Another Win For Tappenden

Unsettled conditions made for some interesting sailing last weekend at Gunfleet Sailing Club.

On Saturday 16 June an enthusiastic group of young Club members met in the afternoon for the third part of their SOS – Sailing On Saturday Sail Training programme.  The wind appeared rather strong but with the tide turning it started to ease down.  Gunfleet’s Sail Trainer Clare, with the aid of some animated boats, buoys, and wind & tide directions went through the theory of sharpening-up sailing technique, and then the Toppers and Topazes were rigged and, along with the two Club Rescue Boats, taken onto the beach.  At this point the wind decided to pick up and white caps began to appear out at sea.  Holding back for a short while the Club’s weather-station started to show gust of Force 6 to 7, so the Cadets and Otters returned their boats to the compound and packed them all away; many deciding to just have fun in the water instead.

In the early evening 54 members sat down to fish and chips in the Clubhouse before venturing out on the Gunfleet Walking Treasure Hunt.  Setting off in Teams the members searched the highways and byways of Holland on Sea unravelling a variety of clues; returning to Magnum ice creams and a wide variety of drinks from the bar, Prosecco proving particularly popular.  The winning Team, with only a couple of wrong answers, were the “Morton Mob”, Kelvin Morton’s grandfather being a founder member of Gunfleet Sailing Club.

The very next day, Sunday 17 June, the Club held the race for the London Trophy.

With the forecast predicting a slight drop in wind strength, the competitors optimistically rigged their boats in a force three to four west/south-westerly wind.  Under a strengthening flood tide the helms darted up and down the line eagerly anticipating the start, but each one staying just the right side to avoid any recalls.  Once unleashed, Ken Potts was first away on starboard tack, heading out into the full benefit of the tide, sailing just slightly free in order to build-up boat speed.  Andy Dunnett was to windward of Potts, pointing a little higher but, as a result, impacting slightly on his speed.  An early casualty was the Xenon of Clare Williams and Michael Giles, which capsized on the first tack, but it wasn’t long before the boat was righted and carrying on.  The first leg took the boats down the coast to St. Michael’s buoy prior to a very broad reach back to the Eastcliff mark.  It was early on in this second leg that Sonny Hart capsized in his new Blaze when his toe straps started playing games.  As the fleet headed out to the Seaward buoy, Potts had built up a reasonable lead, with John Tappenden second and Dunnett now third, and Yvonne Gough a little further back in fourth position; all four sailing Lasers.  Gybing the boats round Seaward it was a fetch into the AWS buoy, a broad reach up the coast to the Kingscliff mark before a beat back to the line.  By this time, against prediction, the wind had now strengthened and senior helmsman Eddie White decided it was a bit much for him in his Laser, so he retired back to shore.  As the second lap commenced so Hart capsized once more, trying to balance himself on the racks whilst having nothing to support his feet; a brave but fruitless attempt to just keep going.  Meanwhile the three leading Lasers were all working hard to outdo each other, and it looked like Potts might have been in with a chance as he piled on the pressure, but during the third and final lap Tappenden put on a fine display of seamanship and stormed home to victory.

Results:  London Trophy:
1.    Laser – John Tappenden
2.    Laser – Ken Potts
3.    Laser – Andy Dunnett

In the afternoon the female sailors took the opportunity to take their friends out for a taste of sailing on the high seas during Ladies Who Launch, and when back on dry land it was a sweeter taste of scones, jam and cream as they relived the experience.