NB: this site still reports the 2011 event and will be updated shortly On Monday 23rd July, which is registration day and opening ceremony, the Daring Class are inviting teams to match race in Darings - get your teams together and details will be posted in due course. also, the Daring Class has a number of boats available to charter at moderate rates, sponsored by the class and Lallows - contact us if you have any interest Classic Boat have offered a 35% discount on subscriptions to participants - Use this link Download Copy of poster
Following the class captains meeting, plans for 2011 are now swinging into action. For 2011, we have reverted to a 4 day event with Registration and Opening Ceremony on Monday, then racing throughout the rest of the week (with the 6mR sailing Thursday and Friday only). On Friday, it is planned to have a second race and then have a later prize-giving with a meal instead of lunch which should make it less challenging to get the racing over and back to the club.

Loch Longs

The dates are one week later than usual, as is Cowes Week due to Spring Tides. This gives us a Neaps Week and the usual one week interval before Cowes Week and will be followed as usual by the Household Division Yacht Club Regatta and the Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta at the weekend. The British Classic Yacht Club Regatta will remain in the 3rd week of July so we'll not be together this year.

We have two anniversaries - the Centenary of the X One Designs and the 50th of the Darings. Both classes are planning major celebrations. Regular support has been received from owners of 6mR, Darings, Dragons, Sunbeams, Bembridge Redwing, X One Design, Bembridge One Design and Yarmouth One Designs

We had hoped to have two new classes represented but we'll have only one of them - maybe not in force, but as a 'taster' - the Loch Longs and Mersey Mylnes. The Loch Longs are based at Aldeburgh and Cove on Loch Long (Clyde) - they are planning to come in force in 2012 and some boats want to come as a tryout in 2011. The Mylne One Designs sail from the Royal Mersey Yacht Club and there is a quorum that want to come. However, a combination of boat problems and logistics mean that they have postponed coming until next year - we hope to be able to arrange a Tour for the class to include the regatta. Both of these classes have probably never sailed in the Solent before and they were both featured in the December 2010 edition of Classic Boat. We may also have had representation from the classic fleet of the Flying Fifteens who have expressed interest, but again not this year - maybe for some time in the future.

Mylne ODs

We had also hoped to organise a handicap fleet and had interest from about 15 boats, but in the end too many have withdrawn and this option will have to be postponed until next year. So for the future, 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 Fourth Metre & Classic Keelboat Regatta, Cowes having 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.

Trinity Landing

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 - see details.

It is hoped that more fleets may adopt the event as a regular or occasional slot in their calendar although the format is designed to enable all-comers. Class Captains are encouraged to contact David Elliott – see contacts.