the royal yacht squadron cowes

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Inside the Royal Yacht Squadron – we get a rare view of this most exclusive club

• Belinda Bird
• May 18, 2015

Sarah Norbury jumps at a rare chance to see inside the Royal Yacht Squadron, that unique and intriguing yacht club at the centre of Cowes, in its 200th anniversary year

Photo: Paul Wyeth

Bicentenary celebrations

More immediately, this year the club is celebrating its 200th anniversary in a summer-long extravaganza. The highlight will the Squadron Regatta in July, a week of racing and what’s being billed as ‘spectacular social gatherings’, including a grand ball for members of 25 invited clubs from around the world. Yachts from the USA and the Caribbean will arrive after crossing the Atlantic for the Regatta and then stay on for Cowes Week and the Rolex Fastnet Race.

The Ladies Drawing Room

The Squadron is gearing up for the events with a complete refurbishment of the ground floor of the Castle, as well as taking on extra staff, compiling special menus and considerably increasing the usual wine orders.

When I was invited inside the Castle for this article I was the envy of sailing friends. Some recalled their own, never-forgotten visits, one to deliver a harp for a musical soiree, another invited by a member for a drink, surprised to discover that there is no bar; instead stewards know when top-ups are needed and appear bearing glasses on silver trays.

Like more and more sailors I had been on Squadron soil before, to the Pavilion annexe built in 2000. To help swell the coffers, the grand marquee-style building can be hired for championship dinners and class parties. With panoramic views of the Solent, as a Cowes Week après sail venue it’s hard to beat, and once there, in your smart shore gear, sipping a glass of fizz and nibbling smoked salmon canapés it’s easy to get above yourself and imagine just slipping into the Castle. If you try it, however, you’ll get short shrift.

You could say the club is very good at welcoming non-members into its garden, or conversely that it’s adept at attracting them to the periphery then holding them at bay.

There’s a painting of the entire membership outside the Castle, circa 1895. In the centre stand the club’s then commodore the Prince of Wales with his nephew and great yachting rival, Kaiser Willhelm II, and the Dukes of York and Connaught, while on the upper left-hand side are ladies, in their finery, standing on a lawn.

RYS members in 1895

That lawn was known as the Deer Park – I’m told the ladies were known as the ‘does’ – and it’s the only part of the Squadron’s domain in which they were allowed to roam. Even Queen Victoria didn’t make it into the inner sanctum – she was kept at bay in an annexe built for her on the front of the Castle, known as the Platform.

In 1964 wives, sisters and daughters of members were given their own annexe, built onto the end of the Castle in matching stone. Here, the Lams (Ladies And Associate Members) could eat in their own dining room, take tea on the balcony and watch the racing. They were not allowed to cross the carpet-rod border into the inner Castle, however.

Since then the rules have relaxed and ladies are free to enter the Castle as Lams and guests, but it was only in June 2014 that finally the new rulebook was approved that allowed women to be proposed for full membership.

The next voting session is due soon and it’s likely that the first female member will be HRH Princess Anne.

• 1. Flying the white ensign
• 2. Bicentenary celebrations
• 3. Inside the Castle

• Yachting Monthly
• Digital edition

Mermaid unveiled in Cowes

• May 6, 2008

New RYS sculpture unveiled on the rocks

A new sculpture has been unveiled to mark the completion of the Royal Yacht Squadron’s Jubilee Haven in Cowes. The Mermaid, which was sculpted by Belgravia-based Jonathan Wylder, was presented to the members of the Royal Yacht Squadron by the Commodore to in memory of Lord Grantham who, on lst June 1815, presided over the first meeting of The Yacht Club, as the Squadron was known at the time of its formation, and whose yacht was called “Mermaid”.

On 3rd May, the Mermaid was unveiled by Sharron Davies, the Olympic Silver and Commonwealth Gold medal swimmer, on whom she was modelled. The sculpture languishes on the rocks on the elbow of the breakwater on the seaward side.

Cowes Castle

Cowes Castle was built in 1539 as part of Henry VIII’s chain of coastal defences; others in the Solent included Yarmouth, Hurst and Calshot. The roles of Cowes Castle and its counterpart at East Cowes were to help prevent invasion of the Island (it was feared it would be occupied and used as a base for an invasion of England) and to protect the growing naval dockyard at Portsmouth. Stone from recently dissolved religious houses at Beaulieu and Quarr was used in the construction.

It was once believed that Cowes took its name from these two so-called ‘cow castles’ but the placename existed long before the castles were built. However the earlier small settlements of East and West Shamblord were on higher ground inland and it was the protection given by the castles against French raids that allowed the towns on the waterfront to develop. In the 16th century the Island was a noted haunt of pirates and the area was notorious for an occasional floating market at Meadhole (Osborne Bay) where they sold their stolen goods.

Cowes castle was a round blockhouse flanked by two rectangular wings, with a semi-circular barbican to the sea and a protective walled ditch to landward; the guns were mounted on the barbican and the roofs of the two storey main tower and one storey wings. However, an inventory of ordnance taken after Henry VIII’s death in 1547 shows that the guns on the wings and one each of the pieces on the tower and barbican were ‘not hable to serve’. In 1545 Henry had watched from Portsmouth as his flagship Mary Rose sank during a French attack at the east end of the Island, but that was to be the last major French incursion.

The castle was commanded by a Captain paid a shilling a day during Queen Elizabeth’s reign when there was also a Porter at 8d (old pence) a day and three gunners at 6d a day each. By 1774 when the Captain was Sir John Milles, late Lieutenant Governor of Jersey, the captain’s pay had risen to 10 shillings a day. Apart from his military duties the Captain of Cowes Castle had maritime responsibilities, such as boarding foreign ships and inspecting crew and cargo, and his castle was used as a lodging place for important visitors to the Island and as a prison. On Charles I’s arrival in 1647 it was full and he had to stay in a common alehouse in the town before proceeding to what was to become his imprisonment at Carisbrooke Castle. The dramatist and Poet Laureate Sir William Davenant (1606-1668), whom gossip held to be the offspring of Shakespeare, was imprisoned in Cowes Castle in 1650 before being removed to the Tower; he had been captured on his return from a mission to Virginia for Queen Henrietta Maria and was released two years later.

Several surveys show that the castle’s walls and foundations were in frequent need of repair due to the inroads of the sea and the ground on which it was built. East Cowes Castle appears to have been built on the Shrape mud and by Elizabeth’s reign was ruinous; some of the stone was used in a house at Newport and by the 17th century even the site had been lost. An inspection of Cowes Castle in 1692 recorded ‘The walls ..… are rent from top to bottom and is in great danger of falling to the ground with every cannons firing’.

The only record of the castle firing a shot in anger was during the Civil War on 12 August 1642 when Humphrey Turney, Captain of Cowes Castle, ‘in a furie with his own hand gave fire to one piece of ordnance and shot at the said ship the Lion’ which had challenged two ships bound for Portsmouth (the Navy had declared for Parliament and Col. Goring at Portsmouth for the King). Turney was arrested on the 16th, the castle garrisoned by Parliamentary forces the following day.

During the wars with France in the late 18th and early 19th centuries the Island was heavily garrisoned and the castle was armed with eleven 9-pounders. After the defeat of Napoleon in 1815 the castle’s defensive role lessened but in 1824 a Guide to the Watering Places stated that the castle ‘though useless as a place of defence, still maintains a captain, one master and five other gunners. A sentry is always on duty here but it would be difficult to point out what he has to guard unless it be the bathers clothes’. The baths, with associated bathing machines and lodging houses, occupied the site of the present Squadron lawn. The new award-winning Pavilion there, which replaced the traditional summertime marquees, was designed by Sir Thomas Croft to resemble an orangery; it was opened by the RYS Admiral, HRH Prince Philip, in 2000.

The castle was remodeled in 1716, a plan of 1725 showing that only the rear of the tower and the ends of the wings were by that date the original Henry VIII stonework. The front of the tower had been dismantled and a more domestic front with windows added and the defensive ditch had become a garden. More alterations took place later in the 18th century and in the 19th century the comforts of the castle were upgraded to sumptuous country house level when it became the maritime residence of Lord Anglesey, then Captain of Cowes Castle and a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron. Following his death in 1854, and that of his successor Lord Raglan in 1855, the Government reviewed the future of the castle and decommissioned it. It was leased, first to Lord Conyngham, then to the RYS whose old clubhouse was the site of the present Gloster apartments.

The Royal Yacht Squadron employed the architect Anthony Salvin to improve the building ‘replete with every comfort and luxury’. Salvin had trained in John Nash’s office, he was recognised as the greatest authority on medieval castles and was favoured for alterations; other castles he worked on include Carisbrooke, Alnwick and the Tower of London. He made extensive alterations to Cowes castle, greatly increasing the accommodation and adding the Platform, a Ballroom for summer use and the western tower. The members moved in in 1858 following an inspection by Prince Albert and the Prince of Wales. Salvin’s alterations did not meet with universal approval – ‘Some have compared the front to a monastery and the rear of the building to a nobleman’s mews, while others have declared it, from its irregular appearance, to resemble a discipline establishment’ wrote the Isle of Wight Observer.

Further changes took place in the 1920s but the last major building work and alterations to the Castle itself were in 1964 when the western range was adapted to accommodate the ladies who were originally only permitted to use the Squadron lawn. In 1928 the club had purchased the ballroom of Castle Rock, then owned by Rosa Lewis of Cavendish Hotel fame and now The Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, for use as a Ladies Annexe. For the 1964 alterations, the Squadron was able to acquire stone from John Nash’s East Cowes Castle, demolished in 1963, to ensure that the new work remained in keeping with the old.

The original shape of round tower, two wings and barbican is still discernible. The Solar of the 16th century is now the Morning Room and the Kitchen the Members’ Dining Room. The Conservation Survey undertaken for the Millennium advised relocation of the Chart Room (now on the first floor next door to the Library) that then occupied the area in front of the entrance doors. This has, once again, opened out the original Hall area of the tower on the ground floor.

Royal Yacht Squadron

The Castle, Cowes, Isle of Wight, P031 7QT

Tel: +44 (0) 1983 292 191

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Hints of the Modern Invade Royal Yacht Squadron

By Christopher Clarey

• Aug. 14, 2015

COWES, England — At the Royal Yacht Squadron, they still wear black tie and toast the queen every Saturday night. They still fire the cannons from their battlements to start the Rolex Fastnet Race and scores of other races throughout the year.

But as it celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2015, the Squadron — as it is known in Britain and in much of the sailing world — is not quite the same club of old.

It remains seriously exclusive and thickly populated by royals: from Prince Philip, the now 94-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II, to Juan Carlos, the former king of Spain, to the Aga Khan.

Yet the Squadron elected its first three female full members this year, even if their names have yet to be released publicly. The club also has adopted a palpably more open approach to those who dwell outside Cowes Castle, the Squadron’s clubhouse on the Isle of Wight that was first used for defensive purposes when built by Henry VIII in 1539.

“I think we’re more relaxed about it all,” the club’s commodore, Christopher Sharples, said in a recent interview in the castle. “There used to be the feeling that you mustn’t put your head above the parapet or you’re certain to be shot. And I think they’ve got quite good parapets here.”

They do indeed, as well as a memorable, concentration-sharpening sign affixed to them: “Warning. Starting cannon may fire at any time.”

“I think there was a notion for quite a few years that the Squadron was a bunch of sort of pompous old guys together, very much the blue-blood, old-school type of thing,” said Mike Broughton, a British navigator and former British naval officer. “To be honest, I think over the last 10 years in particular, they’ve worked hard to modernize and also to modernize in terms of professional racing. They’ve modernized their racing management, which has been great to see actually, and they’ve worked hard to keep up with the times.”

That does not mean, however, that the time has come for an outsider with a profound love of the sea (and fancy dinners) to ring up the Squadron and ask to be emailed a membership application.

“The first thing to say about that is you get invited; you don’t apply,” Sharples said.

The club’s regular membership is now capped at 535, and there is a four-year waiting list. “There are also about 70 naval members who come in from a slightly different category,” Sharples said. “They come in through a side door and don’t have to queue up, and that’s because of our longstanding relationship with the Royal Navy.”

The club remains the only one whose member yachts are allowed to fly the white ensign of the Royal Navy.

The recent decision to add female members is part of a wave of similar moves by long-established British clubs: the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland elected its first female members in 2015 after 260 years of existence.

“I’m a firm believer that if a club wants to be a single-sex club only, it can be, but not if it’s connected to sport,” Sharples said. “I think if you have a social club in London, I liken it to bull elephants hanging around a watering hole. Well, nobody seems to mind about that do they? But if on the other hand you are connected to a sport where you have facilities that sportsmen use, it seems to me much better that you give equal opportunity to ladies to use and access those facilities.”

When the club was founded by 42 gentlemen in 1815 in a gathering at the Thatched House Tavern in London, prospective members were required to own a vessel of at least 10 tons.

Today, boat ownership — at any tonnage — is not a requirement. “You have to be somebody who is actively involved in sailing,” Sharples said. “If you have access to a boat or regularly sail on somebody’s boat, that’s fine.”

To become a candidate, one needs a proposer, a seconder and three other initial letters of support, plus eight additional letters: all of these from club members. Only then does one join the list with a chance to eventually face an election, which involves the full membership.

Avoid too many blackballs and you will join a club with a uniquely rich maritime history whose members and their boats played a role in both World Wars. The membership roll has included the Arctic polar explorers Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton, a Russian czar, British kings, the round-the-world solo-sailing pioneers Francis Chichester and Robin Knox-Johnston, as well as Ben Ainslie, Britain’s biggest sailing star of the moment, who the club hopes can finally bring the America’s Cup back to the Squadron.

It left here in 1851 when the yacht America — owned by a syndicate of New York Yacht Club members — defeated a fleet of yachts representing the Squadron in a race around the Isle of Wight.

The Cup, a silver ewer, had been purchased for the competition by a Squadron member, Henry William Paget, First Marquess of Anglesey, who had had his right leg amputated after being wounded by one of the last cannon shots of the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Cowes Castle was Paget’s summer home, and it became the Squadron clubhouse after his death in 1854.

The cup purchased by Paget was eventually renamed the America’s Cup. Though the Australians at last managed to wrest it away from the New York Yacht Club in 1983 and yacht clubs from New Zealand and Switzerland have since won it, the British have yet to reclaim possession.

Ainslie, an honorary Squadron member and four-time Olympic gold medalist, helped Larry Ellison’s Oracle Team USA retain the trophy in 2013 by playing a major role in the epic comeback in San Francisco against Emirates Team New Zealand. But he is now head of his own team, Ben Ainslie Racing, which will represent the competitive arm of the Royal Yacht Squadron in the 2017 America’s Cup competition in Bermuda.

That will come in the final year of Sharples’s four-year term, which has already included the bicentennial celebration.

“I suppose my ultimate aim, if you like, is to help Ben bring the Cup back to this club before I step down,” Sharples said.

THE ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON, COWES

(MP055). W L Wyllie (1851-1931). Etching, signed..

Limited Edition: 250

Standard size: 14.75 x 4.75ins (37.6 x 12cms) approx.

Price band: £95-130

Purchase or enquire about this print

The sheer detail Wyllie has achieved in this etching is breathtaking: there is a forest of tall masts all the way up the River Medina towards the town centre and closer inspection reveals dozens more expensively cut sails over towards East Cowes and one or two J Class yachts creaming westwards across the harbour mouth. Wyllie has certainly succeeded in capturing the bustle and excitement that is still to this day the essence of Cowes during the big race events. Details of landmarks on the waterfront have clearly changed over the years but unmistakable in the background and basking in its commanding position in every sense of the word, sits the castle and ramparts of the Royal Yacht Squadron, the white ensign proudly flying from its flagstaff’s gaff.

Six Metre Worlds 2023

31 August to 8 September – Cowes, UK

Cowes is the historic home of yachting on the south coast of the UK and is a world renowned regatta venue.

The International Six Metre World Championships in 2023 will be hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) from its stunning waterside clubhouse overlooking the Solent.

The Squadron’s race management team is world class and runs multiple international regattas and championships each season. Racing for the Six Metre Worlds will be held on windward leeward courses in the eastern Solent area.

Cowes offers plenty of places to stay at a range of levels and further information about this can be found on our Accommodation page . There is also a wide range of cafes, bars and restaurants and well as great local shops and galleries.

Further afield the Isle of Wight is a wonderful tourist destination with a host of interesting places and attractions to visit. Click here for more information about visiting the Isle of Wight.

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Six Metre World Championship 2023 at the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes - Day 3

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Races and Regattas Guide 2024: Summer of Sailing Festivals

Get set for summer with our races and regattas guide!

With a wealth of weekend to week-long dinghy and yacht racing festivals in 2024 – hosted by some of our finest inland, river and coastal venues – whatever your boat, holiday allowance or budget, there is a regatta for you!

Whether you’re looking for races and regattas in Ireland, wanting to fill up your diary with all the East Coast events, or keen for an insider tip for Cowes Week, our 2024 races and regattas guide has it all.

NORTH – Races and Regattas

Bassenthwaite week.

3-11 August, Bassenthwaite SC, Bassenthwaite Lake, Cumbria

OVERVIEW: Nine days of racing in the beautiful Lake District, with a great family environment. Camping available on site and a full social programme for all ages. Mix of fleet and handicap racing, with some races run as a series whilst others are one-offs. Excellent value summer race week and one of the most popular open events in the north of England.

INSIDER TIP: Discounted ‘early bird’ entries open from 2 April.

SPONSOR: Craftinsure

WEBSITE:   bassweek.org.uk

FILEY REGATTA

13-14 July, Filey SC, Filey Bay, North Yorkshire

OVERVIEW: Great family-friendly open regatta over two days with three or four races per day. Sail in four handicap fleets in beautiful Filey Bay. Food and drink available from the beach side clubhouse all weekend. Email  [email protected]  for more details.

INSIDER TIP: Camping and parking available in Filey Country Park just a five-minute walk away.

WEBSITE: fileysc.org.uk

LORD BIRKETT MEMORIAL TROPHY

6-7 July, Ullswater Yacht Club, Pooley Bridge, Cumbria OVERVIEW: Ullswater Yacht Club’s biggest event of the year is the iconic long-distance Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy. This quest for the ‘Holy Grail’ of a Birkett win attracts keen sailors from national champions to novices in a huge range of different boats. A festival of sailing!

INSIDER TIP: Entries are now open on the dedicated Birkett website.

SPONSOR: Magic Marine

WEBSITE: ullswaterycbirkett.org

EAST – Races and Regattas

Aldeburgh regatta.

11-15 August, Aldeburgh Junior & Youth Regatta

18-23 August, Aldeburgh Regatta, Aldeburgh YC, Suffolk

OVERVIEW: Aldeburgh Junior & Youth regatta is for all ages up to 21 years old. All boats welcome, with a coached regatta fleet for RS Tera sailors. Aldeburgh Regatta the following week is open to all classes of keelboats, dinghies & cruisers. Racing each day with social events throughout the week. WEBSITE:  aldeburghyc.org.uk

BLACKWATER CLUB WEEK 

18-23 August 2024, Blackwater SC, Heybridge, Essex

OVERVIEW: A flagship event in the calendar at Blackwater SC, Club Week offers a fun week of sailing, racing and socialising on the river with fleets ranging from Optimists to Fast Cruisers, and a packed social programme. The club also has its 125th Anniversary Regatta on Saturday 20 July.  

WEBSITE: blackwatersailingclub.org.uk   

BRANCASTER STAITHE SAILING WEEK

6-10 August, Brancaster Staithe SC, Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk

OVERVIEW: Brancaster Staithe Sailing Week is a multi-class open regatta with daily races at sea for Senior fleets and in the harbour for Junior fleets. Briefing is on Monday 5 August and there are social events during the week. Registration is online via the website.

INSIDER TIP: Competitive and friendly racing for all the family.

WEBSITE:   bssc.net

BURNHAM WEEK

24-31 August, Royal Burnham YC, Burnham on Crouch, Essex,

OVERVIEW:  A friendly competitive regatta with a colourful mix of cruisers, day boats and dinghies. There is a class for everyone whether IRC, local handicap, new to racing or experienced. One design classes are a welcoming and friendly group. A variety of courses keeps interest piqued and the race committee listens to competitors ensuring that needs are met throughout. Family friendly with a full social calendar. A great  way to round off your summer! INSIDER TIP:  Book your mooring early and ensure you enter when the early bird discount is valid. Follow on social media @burnham_week on Instagram or Facebook to keep up to date with news. WEBSITE:  burnhamweek.com

6-12 July, East Anglian Offshore Racing Association 

OVERVIEW: This year EAORA celebrates its 75th anniversary – and a memorable EAORA Week is planned to mark the occasion. It will start with the RORC East Coast Race from Harwich to Ostend (Belgium) on Saturday 6 July, followed by the Medway YC Cannonball Trophy race from Ostend to Breskens (Netherlands) the following day.

A series of shorter races from harbour to harbour within the Zeeland Delta will finish with a prizegiving party at Hellevoetsluis on Friday 12 July, leaving a clear weekend for the passage home. Traditionally some boats used the week as the delivery trip for a holiday in the Dutch inland waters.

Stopovers are yet to be finalised, but are expected to include Veere, Zierikzee, Sint Annaland, Willemstad and Hellevoetsluis – delightful historic towns with excellent facilities and plentiful restaurants. The silverware at the end of the week is very special too!

SPONSORS:  DXB Pump & Power and Fox’s Chandlery

WEBSITE:  eaora.org.uk

HORNING OPEN REGATTA WEEK 

29   July-2 August, Horning SC, Norfolk Broads OVERVIEW:  The annual Open Regatta at Horning SC sees the River Bure at Horning become a hive of activity with racing from 9am-6pm every day outside the clubhouse. Races for Dinghies, Keelboats and River Cruisers – and great for spectators too! INSIDER TIP:  There are great socials taking place every night, the club invites you to come and get involved! WEBSITE:  horning-sailing.club

MERSEA WEEK

18-23 August, West Mersea YC & Dabchicks SC, Mersea Island, Essex

OVERVIEW: This event attracts scores of competitors and it is anticipated that this year, the 50th anniversary of this popular event, there will be even more. With a full and varied racing programme and a busy social scene, Mersea Week is all about racing on the beautiful Blackwater and enjoying fabulous social events ashore.

INSIDER TIP: Free moorings for visiting yachtsmen and women.

SPONSORS: Marinestore Chandlery, Adnams, Fenn Wright, Oakheart Property, Dolphin Sails, Allen Brothers, Mersea Homes, West Mersea Marine, West PM.

WEBSITE:   merseaweek.org

NORTH WEST NORFOLK WEEK

20-27 July, North West Norfolk Sailing Association, at various locations along the north and west coast of Norfolk

OVERVIEW:  Competitive but fun family regatta week with close racing at a different club every day including Snettisham Beach, Wells, Ouse Amateur, Blakeney and Overy Staithe. This year’s 74th anniversary regatta is for National 12, Supernova, Streaker, ILCA & Allcomers, with daily trophies, weekly trophies, lady and junior helm prizes. Camping available for great value, so if you usually only sail at your own club, why not take a chance, hitch up your boat and join one of the friendliest events in the sailing calendar! Great combination of daily racing and family beach holiday.

INSIDER TIP:  It is extremely addictive! Most people having been once will return year after year.

WEBSITE:  norfolkweek.co.uk

OULTON WEEK

18-23 August, Waveney and Oulton Broad YC, Suffolk

OVERVIEW: A premier week’s racing on The Broads! Six days of racing for dinghies, keelboats and river cruisers: fast and slow dinghy handicap fleets; ILCAs; Optimists; Norfolk Dinghies; Hansa 303; Mixed One Designs (Waveneys, Broads and Yare & Bures, Squibs); River Cruisers; Mixed Keelboat. Busy social programme includes Commodore’s Reception. Entry fees for helms aged 18 or under, £1 per race; everyone else £2 per race. INSIDER TIP: Find accommodation afloat if possible and bring your children – they’ll love it!  WEBSITE:  wobyc.com

OVERY STAITHE REGATTA

23-24 August, Overy Staithe SC, Burnham Overy Staithe, Norfolk

OVERVIEW: Sailing races with general handicap and some class racing for local boats: OKs, Sharpies, Europes, Mirror 10s and clinker-built boats. WEBSITE: overystaithesc.org.uk

PYEFLEET WEEK

3-9 August, Brightlingsea SC, Brightlingsea, Essex

OVERVIEW:  Kick off your summer holiday with a week of sailing on the East Coast. Pyefleet Week offers great racing for a wide range of classes from Optimists to Moths, plus a full social programme for all ages. With fantastic local shops, a historic lido, its own beach, a campsite on the doorstep and the beautiful Brightlingsea Harbour and River Colne as a backdrop, it’s a great place to holiday for all the family.

INSIDER TIP:  Book accommodation early, pack your fancy dress, bucket and spade and prepare yourself for a good old fashioned regatta week! WEBSITE:   pyefleetweek.com

RAMSGATE WEEK

11-16 August, Royal Temple YC, Ramsgate, Kent

OVERVIEW:  Ramsgate Week is widely recognised as the ‘friendly regatta’ and the alternative to Cowes. After a challenging day’s sailing between the North and South Forelands you’re a five-minute walk from your berth to the Royal Temple Yacht Club where you can relax whilst enjoying the renowned hospitality. 

INSIDER TIP: The shifting sands can catch navigators out, pay attention to your depth gauge.  SPONSORS: Icom, Shepherd Neame, Kent Decking Supplies, Ramsgate Town Council, Page & Sons Ltd, Miles and Barr, North Sails, Riga Marine, Turner Jackson + Day Associates, Ramsgate Sailing School, Practical Car & Van Rental, Trews Workwear. WEBSITE:  ramsgateweek.com

ROYAL BURNHAM YC WHITSUN REGATTA

25-27 May, The Royal Burnham YC, Burnham on Crouch, Essex

OVERVIEW: A fun filled weekend with a broad selection of racing offered for handicap cruisers, keelboat classes, dinghies and multihulls, with both committee boat and club line starts. The racing is complemented by a full array of social events in the clubhouse both during the day and in the evenings.

WEBSITE: rbyc.uk

ROYAL HARWICH YACHT CLUB

10-11 August, Summer Regatta; 19-23 August 2024, Junior Race Week; Royal Harwich YC, Woolverstone, Suffolk

OVERVIEW: RHYC’s stunning clubhouse on the banks of the beautiful River Orwell estuary provides a fabulous location for both dinghy sailing and yacht cruising – or for relaxing on the lawn for a meal or drink with a view! Join the club for its Summer Regatta (Ajax, Dinghies, ILCAs) or for young sailors, the club’s popular annual Junior Race Week.

WEBSITE: royalharwichyachtclub.co.uk 

THREE RIVERS RACE

1-2 June, Horning SC, Norfolk Broads

OVERVIEW:  A true spectacle, the Three Rivers Race sees upwards of 100 boats leave Horning Sailing Club to participate in the tough 50-mile endurance race, which will see competitors sail through the night, across the Broads, and lowering their masts under three bridges.   INSIDER TIP:  Great spectator points include the Medieval Potter Heigham Bridge and Acle Bridge, where exciting mast lowering/raising can be seen.

SPONSOR:  Yachtmaster Insurance

WEBSITE:  3rr.uk  and  horning-sailing.club

WHITSTABLE WEEK

31 July-4 August, Whitstable YC, Whitstable, Kent

OVERVIEW: Whitstable Week is a summer all-classes regatta for all ages and abilities. Whitstable is a great place to sail offering relatively sheltered sea sailing with easy beach launching and committee boat starts off the club. WYC is situated both on the beach and in the centre of town which has a huge choice of shops, pubs and restaurants. The ‘week’ now runs from Wednesday to Sunday which means fewer days holiday to take part in a full five days of racing, two races per day. There are social events every evening culminating with Commodore’s Cocktails and a Summer Ball.

INSIDER TIP: Whitstable Week gives visiting sailors the opportunity to take advantage of a fabulous holiday town, great sailing and amazing socials – it’s not to be missed!

SPONSOR:  Holidaycottages.co.uk

WEBSITE:  wyc.org.uk/on-the-water/Whitstable_Week

WROXHAM WEEK

21-28 July, Norfolk Broads YC, Wroxham, Norfolk

OVERVIEW: Fabulous week full of competitive racing and lively socials. Suitable for all ages and abilities with something for everyone during this exciting week. There is a full racing programme throughout to enjoy, as well as social events including fun quizzes, children’s entertainment, rowing races, duck races and an End of Regatta Party. Members and visitor’s welcome! INSIDER TIP:  Prebook your races and social events online before the week begins. Call the office on 01603 782808 for more information or help with booking. WEBSITE:  nbyc.co.uk

SOUTH – Races and Regattas

Bourne end week.

24-27 May, Upper Thames SC, Bourne End, Bucks 

OVERVIEW: UTSC offers river racing at its best, on the widest stretch of the non-tidal Thames. Featuring the Thames A Rater National Championships, Merlin Rocket River Championships, International OK River Championships, class racing for Wayfarers, plus Fast Handicap. Camping is just behind the clubhouse, quality catering every evening, with the Saturday supper included in the sailing entry.

INSIDER TIP: Don’t miss the famous sunset cocktail party, this year on Sunday, followed by a tasty buffet dinner and music from a lively band that’ll fill the dance floor!

WEBSITE: utsc.org.uk

BRITISH CLASSIC WEEK 

15-19 July, British Classic Yacht Club, Cowes Yacht Haven /Royal Yacht Squadron, Isle of Wight

OVERVIEW: A new five-day format for 2024 will allow more time for owners and crew to set up and pack down before and after the regatta. Racing will again be overseen by the Royal Yacht Squadron , with new additions to deliver competitive fun racing for all the fleet, including an Around the Island Race (with optional inshore race for smaller yachts), a Forts Race, and a pursuit race. Camaraderie and dockside fun ashore, including a Pontoon Party. For owners keen for extra racing, British Classic Week has also teamed up with the Taittinger Regatta at the Royal Solent YC (12-14 July) to put on a feeder race between the two regattas. 

SPONSORS:  Lead sponsors Spirit Yachts, Classic Marine, One Sails, David Murrin Global Forecaster, Suffolk Yacht Harbour.

WEBSITE:  britishclassicweek.co.uk

CHICHESTER HARBOUR RACE WEEK 

19-23 August, organised by Chichester Harbour Federation at Hayling Island SC, Hampshire

Looking for more Classic races and regattas? Check out our partner Classic Boat Magazine’s Classic Races and Regattas Guide 2024

OVERVIEW:  Family Regatta week with class starts for Fireball, Flying Fifteen, Finn, 29er, RS200, 2000, RS Aero 7, RS Aero 5, Solo, RS Feva, Optimist & RS Elites. Combined class starts for RS Aero 6 & Byte & Europe, ILCA 6 & 4, RS Tera Pro & Tera Sport, Hadron H2 & D Zero. Handicap fleets: Fast PY 1034 & below, Fast Asymmetric PY 938 & below, Slow Asymmetric PY 939-1006 , Medium PY 1035-1220. Entry in 2023 was 399.

INSIDER TIP:  Early bird entry fees available from 1 May until 30 June. Four race areas within Chichester Harbour with the Elites just past Harbour entrance.

SPONSORS:  Event sponsor Bentley Walker, supplemented by Chichester Harbour Gin, Raymarine and Optimum Timers.

WEBSITE:  chichesterharbourraceweek.sailevent.net

COWES SPRING CLASSICS

17-19 May, Cowes Corinthian YC/Shepards Marina, Cowes, Isle of Wight

OVERVIEW:  Cowes Spring Classics is a regatta for classic yachts designed before 1970, including: Cruisers & Cruiser Racers, Affordable Classic Cruisers around 25ft, Gaff Rigged Yachts & Pilot Cutters, Day Boats & Raters, Classic Metre Yachts plus Modern Spirit of Tradition Yachts. Racing organised by Cowes Corinthian YC. Non-racing yachts and motorboats also welcome.

SPONSORS:  Classic Marine, West System, British Classic Yacht Club, Simon Winter Marine, Mermaid Gin, Classic Boat.

WEBSITE:  cowesspringclassics.com

27 July-2 August, Cowes Week Ltd / Cowes, Isle of Wight

OVERVIEW: Cowes Week is one of the UK’s longest running and most successful sporting events and is a key highlight of the British sporting summer. The regatta sees up to 600 boats in up to 40 different classes take part in seven days of world-class racing. To add to the on-the-water action, the lively après-sail atmosphere at Cowes Week means there are plenty of social and exciting onshore activities for sailors and the spectators who visit Cowes each year.

INSIDER TIP: Be part of the action, enter online  www.cowesweek.co.uk  or book a spot on a  spectator boat .

SPONSORS:  Musto, Mount Gay,  Red Funnel , Cowes Yacht Haven,  Seahorse Magazine ,  Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting ; Official Charities: Tall Ships Youth Trust & RNLI .

WEBSITE:  cowesweek.co.uk

MUDEFORD WEEK

4-8 August, Mudeford SC, Christchurch, Dorset

OVERVIEW: Family racing at a safe, sheltered location in Christchurch Harbour: a friendly club event which attracts novice as well as expert sailors. Socials including a meal at The Beach Hut, fish and chips on the barge and prizegiving. Fun events to include paddleboarding, kayaks and a treasure hunt around the harbour.

INSIDER TIP: Have a sail around before racing starts to locate the shallows.

WEBSITE: mudefordsc.org

25-30 August, Parkstone YC, Poole, Dorset

OVERVIEW: Bournemouth Digital Poole Week offers six afternoons of racing in the beautiful waters of Poole Harbour for dinghies and small keelboats, typically attracting over 150 entries. Class starts for fleets including ILCA 6s and 7s, Flying Fifteens, Darts, Wayfarers, RS200s and XODs, and handicap too. Competitive and family-friendly. On-the-water coaching for all fleets, great après-sail socials, daily prize-givings and much more.

INSIDER TIP: Study the course charts! And/or ask a native. Some courses use the full expanse of Poole Harbour, so it’s useful to know where you’re going.

SPONSORS:  Bournemouth Digital, Badger Beers

WEBSITE:   PooleWeek.org

SOUTH WEST – Races and Regattas

Babbacombe regatta.

22-23 June, Babbacombe Corinthian SC, St Marychurch, Torquay, Devon.

OVERVIEW: The 197 th Babbacombe dinghy regatta offers two days of racing in beautiful Babbacombe Bay. Junior and novice sailors especially welcome to come along and enjoy some fun racing. The Commodore invites all regatta sailors and their guests to a reception on the Saturday night. 

WEBSITE: babbacombe-sc.com

CAMEL WEEK 

9-14 August, Rock Sailing and Waterski Club, Rock, North Cornwall

OVERVIEW: An open regatta for dinghies and catamarans combining handicap and pursuit races in the beautiful Camel Estuary or Padstow Bay, complete with sandy beaches and breeze. There is also the John Bray Cornish Holidays Junior Camel Week, an event aimed at the under 18s, 25-31 July.

INSIDER TIP: The format combines well with a family Cornish holiday

SPONSORS: Sharp’s Brewery

WEBSITE:   rswsc.co.uk

DARTMOUTH ROYAL REGATTA SAILING WEEK

24-31 August, Royal Dart YC, Kingswear, Dartmouth, Devon 

OVERVIEW:  Dartmouth Royal Regatta is a family orientated regatta that offers competitive racing in Start Bay and the River Dart, with a wide range of activities for all the family, including a funfair and firework display on the Friday evening. The dinghy regattas start the week’s racing with the Juniors at RDYC 24-26 August and Moore Kingston Smith Financial Dinghies at Dittisham 24-27 August. The yacht regatta follows with the passage race from Brixham to Dartmouth on Tuesday 27 August, and racing in Start Bay 28-31 August. There will be classes for IRC and SWYTCF rated yachts, one design fleets, classics, dayboats and gaffers depending on the number of entries. There are White Sail Family Fun events on Friday & Saturday 30-31 August. NB: The Regatta is a week later this year.

INSIDER TIP:  Dartmouth Royal Regatta is very popular with visiting yachts so make sure you book your accommodation early. Details available on the website.

SPONSORS:  Salcombe Gin, Moore Kingston Smith, Henri Lloyd, Paradigm Norton, Savills, Raymarine, Ancasta, Rockfish, Twisted Marine.  

WEBSITE:  dartmouthsailingweek.com

FALMOUTH CLASSICS

14-16 June, Port of Falmouth, Cornwall

OVERVIEW: One of the largest UK Classic events held in the delightful setting of the River Fal and Falmouth Bay. Three races for fourteen classes, two on the water parades, receptions, a maritime village and the International Falmouth Shanty Festival with over 70 groups. One of three events that qualify for the West Country Classics Series sponsored by Hattiers Rum.

SPONSORS: Partner Sponsors: Falmouth Harbour Commissioners and Falmouth Haven, Teamac, Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, Classic Boat, West Briton, plus major and event partners.

WEBSITE:  falmouthclassics.org.uk

FALMOUTH SAILING WEEK 

11-17 August, Falmouth, Cornwall.

OVERVIEW:  Seven days of varied racing for over 20 classes ranging from IRC yachts to dinghies. Starting with a skippers’ briefing at the Royal Cornwall YC on Saturday 10 August. The regatta is hosted by six clubs starting with Helford River SC (11th) then visiting Mylor YC (12th), Restronguet SC (13th), Royal Cornwall YC (15th), St Mawes SC (16th) and Flushing SC (17th) for the final regatta and overall prizegiving. Multi class options for entry including classes for dinghies. Racing in the harbour, Carrick Roads or Falmouth Bay. Daily entries, a three-day series and seven-day entry all possible. The Port of Falmouth Sailing Association has held entry fees at 2023 prices. All entrants under 18 are FREE this year!

INSIDER TIP:  Register early for the best entry fees. There’s a fantastic social scene shoreside with music events in Falmouth throughout the regatta week.

SPONSORS:  Mylor Yacht Harbour, Hine Downing Solicitors, Mainbrace Rum, Ancasta International Boat Sales and The Flip Flop Shop; Super Yacht Services Falmouth, Falmouth Town Council, and South-West Bars and Events. New sponsors for FSW24 are Velos Insurance Group, Evelyn Partners and River Boatyard.  Additional class prize sponsors are Indidog Eatery, The St Mawes Scent Room and The Mariners Supply Company

WEBSITE:  falmouthweek.co.uk/sailing-week

FOWEY ROYAL SAILING REGATTA 

18-24 August, Fowey Sailing Committee: Royal Fowey YC & Fowey Gallants SC, South Cornwall

OVERVIEW:  Fowey Regatta and Carnival is one of the UK’s best known sailing events with a long history, offering a full programme of racing for Troys, Fowey Rivers, Cruisers, Falmouth Working Boats and a handicap dinghy fleet. There are also many traditional land-based events, including the carnival procession, fireworks, crab-catching and harbour swim and live music. 

INSIDER TIP:  After racing gather at Royal Fowey YC or Fowey Gallants SC for great food and a good chat about the day’s events before prize-giving! WEBSITE:  foweyregatta.co.uk

NORTH DEVON YACHT CLUB OPEN WEEK 

10-17 August, North Devon YC, Instow, Bideford, North Devon

OVERVIEW: Sailing and racing for all with racing for dinghies (including Blaze and ILCA sub fleets), fast cats, Dart 15s and gaffers: pursuits, round-the-bay, cup races, regatta series and more! Fabulous sailing area with big breeze, fun waves and tides. Great value week at just £30 for adults, £20 cadets. INSIDER TIP: Family-friendly holiday location with social activities throughout.

WEBSITE: ndyc.org/sailing/open-week-2024

PASAB (Penzance Around Scilly and Back) 19-22 July 2024, Penzance SC, West Cornwall

OVERVIEW: Leg 1 is an overnight race from Penzance to St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, starting at 19.00 Friday 19 July; Leg 2 is a race around the islands starting on the Sunday at 09.30; Leg 3 starts from St Mary’s on Monday 22 July at 09.30 and races back to Penzance.

INSIDER TIP: Conditions can be challenging and exciting. The Islands are unique and stunning and a great experience for all.

WEBSITE: pzsc.org.uk/pasab

PLYMOUTH RACE WEEK 

11-14 July, Royal Western Yacht Club of England, Queen Anne’s Battery Plymouth

OVERVIEW:  There will be three great events happening simultaneously during this four-day regatta, taking place over three race courses in Plymouth Sound National Marine Park. Also known as ‘The Yachtsman’s Regatta’, the event incorporates the IRC Southwest Championships, SW YTC Championships and J24 National Championships, alongside a full entertainment package, including a roast, live music, BBQ and crew party. 

INSIDER TIP:  The Breakwater provides excellent shelter against big seas and coupled with the natural amphitheatre of Plymouth Sound, offers fantastic racing conditions and spectator vantage points in order to watch the action close up! 

WEBSITE:  rwyc.org/club-racing/plymouthraceweek

PORT OF PLYMOUTH SAILING ASSOCIATION DINGHY REGATTA

8-9 June, hosted by PPSA at The Mount Batten Sailing Centre, Plymouth

OVERVIEW:  Fleets ranging from rookies and beginners to asymmetric classes, also including the Solo Western Series Championships, GP14 Southern Area Championships, Phantom and OK open meetings. An excellent social venue with Saturday barbecue and some of the best sailing waters in the UK. Any class with more than six entries can have their own results and there is a team entry as well.

INSIDER TIP:  The tidal flows in Plymouth are affected by the two major rivers running into the Sound – look at tidal flow charts to see where there are back eddies.

SPONSORS : Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre, Port of Plymouth, Freshwave, Dinghy Shack, Plymouth Youth Sailing, Port of Plymouth Sailing Association.

WEBSITE: dinghy-regatta.ppsa.org.uk

SALCOMBE YACHT CLUB REGATTA

11-16 August, Salcombe YC, Salcombe, Devon

OVERVIEW: SYC looks forward to welcoming members and visitors alike to its 2024 regatta, once again to be sponsored by Salcombe Gin. The club hopes that the thought of summer sailing, fantastic racing, its SYC friendly welcome, golden beaches, the superbly located Yacht Club Terrace high above the race course with exceptional viewing of the racing, and the fun ‘Après Sail’ social life, will all encourage you to take part in the SYC Salcombe Gin Regatta 2024!  

SPONSOR: Salcombe Gin

INSIDER TIP: The club encourages all dinghy sailors to base themselves on Mill Bay Beach for the week and will offer a trolley transfer service at the beginning and end of the week. For more info and local accommodation visit the website. 

WEBSITE: https://www.salcombeyc.org.uk/  

TORBAY DINGHY REGATTA

27-28 July, Royal Torbay YC, Torquay, Devon

OVERVIEW:  Two-day regatta with racing for PY dinghies (asymmetric and non-asymmetric) and junior classes in stunning Tor Bay on the English Riviera. Incorporating the Albacore Class Southern Area Championships. Fast and easy access to the sailing waters, lots of accommodation within easy walking distance and great Saturday night social.

INSIDER TIP:  Enquiries from class associations are welcome.

WEBSITE:   rtyc.org/event/torbay-dinghy-regatta-2024

TORBAY ROYAL REGATTA 

24-26 August, Royal Torbay YC, Torquay, Devon

OVERVIEW:  Racing over three days for IRC, Cruiser Classes, J/24s and Sportsboats. Competitors can expect fun and competitive racing on the fine sailing waters of Tor Bay. Free berthing is included in the entry fees and from the sheltered harbour there is quick and easy access to the race areas. The town offers an enviable range of accommodation, restaurants, bars and car parks all within walking distance of the club and harbour. Competitors and their families can be sure of a very warm welcome and will enjoy a friendly atmosphere, cordial hospitality and great shoreside entertainment.

INSIDER TIP:  The English Riviera is a great place to be during August! NOR on the website and further information available from  [email protected]                                   

WEBSITE:  rtyc.org/event/torbay-royal-regatta

WALES – Races and Regattas

Abersoch dinghy week .

21-26 July, South Caernarvonshire YC, Abersoch, North Wales

OVERVIEW:  Racing for all classes of asymmetric, doublehanded and singlehanded dinghies in Cardigan Bay’s fabulous waters. Continuing on with the new format started in 2022: committee boat starts with two shorter races back-to-back per day and varied courses, with the traditional starts from the club line as well, being wind dependent. Coached regatta fleet for the novice sailor/new racer. Full social programme.

INSIDER TIP:  Abersoch’s golden sandy beaches and the spectacular waters of Cardigan Bay allow SCYC to offer a fabulous week of competitive dinghy racing.

SPONSOR:  Abersoch Boatyard

WEBSITE:  scyc.co.uk/event/dinghy-week

ABERSOCH KEELBOAT WEEK 

19-23 August, South Caernarvonshire YC, Abersoch, North Wales

OVERVIEW:  SCYC is delighted to be organising and hosting AKW again, renowned for 40 years as a fun regatta with a serious edge. Fleets: Small Keelboats; IRC1; IRC2; White Sails (Non-Spinnaker) (split into two fleets); Sports Boats (new fleet). YTC scoring for Small Keelboats and White Sails. IRC classes: committee boat starts. Others: club or committee boat starts, using club marks.

INSIDER TIP:  A relaxed atmosphere off the water complements the competition on it. Practice day on Sunday 18 August.

SPONSORS:  One Sails (South)

WEBSITE:   scyc.co.uk/event/keelboat-week

CARDIGAN BAY REGATTA

9-11 August, New Quay YC, Ceredigion, West Wales

OVERVIEW: Three-day annual event with sailing races for all classes plus swimming races and fun events for children and families, and sandcastle building competitions on the first day. New Quay is one of the oldest regattas in the UK, first being held in 1829 – the 2024 regatta will be the 148th Cardigan Bay Regatta!

WEBSITE: cardiganbayregatta.co.uk 

MENAI STRAIT REGATTAS

5-17 August, Royal Anglesey YC/Royal Welsh YC, North Wales

OVERVIEW: The Menai Strait Regattas is one of the oldest classic boat regattas in Wales if not in the UK. The Menai Strait Regattas have used the same venues since the early 1800s and are pleased to have clubs locally and also north-west clubs mainly from the Merseyside/Wirral area competing. 

INSIDER TIP: There is no charge to watch the racing at any of the clubs along the Menai Strait. 

WEBSITE: menaistraitregattas.org.uk

SCOTLAND – Races and Regattas

Findhorn week.

22-26 July, Royal Findhorn YC, Findhorn, Moray, NE Scotland

OVERVIEW: A family dinghy week for both Handicap and Class (depending on number of boats) racing. There is also a separate Novice event for children. All taking place in Findhorn Bay. There is an extensive social programme alongside the sailing which makes this a great holiday for the whole family. INSIDER TIP: Get your accommodation in Findhorn booked early. SPONSOR: Pinnell & Bax

WEBSITE:  rfyc.co.uk/sailing/events  

SCOTTISH SERIES

24-27 May, Clyde Cruising Club, Tarbert, Loch Fyne, West Scotland

OVERVIEW: Three fleets: IRC, One Design and CYCA. IRC and OD classes will race on courses set using remote controlled SmartMarks. Another innovation for 2024 is the inclusion of an ‘Introductory Class’ to support first-time regatta skippers and crew. CYCA courses will be set using pre-laid static marks positioned strategically to allow a variety of racing formats. IRC and CYCA boats will sail the Sunday Inch Passage Race.

INSIDER TIP: A full social programme will be run over the four days at Tarbert in the marquee at the marina.

SPONSORS: Kylemark, Holland House & CGL Facades

WEBSITE:  scottishseries.co.uk

WEST HIGHLAND YACHTING WEEK

27 July-2 August, Craobh/Oban/Tobermory

OVERVIEW:  This is one of the leading international yachting events, in stunning surroundings, with a winning combination of round the buoys and passage racing, supported by an excellent social programme. West Highland Yachting Week also allows competitors to enter for individual races or the passage race series if they do not want to take part in the whole week. 

INSIDER TIP: The passage race series is a great way to try out the event for the first time or with a young family.

SPONSORS: Tunnocks, The Majestic Line, Lochnell Boatyard

WEBSITE:   whyw.co.uk

IRELAND – Races and Regattas

Cork week .

15-19 July, Royal Cork YC, Crosshaven, Co. Cork

OVERVIEW: The biennial Volvo Cork Week regatta running since 1978 is shaping up to be another fantastic iteration of this long-standing event. The secret of the event’s success cannot be attributed to any single aspect of its organisation but has been built on the combination of friendly competition, diverse racing, enthusiastic volunteers, and the good humour of thousands of visitors.

INSIDER TIP: Get there early to garner some local knowledge and enjoy the après sail!

SPONSORS: Volvo, Musto, Cork County Council, Port of Cork, Heineken.

WEBSITE:  corkweek.ie

CHANNEL ISLANDS – Races and Regattas

Jersey regatta  .

13-15 September, Royal Channel Islands YC, St Helier YC and St Catherine’s SC, Jersey

OVERVIEW: The Carey Olsen Jersey Regatta provides three days of fun and competitive racing coupled with a full ‘après racing’ social programme alongside the island’s vibrant nightlife. As ever the 26 th edition will offer a warm welcome to all, locals and visitors alike, with up to two races on Friday afternoon and three back-to-back races on both Saturday and Sunday: IRC cruiser/racer, sportsboat and Quarter Ton classes; RYA YTC cruiser/racer classes; dayboat, dinghy and sport catamaran classes. Included in the regatta programme is the ever-hotly contested GBR IRC Channel Islands Championship, open to all local and visiting IRC boats.

INSIDER TIP: ‘Early bird’ discounts until 23 August; book early for ferries and accommodation ( jersey.com ) as it is very busy in September; ship chandlers and refuelling stations are located at St Helier Harbour and St Aubin’s Harbour. 

SPONSOR: Offshore law firm Carey Olsen; co-sponsor Ports of Jersey – Jersey Marinas – complementary berthing.

WEBSITE: jerseyregatta.com

Whether your right up north, gearing up for Findhorn Week, searching for races and regattas in wales, or heading into the solent for Cowes Week, our races and regattas guide and calendar has you covered.

Interested in Classic Races and Regattas?

Our partner brand Classic Boat Magazine has the full Classic races and regattas 2024 calendar just for you!

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