Bill Geddes Trophy - John Tappenden
Double “G” Trophy (Topper) - Robert Gutteridge
Bob Agate Trophy (Topaz) - Aaron Baker
Long John Silver Shield (Menagerie) - Bethany Ford
Spirit of the Wind - Robert Gutteridge
Fleet Championships - John Tappenden
Autumn Series - Paul Davis
Tarrant Trophy - Eddie White
Senior Leading Helm - John Tappenden
Junior Leading Helm - Robert Gutteridge
Terry Baker “Cheers” Trophy - Derroll Pedder
Stan Camp Progress Cup - Tommy Martin
Junior Merit Trophy - Fabio and Sebastian Sanchez
Cissbury Merit Trophy - Darcie Baker
Stein Ladies Merit Trophy - Linda Meggison
Gentlemen’s Merit Trophy - Jon Meggison