Welcome to Land yachting

At White Air we will have a display event for the sport of Land Yachting. This is a great chance for you to come down and find out about this and other fantastic sports.

What is Land Yachting

Land yachting is an exciting and truly green sport, with no noise, pollution or site damage. Modern Landyachts are made of lightweight materials including carbon fibre these light weight machines have reached speeds in excess of 100mph in speed record attempts most yachts have the pilot sitting low to the ground almost lying down they have three wheels one at the front which is steered by foot pedals and in some cases by a handle bar arrangement a modern monofilm sail and no brakes.

The British Federation of Sand and Land Yacht Clubs (or just 'The Fed'), represents sand and land yacht clubs in the UK at national and international level. It is a member of the International Federation of Sand and Land Yachts - FISLY. The Fed officiates at a series of regattas run at some of the best sailing sites in the country, and (based on regatta results) selects a team to represent the UK in international competition. It also provides third party insurance for its members and maintains links with local and national authorities, for example regional councils and English Nature. Collectively called sand or land yachts, the Federation caters for several classes, including Classes 2, 3, 5, 7 & 8. These are also known as yachts, parakarts (or kite-buggies), speed sails and other land boards powered by sails or kites (foils). .. Britain has comparatively few people participating in land sailing but nevertheless we lead the world for excellence both in our yacht development and for the skill of our pilots, as our success in international competitions prove. The BFSLYC has growth as one of its major objectives with sponsorship and other sources of funding we hope that we can offer you sufficient help and support for you to be able to take up land sailing. One of problems is that our clubs are widely spaced around the country, and it may therefore require some special effort from you to access our support. Nevertheless we hope you will make the effort to go to a club and have a go, perhaps obtain further training and then, if the club is not sufficiently close for your regular use, you may be able to find a site nearer your home. At this stage we can again help you by using our database to link you with people from the same area to form a nucleus to get a new club off the ground; and then by supporting the club with advice, practical assistance, equipment, liaison with local authorities and training support, etc. The British Federation of Sand & Land Yacht Clubs (The BFSLYC is more often just referred to as 'The Fed') is the body that promotes and governs all types of land sailing in Britain. We provide legal liability insurance for all our members, organise a programme of racing throughout the country, provide training for Instructors and Coaches, run the National Log Book and Achievement Certificate Awards scheme, liaise internationally and enter teams for European and World Championships. The Fed is a member of the International Federation of Sand & Land Yachts (FISLY). We also provide practical support to clubs with yachts and manpower for training and special racing; by assisting with promotional events, 'Have a Go' days, 'Wind & Wheels' Festivals, and with PR support to publicise club activities. Classes 2 & 3 Classes 2 & 3 are very similar in construction and design although Class 2 is the biggest but this does not always mean fastest. Class 2 is popular on the continent (especially in Belgium), but in Britain most big yacht sailors prefer the Class 3. A yacht built to Class 3 specifications, though somewhat special, holds the World speed record of 95 m.p.h. so Class 3 is the one to choose if speed is your thing. Class 3 is primarily an 'open' or 'development' class with relatively little restrictions on the design except for width, length, sail size and its weight but within the category of Class 3 there is a sub-class called Class 3R. The 'R' stands for restricted and as the name implies there are more limitations on things like mast height, wheel size, etc. Anyone can sail a Class 3 regardless of their size, weight, age or sex, but because of their speed and size there is a lower age limit of 14 for British and International Championship racing. Class three yachts are commonly constructed of composite materials such as fibreglass and many also use carbon fibre and kevlar. Most have wooden axles made of ash and have a wing mast supported by a forestay and side shrouds. Although these are the most expensive class of land yacht costing up to and even over £4000 they have the advantage of lasting many years and can be readily upgraded to keep pace with new technology. Second-hand Class 3 yachts often make good buys, with competitive craft being available from under £1000. Class 5 These are the most numerous and although slower than Class 3 can still achieve speeds of 70 m.p.h in the right conditions. It is important to remember when racing, that efficiently navigating the course is more important that flat-out speeds. A top British Class 5 racing yacht costs around £1500 and those for pleasure or club racing several hundred pounds less. The specification for Class 5 is rarely detailed but designer ingenuity has meant that individual yachts can vary widely and this class is constantly in a state of development. This means that top sailors change their yacht every two to four years which reduces the price advantage over the more expensive Class 3 but on the other hand creates a good choice of second hand craft ideal for intermediate and novice sailors. Class 6 & mini-yacht At the time of writing there is officially no Class 6 yachts which are a new style of yacht aimed at the leisure and family pilot. However, any type of land yacht can be raced and the identical nature of these yachts make them ideal fun racers. This style of yacht uses a wind surfer rig but supported so that the pilot is able to sit in a conventional way and control the sail with a simple main sheet. These are the smallest and lightest yachts available and are tremendously safe and easy to sail. They can be carried in the back of most hatchback cars. They can be sailed equally well by small children and large adults and have the added advantage of going on grass as well as sand or concrete. These yachts are not as fast as the other classes, and top speeds are unlikely to exceed 45 m.p.h. Class 7 This class is for any design of yacht that is sailed standing up with the pilot holding a rig that is attached to the body by a flexible joint. In other words these are land-based windsurfers. By far the most popular design is the French 'Speedsail' and in a similar manner to vacuum cleaners being called 'Hoovers', this class of yacht is usually called 'The Speedsail'. Class 7 yachts are popular in France but a rare sight in Britain. Nonetheless they are an officially recognised racing class and Britain is happy to welcome these sailors into our clubs. Class 8 These are the newest and most rapidly growing part of our sport. They are ultra-light kite-powered craft and one design even packs into a suitcase. As with the Dragonfly yachts parakarts can also sail on grass and other smaller areas. Speeds in excess of 50mph are achievable in the correct wind conditions. The skills needed for parakarting are quite different to other forms of land yachting, mainly due to the fact that the kite provides the motive power. Class 8 yachts have enjoyed massive popularity in recent years and they are widely used all over Europe, the US and New Zealand. Britain has already hosted a European Championship and there are well organised racing programmes. There are many kinds of kite used; two-line rigid, stacks, and four-line parafoils. Whilst each have their enthusiastic followers the four-line parafoils proved the best all-around performance.