Tappenden Takes The Trophy

Gunfleet Sailing Club held another race with a twist on Sunday 22 June 2025, for the Ken Dye Cup, and with fourteen dinghies entering it proved to be an exciting event.

The weather conditions were ideal with a force four, gusting five south-westerly wind, blue skies and unbroken sunshine.  Unfortunately Ella Langfeldt had technical problems with her RS Aero which put her out the race early, whilst Martin Leeks capsized prior to starting the race but was quick to right his Laser.  With the tide ebbing it was no surprise that all the competitors started on port tack, heading towards the shore to mitigate the adverse effect as they beat down the coast.  John Tappenden lead the fleet in his RS Aero with Brian Allen, also in and RS Aero, just behind; both starting near the Outer Distance Mark.  Closer towards the Inner Distance Mark were Derroll Pedder and Paul Stanton, sailing an RS Aero and Laser respectively; Stanton simply cutting through the water.  After a number of short tacks it was Pedder that rounded the Eastcliff mark first, Allen second, and then Tappenden; Paul Jackson fourth at this point, in his Solo.  The second leg was a close reach out to Seaward, the wind having backed south/south westerly, which saw Tappenden move up to the front of the fleet and start to open a gap, being first round the offshore buoy; Allen sitting in second place and Andy Dunnett taking his Laser into third spot.  A painless gybe followed, and then a reach in to the AWS buoy; on rounding this to head back offshore it became very clear this was going to be a tough old beat.  A number of helms tacked straight away whilst others just hardened up and so fought a weaker ebb tide being closer to the shore.  Different tactics certainly paid off for Dunnett who was first to round the Seaward mark, followed by Tappenden, Pedder and then Stanton.  Slightly further back were the Lasers of Yvonne Gough, Adam Kedge and Gary Hollis.  A reach up the coast to the Kingscliff buoy saw Tappenden neck and neck with Dunnett and, cutting it very tight around the buoy, Tappenden edged away as the boats, close hauled, made for the ODM.  Whist normally this would also signify the finish line, this was the completion of just half the race as the boats rounded the ODM and headed back the way they had come, retracing their footsteps.  Tappenden continued to pull away whilst Dunnett found himself being challenged by Stanton, Pedder in the mix too.  On the reach from Seaward to Eastcliff, Stanton overtook Dunnett but the achievement was short lived; meanwhile Tappenden slipped across the line to victory

Ken Dye Cup:
1.    RS Aero – John Tappenden
2.    Laser – Andy Dunnett
3.    Laser – Paul Stanton