Royal Windermere Yacht Club keeps Lakeland's sailing traditions strong

Sailing on Windermere has a long and proud history, and the Royal Windermere Yacht Club is at the heart of it. The Bowness-based club has a membership of around 500 sailors, from youngsters learning the ropes to experienced racers.

Its racing is built around a few key fleets. The Windermere 17 and the Flying Fifteen are the club's main racing classes, while its GP14 fleet races regularly on Sundays and on Thursday evenings from April to October.

The Flying Fifteen fleet has deep roots. In 2023 the club hosted a 60th anniversary open meeting for the class, part of the Lakeland Grand Prix series that brings sailors to the region's lakes.

Members also take their skills further afield. In September 2025 a GP14 crew from the club competed in the 54th West Lancashire Yacht Club 24-Hour Dinghy Race at Southport, a well-known endurance event in British dinghy sailing.

The club gives back too. A charity regatta hosted by Royal Windermere saw 26 boats race in light winds, raising £500 for the RNLI and the club's own sailing academy.

That sailing academy points to the club's role in encouraging the next generation onto the water, an important part of keeping Windermere's sailing tradition alive.

The club looks ahead with Richard Jennings named as commodore for 2026 to 2027, guiding a community of sailors who share a love of racing on one of England's most beautiful stretches of water. Club life is about more than results. Members volunteer on safety boats, help run race days and welcome newcomers, and that spirit of shared effort is what keeps a club of this size thriving season after season. Its long history gives it a special place among Lakeland sailing clubs.

For anyone watching from the shore at Bowness, the sight of the club's fleets racing on a summer evening is one of the classic images of the Lake District.

Information about membership, training and racing is available from the club, and visiting sailors are encouraged to get in touch about open events.