Please select your home edition
Edition
Crewsaver 2021 Safetyline LEADERBOARD

GP14 Southern Travellers at Leigh-on-Sea Sailing Club

by David Innes 12 Jul 2021 18:56 BST 10 July 2021

With hope and optimism triumphing over a horribly light wind forecast twelve GP14 sailors travelled to Leigh-on-Sea in Essex to be met by the normal excellent hospitality with bacon rolls and stunning views over the Thames Estuary.

The club occupies a wonderful situation in the old railway station in Old Leigh sandwiched between the main railway line and the esplanade with launching from a charming beach adjacent to Bell Wharf. With only about 5 knots wind from the east Race Officer Colin Walker set a short trapezoidal course in the shallows over the Chapman Sands with the last of the flood tide still running. The fleet crept over the line for the first race with Innes/McGuinness starting at the pin end and heading inshore leading from Szakola and Cotter and Isles/Szady. Benefitting from a big left shift Innes/McGuinness led at the first mark and maintained this to the finish despite some confusion on the course.

With the wind dropping to zephyr status, the Race Officer got the fleet away for a second race at slack water with Isles/Szady and Innes/Mcguinness getting away cleanly to the first mark avoiding a minor pile up on the pin end of the short line. Cooper/Lomax managed to escape the carnage and come into the windward mark a close third with the leading three boats optimistically then setting spinnaker for the first reach. The wind completely died briefly and then "filled in" from the west with Innes/Mcguinness leading from Isles/Szady and Cooper/Lomax at the first hitch mark. As the leaders slowly crept down what should have been a run but was a very fine reach it was clear that the ebb tide was beginning to kick in. Only Innes/Mcguinness and Cooper/Lomax managed to get around the hitch mark and headed for the final mark as the Race Officer decided that the wind gods were not playing ball and shortened the race and shortly thereafter abandoned proceedings for the day.

At the prize-giving Colin walker and all at Leigh-on-Sea SC were thanked for making the best of very trying conditions and all competitors were thanked for making the effort to attend. Proceedings finished with the traditional Leigh on Sea BBQ on the balcony as the tide and of course, a breeze, set in from the south. The Southern Travellers next visit the Poole Yacht Club on the 14/15th August where better winds are hoped for!

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmCrewClub
1st14234David InnesJohn McGuinnessFrensham Pond
2nd14151Stephen CooperChris LomaxWelsh Harp
3rd13237Tomasz SzakolaCharlie CotterWelsh Harp
4th13299Jamie IslesMichal SzadyWelsh Harp
5th13939George RogersNick LynnTollesbury
6th14179Steve CorbetMartin FischerLeigh on Sea

Related Articles

S2S Race at Leigh & Lowton
Sunrise to sunset racing dominated by West Lancs teams The S2S is a team event held annually in June at Leigh & Lowton SC in GPs, Ents and Fireflys starting at sunrise (4.40am) and finishing at sunset (9.40pm). Posted on 23 Jun
GP14 Southern Travellers at Frensham
Flag etiquette blunder shocks fleet With a good forecast of 10-17 knots and promise of blue skies the GP14 Southern Travellers travelled to Frensham to join a strong local fleet. This was the first time that Frensham have held a GP14 Open during the summer months. Posted on 17 Jun
GP14 Munster Championship 2025
A favourite venue of the class doesn't disappoint The 2025 Munster Championship returned to Cullaun Sailing Club, the centre of Munster Sailing and the recent recipients of Irish Sailing's Club of the Year. Cullaun and its small lake is a favorite of the GP14 fleet. Posted on 14 Jun
GP14 Northern Bell at Budworth
The day proved that you really can have a blast at Budworth! A very memorable day was had by all at Budworth on Sunday 1st June in what turned out to be an eventful GP14 Open Meeting. The day had been eagerly anticipated at the Mere with 25 boats entered, 20 of which were from the club. Posted on 6 Jun
Llandegfedd GP14 Open
Sharing the lake with a stand-up paddleboard GP added an extra dash of jeopardy We were warmly welcomed to the stunning reservoir in the posh bit of South Wales by Sharon and Paul Freeland of Llandegfedd SC. Sharing the lake with a stand-up paddleboard GP added an extra dash of jeopardy. Posted on 3 Jun
International sponsor 2025 WLYC 24 Hour Race
The event will take place on 13th-14th September 2025 at Southport Marine Lake West Lancashire Yacht Club (WLYC) is thrilled to announce International yacht paint as the headline sponsor for the 2025 WLYC 24 Hour Race, the UK's premier dinghy sailing endurance event. Posted on 27 May
GP14 Ulster Championship at East Antrim
An unexpected set of great conditions at Larne Lough Sunshine, high tide, beautiful breezes - not generally the GP14 Class's mental picture of Larne Lough, but that's how it was in the weekend 17/18 May for the GP14 Ulster Championships. Posted on 24 May
GP14s at Bolton
From a cloudless sky, a huge 25 knot gust descended vertically to capsize three boats The fleet of sixteen GP14s including six visitors were greeted by a balmy 21 degreesC, sunshine and a 9 knot breeze gusting up to 12 knots from the south east, champagne sailing conditions. Posted on 19 May
GP14 Midland Bell at Staunton Harold
The odd complete lull and and a few serious gusts just enough to get planing Bright sunshine and a shifty wind greeted four eager teams for the Midland Bell event at Staunton Harold. Two teams from Trimpley and one from Nantwich and one home boat (borrowed) with a scratch pairing made up the fleet. Posted on 14 May
GP14s at Derwent Reservoir
Northern and Scottish Bell Training and Open Weekened With a high pressure system dominating over mainland Europe, we were blessed with unusually warm summer weather and South Easterly prevailing wind conditions. Saturday's training day was fully booked with 12 boats on the water. Posted on 9 May