A Win For Tappenden

The seventh and final race in Gunfleet Sailing Club’s series for the Tony Chadd Trophy took place on Wednesday 18 June 2025 with John Tappenden winning it in his RS Aero but Ken Potts, also in an RS Aero, taking overall honours.  

Twenty two boats took part in the series, which in the last race saw a force 4 south easterly wind blowing prior to commencement of the event.  With the first leg being a reach up the coast, under a freshly ebbing tide, there was a strong risk of competitors jumping the line, but everyone behaved themselves and a clean start transpired.  Potts lead the way with Robert Gutteridge, also in an RS Aero, close behind; Tappenden’s RS Aero was third, Andy Dunnett fourth in his Laser, followed by Paul Jackson’s Solo.  With the tide under them, it wasn’t long before the fleet reached the Kingscliff buoy, Potts maintaining his lead, and then a short beat to the Preston Park buoy.  The third leg was a reach back to the AWS mark before a much longer beat out to the Seaward buoy.  Potts pointed very high, to the degree of almost pinching, and made the offshore mark in one, whilst most helms had to put in at least one tack; Tappenden doing this very early on and so claiming a clean wind.  What was noticeable was the strength of the breeze which had started to drop even before members got on the water and was now at a low force three. The penultimate leg, a broad reach down to the Eastcliff buoy, became a somewhat sedate affair, and then it was back to the line.  At the end of the first lap it was Potts that had carved out a decent lead with Tappenden second and Gutteridge third.  The wind continued to decrease and then back a little, by which time Adam Kedge had taken his Laser ahead of Yvonne Gough, Simon Kedge kept his Laser in front of Jackson, but there seemed little change in position on the second lap.  During the third and final lap, John and Charlie Heath did move their RS 200 into fourth place, having consistently flown the asymmetric spinnaker at all possible opportunities, and Tappenden played the wind to perfection and managed to slip into the lead and take the winning gun, Potts now second and Gutteridge third.

Results – Tony Chadd Series - Overall:
1.    RS Aero – Ken Potts
2.    Laser – Adam Kedge
3.    RS Aero – Derroll Pedder