Yachting World Dayboat Week 2025 at Royal Cornwall Yacht Club

Fleet moored off the RCYC - Yachting World Dayboat Week at Falmouth © Wendy Davies

This year's Yachting World Dayboat week was held from 26th to 31st July and was hosted by the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club in Falmouth.

This has always been a popular venue for the class but this year 30 boats entered, which was the largest fleet the class has enjoyed for 17 years. Another very positive sign for the future of the class was the large number of newcomers, and boats raced by families.

For the race week, RCYC laid 30 moorings below the wall of the clubhouse and provided a launch service to ferry the crews to and from their boats.

Sunday Race 1, wind NW 6-8mph, course triangle/sausage

Richard & Laura Lewis (DB673) sailed an excellent first beat to lead at the first mark, followed by Andrew Hewitt crewed by his 12-year-old son Stanley (DB639).

After the first triangle there was a progressive 60-degree wind shift which ultimately meant that the final reach to the finish turned into a true beat!

This did not present a problem to Andrew & Stanley who showed blistering boat speed to overtake Richard & Laura and sail into an unassailable lead which they held to the finish. Last year's Day Boat champion Peter Hewitt & Chris Lockett (DB669) impressively worked their way up the fleet to take 2nd place followed by Richard & Laura.

The Opportunity Race was run straight after the 1st points race. This race provides the chance for cadets and crews to take the helm and show what they can do. The race was sailed over a shortened course, although unfortunately the wind gradually died away after the start which meant that the fleet struggled to make headway over the tide. Despite these difficult conditions there were some very worthy winners in each category:

1st Lady Crew - Ellie Neiros
1st Male Crew - Chris Lockett
1st Under 19 Cadet - Zanna Gent
1st under 15 Cadet - Stanley Hewitt

Monday Race 2 & 3, wind NW 10-12 mph, course triangle/sausage

For Monday's races Neil Hopkins the PRO moved the course northwards up the Carrick Roads with the start area off St Just in Roseland. In the first race of the day David & Fiona Macfarlane (DB597) made an excellent start towards the pin end and found good pressure so that when they tacked onto port, they had established a clear lead over the fleet. Andrew Hewitt crewed today by his 10-year-old son Max were 2nd around the windward mark followed by Richard & Laura Lewis. Andrew & Max again showed great speed to overtake David & Fiona before the beginning of the 2nd beat and sailed away from the fleet to register their 2nd win of the event. In a repeat of Sunday, Peter & Chris worked their way through the fleet to finish 2nd followed by Richard & Laura.

In the 2nd race of the day, Simon & John Bullingham (DB677) won the pin end at the start and sailed up the left-hand side of the course. However, the mid route paid, and Andrew & Max rounded the windward mark 1st followed by Alan & Bob Davis (DB641) and David & Fiona. Andrew & Max went onto record their 3rd straight race win. They were followed by Colin Blewett & Chrissy Campbell (DB647) who had made up a huge amount of ground on the 2nd beat by hugging the right-hand side of the course. 3rd place went to Nigel & Isabelle Russell (DB614).

So, after the first three points races Andrew Hewitt and his sons had established a big lead over Peter & Chris.

Tuesday - Long Distance race, wind WNW 16-24mph

Tuesday's Long-Distance race is a stand-alone event with separate trophies awarded. This year, the course took the 21-boat fleet all the way up the Carrick Roads and then a further 1.5 miles up the Fal river beyond the King Harry Ferry to an old tugboat, which acted as the turning mark. The fleet then sailed back down the river to finish off Loe beach.

The strongest wind of the week suited Simon Veysey & Bruce Garrett (DB651) who battled with Peter & Chris and Richard & Laura all the way up the Carrick Roads and were still leading just short of the turning mark. However, Andrew Hewitt crewed today by Harry Lynall judged the final approach to the mark brilliantly to round in 1st place just ahead of Simon & Bruce. This order remained the same until just short of the finish when Simon & Bruce sailed into a flat patch allowing Michael Hewitt & Mila Chapman (DB678) to take 2nd place behind Andrew & Harry.

After the finish, the fleet enjoyed what one competitor described as an 'epic' planing reach all the way back down the Carrick Roads.

Matt and Cora Straker rounding the windward mark - Yachting World Dayboat Week at Falmouth - photo © Hilton

Tuesday night is traditionally Quiz night, and our quizmaster Bob Davis ran a highly successful and popular evening attended by well over 60 participants. The questions were very varied with topics to suit everyone including an intriguing nautical round to name the number, heights and locations of the masts on a variety of sailing boats!

To mark the 50th birthday of the oldest traditionally built riveted clinker wooden boat in the fleet (Avocet DB 565), Tim Parkinson the owner very generously provided the first round of drinks for everyone attending the quiz. A huge thank you to Tim and Happy Birthday Avocet!

At the end of the quiz Nick Crang and his family performed a special YWDB song they had written with everyone enthusiastically joining in for the chorus lines.

Wednesday Race 4, wind NW 12-14mph, course windward/leeward

This change of course produced some confusion in the fleet. Nigel & Isabelle sailed a brilliant 1st beat and rounded the windward mark with a substantial lead. Unfortunately, they together with the next 3 boats to round, missed the spreader mark.

The new leaders who sailed the correct course were Tim & Gerry Wilcock (DB664) followed by David & Fiona. This order stayed the same until the end of the 2nd lap when both Tim & Gerry and David & Fiona went to the finish line rather than sailing a third lap.

This allowed Peter & Chris to sail into a substantial lead which they held to the finish, followed by Peter & Annette Kay. Tim & Gerry recovered brilliantly to take 3rd place.

Action at the windward mark - Yachting World Dayboat Week at Falmouth - photo © Hilton

Thursday Race 5, wind WNW 12-14mph, course triangle/sausage

The race team delayed the start of this race to allow the wind to settle and build.

When the race started Richard & Laura had the best start at the committee boat end of the line and then tacked over and sailed a long port tack up the right-hand side of the course. When they eventually tacked back onto starboard, they had established a clear lead at the 1st mark. They were followed by Andrew & Stanley and Peter & Chris.

Once again Andrew & Stanley turned on the after burners to catch Richard & Laura before the gybe mark and then proceeded to sail away for their 4th points race win securing the title of Day Boat Champions.

The prize-giving was held in the marquee of the RCYC and was a very lively and exuberant affair. Sanders Sails were kind enough to donate a range of their merchandise which was presented to each of the cadet trophy winners.

Many congratulations to Andrew Hewett and his two sons Max and Stanley for an utterly dominant performance throughout the week.

Our thanks go to all the team at the RCYC who made the week such a success, particularly to our PRO Neil Hopkins, his race team and the mark layers for providing excellent courses all week.

Next year, Dayboat Week will take place in Poole (25th-30th July 2026) and the team at Poole Yacht Club have already begun planning for what I am sure will be another excellent week.

Champions Andrew, Stanley and Max Hewitt - Yachting World Dayboat Week at Falmouth - photo © Wendy Davies

Overall Results: