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Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club

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Powerboat racing at WMBRC since 1925

Come and watch the racing at the oldest powerboat club in the world, come and watch the racing, race days at wmbrc are open to the public.  the gardens overlooking the lake and foreshore offer a fantastic vantage point in a breathtaking setting., see our contacts page for directions, refreshments and toilet facilities, play area for supervised children, to find out more about getting involved in the racing or support roles contact the racing secretary at   [email protected].

Please note that parking is NOT available on race days

LIVE POWERBOAT RACING

Our racing calendar includes race days at WMBRC and races held at our sister club - The Lancashire Powerboat Racing Club (LPRC) at Carr Mill Dam near St Helens, Merseyside

13 April 2024

Test & Training Day at LPRC

20 April 2024

Race Day 1 - Sustainable Race Day

04 May 2024

Racing at LPRC

11 May 2024

Race Day 2 - Rear Commodore's

15 June 2024

Race Day 3 - Vice Commodore’s

22 June 2024

06 July 2024

Race Day 4 - Summer Regatta

20 July 2024

17 Aug 2024

28 Sept 2024

Race Day 5 - Commodore's

19 Oct 2024

If you have attended our race days on Windermere, your feedback is invaluable to WMBRC and The Lake District National Park Authority.  Please take a few moments to complete our race day visitor survey.

Sustainable Racing

The E1 series has recently brought sustainability to powerboat racing;  On April 20, 2024, Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club and Coryton Advanced Fuels Ltd hosted the first Sustainable Handicap Racing Event.

Sustainable Race Day Brochure

Drivers get set for WMBRC Sustainable Race Day 2024

Featuring various sustainable fuel sources, from Coryton's Sustain range to HVO fuel and even an electric Nissan Leaf-powered Formula 2 Catamaran piloted by Club Commodore Ted Walsh, the event showcased green technology's future in the sport.

20th April 2024 - Sustainable Race Day on Windermere - Image Matt Dust Photograohy

History of WMBRC and motor boat racing at Broad Leys

There have been various Water Carnivals on Windermere since the 18th century, but the post war Regattas and Carnivals held in 1923 and 1924 also included events for motorboats and hydroplanes.  Between the carnivals a group of friends who owned boats met to race informally and the first trophy was presented in 1924 by Harold Pattinson to add interest to the event.  This trophy is still in existence and current drivers compete to win it annually. As more people became interested in the sport and came together, the Windermere Motor Boat Club was born on 24th October 1925.

Early powerboats at Waterhead in the late 1940s

'North of England whippet class' racing in 1939

Initially the club occupied a boathouse situated in Bowness Bay, the original building having been demolished now forms the headquarters of the Lake District Boat Club.  The initial design of the burgee had a "W" on the blue, but this was later altered to the red rose of Lancashire that is still currently seen on all the club boats.  It was also decided that ladies be admitted to membership of the club and several joined in 1927.  They took part in racing and the winner of the first official race was in fact a woman.

Read more about the history of the Club in the History section of this site

Timeline of 100 years of racing

click on image to enlarge

In the 1930s a shotgun was used to start the racing, but this was sensibly replaced by a chronometer in 1939.  Boats were wooden craft inboard hydroplanes with the crew often sat right at the back of the boat and the engine amidships. In those days the drivers would not get their hands dirty, relying on professional mechanics to maintain the boats.  They would literally arrive, cigars in mouth, remove their jackets and start racing.   ….no helmets or life jackets for them!

1938 at  Wateredge, Ambleside

World War 2 interrupted the racing for a few years with many of the boats being used in the war effort. Racing was tentatively resumed in 1946 with two races taking place that year. By 1949 racing was fully established and the tradition of the Fitting Out Dinner – where drivers thanked their mechanics - on the evening of the first race was established.  The Club held its first International meeting that same year which was run over a 3 mile triangular course. 

Frank Lydall's Cheetah late 1940s

By 1950 there were more than 100 members and with the end of petrol rationing more people became interested in powerboat racing.  The original clubhouse in the bay of Bowness was far too small so the members found and purchased Broad Leys on 18th August 1950. In 1951 a second international meeting took place and racing was held at the new premises of Broad Leys.  The Club had two of the fastest boats in the world at this time in Norman Buckley’s “Miss Windermere 2” and E.C. Giles’ “Diana” which could register 70 – 80 mph.

International Meet October 1951

1950s on the jetties at Broad Leys

Towards the end of the fifties the general pattern of boat building changed. Chris Craft had superseded the individual custom-built boats and they, in turn along with the hydroplanes gave way to the smaller Albatross with Coventry Climax engine, followed by the Whippet (a lightweight hydro) and the Delta which had a similar hull construction, but a 1500cc Ford engine. The Club has played a part in many local celebrations of national events such as the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth when twelve of the Club's racing boats escorted the Teal as it took Her Majesty and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh across the lake.  More recently, in June 2012 Club members sailing in the Queen of the Lake joined the huge flotilla on the Thames to celebrate The Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Catamaran racing at WMBRC

In 1964, one of the highlights for WMBC occurred when three boats from the Club took part in the Paris Six Hours Race on the Seine.  In 1968, following a demonstration by Bill Shakespeare in his Bristol V hull, the style of racing boats took another turn with boats racing with an outboard engine for the first time. Catamarans came and their sleek hulls painted in wild colours took maximum speeds up another notch.  It was around this time that the name of the club was altered to WMBRC to include the word racing in it to emphasise the true purpose of the Club.

Richard Solomon in Sheba

In 1971 the first International Grand Prix took place on Windermere with drivers from Italy, France, Holland, Belgium, Ireland, South Africa and Germany as well as Great Britain. Sadly, the event was to be forever remembered as the demise of Bill Shakespeare who died during pre-race practice.  A plaque to his memory can be found on the terrace wall of Broad Leys overlooking Windermere. Several more Internationals took place and 1973 heralded the arrival of the rotary engine allowing boats to reach speeds of 100mph on the straight. 

recent years

​ Airtours 44 at Barrow Docks

Racing on Windermere persisted throughout the 80s and 90s until 2005, when a 10nmph speed limit was imposed on all powered craft on the lake.  Subsequently, WMBRC relocated their races to the docks in Barrow.

Following successful discussions with the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) and other lake users WMBRC was granted exemption in 2013 to hold racing back on the lake for Regatta and the Commodore’s race day.  2018 saw a third Windermere race event added to the club’s calendar and in 2020 a fourth race event was granted.  All other races take place at Carr Mill St. Helens courtesy of Lancashire Powerboat Racing Club (LPRC).  Ongoing discussions take place on a regular basis to maintain the Club’s ability to race on specified days of the year.

Racing Today

The racing season begins in April and runs until September with eight race events taking place; four on Windermere and four at Carr Mill, St. Helens which is the base for LPRC.  The race course is in front of Broad Leys within the bay area South of Storrs Hall Hotel to Rawlinson’s Nab and is marked by orange buoys on race days.  Typically, there are up to seven races, each with a designated trophy. Most races are five laps which last approximately 5 minutes each and there is usually one ten lap race.

All races are handicapped according to the performance of the boat and the experience of the driver. Due to the handicap system all boats from the fastest to the slowest have an equal chance of winning. All types of boats can take part from recreational boats to full blown racing outfits, but all must be fitted according to Circuit Powerboat Association (CPA) guidelines.

Drivers observe the start clock and begin their laps at their allocated start time. It is then a race to the chequered flag to be the first over the finish line. Sometimes it is not the first across the line that wins a race though, because if you bust your handicap time then you drop back in the results order.

All drivers must have a racing licence from the CPA and complete a training programme by the club and have an annual medical. Drivers over the age of 16 years can take part in racing on Windermere as a passenger or driver in a boat with an engine under 115hp.

Over the age of 18 years they can then be a passenger or drive in a boat with an engine over 115hp. Anyone can request this course and we can provide full training in our club training boat 'Spirit of Windermere'. Should you decide this sport is for you then there is the option of attending a training day at LPRC

During the racing a full Safety and Patrol system is in place under CPA rules. The internationally renowned Osprey Power Boat Rescue Team joins us for every race. Patrol boats flying a pale blue flag are stationed around the perimeter of the course to ensure that no one can sail inadvertently onto the course and the LDNPA Ranger is also present. Ambulance presence is also required under CPA rules.

WMBRC club boats range from 60mph small mono hulls powered by 90hp engine up to Formula 2 class Catamarans capable of a straight line speed of 120mph in the right conditions. Many though opt for the mid-sized Phantom speed boat with V6 engines of varying power. This sees some competitive racing in the mid pack. A common opinion is that powerboat racing is very expensive. However, with handicap racing there is the opportunity for a variety of budgets with a competitive club boat costing in the region of £2,000 to £8,000. Some are single seaters and others two seaters meaning costs can be shared.

Blue Flag - Patrol Boat 

Green Flag - Course open and racing underway 

Yellow Flag  - Proceed with caution in area of flown flags 

Yellow Flag waved low - Large waves on race course 

Red Flag - Reduce speed and stop racing immediately 

Chequered Flag - End of the race

How to get involved

Powerboat racing in the UK is organised and regulated by the Circuit Powerboat Association (CPA) of which WMBRC is an affiliated club. WMBRC is one of several clubs in the UK where powerboat racing takes place. Members who prefer not to race are welcome to join in with this sport through rescue and patrol as well as the all-important time keeping. So why not come down to the club on a race day and see what it’s all about. You’ll be made very welcome.

For more information please contact the chair of racing via [email protected] or come along to Broad Leys on a race day

For full details of national rules & licences please follow this link to the cpa website.

For details of Lancashire Powerb oat Racing Club and their venue at Carr Mill Dam near St Helens

See these documents for details of WMBRC Racing Rules and a more detailed explanation of the WMBRC Handicapping System 

• CPA British Championship
• Test Sessions
• Records Week
• 2024 ROUND 1 – LOBMBC
• 2024 ROUND 2 – SWSC
• 2023 ROUND 1 – LPRC
• 2023 ROUND 2 – LOBMBC
• 2023 ROUND 3 – SWSC
• 2023 SPRINTS
• 2024 STANDINGS
• 2023 STANDINGS
• 2022 STANDINGS

CIRCUIT POWERBOAT ASSOCIATION

Windermere motor boat racing club.

Windermere has always been synonymous with speed on water, since the end of the 19th century, when races were held between high-speed steam launches. So it was only natural that as the new petrol engines began to appear, they should be employed by several local sporting gentlemen to power their boats to even higher speeds.

Motorboat racing on Windermere had been taking place informally for several years, when in 1923, the Ambleside Water Carnival held the first organised races for Motor Boats and Hydroplanes. With the success of these races the previous year, entries for 1924 were up to 34 craft, which raced for several new trophies, many of which were subsequently presented to the club and are still competed for today.

It was a small number of these friends, who in 1925, met for the explicit purpose of forming a motorboat-racing club. By 1927 the members had financed and built a new clubhouse and pier on land in Parsonage Bay and the club was in business.

In the early days, boats raced were substantial inboards with some single step Hydroplanes, with the fastest achieving perhaps 35mph. Yet within a few years, Betty Carstairs carrying the club colours, had prepared a boat designed to achieve128mph, to challenge for the Harmsworth Trophy in the USA. Members have from the earliest years, involved themselves with waterspeed records, so that today one can look back at an impressive list of names such as, Sir Henry Segrave, Sir Malcolm Campbell, Donald Campbell, John Cobb and Norman Buckley, all with close links to the WMBRC.

In 1951 WMBRC acquired the famous Broad Leys house a Grade 1 listed building as their headquarters. Races took place from its foreshore from that date until the LDNPA imposed a speed limit of 10mph on the Lake in 2005. This meant that racing moved entirely into Barrow docks until in 2013 an exemption from the Lake District National Park Authority was granted to bring some of our key race days back to our home water Windermere.

The Club continues a full racing programme in Barrow Docks and Windermere with several of our club members racing in National & World series..

Honorary Members:

• Earl Howe – Lord Wakefield of Hythe
• Sir Henry Segrave – WG Dixon
• RB Stephens – EH Pattinson
• AB Peck – Donald Campbell
• EJ Whitehead – HB Wakefield
• RG Hornby – A Roby Jones
• I Wood – Sir John Fisher
• His Honour Judge R Lambert – AA Brown
• GE Lewthwaite – TH Weir
• SR Boots – E Ashworth
• V Humpage – RG Brown
• RM Solomon – PM White – SS Lewis

Cumbria House, Broad Street Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 2AB

[email protected]

01539 446832

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VISIT BROAD LEYS

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ARTS & CRAFTS MASTERPIECE

Iconic design by C.F.A Voysey

Broad Leys is C.F.A.Voysey’s masterpiece ‘Arts & Crafts’ lakeside country house set in 7 acres of landscaped gardens on the banks of Windermere in the Lake District.

Built in 1899 as a family lakeside retreat – and since 1950 the home of Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club   – Broad Leys retains much of Voysey’s original design aesthetic and original features. This guide explains the history of the house - from lakeside family retreat - to wartime hospital - to motorboat club and powerboat racing venue.

introduction to the house and its history

an online tour of the rooms and stories of Broad Leys

You Are Here

navigate via original floor plans of Broad Leys

details of guest bedrooms and venue hire at Broad Leys

Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club at Broad Leys

wmbrc.co.uk

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