Cowes Classics Week

About

Celebrating its 15th year, Cowes Classics Week is all about racing traditional yachts on the water and enjoying fabulous social events ashore.

120 boats will be sailing varied courses set in the Solent including Metre boats, Classic Racing Dayboats, Classic Yachts, Old Gaffers and Spirit of Tradition Yachts. Racing will run from the 27th June to the 1st July and there will be two races a day or three if weather conditions permit. 

Classic yachts always have a story to tell and those recently entered for Cowes Classics Week 2022 are no exception. The event attracts a wide variety of classic yachts ranging from fleets of one-design dayboats, to unique classics from a bygone era. Among the latter this year you will find Sally of Kames, owned by Alan and Jackie Stannah, and Charm of Rhu, owned by RLYC Commodore Martin Thomas. A previous owner of both yachts was a man with a passion for speed and a lively sense of humour. Ninian Sanderson, a racing driver from the 1950s, won Le Mans in 1956 in a Jaguar D-Type and many yacht regattas in the 1960s. Sadly, Sanderson did not win anything in Charm of Rhu but Thomas will do his best to turn things around in Cowes in 2022!

Other entries this year include Alberta and Zest. Alberta is an Essex oyster smack, built in 1885, worked hard for many years and restored to her former glory earlier this century. Zest, the first of a number of Tumlare yachts brought to the UK in the 1930s, was once described by Uffa Fox as “the most advanced type of cruiser in the world.

Please click here to view the latest news of the classes and competitors at Cowes Classics Week. 

The week will hold many social parties held at different club venues as well as a gala awards ceremony to celebrate the sailing. 

There will be a Cowes Classics Day on Sunday 26th June 2022

Cowes Classics Day continues to build momentum with an exciting line-up of classic cars, vintage buses and historic motor vessels now confirmed.  Admission is free of charge and visitors will have the opportunity to view 50 beautifully presented classic cars, together with some vintage buses and historic motor vessels at The Parade in Cowes.  Of particular interest to classic car enthusiasts might be the Rolls Royce 20/25, the Aston Martin DB2/4 or the Ferrari 365GTC “Daytona”.  The Rolls Royce was bought new in 1933 by the current owner’s grandfather and the Aston Martin was first owned by the jazz trombonist Chris Barber, who raced her at Silverstone.

Those with a passion for the sea will enjoy the sight of some unique motor vessels, each designed in a bygone era for very different purposes. 

Alberta is an Essex oyster smack, built in 1885, worked hard for many years and restored to her former glory earlier this century

Lilian is a gentleman’s motor yacht, built over 100 years ago in Sweden and still in superb condition

Miss Daisy is a racing powerboat which once competed in the Round-Britain race

To add to the patriotism and fun of the day, Major Mick, Britain’s famous charity fundraiser will arrive in Cowes at noon after rowing his homemade rowing boat Tintanic down the River Medina from the Folly Inn.  Although Tintanic is by no means a classic, its home-made construction using sheets of corrugated iron makes it truly eccentric.  Mick is currently raising money for ‘Children on the Edge’ in Ukraine.

Red Funnel Ferries, supporters of Cowes Classics Day, are offering day-return tickets on the Red Jet from Southampton including a cream tea served at the Royal London Yacht Club, right in front of the exhibits.

Visitors to Cowes Classics Day will also be able to enjoy the speciality ice creams, fudges, cakes and coffees available from the various artisan shops around The Parade. For more information on Cowes Classic Day please go to https://www.cowesclassicsweek.org/visit-classics-day

Cowes Classics Week are supporting two charities in 2022, UKSA (national maritime youth charity and the largest RYA training centre in the world) and Autism On The Water (raising awareness of the autistic spectrum through the sport of sailing and helping people with autism to access sailing).