Flying 15 Open 2026 at Royal Windermere Yacht Club
by Keith Jamieson 7 May 02:02 PDT
25-26 April 2026
Royal Windermere Yacht Club 2026 Flying Fifteen Open © Jane Legge
Nineteen boats signed up for the Flying 15 Open Meeting on the 25th & 26th and, despite force 1 forecasts, eighteen turned up on a bright and sunny day.
RWYC Commodore welcomed everybody and awarded a special prize for the longest journey to Graham and Alasdair Sharp who had made their annual trip from Plockton in the Highlands to compete.
Race Officer Adam Cowley called a one-hour postponement and after a wind check led the fleet to the Southern Lake an hour later for a start just South of the Ferry. The breeze then joined in and three Windward - Leward races were completed with line honours being shared between Tony Woods, Steve Goacher & Nigel Tullet on the helms. Tony Woods and Andrew Davey in Frankie the Rhino that Tony had only finished fitting out that morning, led overnight.
Most people then retired to the restaurant for delicious homemade Steak and Ale Pie or Chicken Curry.
Sunday dawned not quite so sunny but still with no wind, after a postponement a breeze from the South with a tad of east set in and the fleet headed to the North Lake. Once again Adam Cowley the Race Officer pulled the Rabbit out the Hat and managed to run two races, having to finish them at the windward mark due to wind failing.
The safety boat crews all returned with aching muscles from the number of times they had to move marks with the wind backing further east for the second race, a big thanks to them all.
Ian Ackerokd with Innes Armstrong sailed a blinder on day two taking a first and second that put them into an overall winning position for the meeting, with Steve Goacher and Tim Harper in second and Nigel and Jean Tullet in 3rd.
Everybody retired to the club for a very civilised Tea and Home-Made Scone with Jam and Cream (Cornish Convention) before the long drive home for some. All in all a very successful weekend.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Boat Name | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | Impulsion | 4118 | Ian Ackroyd | Innes Armstrong | RWYC | 5 | ‑14 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 2nd | | Gbr4021 | Steve Goacher | Tim Harper | RWYC | 2 | 1 | ‑7 | 6 | 3 | 12 |
| 3rd | Niffty | 4031 | Nigel Tullett | Jean Tullett | RWYC | ‑9 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 15 |
| 4th | Frankie The Rhino | 4102 | Tony Woods | Andrew Davey | RWYC | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | ‑12 | 17 |
| 5th | | 3865 | Robin Dawson | Mike Cowan | Bassenthwaite Sailing Club | 6 | 2 | ‑13 | 3 | 6 | 17 |
| 6th | FFsically Active | 4110 | Phil Snewin | Ros Snewin | Royal Windermere Yacht Club | 4 | 4 | 9 | ‑11 | 2 | 19 |
| 7th | SNAffU | 4094 | Neil Currie | Rory Yardley | Bassenthwaite | 8 | 7 | 2 | ‑12 | 5 | 22 |
| 8th | Flight of the Heron | 4123 | David Heron | Michele Kay | RWYC | 3 | ‑9 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 23 |
| 9th | Defying Gravity | 4130 | Adrian Tattersall | John Mathie | PYC | 12 | 12 | ‑14 | 1 | 8 | 33 |
| 10th | Wonder Years | 4103 | Julian Clarke | Nick Hampson | RWYC | 7 | 5 | 11 | 10 | ‑15 | 33 |
| 11th | Gilmac | 485 | Graham Sharp | Alasdair Sharp | Plockton Small Boat Sailing Club | ‑14 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 35 |
| 12th | Leap of Faith | 4029 | Andrew Smith | Peter Smith | RWYC | 15 | 8 | 6 | 9 | ‑16 | 38 |
| 13th | Zip it | 3733 | Michael Harris | Sarah Harris | B&F | 10 | 10 | 12 | ‑15 | 11 | 43 |
| 14th | Nimbus | GBR 3286 | Jordan Aspin | Jason Benn | Sir John Fisher SC | 13 | ‑15 | 15 | 14 | 9 | 51 |
| 15th | Fettercairn | 617 | Graham Lamond | Cameran Sharp | Ripon Sailing Club | ‑16 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 52 |
| 16th | Total Eclipse | GBR3664 | Keith Byers | Lisa Woods | RWYC | 11 | 16 | 10 | (DNC) | DNC | 56 |
| 17th | Fast Forward | FF4146 | Tim O'Brien | Lynne Sweeney | RWYC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 16 | 14 | 68 |
| 18th | Kaos Too | 3106 | Mark Meadows | J Brass | Teesdale Sailing Club | 17 | 17 | 17 | (DNC) | RET | 70 |
