CLACTON Sailing Club took part in a global event known as Barts Bash - by far the biggest annual sailing event in the world.

Members joined with others from more than 62 countries in 800 venues around the world for a day of sailing to remember Andrew "Bart" Simpson.

Primarily a participation event, Bart’s Bash is also a key fundraiser for the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation (ASSF).

The ASSF supports worthy sailing causes around the world, including disabled and Paralympic sailing, as well as this year for victims of Hurricane Irma.

Light offshore winds and glassy swells greeted the fleet of catamaran and dinghy regulars as race officer Daniel Brzezinski set the four-buoy course over a measured distance of 3km.

The competitors got clean away after a nicely-bunched start, heading on a beam reach into the ebbing tide.

First to the windward mark was Pete Boxer, in his single-handed A class catamaran, and, after gybing offshore trying to stay within a pocket of localised wind, he managed to capsize to windward while out of the trapeze wire.

The Hurricane cats were the first to overtake, with Mark and son Charlie Venables enjoying their new boat Slam.

Brian Allen, with new crew Allen Griffins, in the other Hurricane SX, soon hoisted their kite and nearly took off in the flurries of stronger winds that visibly scudded across the sea surface and soon became the boat to catch, leading the fleet for the rest of the race.

The Dart fleet was headed by Martin and Debbie Chivers, in their 18, sporting a pair of new rudder blades after last week's impact with a floating object.

Rob Mitchell, single-handed in his yellow Dart 16, was closely followed by the other Rob Mitchell, sailing with wife Cathy in their grey Dart 16.

Mike and Sue Suffield, in the RS200, enjoyed the wind shifts and could tack or gybe quicker than any of the cats in the fickle winds that blew between zero and 10mph, seeming to swing 180 degrees without much warning.

After one hour, the leading cats had completed five laps.

Having struggled to settle into the rhythm of light wind sailing for the first two laps, Martin and Debbie Chivers really nailed the last laps to finish in first place, once the handicap results were calculated.

They finished ahead of the other husband and wife teams of Rob and Cathy Mitchell and Mike and Sue Suffield, who took second and third respectively.

A second scratch race was held in the afternoon to make the most of the glorious sunshine, with sailors conscious that the season has started to draw in.

This time Boxer sailed his A class to first place ahead of Rob and Cathy Mitchell and Brian Allen with Allen Griffins.