Author: David Houghton

It was a chilly start to the day for the final racing of the season at Gorleston. Thankfully it did warm up as the day progressed and by the time we sat down for lunch it was warm enough to enjoy lunch alfresco.

The wind was a light NW’erly for race one. Ed and Chris led the way in their Spitfire closely followed by the RS400’s led by Don and Keith. Richard & Robyn moved ahead on the second beat opening up a good lead on the other 400’s after two laps.  On the final beat Don & Keith worked the shifts well to re-take the lead and managed to edge ahead of the Spitfire over the line.

The committee boat end of the line was the place to start for race two and with the jostling for position intense Steve (Minisail cum Laser!) decided to reserve his spot by capsizing on the line just before the gun. This caused some hectic course changing by some but everyone got away without incident. Ed & Chris established a good lead after the first lap but could not consolidate it on the subsequent laps. Dave & Kristof led the 400 charge with D-One Nick enjoying the increased wind and mixing it with the 400’s. By the fourth and final lap Dave & Kristof had a small lead on the chasing pack led Don & Keith.

There were some very grey clouds passing overhead for the start of the final race but thankfully it stayed dry. This did however provide a bit more wind although it shifted to the NNW. Ed & Chris once again raced to the front of the fleet slowly building up a good lead by the finish line. Dave & Kristof headed the chasing pack to the finish with Don & Keith just beating Nick to the line but Nick claiming second on corrected time.

By the time we got ashore the sun had returned and the temperature had risen sufficiently to enjoy our final lunch of the season on the prom. Many thanks to the race team of Phil, Lorna, Adrian, Tim and Robyn for a most enjoyable days sailing. Only six months to the next race, unless you are migrating to RBSC or WOBYC for the winter.

Full results here

We were blessed with another lovely sunny day at Gorleston for Act 5 of the Autumn series. With a warm F2-3 SSE breeze and the tide just starting to flood it was going to be a tide assisted beat and long runs over the waves. Eight boats launched into a rather lively sea with the RS400’s making up half the fleet. 

After the start of race one everyone headed offshore to pick up the tide. Richard & Carol were quickest upwind and headed the pack at a busy windward mark with the 400’s and D-One Steve rounding in quick succession. At the leeward gate Richard & Carol had a 30 second lead over the closely packed fleet. Over the course of the race Steve, showing great downwind speed slowly closed the gap to finish just one second behind at the finish and winning on corrected time. Dave & John, who had caught up on lap two managed to tie a knot in their spinny halyard resulting in a rather slow spinny drop finished third. Just behind were Simon and Bruce and Richard & Robyn who had enjoyed the first of three race long tussles.

Steve continued his good form in race two to lead after lap one followed by the 400’s led by Dave & John. However this all changed on lap two after Richard & Carol picked their way up the beat to lead after the second lap with Dave & John six seconds behind. After a further two laps of close racing it could have gone either way at the finish line with Dave & John crossing less than a boat length ahead of Richard & Carol with Richard & Robyn slipping past Simon & Bruce in the final stages of the race.

The wind had picked up a tad by the time the final race started. Richard & Carol continued their upwind prowess to lead after lap one, two seconds ahead of Dave & John with Richard & Robyn just ahead of Simon & Bruce. On the second downwind leg Dave & John managed to slip ahead and held onto a narrow lead to the finish. Simon & Bruce managed to slip past Richard & Robyn on the final lap. Just behind the 400’s David Brief, making the rather big transition from Shadow X to Laser was now getting to grips with the Laser and improving every race and preventing a 400 1,2,3 to take third on corrected time. 

On returning to shore there was a rather frisky surf to contend with but following some great team work every got ashore safely although most were thoroughly soaked wading into help others. 

Many thanks to the race team for a great day of extremely close racing with some enjoyable downwind legs riding the waves. And a special thanks to Robyn for the wonderful chocolate cake which everyone appreciated.

Full results here

Despite being mid September the sun was shining and the temperature around 20 degrees, so it felt more like the Summer series than the Autumn. As we rigged the boats on the prom the water was only 20 metres from the ramp, and it was still not quite high water! Twelve boats launched onto a very flat sea, the wind at this point was off shore which usually means shifty conditions.

Nick (D-One) won the hotly fought pin end of the line at the start of race one. With the remains of the flood tide still evident most boats headed inshore initially before tacking for the mark. Richard & Robyn (RS400) stayed further off shore and found more breeze and out-paced and out-pointed the entire fleet to round the windward mark with a clear lead which they held to the finish. Dave & John finished next, over two minutes behind followed by a closely packed group with Karl (Laser) just edging Richard & Tony (Xenon) for third place on corrected time.

In race two Ed & Joe (Spitfire) led the fleet and after lap one had established a good lead.  However on approaching the windward mark on lap two the wind became light and patchy which does not suit the cats at which point they watched their lead diminish as Dave & John and Nick caught them up. They did hold onto the lead to cross the line first with Nick making a late surge overtaking Dave & John just before the line and winning on corrected time. Dave & John were second with Anna & Keith third having enjoyed a great second lap, in fact the only boat to achieve a sub 20 minute time on lap two. By compassion Ed & Joe’s first lap was a sub 13 minute and their second lap was over 21 minutes.

Just before the final race was underway the sea breeze kicked in requiring the race team to perform a quick coursectomy. By the time we started the wind was a pleasant F2-3 Easterly and provided the best racing of the day. Dave & John slowly edged ahead crossing the line with a small lead to win, close behind were Richard & Robyn with Nick third.

We are now halfway through the Autumn series and the RS400’s are laying down the gauntlet to the other classes with a clean sweep of the podium places.

Full results here

As we travelled down the Acle straight towards Gorleston we noticed that  none of the wind turbines at Scroby were moving which was a little disconcerting considering the forecast of 15 mph. As we were rigging the boats on the prom the wind gradually picked up and by the time race one got underway there was a nice F3-4 from the North.

Twelve boats launched with two opting to cruise around while ten lined up at the start line. With the race starting just before low water there was the remains of the ebb tide which assisted the upwind legs. Nick (D-One) led after lap one closely followed by Dave & John (400). Behind a three way battle between Richard & Robyn (400), Simon & Bruce (400) and Steve (D-One). Although Dave & John managed to pass Nick on lap two Nick stormed up the third beat to regain the lead which he extended on lap four crossing the line well ahead to take the win on corrected time with Dave & John second.  Just behind the rest of the fleet of asymmetrics were the singlehanders of Karl (Laser) and Steve (Europe) who had remained in contention with Karl beating Steve by six seconds to claim third place.

Race two started in slack water with a lumpy swell from the NE now evident. The wind by this time had decreased and become shifty. After lap one Dave & John had a small lead over Nick who was just ahead of the rest of the fleet led by Richard & Robyn and Keith & Jack (500). Positions remained unchanged for the next two laps but on the final lap Dave & John found some extra pace opening up their lead crossing the line clear ahead and winning on corrected time. The singlehanders were again close enough to edge out the other asymmetrics with Karl claiming second and Steve third.

During the race we enjoyed the sight of the Minerva tall ship, which was in Yarmouth for the Maritime Festival sailing out of the harbour and staying just offshore to our sailing area before heading back into the harbour.

The flood tide had set in at the start of race three. Whilst it had remained dry there were some ominous looking clouds inshore and to the north with signs of rain beneath. Three 400’s led the fleet up the first beat. In the shifty conditions the lead was changing regularly with all three taking the lead at some point. Fifty metres from the windward mark Simon & Bruce had a small lead however lost out following a big shift allowing Dave & John to sneak thro to round the mark first. After the first lap Dave & John, Richard & Robyn and Nick had opened up a gap on the rest of the fleet. Simon & Bruce unfortunately suffering downwind as they no longer could use their spinnaker. On lap three Dave & John managed to open up a gap and which they maintained to the finish. Nick hooked up to a good breeze on the final downwind leg and almost caught Richard & Robyn at the finish.  On corrected time Dave & John recorded their second win but the positions of the next four boats were close with Steve this time beating Karl for second.

As we headed for shore the clouds had cleared resulting in a lovely afternoon and we basked in sunshine as we had lunch on the prom.

Thanks to the race team for managing a good days sailing and for everyone who helped with the landing of the RIBS at the end of the day.

Full results here

With the wind coming off the cliffs it was fair to expect that the wind was going to be shifty and gusty. The sea was flat as the proverbial pancake and thankfully the beach was much less crowded than last week. Richard was a little delayed getting launched as he was sailing his Solution this week and the centreboard had jammed which required some force and some unpleasant ‘grunching’ noises as he freed it off.

The race team set a good sized windward leeward course with the addition of a spacer mark. In race one Phil (700) and Ed & Lou (Spitfire) sailed away from the fleet on the first lap with Phil eventually finishing well ahead and easily winning on corrected time. Behind the 400’s of Dave & John and visitors Simon & Bruce were having a close tussle with the former crossing the line just ahead. Richard’s pre-race boat maintenance paid off as he finished close enough to claim second on corrected time.

Phil had another storming first lap in race two opening up a good lead, assisted by a lovely breeze downwind which saw him go almost to the gate on one reach. Unfortunately for the others the breeze eased up as they made their way downwind. Having opened up such a good lead Phil got to do an additional lap and almost caught the fleet up to win once again. Dave & John led the rest of the fleet home to take second on corrected time.

By this time the wind was now becoming very shifty with some gusts blowing across the course making it easy to gain, or lose many places….. or even capsize!  In the final race of the day the fleet were closely bunched as they reached the windward mark.  Phil once again leading the way with Phil ‘Two’ finding the go button on his Contender rounding next closely followed by the 400’s. On the following laps the wind around the windward mark was becoming very unpredictable, sometimes barely any wind and sometimes a good hiking breeze, this lead to the fleet becoming well spread. Dave & John spoilt Phil’s run of wins with Phil finishing second and Richard & Tony (Xenon) putting in a great last lap to claim third.

Many thanks to the race team of Phil, Lorna & Matt for three good races and setting a great course in shifty wind conditions.  Good luck to Phil next week as he travels to the RS700 Nationals, based on this week he is in good form.  

Full results here

The enthusiasm for one more Thursday started early with several suggesting they would be up for one more sail on the ‘GYGSC Thursdays’ WhatsApp group. And with the weather forecasting provided by Phil we were sure to have great sailing conditions!

As it happened Phil’s forecast turned out to be bang on with a warm F3 WSW breeze. Eleven boats took to the water for two races with the Lasers out in force with 5 boats. Although not sailing Chris kindly stayed and helped most of the boats launch as the sea was a bit ‘lumpy’.   With a flooding tide throughout the evenings racing the race team set a starboard  windward-leeward course with a spacer 100 metres up tide of the windward mark.

In race one the Lasers of Tamsin and Keith and the RS400 of Phil & Lorna opened up a good lead on the rest of the fleet, with Tasmin taking line honours and the race win by 6 seconds over Keith.  During the race the wind proved quite shifty and although predominantly WSW was moving between W and SW, so lots of opportunities to make or lose position. Despite this the rest of the fleet remained closely bunched finishing within a minute of each other with Steve, sailing his Europe taking third, just ahead of Richard F in his Laser

Race two saw Richard B, sailing his Solution getting caught out by the tide and over at the start. Tamsin and Keith continued their battle with the lead swapping a number of times during the race. As the leading boats approached the spacer mark on the final lap the wind shifted to the SW and increased to a F3-4 providing a great reach to the line with most of the boats planning through the waves.  Richard B, benefitting from the extra wind pulled ahead of the main fleet and almost caught the two leading Lasers at the line. In the main pack the racing had been close all race and the next five boats crossed the line within 50 seconds of each other. On corrected time Tamsin made it two wins out of two, beating Keith by six seconds again, with Richard B, recovering well and putting in the best lap time of the race on the last lap to take third.

Landing back ashore proved interesting with a very confused sea and despite the flood tide still running the water near the beach was clearly flowing north, the best evidence I’ve seen of the eddy formed by the outer harbour. Back on shore we all finishing packing up the boats in semi darkness but all agreed it had been a lovely evening sailing. Thanks to Phil and Lorna for organising supper once again. Roll on Thursday’s 2020.

Full results here

Taking note from a line from a well known Take That track played off for Act One of the Autumn series.  As it approached the scheduled start time we sat on the prom, temperature in the high twenties but virtually no wind. It was decided to postpone the start in the hope of a sea breeze arriving. As we waited the beach was becoming very crowded as people were taking advantage of the Costa Del Gorleston conditions so getting the boats to the shoreline could prove a challenge. The wait proved too long for a few who decided to head home. However, just before midday the first signs of breeze arrived which triggered much activity on the prom as boats were made ready to launch. 

At the start of race one the sea breeze up built to a F1-2 with the sea like a mill pond and just a hint of flood tide. Steve (Europe) was first to cross the line followed by Phil, sailing his 400 solo as the crew had mutinied and had gone SUP-ing! With a couple of boats a tad late getting to the start the race was shortened to one lap. Solo Phil crossed the line first just ahead of Adrian (D-One) and Chris & Keith (500) third. With Steve finishing just a few minutes later he took the win on corrected time with Phil second and Adrian third.

With the fleet now at full strength race two got underway. Phil (700), sporting his brand new mainsail was first to the windward mark followed by Tom & Will (505). Phil (400) had now gained a crew for the race with John swapping RIB for 400. With Phil (700) well clear after two laps he headed off for a third. The race was then shortened with Tom & Will first to finish with the rest of the fleet finishing within forty seconds of each other. On corrected time Steve made it two in a row with Phil (700) second and Tom & Will third. 

Sadly the sea breeze had started to fade as race two finished and with it a change of wind direction to the SSE and so the race team made a quick course change. With the tide now at full flow there was a strong likelihood of an early starter which proved to be the case with two boats over at the start. In the light flaky winds it was slow progress to the windward mark. Despite the difference in handicaps the fleet arrived at the mark close together. Steve, having just rounded decided he needed to cool off and capsized but a rapid recovery meant he lost little distance. It was even slower progress back to the leeward gate ! Phil (700) and Adrian, having immediately gybed and headed inshore were initially looking well ahead of the others and set to  reach the gate in good time. However, as they got close to shore the wind faded.  With everyone now struggling against the tide the race team moved the finish line closer to the fleet. In the light winds spinnakers were becoming harder to fly so most decided to drop them. Steve, having found some wind mid course at one time looked have moved into the lead but that was short lived as the wind moved across the course. After over half an hour Phil crossed the line with Adrian crossing a couple of minutes later. With Steve crossing a few minutes later it was close enough to claim a clean sweep with Adrian second and Phil third. 

It was a slow drag against the tide back to the club. By this time the beach was extremely crowded with the shoreline packed with paddlers and swimmers. Thankfully the on-duty Lifeguard did a splendid job of crowd control clearing a space for us to land the boats and get to the prom. Considering the conditions we probably caught the best ‘wind window’ and managed to get two good races and one ‘not so good’ race in what was a beautiful day which was anything but Autumnal.

Full results here