Ken Takes First Place

Members of Gunfleet Sailing Club took part in the third race of their Winter Series on Sunday 2 November 2025 with Ken Potts claiming victory in his RS Aero.

The earlier strong winds fell away to a force three to four south-westerly, and the heavy rain showers ceased before the dinghies took to the water; sunshine appearing through the clouds.  With the first leg being a long beat down the coast, against the ebb tide, to the St. Michael’s buoy, the helms judged the best position to start from and the majority chose to be out at sea and head into the shore on port tack.  Defying this tactic were Andy Cornforth in his Laser and Derroll Pedder in his RS Aero, both cutting across the line on starboard.  As the race got underway, Potts slipped behind Cornforth, the latter quickly tacking and giving chase, with Pedder similarly tacking onto starboard.  The fleet then headed towards the windward mark, groyne-hopping all the way, with Potts being the first to round it and Cornforth second.  There then followed three other RS Aeros before the Laser of Adam Kedge, with the Laser of Gary Hollis, and Finley Taylor’s Topper, not far behind.  On the second leg, out to the Seaward Buoy, the two leaders pulled away and gybed round the mark to then beam reach into the AWS buoy; Potts holding a clean line whilst Cornforth got pulled east from the lay-line by the tide and, as a result, had to head-up at the last minute.  In the following group of RS Aeros it was Pedder that lead Brian Allen, followed by Tom Bartlett; Kedge’s Laser sandwiching itself in between Pedder and Allen.  The run to the Preston Park buoy proved uneventful and then it was a short reach into the Kingscliff mark before beating back through the line, and it was at this point Hollis capsized.  As the leaders headed towards the end of the first lap it was clear, on handicap, that Cornforth had the fastest time but unfortunately he went through the line landward side of the Inner Distance Mark and was therefore disqualified; this resulted in the top three paces going to Potts, Kedge and Pedder.  The second lap saw the wind drop a little, then pick up, and the sea flattening off.  Other than that, the remainder of the race proved uneventful although Allen managed to close the gap on Pedder.    

Winter Series - 3:
1.    RS Aero – Ken Potts
2.    Laser – Adam Kedge
3.    RS Aero – Derroll Pedder