At the inaugural meeting of a liaison group, formed from the regatta organisers of two major classic yachting events taking place this year at Cowes, it was decided to develop the relationship into a prototype Cowes Classic Week. The aim is to bring together a number of classic sailing events into one week where these amazing boats can collectively create a magnificent spectacle and celebrate the long tradition and contribution to world-class sailing of yachts from the past. The Liaison Group, will coordinate on-the-water and social activities across the events and enable resource sharing where appropriate.

The group aspires to establish Cowes as the Northern European centre of classic yachting through focussing activity and in the longer term to become a key link in a Northern European Classic Circuit.

Key events this year are:

• British Classic Yacht Club Regatta (BCYC): 20-25 July, now in its 6th year, run by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club (RCYC). Each year this event has attracted greater numbers of yachts of greater provenance and historical importance, including yachts from famous designers such as Fife, McGruer, Nicholson, S&S and Herreshof. This event focuses on larger boats, many from famous offshore racing events of the past or renowned passage-making and this year has attracted for the first time, a number of the classic Superyachts, such as Lulworth (23mR), Cambria (23mR), Mariquita (19mR), Mariette, the Lady Anne (15mR) and Adix (209ft, 3-masted).
• The Metre & Classic Keelboat Regatta: 22-25 July, run by the Royal London Yacht Club (RLYC), has developed from last year’s Centenary Regatta of the International Rule (the Metre boats) and what is quite clearly a latent demand from keelboat classes, classics in their own right and classic divisions of long-established classes. This event focuses on those boats built exclusively for inshore racing and, in another first, will challenge IRC to rate these boats.
• A Celebration of 100 Years of Olympic Yachting: 24 July, hosted by the Royal Victoria Yacht Club (RVYC). The very first yachting Olympics were held by the Royal Victoria Yacht Club in 1908 at Ryde with 6mR, 7mR and 8mR boats and with the 12mR sailing on the Clyde. It will be celebrated with the participation of the RYA including on-the-water activities and an evening gala reception.
• The Isle of Wight Classic Boat Museum in conjunction with the RLYC will organise a rally for smaller yachts during the week to make Cowes Classic Week as inclusive as possible
• On Saturday, 26th July all the yachts from the week’s events will participate in a sail-past, close in to Cowes Green to enable spectators to appreciate the magnificence of these yachts.
• The Household Division Yacht Club will run their annual regatta on Saturday 26th and the Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta will be held on Sunday 27th July, both events for metre boats and invited racing classes.

The meeting was held in the Model Room at the Royal Thames Yacht Club on the 15th January 2008, a fitting location, since many of the models on the walls are of the actual boats and classes that will participate in these events.

The group, mostly made up of Islanders, comprises:

• Rees Martin, Secretary, British International Six Metre Association (BISMA) and organiser of last year’ Metre Regatta, Member RLYC
• Bob Milner, Principal Race Officer, RLYC
• Derek Hodd, Chairman of Sailing, RLYC
• Louise Morton, , Sailing Committee, RCYC
• Tim Blackman, Commodore, BCYC, member RVYC
• David Orton, Hon. Secretary, BCYC
• David Elliott, Secretary, Racing Classes, BCYC; Committee BISMA; Bosham Sailing Club