Reports 2009

Gunfleet Sailing Club held its Annual General Meeting last Sunday 6 December when Commodore Richard Walker looked back at an outstanding year of great success.  Membership numbers had increased by 33% and the boat compound was completely full with a waiting list for spaces.  During 2009 the Club had rebuilt the veranda, bought a second safety boat and ancillary equipment as the result of a grant and totally refurbished the changing rooms, again through a successful grant application

After weeks of very mixed weather the members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club managed to get out on the high seas last Sunday 29 November to take part in the sixth and penultimate race of the Winter Series.

Gunfleet Sailing Club's Cadets and Otters held their Annual General Meeting last Sunday 15 November and looked back over a very successful 2009 sailing season.  The Club now has over 60 Cadets and Otters and a full and varied programme of events.  As well as all the usual Club activities the young members had their own Wednesday After School Sailing, Sailing On Saturday, Bring a Friend Day, races for Cadet and Otter Trophies, a full Cadet Week during the Summer holidays and Cadet Da

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the third race in its Winter Series last Sunday 8 November in a chilly easterly wind and overcast skies.  Just as the race started Paul Davis and Dave Fowell were forced to retire when the downhaul on their Xenon rudder broke.  Also forced to retire were Cadets Aaron Baker in his Topaz and Robert Gutteridge in his Topper.  Simon Clarke was first away in the Solution on the beat to the Kingscliff buoy but was soon overtaken by Kelvin Morton in his RS60

Xenon and Omega class dinghies from as far afield as Dorset came to Holland on Sea last Saturday 31 October to take part in an open event at the Gunfleet Sailing Club. 

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the first of its Winter Series races last Sunday 25 October in some lively conditions.  In a force four gusting five south westerly wind and freshly flooding tide ten boats came to the start line.  First away were Simon Clarke in his Solution and Andy Dunnett in a Laser.  As the boats beat towards the Eastcliff mark Paul Davis and Dave Fowell in the Xennon started challenging the leaders whilst further back Simon Mathewson, after a number of capsizes

The Gunfleet Sailing Club held its 2009 Laying-Up Supper and Presentation of Trophies last Saturday evening 17 October at the Walton and Frinton Yacht Club.  Gunfleet Commodore Richard Walker welcomed over 60 members to the evening’s celebrations and looked back at a year that had seen a 33% increase in membership, the purchase of a second safety boat, the replacement of the veranda, two brand new Topazes being donated to the Club by a member for the Cadets and Otters, refurbishment of t

The final race in the Gunfleet Sailing Club’s Autumn Series was held last Sunday 3 October in rather interesting conditions.  Following an extremely high tide there was a very strong ebb tide running coupled with winds that varied in direction, swinging from westerly to south westerly, and also in strength.  Many competitors missed a good start as they found themselves being swept away from the line but they all managed to make the Eastcliff buoy in reasonable time.  They then

Summer conditions prevailed for the second race in the Gunfleet Sailing Club’s Autumn Series held last Sunday morning 27 September.  Blue skies, bright sunshine, but unfortunately a distinct lack of breeze greeted the ten boats that set off from the beach and very gracefully headed towards the start line.  Then, from nowhere, came a very light south/south westerly breeze which took the boats slowly, against the tide, down to the Eastcliff buoy.  Simon Clarke in his Solution, an

Last Saturday 19 September the Gunfleet Sailing Club held its End of Season Cruise in a light north easterly breeze.  Twelve boats took part, accompanied by the one of the Club’s Rescue Boats, and the fleet headed towards St. Osyth on the last of the flood tide.  After a very pleasant run down the coast the craft landed and the crews relaxed on the beach and had lunch before beating back to the Club, assisted by the ebb tide.

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the first race in its Autumn Series last Sunday morning 13 August when fourteen boats took part.  Grey skies, with heavy cloud and a gusting offshore wind that veered between north and north west, made conditions fairly uninviting and certainly kept helms on their toes.  Simon Clarke in his Solution lead on the first leg to the Kingscliff buoy although all the boats, be it the Vortex of Simon Mathewson or the Comet Zero of Roy Wyatt, stayed surprisingly cl

Gunfleet Sailing Club has just completed its annual Cadet Week and it was declared an overwhelming success by all those taking part.  Some 40 Cadets and Otters spent a full and varied week both on and off the water.  When the winds were suitable for sailing there was a large fleet of Toppers and Topazes flying around, and on one day there were some record breaking attempts, including how many people you could get on a Topaz and who could climb highest up the mast on the water. 

The highlight of the Gunfleet Sailing Club calendar took place last weekend 29/30 August when the annual Regatta was held.  On the Saturday it was Cadet Day and some forty youngsters took part in a day of fun and games on and off the water.  It all started with “Numbers-Up” when a fleet of Topazes and Toppers, carrying four people on each, chased after plastic bottles containing various numbers in order to gain the largest score.  There then followed a Treasure Hunt, Word searc

Gunfleet Sailing Club held its race for the London Trophy last Sunday 23 August, an event exclusively for the faster boats, and twelve craft took part.  Before the start the wind was onshore force five and this suggested it would be a lively sail, but as the time got nearer so the wind abated a little and dropped to a force four, remaining in a south easterly direction.