A windfall of yachts

George Lipscomb recalls the original Windfall yachts sailed by cadets at Dartmouth Royal Naval College

- George Lipscomb

Marabu, one of the 100 Square Metre Windfall yachts

The term Windfall was given to the fleet of yachts that were transferred from Germany to the UK as part of the World War II reparations in 1945. Two of them were 100 Square Metre yachts: Flamingo and Marabu, of which more later.

Five of the 50 Square Metre yachts served the five 'houses' for cadets at the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. They took their names from the heraldic symbols of the admirals for whom the "houses' were named: Harpy, Gryphis, Leopard, Martlet and Pegasus.

I learned to sail as a cadet between 1946 and 1951, and my house, St Vincent, was named for Admiral St Vincent, and our yacht was Pegasus.

Cadets progressed from sailing 27ft Whalers and 32ft Cutters (first badge), to Dart One Design dinghies (DOD's) (second badge)' and finally qualified by sailing a 50 Square Metre (third badge). Thus by the time I was 15 I had learned to sail Pegasus - without an engine or winches, and on the River Dart where the spring tide can run at 6 knots.