Cowes Week marks the highlight of the yachting calendar when thousands of people from all over the world flock to the south coast to watch top notch yacht racing and enjoy a week long festival celebrating every kind of water-based sport.

Did You Know?

• Cowes Week has run every August since 1826
• It is one of the longest-running AND largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world
• Cowes comes from the name of the town on the Isle of Wight which hosts the event

• Up to a thousand boats and over 8,000 competitors take part over 350 races over the eight days
• 100,000 visitors are attracted to Cowes by festival activities including themed days, live music and marina based marquees
• French painter Raoul Dufy frequently painted the races in the late 1920s and early ’30s. This celebrated image entitled Regatta at Cowes is held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C 

• Prince Regent, later to become George V, known as ‘the first gentleman of England’ loved yachting; Cowes Week used to be his playground and the reserve of the very rich and privileged
• HRH The Princess Royal visited yesterday. She is patron of UKSA, the official charity of Cowes Week which gives opportunities to young people through sailing and watersports. Money raised will give a water-based sports session to every single year six school pupil on the Isle of Wight

• Want to take part? You don’t have to bring a boat, you can hire one and register to race. Or join a boat needing crew members and pitch in with a team
• Festival events with themes take place daily, including a special Ladies Day, Family Day, The Red Arrows display, and the grand finale concludes with the hugely popular fireworks

Can’t make it to Cowes? Red Letter Days offers similar experiences from East Sussex or Hampshire between April and September/October. Check out our yacht racing full days, half days, evenings, racing or sailing. We even have special yachting experiences for children, aboard modern Sigma 26 foot performance yachts!

Our brand new sailing experience includes a full day sailing from Gunwharf Quays over to Cowes and a sumptuous Pimm’s afternoon tea at the members only royal yacht club!

Love water? With our range of water based experiences, there’s something for everyone! Check them out here

IMAGES; RLD, Peter Trimming, Murky, Daniel hall via Flickr, Red arrows and Princess anne via wiki