Cowes Classics Week

Cowes Classics Week over 23rd - 27th July 2012 is in its fifth year and is expecting over 100 boats to feature in racing for 8ms, 6ms, Darings, Dragons, Bembridge Redwings, Solent Sunbeams, Loch Longs,  Bembridge One Designs, X One Designs and Yarmouth One Designs. The event is run by the Royal London Yacht Club in conjunction with the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Royal Victoria Yacht Club and the Island Sailing Club.

LATEST NEWS
Following the class captains meeting (which forms the steering group for the style of this event) plans for 2012 are now swinging into action.

The dates are later than usual, as is Cowes Week due to the Olympics which will soak up just about every available resource for organising a regatta and will be followed as usual by the Household Division Yacht Club Regatta and the Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta at the weekend. Cowes Week will be two weeks after the end of Cowes Classics Week, immediately after the end of the Olympic sailing. The British Classic Yacht Club Regatta has move earlier to the 2nd week of July so we'll not be together this year again.

We have one major anniversary - the 75th of the Loch Longs who will attend again from Aldeburgh and the Clyde.

We are also working to organise a handicap fleet under the title Classic Revival as we had considerable interest from a number of boats last year. The racing boats from the Old Gaffers Association have been invited and a special prize will be awarded for gaff-rigged boats. So, if you have a classic keelboat and can't get more of the fleet to come, or maybe just a one-off, you can still join in. You'll find it really is a great event. It will be a great opportunity for the many one-design classes from around the country to come together once a year. In the past, almost every major yacht club has commissioned their own one-design. Many of these normally only have the opportunity to sail in small local fleets based around the few remaining boats and enthusiastic owners and some fleets are so fragmented that they have little opportunity to sail together. On the whole, they are fairly easily moved and mainland facilities have been organised for launching and the crossing to Cowes. 

This will be the Fifth event, now simply called Cowes Classics Week and incorporating the Metre & Classic Keelboat Regatta. Cowes has become the centre for classic sailing in Northern Europe, consistent with its heritage and will bring to Cowes the largest fleet of classic boats ever assembled in the UK.

A Note on Eligibility
What makes a classic boat? Debate rages continuously and will possibly never be resolved. From a practical standpoint, it is the provenance of the class that defines its classic status - with both one design classes and development classes new boats will constantly be built, but the design or rule will have been established at the outset. The acceptability of a new class will be determined by the Class Captain's Steering Group. This means that the Regatta is open to both old and new boats of an eligible class. Having said that, some classes may opt to attend with old boats only (however that is defined by the class) as these are often uncompetitive in regular events and this Regatta provides something 'special' just for them. This is a decision for the class officers and the Regatta organisers will endeavour to accomodate the wishes of any class.

Background to the Event
The Metre Regatta evolved from the successful Centenary Regatta for the International Rule held in Cowes during July 2007 at which 80 Metre boats attended from places as far apart as Australia and the USA. There had been a latent demand from the keelboats for a similar event, now fulfilled.

Fleet racing will be organised for individual classes where numbers are sufficient. Otherwise, a class result may be provided in a mixed fleet and handicap racing provided for others.

Following on from the Regatta, The Household Division Yacht Club hold a one day regatta every year on the Saturday before Cowes Week followed by the Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta on Sunday - traditional warm-up races for Cowes Week