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18
CLASSIC BOAT JUNE 2019
TELL TALES
S
ome of us will remember the very first Cowes Classics Week,
with the distinctive T-shirts that read "If God had meant for
there to be plastic boats, he would have planted plastic trees."
Well, this 27 July to 2 August will be the 12th iteration of the event,
and it's great to see how it has grown over those years. With a new
title sponsor this year (Red Funnel) that has signed a three-year
deal, and so many boats (close to 200), it counts as one of the
biggest classic regattas in the world. These days, it takes almost
100 volunteers to run the five race circuits and almost countless
classes. To witness this regatta up close, or to take part in it, is to
be part of a great spectacle of today's classic yachting world.
Watching a stream of Darings drop spinnakers as they round the
downwind mark, or seeing the XODs break their own start line over
and over again, all set in the sparkling, dark green chalk-bed seas of
the Solent, with heavy marine traffic passing by in the background,
then to celebrate it all back at the timeless Royal London YC and later,
to bump into old friends in Cowes for an impromptu dinner,
is to witness the magic of what this event is all about. It has
traditionally been a dayboat regatta but the 'cruiser class' (cabin
yachts) has been growing steadily as well over the years and this
trend continues. There were nine registered as we went to press,
with more to come no doubt. There are too many classes to list
here, but if you want to enter, do so at the website below.
Entry: cowesclassicsweek.org
PREVIEW
Cowes Classic Week
Main Picture l to r: Ivy Green, an Ed Burnett
designed gaff cutter, the Herreshoff half rater
Winifred, and Golant Gaffer Satellite
Above, clockwise from top left: XOD fleet; 8-M
yachts; the Squib class; Athena of 1929