Gunfleet Sailing Club

Silhouetted in the winter sunshine, competitors take part in the Gunfleet Sailing Club’s final race of 2008 Gunfleet Sailing Club held the final race in its Winter Series on Sunday 7 December 2008 in very pleasant conditions, with a light west/north-westerly wind and flat sea coupled with blue sky and sunshine greeting the competitors. It didn’t take long for the competitors to make the first buoy, at Eastcliff, before a run out to the Seaward mark. At this point, whilst Ken Potts had forged ahead in his RS600 the Lasers and the Comet were unable to shake off Bethany Ford and Lydia Ward in their Topaz.

The penultimate race in the Gunfleet Sailing Club’s Winter Series took part in a fresh north/north easterly wind last Sunday with eight boats taking part and victory going to Simon Clarke in his Solution.

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the fourth race in its Winter Series last Sunday 16 November. Conditions once again proved to be very uninviting with a complete lack of wind, heavy grey sky and steady drizzle. However, this did not deter the enthusiastic competitors and as if to reward them a light offshore breeze appeared just before the start, and it stopped raining.

In complete contrast to the previous week’s conditions, members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club were greeted by a force five bitterly cold south westerly wind and an uninviting lively grey North Sea for the third race in their Winter Series last Sunday 9 November. Undeterred, even by the threat of storm force conditions heading towards the Essex coast, the helms launched themselves off the beach under the watchful eye of the Club Rescue Boat.

The members of Gunfleet Sailing Club were greeted by blue skies, pleasant autumn sunshine but a complete lack of wind last Sunday 2 November but preparations continued for those taking part in the second race in the Winter Series. Eight boats launched very gracefully into the flat North Sea and struggled to fight the strengthening flood tide as they attempted to head for the start line.

Last Sunday 26 October the Gunfleet Sailing Club held the first race in its Winter Series. As the competitors arrived there was a fresh south/south westerly wind blowing, large seas and steady rain falling under a very grey sky; conditions to deter even the hardiest sailor. However, as time went on the wind fell away completely and the seas began to flatten, albeit the rain continued to fall. As a result six boats took to the water and limped to the start line.

The Gunfleet Sailing Club held its 2008 Laying-Up Supper and Presentation of Trophies on Saturday evening 18 October at the Walton and Frinton Yacht Club. Gunfleet’s Club Commodore Richard Walker welcomed over 60 members to the function and looked back at a very successful year despite fairly poor weather.

Last Sunday 5 October the Gunfleet Sailing Club held its third race in the Autumn Series in very unpleasant conditions. With a force five gusting six southerly wind, big seas, grey skies and rain showers the Officer of the Day thought long and hard before determining it was suitable to hold the event, albeit over a small course. Under the close eye of the Club Rescue Boat the competitors got off to a flying start with John Tappenden leading the fleet on the beat to the Eastcliff buoy, and continuing to maintain this position on the reach to the Seaward mark.

The Gunfleet Sailing Club held its race for the Bill Clarke Shield last Sunday 28 September in almost summer-like conditions. Blue skies, bright sunshine and a light southerly breeze set the scene for a gentle sail albeit one where tactics really counted. With four of the Club’s Solution dinghies away at an Open event at Hunts Sailing Club and the Xenon at a Hertford County Yacht Club Open it diminished the fleet to ten boats taking part in the race.

The Gunfleet Sailing Club held the second race in its Autumn Series on Sunday 21 September in sunshine and a light easterly wind.