RS600's Take Top Spot

Once again unsettled weather did not deter the members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club from taking part in the race for the Hertford County Shield last Sunday 9 May.  Leading the fleet from the start was Andy Dunnett in his Laser as the boats beat up towards the Kingscliff buoy in fresh northerly wind; many of the craft tacking out to sea to gain the full effect of the last of the ebbing tide.  There then followed a broad reach out to the Seaward buoy and by this time the Club’s RS600’s had pulled away, whilst further back Matt Downing in his Laser was having a real tussle with Paul Davis in his Solution; Davis capsizing as he gybed around the offshore mark and retiring from the race.  A fetch then followed to the AWS buoy before a long run to St. Michael’s which was likely to be lively in the gusting winds, but in the end there were no incidents.  Peter Downer, sailing a Comet, doggedly stayed on the tail of the Lasers whilst Derroll Pedder in his Vortex, after a disappointing first lap, settled down to pick up lost time in the second lap.  As the race went on so the wind abated a little, by which time the positions had settled down with the two RS’s taking the top spots.

Results: Hertford County Shield
1. RS600 – Ken Potts 
2. RS600 – Kelvin Morton
3. Solution – Simon Clarke