Gunfleet Gets Back On The Water With A Bang

Gunfleet Sailing Club burst into life on Saturday 28 March when it held its Fitting-Out Supper to welcome the 2026 sailing season.  Rear Commodore Malcolm Jolly welcomed the guests who sat down to the traditional fish and chips meal.

The next day, Sunday 29 March, the sailing got underway and, in a light south-westerly breeze, fourteen helms rigged their dinghies and launched onto a rather grey North Sea.  With high tide coinciding with the start of the race the competitors sailed up and down the line seeking the most favourable position to take in order to try and pull away from the pack.  As the class flag fell from the yardarm, Tim Dye, close to the Outer Distance Mark, Ken Potts at the shore end by the Inner Distance Mark, and Ella Langfeldt half way between the two, lead the fleet on port tack; all three sailing RS Aeros.  To try and stem the adverse ebbing tide, everyone headed towards the shore with some helms putting in several short tacks around the groynes as they worked their way down the coast on the long beat to the St. Michael’s buoy.  As they rounded the windward mark it was Potts leading, with Dye second, and Brian Allen in his RS Aero third.  They were followed by Adam Kedge in his Laser and Ella, both neck and neck.  The second leg was a run back to the Eastcliff buoy which didn’t take long with the tide under them.  There then followed a reach out to the Seaward mark before a gybe and then in to the AWS buoy; it was whilst undertaking the gybe that Dave Ingle capsized his RS Aero but was quick in righting the craft and getting back into the thick of things.  Potts, who continued his lead, unfortunately mistimed tacking round AWS and lost vital seconds completing a 360 degree penalty turn; sufficient delay to allow Dye to slip in front.  However, the lead was short-lived as, by the time the two had fetched back out to Seaward, Potts had regained top spot.  After a further reach in to the Kingscliff buoy it was then a beat back to the line.  At the end of the first lap, on handicap, it was Potts first, Kedge second, and Dye third.  On commencement of the second lap the wind, which had been a force 2 at the start, began to pick up and soon reached a force 5, making for some livelier sailing.  Allan capsized his RS Aero at the Seaward gybe with the boat turning turtle, whilst Arlo Atkins, in his Laser, revelled in the conditions and started working his way up the fleet.  Lotte Langfeldt, in her RS Aero, closed the gap enormously on her sister Ella and they claimed sixth and fifth position respectively but could not catch Atkins who came in fourth; all three being Cadets, along with Kedge who took a very impressive second place ahead of many seasoned adult sailors.

March Hare Trophy:
1.    RS Aero – Ken Potts
2.    Laser – Adam Kedge
3.    RS Aero – Tim Dye