Land Yachting
Officially Land Yachting (Sand Yachting / Land Sailing)
Wind-powered three-wheeled 'yacht' with rigid sail — raced on hard beaches, dry lake beds, and open flat land. Ancient origins (Chinese 6th century wind-powered wheelbarrows); modern sport formalized 1900s Belgium. Speed record 202.9 km/h set on Ivanpah 2009 by Greenbird.
What is Land Yachting?
Land Yachting (Land Sailing, Sand Yachting, French 'Char à Voile') is a wind-powered land sport where a rigid-sail three-wheeled 'yacht' is raced across hard flat surfaces — beaches, dry lake beds, salt flats, and open plains. Distinct from kite buggy by using RIGID SAIL (like sailboat) instead of kite. Ancient origins: Chinese 6th-century sail-powered wheelbarrows + medieval European wind carts. Modern sport formalized ~1900 by Belgian brothers Louis + Pierre Dumont (patented modern land yacht 1898). Massively popular in France's northern beaches (Belgian border, Berck-sur-Mer, Le Touquet) since 1910s. World speed sailing record: 202.9 km/h (126 mph) set by Greenbird (UK) at Ivanpah Dry Lake Bed, Nevada, March 2009 — one of fastest wind-powered vehicles ever. Modern classes: Class 2 (open, largest), Class 3, Class 5 (smallest), and BLOKART (portable small class popular for casual play). International Federation for Sand and Land Yachting (FISLY) governs.
Quick facts
Category
Adventure & Extreme Sports
Type
Individual
Players
1–1
Duration
~30 min
Where played
outdoor
Country of origin
🇧🇪 Belgium
Estimated origin
Chinese 6th century wind-powered wheelbarrows; medieval European wind carts; modern sport formalized 1898 by Louis + Pierre Dumont (Belgium); FISLY founded 1962
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Fastest race time or highest speed run (recreational + competitive).
Match structure
Race courses on beach or flat terrain; class-based races.
Rules
Basic rules
Wind-powered rigid sail
Sail catches wind + generates thrust; pilot manages sail trim + steering.
Steering via foot pedals + sail trim
Foot pedals steer front wheel; sail trim adjusts direction + speed.
Class-based competition
Class 2 (open, largest), Class 3, Class 5, Blokart (portable) — regulated for fair racing.
Race courses on flat firm terrain
Beach, dry lake bed, salt flat, grass field with permission.
Advanced rules
Racing tactics (windward-leeward)
Sailing tactics translate to land yachting — can sail upwind at ~45° angle to wind.
Speed sailing record attempts
Ivanpah Dry Lake Bed hosts annual speed events; Greenbird (UK) holds 202.9 km/h world record 2009.
Wind range 8-40 knots
Sail area adjusted for wind conditions; too little wind = no motion, too much = safety risk.
Scoring
Race position or speed record.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Race finish position | 1st, 2nd, etc. |
| Speed sailing max km/h | Speed sailing record |
Win condition · Fastest race time.
Equipment
Land yacht (3-wheeled)
Aluminum/steel frame; rigid sail on mast; single steerable front wheel + 2 rear wheels; low-slung pilot seat.
Rigid sail
Fabric sail on aluminum/carbon spar; various classes have specified sail areas (2.5m² for Blokart, 7.4m² Class 5, larger for Class 2 + 3).
Helmet + safety gear
Standard safety at high speeds.
Positions & roles
Pilot (land yacht sailor)
×1Solo pilot controlling sail + steering.
Officiating
Sailing-like race officiating.
- Race committee
- Course marshals
- Timekeepers
Penalties & fouls
Penalties
Course cut
Time penalty.
Strategies
Sailing tactics apply
Land yachting uses same tactics as sailing: windward, leeward, tacks, jibes.
Sail size for wind conditions
Larger sail for lighter wind, smaller for stronger; class regulations limit size in competition.
Speed sailing straight-line commitment
Speed record attempts require full commitment + straight line + no directional correction.
Terminology
- Char à Voile
- French for land yacht / land sailing.
- Blokart
- Small portable land yacht class.
- FISLY
- International governing body (Fédération Internationale de Sand et Land Yachting).
- Ivanpah
- Nevada dry lake bed — primary US speed sailing venue.
Major competitions
Land Yachting World Championships
biennial · rotating hosts · since 1962
European Land Yachting Championships
biennial · European beaches · since 1970
Ivanpah Speed Sailing (NALSA)
annual · Ivanpah Dry Lake Bed, Nevada, USA · since 1975
Char à Voile World Cup (France)
annual · French northern beaches · since 1980
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Fédération Internationale de Sand et Land Yachting (FISLY)
Founded 1962 · France
Official site ↗North American Land Sailing Association (NALSA)
Founded 1972 · USA
Fédération Française de Char à Voile (FFCV)
Founded 1979 · France
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Greenbird team (UK)
- Various World Championship class winners across FISLY history
- Peter Ainsworth (UK, Greenbird pilot) — 202.9 km/h world speed record 2009
Records
World speed sailing record (land)
Greenbird (UK, Peter Ainsworth) — 202.9 km/h (126 mph) at Ivanpah Dry Lake Bed, March 26, 2009 — one of fastest wind-powered vehicles ever recorded (2009)
Belgian-French coast century-long tradition
Char à Voile — French/Belgian northern coast has practiced land yachting continuously since 1910s; oldest continuous land yachting culture worldwide (2024)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Start with Blokart (portable small class)
Blokart is beginner-friendly + widely available at coastal + beach venues.
- 2
Take lesson at French/Belgian beach char à voile school
French northern beaches have century-old land yachting instruction culture.
advanced
- 1
FISLY class-based competition
Class 2 (largest, fastest) is competitive apex; requires expensive custom yacht.
- 2
Speed sailing at Ivanpah or Belgian Coast
Straight-line speed record attempts.
Frequently asked
How is land yachting different from kite buggy?+
Land yacht uses RIGID SAIL (like sailboat) on mast; kite buggy uses flying KITE for power. Land yacht rigid sail is more predictable + slightly slower + easier to learn racing. Kite buggy can go higher speeds + more freestyle potential but harder to master + more dangerous. Different equipment, different skill sets, related but distinct sports.
How fast can land yachts go?+
Recreational cruising: 30-50 km/h. Competitive racing: 60-100 km/h. Speed sailing world record: 202.9 km/h (126 mph) by Greenbird at Ivanpah 2009 — among fastest wind-powered vehicles ever. Speeds depend heavily on wind strength + terrain + yacht class.
Sources & provenance
- FISLY— FISLY
- Wikipedia — Land sailing— Wikipedia