A Misty Start to the Egg and Bacon Race

A thick sea mist and chilly north easterly wind did not deter twelve boats from taking part in the first race at Gunfleet Sailing Club in their Egg and Bacon Series. Just prior to the early morning start the mist suddenly thickened and Officer of the Day Peter Downer wisely hoisted the fifteen minute postponement flag. A quarter of an hour later conditions were clear enough to set the fleet off and first to cross the start line was Andy Dunnett in his Laser, closely followed by Dave Fowell in his Solution. As the craft beat up the coast to the Kingscliff buoy they stuck close to the shore in order to fight the strengthening flood tide. Caught unaware by a little gust of wind Derroll Pedder capsized his Vago close to the shore but it didn’t take him long to right the boat and carry on around the course. It was good to see Darren Fitzpatrick out in his recently acquired Comet Duo, accompanied by Mark Venables. An early capsize did not put the pair off and they cracked on at a good pace. The reach out to the Seaward mark was a testing time for all the competitors, mainly because of the search for the buoy in the thickening mist, but the Club’s Rescue Boat stood by constantly monitoring the boats and the conditions and keeping in regular radio contact with the shore. A small course had been set, in order to keep the fleet close to the Club and it wasn’t long before the boats were completing their first lap. As they beat close to the shore once again, from the Eastcliff buoy to the Kingscliff mark, Matthew Gough unfortunately sailed inside the Inner Distance Mark and was disqualified. As the race continued so the mist began to clear and shortly after all the competitors were safely back on shore, tucking into their traditional full English breakfast, the sun began to appear.

Results:
Egg and Bacon 1:
1. Laser – John Tappenden
2. Solution – Simon Clarke
3. Laser – John Heath

In the afternoon the Club’s Cadets and Otters met in the Clubhouse to elect the Cadet Committee and to formulate their programme of events for the coming year. The following were unanimously elected:
Cadet Commodore: Michael Pedder
Cadet Vice Commodore: Sonny Hart
Cadet Social Secretary: Charlie Venables
After-school sailing on Wednesdays will commence at the end of May and it was agreed to hold a full and varied Cadet Week in August, as well as the more traditional Cadet Day which forms part of the Club’s Regatta Weekend.