Please select your home edition
Edition
Selden 2020 - LEADERBOARD

Cadet National Championship brings back emotional memories of family achievements

by Magnus Smith 30 Jul 2024 08:18 PDT
Less than half the fleet fit into this shot - ABP Cadet UK Nationals in Plymouth day 1 © Paul Gibbins Photography

"We took a Cadet out into the middle of the river, and tried to see how many people could fit on before it sunk."

It seems the Waldringfield SC kids knew how to fill a hot, sunny windless day back in the late 1950s! This was the reminiscence of one ex-Cadet sailor watching 100+ teams out on Plymouth Sound for the UK National Championships almost 67 years after she was last in the class.

Apparently the boat did not sink. I enquired how many kids it had supported in the end, but just got the reply, "I was too hysterical with laughter to remember the number!"

I'm here myself as an ex-Cadet, too. Under pretence of working for YachtsandYachting.com I am wallowing in nostalgia for the class which gave me such wonderful teenage years. I'm loving watching the class flourish with such high attendance at the event, and I am collecting stories from everyone I meet.

My companion for the morning recalls her own boat, number 1139 'Hectic', with great fondness. She had started sailing in 1957 at Waldringfield, back in the days of cotton sails and no launching trolleys.

Her father, Ted Sudell, was responsible for sending the Cadet international. He got involved in the UK committee after the Worlds were in Canada, and was responsible for contacting and building up embryonic fleets in Europe and Australia. He put in an awful lot of work, but it came to fruition with the class flourishing in many more locations worldwide.

Ted spent over 30 years building up fleets and organising World Championships. He was International Chairman for ten years, and then his son William handled the role for six years.

Ted sadly passed away in 2003, but his daughter recalls with pride how she visited the Worlds in Lake Balaton, Hungary in 2006 with her mother and brother (also an ex-Cadet on the committee). During the opening ceremony, and a member of the organisers gestured to the flags of many nations flying, and the packed crowd of kids, and he said, "all this is what your husband made possible." Enough to move any member of the family to tears.

Ted had been taught to sail by his wife, his sons and daughters were Cadets, and now his grandchildren too. What a wonderful family legacy.

I am hearing again and again just how much the Cadet class mean to the kids, both now and decades later. I think we can all recognise how beautiful it is that our youth sailors are competing on friendly terms with other nations, experiencing different cultures and making friends there.

"I made friends for life, and still see them now," was the parting comment I got. What more could you ask for?

Related Articles

The call of the mighty
See the words Admiral's Cup and you immediately think approachable, real, hardcore action See the words Admiral's Cup and you immediately think approachable, real, hardcore action, braving the elements, and glory for the victorious. As an Australian, you have King Louie (the late Lou Abrahams), and the late Sir Jim Hardy as the poster boys. Posted on 1 Jun
Where to purchase adaptive sailing equipment
Seats, hoists, etc for sailors with a disability Several organisations have contributed their knowledge regarding where to purchase adaptive sailing equipment such as seats for dinghies and hoists for wheelchair users to get into boats. Posted on 1 Jun
America's Cup Power Plays
And Growing Sailing Through Learning There's always so much speculation and intrigue in-between each edition of the America's Cup. Everyone wants to know what is happening behind closed doors, inside the teams, and when the Challengers meet with the Defender. Posted on 28 May
Hyde Sails Flying Fifteen Video Tuning Guide
Ben McGrane explains how to get the most out of your B1 mainsail with B1 or 2H jibs Hyde Sails release new detailed video guide for tuning the Flying 15 for use with the B1 mainsail with B1 or 2H jibs. Posted on 22 May
Gladwell's Line: - May 22 - A big month
Kiwi's loss is Italy's gain - our thoughts on the hosting debacle. Kiwi's loss is Italy's gain - our thoughts on the hosting debacle. Paul Whiting's tribute - 45yrs on. Surprise winner of biggest ever two-handed nationals. Chalkie Bland remembered. Posted on 22 May
Puget Sound sailing, Etchells, J/70s, Cup news
Seeking Goldilocks conditions on Puget Sound, Etchells NAs, J/70 U.S. Nationals, AC38 news As the saying goes, 'you don't know unless you go'. While I've mostly heard this phrase applied to climbing, skiing, and mountaineering, four late-winter and springtime races on Puget Sound this year exemplified the fact that this line. Posted on 20 May
The appeal of offshore
Is there still appeal? Have we made it too onerous? Why would someone take it up now? I had been pondering. Yes. Marquee events have no issue attracting entrants. Middle Sea, Transpac, Cape to Rio, Fastnet, and Hobart all spring to mind instantly, but what of the ‘lesser' races? Lots of boats in pens (slips) a lot of the time Posted on 18 May
Banger Racing, Back Racing and No Racing
Racing on the cheap, a return to racing for young Aussies, and ILCA struggles We start with racing on the cheap at the Colander Cup, then focus on a return to racing for the Aussies at the Youth Worlds, moving on to a complete lack of racing at the ILCA Worlds, and then looking at how SailGP should be back out on the water. Posted on 14 May
Exposure Marine Fastnet Race Kit Video Review
A set of 3 torches specifically designed for offshore racing crews It's a huge year for offshore sailing, and arguably the biggest event of the summer is the Rolex Fastnet Race. Within an hour of entries opening the Royal Ocean Racing Club had received a record 435 yacht registrations. Posted on 14 May
Touching base with Francesca Clapcich
Francesca Clapcich on her 2028-2029 Vendee Globe campaign In late March, Italian-American sailor Francesca “Frankie” Clapcich announced that her Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing will campaign for the 2028-2029 edition of the Vendee Globe race. Posted on 13 May
C-Tech 2021 (Spars-QFX Racer) 728x90 BOTTOMTrofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca 2025North Sails Loft 57 Podcast