Dart/Sprint 15

Welcome to the Dart 15 Fleet at TBYC

The Dart 15s are one of the largest fleets at Thorpe Bay, that means we regularly get five to ten boats on the start line for each race—plenty to make things fun and competitive, even when the breeze is light.

Fun on and off the water is what the Dart fleet is all about. You can hop on a Dart with very little sailing experience and be racing in no time. But it's just as appealing to experienced sailors: the boat is stable and easy to sail, but winning races still takes skill. Sure, there are faster, more modern cats at Thorpe Bay—Hurricanes, A-Class, and the like—but none are as simple or as affordable to get into as the Dart 15. It is usually sailed one-up with a single sail, but you can sail two-up with a jib on the same handicap. The boat really comes alive in moderate to strong winds, especially on a reach, so we are big fans of square or trapezoid courses.

Cost of Ownership Progression Next Steps Dart Association

Cost of Ownership

You can pick up a ready-to-sail Dart 15 for under a thousand pounds, though a competitive one will usually cost between £1,500 and £3,000. If you've just won the lotteryor Aunt Mavis has kindly left you her fortuneyou can splash out on a brand-new boat, but you wont see much change from fifteen grandand there's still no guarantee you'll win a race!

If you're completely new to sailing, remember to factor in club fees, winter storage, a wetsuit, a drysuit for winter racing, and the odd repair. Expect £600-£1,000 per year. Still great value considering we sail all year roundand often get even bigger turnouts in winter.

Progression

For sailors looking to take things further, there is a busy national series running all year, visiting some fantastic venues around the country. Thorpe Bay usually sends around half a dozen sailors to the Nationalsmore when they are held nearby. The Dart 15 Association is very active and shares the same ethos as us: fun first, always. Whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned racer, you'll feel welcome.

Next Steps

Thinking of joining the fleet? Drop me an email at tbycsprints@gmail.com and I'll happily arrange a tour and a chat about the fleet, what you'll need, and any boats currently for sale at the club. The Dart 15 Association website is also packed with useful info, boat listings, and a handy price guide. Any Dart 15 sailor will gladly help you find a good-value boat that fits your budget and ambitions.

Dart Association

The Dart/Sprint 15 class is also part of a wider association, which offers additional training and support for sailors. This association provides access to a range of training resources, including coaching and online resources, designed to help sailors improve their skills and knowledge of the class. They are available at www.dart15.co.uk .

Thorpe Bay Yacht Club often runs association wide Open Events. In 2023 we are also hosted the Nationals where we welcomed over 60 boats on the water.

Club Legends

We've been lucky to have some extraordinary characters in the Dart fleet over the years. Top of the list is Andrew Hannah, who really cemented the fleet's welcoming spirit and helped it to grow to more than 30 boats—many of them novices, myself included. We quickly earned a reputation (still hanging around today!) for being a class not overly keen to be first over the line… and perfectly happy to start six minutes late with the Sandhopper's.

The big exception back then was Kyle Stoneham, who won the Dart 15 Nationals in 2009 and then, just two weeks later, the Tornado Nationals. He also helped secure the clubs first national team trophy. Another legend from that team was Howard Hawks—without his patience coaching the fleet, we wouldn't have the close, tight racing that we enjoy today.

And of course, we cant forget Jim Bowie, still racing almost every single race. The Nationals even award a Jim Bowie Trophy each year—he has won it multiple times for various outstanding achievements. In 2025 he earned it for navigating to Bridlington using his original TomTom satnav…last updated sometime last millennium! It gets better: when almost there, he stopped on a hill to ask for directions, got out of the car, and watched it roll back down the road. Fortunately no damage—plus he still went home with a basket of trophies, including Over-70s Champion.

Last updated 9:30am on 16 December 2025