13 boats entered Aldeburgh's annual open meeting, including 4 visitors.

The open is one of three key events hosted every year, alongside our Spring Regatta and August Regatta, all of which welcome travellers for racing on this beautiful stretch of river.

Steve Dewberry (race officer) set Saturday's course about 2 miles to the south of the club on a perfect windward/leeward track with a falling tide. As ever in these waters, the key was to read the strength of the tide, find the eddy and the wind pressure zones. The wind speed was 10-12 knots for most of the afternoon with gusts offering some useful shifts.

The first beat was tight but Justin and Amanda Waples - who have been bringing their Fifteen to the Alde for more than 30 years - were quick to use the local knowledge that they have acquired, choosing the east bank to pull ahead of the home boats who chose the west. From there on, it was their race, with Duncan Matthew and John Chalker second and Stephen Fullford and Archie McEwan third.

The second race was won by Waples/Waples again, with Chris and Emma Spark making second and Will Fennell and Andrew James third. Several racers found themselves in a hole where Waples/Waples had found wind in the first race.

The final race of the day saw Waples/Waples first, then Matthew/Chalker (who had the speed advantage upwind) and then John Hanson and Helen Selden in third.

The club laid on various entertainments in the evening. The fleet arrived on the Sunday to find a strong onshore westerly put paid to launching and no races were sailed.

See below for full results

Fifteens at Aldeburgh are seeing a resurgence with various new formats being tried in order to give racers more time on the water and bringing the standard up across the fleet. Numbers at the open would have been higher without injuries to some of the home fleet and damage incurred in recent weeks to some boats on the water. Some entrants may have held back due to the mixed forecast which included thunder.
The open will be held in 2026 when we will welcome visitors again.

Report from Adam Oliver
 

Flying Fifteen Open 2025

Aldeburgh Yacht Club

7th-8th June 2025

Sailed: 3, Discards: 0, To count: 3, Rating system: PY, Entries: 12, Scoring system: Appendix A

Rank	Fleet	Boat	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	R1	R2	R3	Total	Nett
1st	Flying Fifteen	Sparks & Bubbles	4033	RCYC	Justin Waples	Amanda Waples	1021	1.0	1.0	1.0	3.0	3.0
2nd	Flying Fifteen	True Luff	3844	AYC	Duncan Matthew	John Chalker	1021	2.0	4.0	2.0	8.0	8.0
3rd	Flying Fifteen	Ffast Idiots	3764	AYC	Chris Spark	Emma Spark	1021	4.0	2.0	4.0	10.0	10.0
4th	Flying Fifteen	Rum Punch	4055	AYC	Stephen Fulford	Archie McEwan	1021	3.0	8.0	5.0	16.0	16.0
5th	Flying Fifteen	Dingbat	3860	AYC	Will Fennell	Andrew James	1021	5.0	3.0	8.0	16.0	16.0
6th	Flying Fifteen	Snaffu	4094	RYA	John Hanson	Helen Selden	1021	7.0	7.0	3.0	17.0	17.0
7th	Flying Fifteen		4035	AYC	Tristrum Wilkinson	Tommy Wilkinson	1021	6.0	6.0	7.0	19.0	19.0
8th	Flying Fifteen	Sweet Polly	3826	AYC	Adam Oliver	Clare Oliver	1021	8.0	9.0	6.0	23.0	23.0
9th	Flying Fifteen	Fforgonne Confusion	3699	AYC	Simon Sydenham	Matt Brittin	1021	9.0	5.0	9.0	23.0	23.0
10th	Flying Fifteen	No Half Measures	3485	AYC	George Sylverster	Alfie Sylvester	1021	11.0	10.0	10.0	31.0	31.0
11th	Flying Fifteen	Mojo	3583	RORC	Mike Wilczynski	Jean Wilczynski	1021	10.0	13.0 RET	13.0 DNC	36.0	36.0
12th	Flying Fifteen	Pink Fizz	3943	AYC	Malcom Mellor	David Copp	1021	13.0 OCS	13.0 OCS	13.0 DNC	39.0	39.0