Gunfleet's Cadets Take Top Spots in Double Dan

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the third cruise of the season last Saturday 12 July when an armada of dinghies tacked down the coast, westward way, fighting a lazy ebb tide.  The cruise had originally been planned to go to Walton but with a 6:30 p.m. low tide, it would have resulted in a very late return to the Club, so plans were redrawn.  With the sky becoming blue, after an earlier overcast day, and the sun breaking through, it was a gentle sail that greeted the crews.  At 5:00 p.m. the Club’s Rescue Boat got everyone to go about, and take the last of the ebb home, resulting in a gentle reach against a backdrop of tranquillity and a wonderful setting sun; just what cruises are all about.

 

Then, on Sunday 13 July, after heavy rain and thick grey clouds, the skies brightened once more for the Gunfleet to take part in Clacton Sailing Club’s Double Dan race.  It was just after 10:00 a.m. that a Topper, two Topazes and two Hobie 405’s, followed a little later by a Laser, joined the CSC members on a sail round to Brightlingsea.  The force three, touching four, wind turned southerly and the fleet beat along the coast.  At 1:30 p.m. the race got underway for the Double Dan Trophy, first competed for in 1958, and the CSC catamarans soon pulled away.  But the monohulls stuck determinedly to the course and whist it was the Spitfire of Pete Boxer and Eilish Dempsey that was first to cross the finish line, at Gunfleet Sailing Club, it was still clearly anyone’s game.  There then followed the Hurricanes and Darts before Gunfleet’s Charlie and Harry Spence, with asymmetric kite flying, took the finishing gun in their Hobie 405.  There then followed Brogan Bates and Nick Cottee, in their 405, before Finn Harkin finished in his Topaz, having sailed there and back single-handed.  Shortly after it was Steve and Daisy Swinbourne’s turn to finish, in their Topaz, along with Harry Swinbourne in his Topper; the latter missing out on overall victory by seconds.  Following the calculation of the handicaps it was Charlie and Harry that took the top position and they were presented with their Trophy at Clacton Sailing Club’s headquarters.