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Windfall Yachts

A Windfall Yacht is a sailing yacht that was confiscated from German government agencies such as the Navy, Air Force, Army and other official bodies as a reparation payment after the Second World War. The name windfall means that these yachts fell to the occupiers like overripe fruit. In total, it was a fleet of around 100 mostly wooden boats, which had been built as sea cruisers between 1928 and 1940 according to a very high quality standard.

The windfall yachts were mainly sailed by British officers in the British Kiel Yacht Club in Kiel and most of the yachts were later transferred to Great Britain. There they were handed over to the Navy, Army and Air Force for training the next generation of officers to sail. After the Second World War they formed the backbone of sailing training in the British armed forces for around 15 to 20 years. Windfalls also reached Malta, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Gibraltar and Bermuda.

After many property disputes between previous owners and also between the Navy, Army and Air Force, many sea cruisers (windfalls) returned to Germany after being bought back by private individuals.

List of Windfall Yachts

English Name	German Name	Built	Builder	Sail No	First allocated to
Avalanche	Storch	1936	GKW	XI7	Royal Engineer Yacht Club
Flamingo	Flamingo	1935	Abeking & Rassmunsen	X9	British Kiel Yacht Club
Gladeye (a)	Reiher	1935	A&R	X8	Household Division
Konigin	Königin	1935	A&R	X6	BKYC then to German owner
Kranich	Kranich	1936	GKW	XI6	British Kiel Yacht Club
Marabu	Marabu	1935	A&R	X10	HMS Excellent
Overlord	Pelikan	1936	A&R	X13	Royal Engineer Yacht Club
Robbe	Rabbe	1937	BM	XI8	Army School ofInfantry
Sea Lion	Austernfischer	1936	A&R	XI2	Royal Air Force Yacht Club
Wal(b)	Wal	1938	BM	XI9	HMS Collingwood