GP14 Open at Tollesbury Sailing Club

GP14s at Tollesbury © John Barbrook

GP14s at Tollesbury © John Barbrook

GP14s at Tollesbury © John Barbrook

With contrary tides limiting sailable days this year, Tollesbury, Leigh-on-Sea and Brightlingsea fought it out for GP14 event dates like Ainslie, Hogh-Christensen and Lobert on the start line. Rule 30.1 was in effect and Tollesbury had to go round again, finally agreeing to 19th August as the date for their 2012 GP14 Open.

With many of the usual suspects worn out at the GP14 Worlds in Looe the week before and an unfavourable forecast to boot, only three travelling boats arrived for Tollesbury's traditional bacon roll welcome. Determined to put on a good show, 11 local boats signed on to give the visitors a variety of competition. Two lap triangular courses were set for three back-to-back races.

Winds were fair for the first race, and Seahorse visitor Richard Lord made for his traditional spot at the front of the fleet. Tollesbury's Andy Beharrell battled with BTYC's Steve Cooper for second place with neither getting the upper hand and honours even at the finish.

The start line was reset in double quick time, the course reversed and the gun sounded for an eventful second race. Tollesbury's George Rogers had sorted the rigging issues which had put him at the back of race 1 and despite a pin end start, arrived at the windward lark just ahead of Lord. Going for the hoist upon rounding, Lord then tore his Spinnaker in half and Rogers reckoned he was in with a good chance but the wind died completely, then swung 180 and the run became a beat. Confident that the last leg would be a run Rogers still fancied his chances, only for the Race Officer to shorten the course in the interests of using the available tide to get a third race in. Lord confirmed yet another well deserved overall win and went in to reward his crew.

Rogers chose a port tack start for Race 3, a single lap out into the Blackwater and back. A left shift allowed him to cross well clear and he arrived at the first mark neck and neck with Beharrell, who just snuck ahead in the short reach to the second mark. After the gybe it was a tactical run up the Leavings against the tide. Beharrell chose the sea wall side of the channel while the rest of the fleet crossed the tide to the shallows by the Cob islands. Beharrell had chosen correctly and was able to gybe back and cross the tide a speed on a reach. Cooper did well in the channel between the Cobs and pulled up to 2nd but more importantly got the inside berth at the third and fourth marks. Rogers and he ran line abreast toward the finish with Cooper just getting 2nd, though well behind winner Beharrell. Rogers was just third and Papercourt's Ward came in fourth.

In the prize-giving Andy and Ian Beharrell were awarded the Saltmarsh trophy for first Tollesbury boat. Nick and Val Lynn were seventh and first Series 1, while first Lady helm Annabel Jones-Laurie finished sixth overall. She was, however, disappointed when her crew (her dad) declared that as she was under eighteen, she should donate the bottle of wine prize to the boat's owner (her grand-dad)!

Overall Results: