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 Magic Marine Scorpion National Championships which in 2025 are hosted by Penzance SC in Cornwall.
Magic Marine Announced as Official Sponsor of Scorpion National Championships 2025
Magic Marine, a leading brand in high-performance sailing gear, is proud to announce its sponsorship of the prestigious Scorpion National Championships 2025. This exciting partnership underscores Magic Marine’s commitment to supporting competitive sailing and fostering excellence within the sport.
The Scorpion National Championships, one of the most anticipated events in the dinghy racing calendar, will take place Saturday Sat 2nd - Fri 8, Penzance SC. The event attracts top sailors from across the country, all competing for national glory in the fast and dynamic Scorpion class. The partnership highlights Magic Marine’s dedication to innovation, performance, and the sailing community. For full info on this year’s National Championship click here
“We are thrilled to partner with the Scorpion National Championships,” said George Kingsnorth, UK MD at Magic Marine.
“This event showcases the very best of dinghy sailing, and we’re excited to support the class which has been very pro-active in initiatives to increase participation, particularly encouraging youth sailors and those with older boats. Magic Marine has always been committed to delivering innovative sailing gear, and this sponsorship reinforces our passion for the sport.”
The Scorpion National Championships promise a week of close racing, camaraderie, and excitement, with Magic Marine adding an extra layer of support and engagement.
In addition to Magic Marine, we’re also delighted to confirm that both CraftInsure and TCL are both again headline sponsors and giving the class great support which we’re extremely grateful for.
For full info on this year’s National Championship click here
Scorpion National Championships 2025
Penzance Sailing Club, Cornwall
Full entry to the Scorpion National Championships is now open - please use WebCollect. Its just below...
Sailing at one the best championship venues in the UK, the Scorpion Nationals 2025 will be a fantastic experience for everyone taking part. Mounts Bay in the far west of Cornwall provides an ocean swell and Atlantic breezes combined with sheltered launching from the big slip in Penzance Harbour. The Scorpions were here in 2021 for a memorable championship and no doubt 2025 will prove just as much fun for the racing fleet as well as for the family members who support them. For full info on this year’s National Championship click here
If you are new to Penzance SC and racing in Mounts Bay, here is what to expect. If not here are some reminders of last time we were there in 2021. Click on each image to enlarge it as much as you wish.
If you haven't done so yet, get your entry in using the Webcollect links below.
Webcollect
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 2025
A big thank you to CraftInsure for once again sponsoring the silver scorpion circuit. 2025 is shaping up to be a big year for the scorpions and we look forward to see you all out on the circuit!
John Tailby and Chris Martin – Silver Scorpion coordinators
The programme is:
May: 3/4/5 - Rock 10/11 - Sidmouth
June: 14/15 - Chew Valley (Inlands)
July: 19/20 - Lymington Town Dinghy Regatta
August: Saturday Sat 2nd - Fri 8 Penzance SC (Nationals)
Sept: 13/14 - Bala
Oct: 11/12 - Notts (End of Season)
Future National Championships
2025 Penzance SC, Cornwall Saturday Sat 2nd Aug - Fri 8 Aug
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
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."
