GP14 Open at Maylandsea Bay Sailing Club

The GP14 Southern Travellers have added a new venue to the circuit at Maylandsea Bay SC which is located on Mayland Creek with racing in the creek and on the River Blackwater in Essex.

In what is believed to be the first ever GP14 Open at Maylandsea in the 70th year of GP14 racing twelve visitors travelled from Welsh Harp, Frensham Pond, Tollesbury and Leigh on Sea to join the small local fleet with 14 boats on the start line on Saturday 12th June 2021. With a strong Spring Tide and a variable F2/3 from the northwest Race Officer Bill Wright stated the first race with a beat out of the creek against the flooding tide. The decision when to cross the channel was crucial and led to a number of positional changes until the fleet headed out to the Blackwater led by Cooper/Barrie, Magic/Lomax and Innes/Trubridge before Rogers/Lyn and Street/Howard came through. The final beat again resulted in big changes with Magic/Lomax taking the win followed by Rogers/Lyn and Street/Howard.

GP14 Open at Maylandsea Bay - photo © Phil Spillane

The second race started from Mayland Spit buoy with a long beat across the Blackwater to Osea Island still with a strong flooding tide. Cooper/Barrie and Magic/Lomax lead into a long spinnaker run followed by Street/Howard and Innes/Trubridge. The fleet split with those on the north shore benefitting from less tide with Innes/Trubridge coming through to take third followed by Keith Street and Cathy Howard, Sarah and Lucy Street and Steve Corbet and Martin Fischer.

After a short break the third race started as the ebb kicked in and the wind became highly variable with a big northerly shift burying those who went left off the line. Cooper/Barrie led from the start followed by Street/Howard and Szakola/Cotter in third. The fleet again split on the first spinnaker run but these positions were maintained as the fleet raced home up Mayland Creek in a long closely fought spinnaker reach against the ebb. Magic/Lomax were fourth followed by Innes/Trubridge and Isles/Szady.

GP14 Open at Maylandsea Bay - photo © Phil Spillane

At the prize-giving the race officer was thanked by all for three excellent varied races and the club was thanked for inviting the GP14 Southern Travellers to Maylandsea. They were also thanked for providing a lead boat for all three races without which much confusion would have probably reigned!

Overall Results: