IFDCO News Archives - International Flying Dutchman Class Organisation

28/03/2026

In Memory of Rob Taal (1942–2026) 0 (0)

Rob Taal – 29 August 1942 – 22 March 2026

With great sadness, we say farewell to our dear sailing friend, Rob Taal, who passed away last Sunday.

Rob was a familiar and respected presence within the Flying Dutchman community for many years. He first sailed with his brother Ruud, and later with his close friend Henry Koning. Those who knew them will remember the many fine hours they shared on the water.

Rob was deeply committed to the class. He served for many years as President of the Dutch Class and, in the early days, helped build the IFDCO together with his wife Sonja, working closely with, among others, Cle Jeltes. Even in recent years, he remained involved, taking on the role of Boat Registrar.

We will remember Rob not only for his dedication, but also for his presence within our community.

Our thoughts are with his family in this difficult time. We trust that he has now reached his final windward mark.

11/03/2026

New IFDCO Boat Registrar – Welcome, Peggy Bahr! 5 (6)

2nd Hand Items, IFDCO News

The IFDCO is pleased to announce that Peggy Bahr has agreed to take on the role of Boat Registrar.

Earlier this year, Rob Taal stepped down from the position for health reasons, and we would like to express our sincere gratitude for his work and dedication. We are currently in a transition phase, during which all enquiries will be handled centrally.
Please direct all requests to info@sailifdco.net.

Peggy brings an exceptional combination of professional expertise and deep class knowledge. As a civil engineer working in an engineering office, she is well‑versed in IT‑ and office‑related responsibilities — an ideal foundation for the administrative and technical aspects of the Boat Registrar role.

Within the Flying Dutchman community, Peggy is widely known and highly respected. She has been sailing the FD for many years together with her husband, Torsten Bahr, and is one of the most successful helmspersons in our class. At World Championships, she has repeatedly proven her skill as the best female FD sailor. Her commitment to the Flying Dutchman class spans decades and is exemplified not only by her own achievements but also by the engagement of her family: their daughter Vivian is actively racing internationally as well.

We are delighted to welcome Peggy into this important role and are confident that her experience, dedication, and enthusiasm will be of great value to the IFDCO and all FD sailors worldwide.

All Boat Registrar enquiries can be done online: https://www.sailifdco.com/technical/
For any other questions please contact info@sailifdco.net.

Warm regards,
IFDCO Executive Committee

11/02/2026

A Modern, Easier Way to Confirm Your IFDCO Membership 3.7 (3)

IFDCO News

To make our membership-processes more future‑ready, reduce unnecessary effort, and avoid issues with forgotten or lost membership cards, we are moving entirely to a digital solution.

We will no longer send out membership stickers, and the traditional membership booklet will be discontinued. Your IFDCO membership is now verified exclusively through the IFDCO App.

Your national secretaries will confirm and activate your membership directly in the app.

What you need to do:

Load the IFDCO App in the App-Store (Apple App Store | Google Play Store)
Register in the IFDCO App with your profile.
Select the role “IFDCO Member”.
Your national secretary will then approve your membership.

If you have your membership number at hand, perfect — but it’s not required for the first registration; you can add it later on – but please make sure to have it for the next Worlds.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any trouble registering. We are still optimizing the process and the look & feel of the App.

10/02/2026

New IFDCO Class Rules 4 (4)

IFDCO News, Technical

Dear IFDCO Sailors,

As of March 1, the new IFDCO Class Rules are in force. These updated rules provide a solid and practical foundation for the years ahead, while remaining true to the traditions and principles that have long defined our class.

The rules have been rewritten using the latest World Sailing template. This brings greater clarity, consistency, and alignment with current international standards. In addition, a separate document has been created in which all measurement instructions are brought together in one concise and accessible reference, making the process clearer and more practical for sailors and measurers alike.

The development of these rules is the result of dedicated work by Tanja Heijink-Bausch (NED) and her technical team. Special thanks go to Ioannis Remoundos (GRE), Paul Hemker (USA), Bill Bernard (USA), Kai Schaeffer (GER), and Meike Greten (GER) for their valuable contributions. We would also like to express particular appreciation to Peter Hinrischen (CAN) for providing the original drawings, and to André Verkooijen (NED) for carefully redrawing one of them to meet current requirements.

All remaining changes are documented in detail in the CRC document, which we encourage you to consult for a complete overview. With these new rules in place, the class is well prepared to move forward—grounded in its heritage and ready for the future.

New Rules – > FD Class Rules 2026

IFDCO

22/01/2026

Flying Dutchman CLASS– 2nd Hand Market and New Registration System 4 (1)

Technical

Dear FD sailors,

We are pleased to announce the launch of the 2nd Hand Market and the new Boat Registration System for the Flying Dutchman class.

The Flying Dutchman 2nd Hand Market is the official platform for posting and viewing listings of used Flying Dutchman boats, equipment, and accessories within the class community.
The 2nd Hand Market is part of the TECHNICAL section of the International Flying Dutchman Class Organization(IFDCO) website and is open to all FD sailors worldwide.

What can be advertised?

You may submit second-hand items related to the Flying Dutchman class, including:
• Boats
• Boat parts
• Sails
• Hardware
• Trailers
• Other FD-related equipment

All listings are intended for class-related items only.

How to submit a listing

To submit an item to the 2nd Hand Market, please use the official submission form: Submit a second-hand item

Items must be submitted using the official 2nd Hand Market form.
All listings are reviewed by the IFDCO before publication, so please allow some time for approval.

Registration and second-hand boat

Listing an item on the 2nd Hand Market does not replace boat registration.
After buying or selling a Flying Dutchman boat, owners are kindly requested to update the boat information using the new registration system.

Boat registration tools are available in the TECHNICAL section: Register your boat

Important note

The IFDCO provides the 2nd Hand Market as a service to the class.
All transactions are the sole responsibility of the buyer and seller.