The Sun Shines On Gunfleet

The rain ceased and the sun broke through as members of Gunfleet Sailing Club took to the water for the second race in the “Super September Sailing” on Sunday 13 September 2026, this time for the Les Murrison Trophy.

It was a particularly tight start with all helms recognising that, with a south-westerly wind against a flood tide and the first leg being a beat down the coast to the St. Michael’s buoy, it was best to start on starboard and head out to sea.  Tim Dye was near the Outer Distance Mark in a Laser, whilst Adam Kedge, also in a Laser, was at the other end by the Inner Distance Mark but it was Dave Ingle that timed it perfectly in his RS Aero, midway between the two.  Sure enough, the fleet headed offshore and it was Dye that tacked first, followed by John Tappenden and Derroll Pedder, both sailing RS Aeros.  Tappenden appeared to “nail it” and was first to round the windward mark but inadvertently started to head out to sea before realising that the second leg was to the Lilley Farm buoy; by the time he realised his error he had lost the comfortable lead he had carved out and found himself back in the pack.  Coming into the buoy from a slightly unusual angle, Tappenden started to take it to starboard until a kind soul shouted out it had to be taken to port; more time lost correcting himself.  From Preston Park it was a run to the AWS buoy and at this point Brian Allen took the lead in his RS Aero, followed by Tappenden, Dye, Pedder and Kedge; Pedder passing Dye on the reach out to the Seaward mark.  With the wind blowing a force three, just touching four, all the competitors cleanly gybed around Seaward and broad reached in to the Preston Park buoy before hardening up a little to round the Kingscliff mark and then beat back to the line.  Tappended regained his first place on the water whilst further back, Paul Jackson in his RS Aero, pulled away from Michael Gutteridge in his Solo.  At the end of the first lap, on handicap, it was Kedge followed by Tappenden and then Dye with very little change, throughout the fleet, on the second lap.  With the wind then becoming a little fickle, the Race Officer shortened the course to two laps and, despite closing the gap, the top three places remained the same.

Les Murrison Trophy:
1.    Laser – Adam Kedge
2.    RS Aero – John Tappenden
3.    Laser – Tim Dye