Buying a Flying Fifteen
If you are considering purchasing a Flying Fifteen then the two options are either to purchase a new boat or a second-hand boat. Unfortunately, there are currently no boat builders in Australia making new Flying Fifteens at the moment, so if you want to buy new, then you will have to arrange this directly with one of the two builders in the UK and then organise to have it shipped to Australia from there.
The most practical way, therefore, for newcomers to the fleet is to purchase a second-hand boat. Fortunately, there are often several boats, of differing ages and conditions, available for purchase, both in WA and interstate. You will find a list of Flying Fifteens currently for sale in WA here.
One of the most important things to be aware of when purchasing a second-hand boat is that there are three sub-categories within the Flying Fifteen fleet – Classic, Silver and Open, with the boat’s sail number determining which sub-category each boat belongs to. While all sub-categories sail as one fleet, in State, National and World titles there are separate trophies for each sub-category. These days there are few Classic or Silver boats available for sale, but when they are, they are generally exceptional value for money. You will find more information on sailing Classic and Silver boats here.
The Flying Fifteen, being a one-design class, makes it comparatively easy to compare boats when deciding which to purchase. But it is important to note that, despite being a one-design class, there are often differences in the set-up between boats. For example, some boats launch their spinnakers from a chute at the front of the boat, while others use bags in the cockpit. There can also be differences in the spinnaker pole set-ups – including a “standard” pole set up, single self-launching pole and twin-pole setups. Similarly there can be differences in the way that the mainsheet is threaded with corresponding differences in the amount of strength needed to pull-in and adjust the sheet.
Although somewhat out of date (and from the UK), the following resources give some tips regarding what to look for when purchasing a second-hand Flying Fifteen:
If you would like some personalised guidance regarding purchasing a Flying Fifteen feel free to contact your local fleet representative or a FFIWA Committee Member (always a good idea, as sometimes boats that are for sale are not advertised). You will find their contact details here.