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Windfall Yachts
The Windfall Yachts were a fleet of yachts constructed in Germany during the 1930s to facilitate training for the German armed services. Following World War II, these yachts, owned by the German government, were acquired by the British government as reparations and were subsequently allocated to the Navy, Army, and Air Force of the British and Commonwealth Services.

The **British Kiel Yacht Club** was established on 11 June 1945 by Colonel W. G. Fryer. Upon discovering the Olympia Haven filled with yachts and the Kieler Yacht Club vacant, he requisitioned yachts from the harbor, forming the new yacht club.

The Windfall Yachts that remained at Kiel included notable vessels such as Avalanche, Overlord, Seascape, and Flamingo. Flamingo, sold in 2015, was the last Windfall Yacht to be transferred. These yachts served as the backbone of British Armed Forces offshore sailing in Germany for many years.

Details on Windfall Yachts from Kiel:


 * Avalanche: Although its history is not extensively documented, Avalanche, like other Windfall Yachts, was built in Germany in the 1930s for German armed services training. It was acquired by the British government as reparations after World War II.


 * Overlord: Originally named ‘Pelikan’, Overlord was part of a fleet of yachts used for officer training at Lemverder, particularly for training Luftwaffe navigators . In 1945, it was seized as a prize of war at Kiel and later included in the reparation's agreement.


 * Seascape: Limited information is available about Seascape's history. While there is a yacht named Seascape in the MSC Cruises’ fleet, it remains unclear if this is the same Seascape that was part of the Windfall Yachts.


 * Flamingo: Built in 1936 by Abeking & Rasmussen for the Luftwaffe, Flamingo was among the yachts used at Lemverder for officer training and Luftwaffe navigator instruction5. In 1945, it, along with many other yachts in the fleet, was seized as a prize of war at Kiel and later included in the reparation's agreement. After distribution among the British Services, The Sappers at Chatham used Flamingo.

These Windfall Yachts provided a seaworthy and beautiful platform for countless servicemen and women, along with their friends, to acquire navigation and seamanship skills.