GUNFLEET Sailing Club held their long-distance race for the Jim Suckling Trophy, with Andy Dunnett taking the winning gun in his Laser.

Sunshine, blue skies and a pleasant force three to four southerly wind greeted the competitors.

At a very close start, it was Dunnett that led the competitors away from the line on port tack - all except John Tappenden, who headed up the line on starboard tack, therefore requiring right of way.

Many of the helms then tacked and followed Tappenden into deeper water, so gaining the benefit of the freshly flooding tide, as they headed down the coast to the Pier buoy.

Once they reached this mark, it was out round Clacton Pier and on to Martello Bay, before reaching back up the coast, heading over a mile out to sea to an offshore buoy.

By this time, Dunnett had carved out a small lead with Tappenden in second place and Ken Potts, also in a Laser, laying third.

Slightly further back it was husband and wife Matt and Yvonne Gough, both sailing Lasers, that were neck and neck, while Rob Lockett, Harry Swinbourne and Tom Philpot, all three also sailing Lasers, were holding off Peter Downer, in his Comet.

Charlie and Harry Spence retired in their 405 after finding the asymmetric spinnaker was jammed and in the Topaz fleet it was Steve and Daisy Swinbourne that led over Eddie White.

The boats gybed around the offshore mark before reaching down to the AWS buoy, fetching back out to Seaward and then sailing a dead run to the Kingscliff buoy.

The last leg, a beat back to the line, saw Dunnett finish 24 seconds before Tappenden, so claiming victory.

Results – Jim Suckling Long Distance Trophy: 1 Laser – Andy Dunnett, 2 Laser – John Tappenden, 3 Laser – Ken Potts.

In the afternoon, many female members of the club took part in Ladies Who Launch, giving them greater experience in sailing on the high seas before returning to the clubhouse for a strawberry cream tea.

The day before, as part of their Sailing On Saturday, the Cadets and Otters sailed up the coast to the boating club where they had the experience of riding on jet-skis and taking a lively trip on a banana, thanks to the generosity of the boating club members.

Gunfleet Sailing Club are busy getting ready for its 2016 Cadet Week, this year sponsored by Dong Energy.