The National Scorpion Association organises racing events and events to promote the class every year. The Silver Scorpion Travellers' series of Open Meetings sponsored by CraftInsure are spread over the season and over the country. The annual highlight is the Scorpion National Championships which in 2026 are hosted by Looe SC in Cornwall.
Sailing at one the best championship venues in the UK, the Scorpion Nationals 2026 will be a fantastic experience for everyone taking part. Looe Bay in Cornwall provides an ocean swell and Atlantic breezes combined with sheltered launching from the beach. The Scorpions were here in 2022 for a memorable championship and no doubt 2026 will prove just as much fun for the racing fleet as well as for the family members who support them.
The maximum entry possible at Looe is 75 boats - limited by the space available for parking. The current closed Pre-Entry List has 77 boats on it. When the Association has finished agreeing the Nationals deal with Looe SC, which should be fairly soon, the Notice of Race including the Full Entry Fee will be announced and everyone on the Pre-entry List will be invited to make their payments. There are generally some people who then fail to proceed in which case people on the Pre-Entry waiting list will be invited to apply to make Full Entry.
So, if you are not on the Pre-Entry list and want to join us for one of the best double handed, hiking, three sail championships of the year then please enter the Pre-Entry Waiting List on WebCollect and you will very likely be successful.
All the information you need about the Nationals is here - inc. Official Notice Board and the Notice of Race.
Sailing at one the best championship venues in the UK, the Scorpion Nationals 2026 will be a fantastic experience for everyone taking part. Looe Bay in Cornwall provides an ocean swell and Atlantic breezes combined with sheltered launching from the beach. The Scorpions were here in 2022 for a memorable championship and no doubt 2026 will prove just as much fun for the racing fleet as well as for the family members who support them. For more info on this year’s National Championship click here
If you are new to racing in Looe Bay, here is what to expect. If not here are some reminders of last time we were there in 2022. Click on each image to enlarge it as much as you wish.
Thanks to Lee Whitehead / photolounge.co.uk for his super photos.
If you haven't done so yet, get your entry in using the Webcollect links below.
Webcollect
Join the Association and enter future National Scorpion Events through Webcollect
New members, renewals and event entries should be via the link here or event entries can be made using the Upcoming events selections on this page...please contact us with any questions.
Open Meeting Season 2026
A big thank you to CraftInsure for once again sponsoring the silver scorpion circuit.
2026 is already looking like a good year to be a Scorpion sailor, with the Nationals in Looe all booked up and now an exciting Silver Scorpion calendar.
The series kicks off in March at Chew Valley with an event shared with our friends in the fireball fleet. This time of year will avoid the weed and low water levels that can be an issue later in the year.
Next is Bristol Corinthian - it's central venue and top race management make it one not to miss.
Next up is the Rock long weekend - I'm sure everyone will agree that this was the best event of 2025; sunshine, big winds, even bigger rollers - it was epic. The 2026 event was booked in on the spot! 3 days of racing make it great nationals practice. If you're not planning going - sort yourself out and get it booked. Higher Penmayne Farm is the campsite to go for.
Coming up shortly after is Staunton Harold spent champs. Need to starting practice? This is the place to do it. With a strong, welcoming home fleet this is always a well attended event.
In June we have an event at arguably the UKs top sailing venue: WPNSA on Portland. Its home of the British Sailing Academy for a reason. Its Weymouth Bay - you can't go wrong.
For the final sea practice before the nationals we have Sidmouth in July. Always welcoming and always a good home fleet attendance, it's time to get that wave technique nailed!
Then after the nationals we have Notts County in September. With the biggest scorpion fleet in the country, welcoming club and reliable water levels it's always one of the best attended events of the year.
And we finish of the season with a new venue for the fleet! Chase sailing club in Staffordshire. There is a gradually developing scorpion fleet here. It's recently been given a sailjuice event - it's a good Inland venue that's definitely worth a visit and will prove to be the perfect end to the season!
There's a lot to look forwards to in 2026.
John Tailby and Chris Martin – Silver Scorpion coordinators (Sc 2026)
The programme is:
March: 28/29 - Chew (Fireball share)
April: 18/19 - Bristol Corinthian (Lark share)
May: 2/3/4 - Rock (Lark share) 16/17 - Staunton Sprint Series
June: 27/28 - WPNSA (Europe share)
July: 11/12 - Sidmouth
August: Sat 1st / Fri 7th Looe SC (Nationals)
Sept: 26/27 - Notts
Oct: 31/1 Nov - Chase (GP14 share)
Future National Championships
2026 Looe SC, Cornwall Saturday Sat 1st Aug - Fri 7 Aug
2027 Tenby (Dinbych-y-pysgod), Pembrokeshire, Wales Saturday 24th - Fri 30th July
2028 Mounts Bay SC, Cornwall dates tba
Looking back at the 2025 Championships in Penzance
How does our Nationals Fleet compare overall with similar classes since Covid-19?
The last 4 years have witnessed many achievements that the class should be rightfully proud of:
1. High quality and well attended championship fleets and open meeting events.
2. New boats built, thanks to the incredible support of: • Dave Wade and the P&B / Winder teams • Nigel Potter and the Paintcraft / Duffin teams • JJ Boats have developed an all new FRP panel boat
3. New-build has actually dimished this year. But the continued rebuilding of many Iconic boats by Kevin Gosling and the Paintcraft team has continued the trend of improving the quality of the fleet.
4. Dinghy sailing isn't immune from the economic pressure. But by reviewing the amount of boats sold in the last 4 years, it's apparent the class is a power house of activity. (DATA is from appleduck and class records. This is 90% accurate for, the last 4 years )
• 1357 for £600 and £750 (means has been sold twice) • 1831 £200 is being fully refurbished for 2025 • 1840 £50 is about to be fully refurbished by Jake Willars for 2025 • 1835 for £300 • 1857 for £1700 • 1859 for £1000 • 1865 for unknown but full Jake Willars refurbishment, • 1868 for £700 • 1880 for £1500 and a Kev refit for c£3000 (total investment c£4500) • 1905 free about to have a Kev refurbishment c£2000 • 1906 for £1000 • 1919 £2990 • 1929 £2500 and a £6k refurb at Kevs plus a £4k rerig (total investment c £12500) • 1935 for £3500, £3500 and £3000 (sold 3 times (total investment c £10000) • 1937 free but a £7k refurb by Kev Gosling • 1943 for £1000 • 1944 for £1000 • 1945 for £700 being fully refurbed for 2025 • 1949 full refit at Paintcraft • 1951 for £3500 • 1953 for £1200 and, £1200 (sold twice total investment c£2400) • 1959 for £2500, £1000 and £6000 (sold 3 times, total investment c £9500) • 1962 for £1200 and £2000 (sold twice, (total investment c £4000) • 1963 for £1500 gone to Ireland • 1967 for £2500 & £3000 & a £4000 refurbish at Paintcraft (total investment c £9500) • 1969 for £1k and 2k and 2k (total investment c£5k) • 1970 for sold! • 1984 for £2500 and in now refurbishment in by Chris Martins and back for 2025 • 1985 for £3000 and £3000 and £4000 at Nigels (total investment c £10000) • 1988 for £2500 and £2500 sold and bought twice (total investment £5000) • 1986 for £1500 • 2000 for £2000 • 2008 for £4000 and £4000 sold twice (total investment c £8000) • 2009 for £6000 and £5000 sold twice (total investment c £11000) • 2011 for £4500 and £4000 and is for sale again (total investment c £8500) • 2013 for £5000 • 2014 for £5000 • 2018 for £4000 • 2019 for £5000 • 2022 for £5000 • 2023 for £5000 • 2025 for £6000 and £6000 (sold twice, (total investment c £12000) • 2033 for £5000 • 2034 for £8000 and £6000 (total investment c £14000) • 2036 for £5000 • 2039 for £8000 • 2041 for £11000 • 2042 for £10000 • 2044 for £14000 new build • 2045 new build and £14000 (total investment c£23,000) • 2046 and 2047 - written off • 2048 for £16000 • 2049 for £16000 • 2050 for £17000 • 2052 for £17000 • 2053 for £17000 and is for sale • 2054 for £17000 • 2055 for £17000 • 2057 for £17000 • 2058 for £17000 • 2059 for £17000 and £14500 • 2060 for £17000 • 2061 for £17000 • 2062 for £20000 • 2063 for £20000
And finally, the thank you's:
- Steve Walker always sets a tight course with clear objectives that are future proofing the association.
- Russell Wheeler, the financial guru, looks after the cash.
- Nick Lightbody has created the best in class mobile enabled website that enables us to portray the quality in how we want to be seen
- Dave Elston, now assisted by Debbie and Charlotte, creates memorable holidays for us all
- Thanks to Si Forbes, Pete Rich, Rachel Amy, John Mursell, Nick Lightbody, Nigel Potter and Jake Willars for the last 4 years that showcase the class at the Dinghy show.
- Jerry, for keeping track of any RYA rules questions
- Carolyne and Jayne, for ensuring the championship prizes are memorable
- John Mursell for being the ear to the ground.
- The clubs that enable open meetings to be held, Sidmouth, Notts County, Staunton Harold, Lymington, Chew Valley, Lymington, Pennine
It continues to be an honour and a privilege to serve you all, however, in the next 2 years, I would welcome the opportunity to step aside and allow someone else the chance to lead this great class.
Kindest regards Chris
National Scorpion Class Dinghy
The Scorpion dinghy is the 'modern classic' dinghy – a 'classic' in the sense that the strict 14' design is now over 60 years’ old but 'modern' because we keep up to date with affordable technology. Hulls are available in FRP, wood and composite forms. Cockpit layout and rig controls can be tailored to suit personal choice, with various combinations of sails, spars and foils permitted.
The Scorpion’s classic design gives enhanced versatility, longevity, durability and competitiveness. The Penzance 2021 National Championships highlighted this when Scorpion 1880 ‘Shock Wave’ (a wooden Turner build from circa 1985) led the fleet for most of the final race. New boats are always welcome in the fleet but they are not essential to win, as reigning Champions Tom Gillard and Rachael Rhodes demonstrated at Penzance and at Llandudno 2019 in their 10 year old FRP design 'Barely Illegal'.
You can find out more about the Scorpion's technical details, Class rules, Tuning Guides and inside information here.
Ideally suited to recreational dinghy sailing for all ages, the Scorpion is a popular and well supported class with an active second hand market protecting your investment in a new or previously enjoyed boat. Contact us if you’re interested in trying out a Scorpion, would like to join our annual Silver Scorpion Open Meeting programme or have any questions about the Scorpion dinghy.
Social
Extract from Mark Jardine’s interview with Tom Gillard re his (together variously with Rachel Gray & Andy Thompson) remarkable success in multi-classes in recent years …
"A good time off the water is just as important as the sailing, so I asked Tom which class, in his opinion, has the best social activities:
I would say the Scorpion. It's a chilled-out vibe, a nice bunch of people, with newcomers to the fleet alongside old hands, and everybody's very open about what they do to make the boat go fast. It's a real community. The class is going from strength to strength; whether you've got a wooden boat or a fibreglass boat, there's help everywhere, and no-one feels at a disadvantage."
