Left: cabin yachts have been a growing fixture
at Cowes Classics Week; Winifred (middle), a
replica of the original built in 1889,
was an amazing sight.
Middle row: Peggy Bawn; overall winner Roger
Wickens (with trophy); the day’s best pose!
Bottom row: 8-M Helen; friendly racing style;
restored vintage DragonCLASSIC BOAT OCTOBER 2016 59The 2016 regatta was the biggest
yet, with more classic classes and
a world championship
WORDS STEFFAN MEYRIC HUGHES
PHOTOS JAKE SUGDENCOWES
CLASSICS
If God had meant for there to be plastic boats, he
would have planted plastic trees. So read the
T-shirts at the first Cowes Classics Week in- These days the regatta actually features quite
a few ‘glassics’ but that hasn’t detracted from it. Far
from it, I reflect happily, as we pass a group of glass
Folkboats and Contessa 26s (enjoying their first half-
century this year) racing near the Royal Yacht Squadron.
It had to be the easiest job ever – “just pick the
prettiest boat” said Royal London Yacht Club
commodore Peter Taylor, for the CB prize for concours
d’elegance. It was a good excuse to take to the RIB for a
couple of hours with regatta PR Marina Johnson,
snapper Jake Sugden and driver John. On a breezy,
bouncy Solent in wind to 20kts, it was hard to tell what
was going on. We are talking 188 boats here, in 18
separate classes with nine different courses. One moment
we were hanging by a windward mark, watching the
Darings gybe around and smartly hoist their spinnakers
for the downwind leg. Next moment, 50 impatient
XODs strained at the start line, most crossing it too soon
and causing a re-start. Then another. Visual highlights
included the 36ft (11m) Victorian GL Watson cutter
Peggy Bawn mixing it up in the gaffers, the gaff cruising