Paul Jackson Takes His Solo To Victory

Yet another scorcher of a day at Gunfleet Sailing Club on Sunday 29 June 2025 meant a good turnout of dinghies for the Personal PY Trophy race; a race that provides a unique handicap to everyone’s boat, based on the helm’s performance in the previous races since the start of the season.

An onshore sea breeze sprung up an hour before the start as the sun beat down from a clear blue sky; this meant the first leg was a reach along the coast.  Leading at the start was Brian Allen in his RS Aero, followed by Paul Stanton in his Laser, and then a clutch of RS Aeros belonging to Tim Dye, Dave Ingle and Martin Chivers; Peter Downer’s Comet neatly snuck between Ingle and Chivers.  Allen kept his lead and was first round the Kingscliff buoy, pulling ahead all the time; Stanton and Dye were next, Dye being the windward boat, and taking the mark tight, hardened up and showed Stanton a clean pair of heels; Ingle just behind.  Downer’s Comet kept Adam Kedge’s Laser at bay and then followed Ella Langfeldt’s RS Aero.  Further back were the Toppers of Finley Taylor and Belle Hart, with Hart losing valuable time after returning to start on the correct side of the Outer Distance Mark.  After a beat out to the Seaward buoy it was still Allen in the lead but he allowed the flood tide to drag his Aero towards Clacton Pier on the run to the AWS buoy and this provided the opportunity for Dye to pounce.  If it was any consolation to him, Ingle and several others also got caught by the tide.  Dye had the advantage as the lead boats rounded AWS and, once again, he tacked tight and, being the inside boat, so gained the advantage. This was certainly an exciting race with the added twist of the personal handicaps; however, the match racing within the classes also added a further dimension.  From AWS it was back offshore on a fetch, followed by a reach down to Eastcliff before returning to the line.  Allen wouldn’t let go of Dye whilst Chivers clung to Ingle at the end of the first lap but the lead boat, after the handicaps had been applied, was Taylor’s Topper.  During the second lap the wind freshened and Dye pulled away from Allen, and Chivers slipped ahead of Ingle; meanwhile the Solo of Paul Jackson, which had been quietly sailing a very clean course, continued to gather speed and, after all the calculations had been applied, proved to be victorious.

Personal PY Trophy:
1.    Solo – Paul Jackson
2.    Topper – Finley Taylor
3.    Laser – Paul Stanton