Gruelling Conditions for Bank Holiday Sailors

Strong winds, heavy seas and a mass of grey clouds and torrential rain greeted the members of Gunfleet Sailing Club on Sunday 25 May when the race for the Toppo Single Helm was run. The conditions did deter a number of people but eight boats braved the weather to take part. Andy Dunnett was first to cross the start line in his Laser and led the fleet on the beat to the Kingscliff buoy. The force five winds and large waves, coupled with a strong flood tide, made the leg a fairly miserable affair, but once around the mark the boats reached out to the Seaward buoy at an alarming speed. Despite trapezing well back on his RS 600 Kelvin Morton found the boat submarining into the waves which resulted in a spectacular capsize. As a result of the craft turtling and the mast digging itself into the clay it took several minutes to right the boat before Morton could carry on. Capsizes became more common generally but the fleet persevered, with further reaches to the AWS buoy and out to the Seaward mark and then down the coast to the St. Michael’s buoy before a long slog back to the finish line. After the first lap Simon Clarke retired in his Solution, followed shortly afterwards by Sonny Hart in his Topper. The strength of the tide became obvious to the many onlookers when Dunnett capsized his Laser by the AWS buoy, directly in front of the Club, and by the time he had righted the boat he had drifted several beaches down the coast. Slightly further back were John Heath and Antony Reeve in their Lasers and they sailed around the course avoiding capsizes but failed to catch John Tappenden, also in a Laser who fought hard to lead the class despite the gruelling conditions. However, for one person these conditions seemed ideal and Ken Potts had his RS 600 absolutely motoring around the course and at the end of the first lap had a significant lead. He consistently sailed well over the next two laps and won the race by a clear margin.

Results:

Toppo Single Helm:
1. RS 600 – Ken Potts
2. Laser – John Tappenden
3. RS 600 – Kelvin Morton

Bank holiday Monday 26 May saw similar conditions but with the rain heavier, the wind stronger and the sea rougher. The Club had intended to hold the race for the Hertford County Shield but the Club’s Sailing Secretary Dave Fowell wisely hoisted the cancel flag, and the race will be sailed later in the season.