First joint Flying Fifteen and Laser Open to be held at Aldeburgh Yacht Club

Laser and Flying Fifteen racing at Aldeburgh © Fleur Hayles

Over the weekend of 6th-7th July, Aldeburgh Yacht Club (AYC) on the East Coast in Suffolk will be hosting its first joint Flying Fifteen and Laser Open Meeting.

Competitors are warmly welcomed to come and experience the tidal waters of the River Alde and enjoy everything Aldeburgh and its surrounding area has to offer.

The weekend will comprise racing on both days. Separate starts will be held for both classes. There will be a celebration dinner on Saturday evening and a prizegiving on Sunday afternoon. Refreshment will also be available at AYC on Friday evening for early arrivals and throughout the weekend.

AYC is based on the River Alde, with a large expense of tidal river sailing accessible at all stages of the tide. Launch and recovery is easy with two wide slipways and dry sailing is possible for keelboats using the Club's winch and floating pontoons. Keelboats can be left afloat overnight on moorings. The Club has spectacular views of the river and sailing from its newly built Riverview Lounge and first floor Chartroom, a well-stocked bar and full catering facilities.

To register your entry, and book camping, contact or contact the office on 01728 452562. www.aldeburghyc.org.uk/sailing.

Flying Fifteen Sailing at AYC

The Flying Fifteen, designed by Uffa Fox, is the largest keelboat class in the world, and has been sailed at Aldeburgh since 1955. Since its original design, the class has developed to incorporate modern materials and building techniques to keep its design current and relevant to modern sailing. The class is governed by an international class federation, set up under the guidance of Aldeburgh sailor Tom Ratcliff, who served as its first Commodore from 1975 to 1980.

The Flying Fifteen's strong and seaworthy design and shallow keel are ideally suited to conditions on the River Alde. A fleet of 15 boats currently sail at AYC. The Flying Fifteen Open meeting last took place in the early 2000s. Both local and visiting sailors will compete for the Ratcliff Trophy (originally presented by Tom Ratcliff in 1977), and the Mawson Trophy for the first classic/silver boat.

Laser Sailing at AYC

There is a large Laser fleet and AYC's Open meetings regularly attract many visitors who enjoy the wide expanse of water and beautiful sailing conditions. Class starts will be for full, radial and 4.7 rigs; starts may be combined dependent on the number of entries. All ages are warmly welcomed and separate prizes will be awarded for each fleet. Non Class Association sails and equipment are allowed.

Accommodation

Visiting sailors are welcome to camp on the Club site by prior arrangement with access to AYC facilities. Suffolk Secrets, leading local holiday letting agent and AYC sponsor, is offering a £50 discount to all competitors when you book a short stay via www.suffolk-secrets.co.uk using the code AYCRace19.

To register your entry, and book camping, please contact:
or the office on 01728 452562.
www.aldeburghyc.org.uk/sailing

Aldeburgh and the surrounding area

AYC is just a short walk from Aldeburgh town, which has many activities of interest to visiting sailors and non- sailors alike. The high street boasts plenty of recreational shopping opportunities, cafes, restaurants, a comfortable cinema (this year celebrating its centenary), and a world famous fish & chip shop. Other attractions include an RNLI station on the shingle beach which welcomes visitors; 9 and 18 hole golf courses; bike hire; rowing on the boating meare at Thorpeness; Snape Maltings' cultural hub; as well as much wildlife to see (eg avocets, marsh harriers, seals, egrets) when just strolling along the river wall. Aldeburgh also has plenty of accommodation on offer for those who don't want to camp.

Aldeburgh sits in the Suffolk Coasts and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with plenty of other interesting things to do for non-sailors locally.