Dunnett Does It

Gunfleet Sailing Club held one of its 3-in-1 races on Sunday 14 June 2026, this time for the Hertford County Shield, with seventeen dinghies taking to the water; the event seeing three short back to back races with all three placings forming the overall result.

In a north-westerly force 3 breeze, the first race saw Simon Kedge getting a cracking start in his Laser, with Jono Dunnett just to windward in his Laser, and then, to windward of them, Andy Cornforth and Ella Langfeldt both in RS Aeros.  The first leg was a reach up the coast to the Preston Park buoy, fighting the last of the flood tide and it was Dunnett that rounded it first although he found Cornforth now alongside him.  The second leg was a reach out to the Seaward mark at which point Cornforth had stolen the lead, Dunnett just behind and then Tim Dye and Ken Potts, both in RS Aeros. The third leg was a beat into the Lilley Farm buoy and this split those that tacked on port early against those that waited until later, hoping to benefit from the stronger tide.  Cornforth held his own as the fleet then reached to the finish line; on handicap the top three places going to Cornforth, Dunnett and then Dye.

The second race started just as the tide turned which resulted in a number of dinghies being over the line but the individual recall signal saw the culprits return to correct their error.  It was an impressive sight to see seventeen dinghies all descending on the Preston Park buoy; Dunnett rounding it first, followed by John Tappenden in his RS Aero and then Cornforth, with Derroll Pedder just behind in his RS Aero.  The wind then started to play games, dropping down and producing a number of holes that appeared to be void of any breeze; Tappenden getting caught in one and, not quick enough to react, capsizing when a sudden puff blew through.  At Seaward it was Dunnett, Cornforth and then Potts and they stayed in that order to finish.  

The third and final race, now with the ebb tide in full flow, saw, once again, a number of helms jumping the line.  Whilst the guilty parties returned to start again, unfortunately Paul Jackson in his RS Aero failed to clear the line and was disqualified.  Cornforth reached Preston Park first, followed by Paul Stanton in his Laser but wind shifts caused much frustration out at sea and positions changed quite frequently; the final race seeing Dunnett first, Potts second and Stanton third, so giving Dunnett overall victory.

Hertford County Shield:
1.    Laser – Jono Dunnett
2.    RS Aero – Ken Potts
3.    RS Aero – Tim Dye