150th Anniversary Events: The Royal Dart Yacht Club's Classics Regatta

Royal Dart Yacht Club Classics Regatta © Richard Prescott

There can be no more thrilling sight on the water than a fleet of classic yachts racing under sail, and the Royal Dart Yacht Club's Classics Regatta in July provides a wonderful opportunity to witness this spectacle. An impressive collection of classic yachts (those designed and built prior to 1974) will take part in two days of racing in Start Bay and a Sunday morning Parade of Sail before some of the fleet head to Plymouth to take part in a cross-channel race to Brest and La Rochelle.

The Classics Regatta will have special significance this year as it marks the 150th anniversary of the inaugural meeting of the Dart Yacht Club at the Castle Hotel, Dartmouth, on June 8, 1866. Royal approval for a name change came in 1873 and the club has maintained its links with royalty ever since – HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, is the current Admiral.

The Classics Regatta weekend is a popular date in the sailing calendar. Every alternate year, the Royal Dart Yacht Club supports the biennial Classic Challenge Regatta organised by CRAB- the Classic Regattas Anglo Breton. Last year there were 85 competing boats from five countries providing a spectacular opening to the weekend of events. After races at Dartmouth and a Parade of Sail, competitors set off for Paimpol in France then on to St Peter Port in Guernsey to continue racing.

This year's Classics Regatta starts for the crews on Friday, July 8, with arrival, registration and skippers briefing before a welcome reception and crew suppers at the Royal Dart Yacht Club in Kingswear.

On Saturday, July 9, the first Classics race begins at 11am in Start Bay with the second race starting shortly after its completion. Both will follow a triangular course. In the evening social activities continue with a Classics buffet dinner at the club.

On Sunday morning, crowds on Dartmouth Embankment will be in the perfect position to witness the spectacular Parade of Sail which starts at 11am as the fleet heads for Start Bay once again and the Classics Race 3, a bay race. The prizegiving takes place on the terrace of the Royal Dart Yacht Club at 4pm.

On Monday, July 11, there's a 7am start for the passage race to Plymouth in time for the Plymouth-Brest-La Rochelle which departs on Tuesday, July 12. The race is being run in the same spirit as the Classics Dartmouth-Paimpol-St Peter Port race which will next be held in July 2017.

The Classics Regatta is just one of the events which will mark the club's anniversary year. In a new event, they have issued a challenge to other Yacht Clubs in the South West to compete for a new team racing trophy. The Savills Commodore's Challenge Cup, which is sponsored by real estate services provider Savills, will be held in Start Bay on July 23.

Later in the summer is the Association of Sail Training Organisations Race for sail training ships (August 20-21). The Royal Dart Yacht Club will host the start and, in this special anniversary year, has launched the RDYC Provident 150 Challenge to sponsor ten local young people as crew on the traditional gaff-rigged Brixham trawler Provident. The trawler, part of the National Historic Fleet, was built in 1924 and is returning to sea this spring (MAY) after a year of restoration by the Trinity Sailing Foundation.

For further information on the Royal Dart Yacht Club and its 150th Anniversary, please visit www.royaldart.co.uk. To join in the conversation, 'Like' on Facebook and follow on Twitter @royaldartyc