Top Of The Potts

Gunfleet Sailing Club members enjoyed two days of racing over the Easter Bank Holiday.  Sunday’s race saw the third in the Spring Series get underway with the individual recall flag being hoisted at the start due to Alex Corbett and Henry Spooner being well over the line in their 405.  Unfortunately a number of other competitors, that were very close, wrongly assumed it must be them and also returned to re-cross the start line, so immediately putting them at a disadvantage; this included Ken Potts in his Laser which placed him at the back of the fleet.  With a fresh and variable offshore wind it was quite a tricky first leg down the coast to the St. Michael’s buoy, varying from a fetch to being close hauled.  First round the mark were Jack and Elliot Berry in their Fireball, closely followed by their father Paul in a Laser.  The Fireball then hoisted its spinnaker on the broad reach back to the Eastcliff buoy, giving them a bit of a lift.  This leg saw the Laser fleet all closely bunched together and as they then headed out to the Seaward mark it really was anyone’s race.  Slightly further back it was Beth Elliott and Maddie Corbett that lead the 405s, although Tom and Ed Philpot worked hard to try and get level with them.  Alex Corbett  and Spooner capsized at the Seaward buoy, whilst Paul Berry retired due to gear failure.  Potts meanwhile had not only caught-up his Laser colleagues but he managed to plough through them all, less than halfway round the first lap.  Just prior to the end of this lap it was the turn of Elliott and Maddie Corbett to capsize but the girls were quick to right their 405 and get back in the thick of it.  On the second lap it was Paul Stanton, then laying in second place, who was forced to retire when he suffered with gear breakage, allowing Robert Gutteridge to claim this spot, but never a real threat to Potts.  

Results:
Spring Series - 03:    
1.    Laser – Ken Potts
2.    Laser – Robert Gutteridge
3.    Laser – Harry Swinbourne

On Bank-holiday Monday afternoon the Gunfleet sailors took to the water for the Hertford County Shield Race and, after a very safe start, it was the Laser fleet that lead the beat up the coast to the Kingscliff buoy.  Unfortunately for Eddie White he then took the wrong course in his Laser and headed out to sea, whilst everyone else ran back to the AWS mark, so causing White to be disqualified.  It was at this stage the Philpot brothers hoisted the asymmetric kite on their 405 and tacked downwind whilst the other competitors just ran straight to the mark.  Derroll Pedder kept a comfortable distance ahead of Sonny Hart, both sailing Solutions, but neither managed to make much impression on the Lasers that once again took the top three places; also giving a second victory of the weekend to Potts.  

Results:
Hertford County Shield:    
1.    Laser – Ken Potts
2.    Laser – John Tappenden
3.    Laser – Harry Swinbourne