With this current cold snap warmer weather can seem far away, but now is the time to start planning your sailing for 2026. We are delighted to be providing our New Year update on the 2026 Ramsgate Week Regatta, being held between 19th and 24th July 2026.
We are offering a DOUBLE early bird discount for bookings before the end of January 2026. A saving of £65!
Visit www.ramsgateweek.com/entry-form for further details and to take advantage of the double early bird entry options.
The sailing season at Largs Sailing Club got off to a exciting start with the Optimum Time New Year's Race, delivering sunny but bracing winter conditions, close racing and an impressive turnout on the water.
Despite the cold, 28 boats launched for the first race of the year, making the most of a stiff north-westerly breeze. The fleet was rewarded with competitive racing across the classes, setting a positive tone for the season ahead.
Race 1 got under way with a busy start line as the majority of the fleet battled for the favoured starboard end. The breeze continued to build through the race, easing only slightly on the final laps. Tight mark roundings kept the pressure on, with boats jostling for position at every opportunity. The tighter reach to the wing mark proved testing for the asymmetric boats, while the non-spinnaker classes thrived, enjoying fantastic reaching conditions across the top of the course.
A swift course reset, as the wind increased to 18-19 knots, set the scene for an equally exciting Race 2 which delivered some sporty conditions. Boats heading right to the Largs shore on the opening beat were rewarded with less tide and a favourable shift, allowing the slower boats to make it to the windward mark just behind the quicker boats (in theory!) who had chosen the left-hand side in the main channel. As the pressure built, the Hurricane came into its own, blasting through five laps with impressive upwind speed. Meanwhile, racing within the main pack of D-Zeros, Solos, ILCAs, GPs and Enterprises remained close and competitive, even as fatigue began to set in after a full-on sail in classic Scottish winter conditions.
Credit must go to the race officials for setting a tight course that kept the racing intense, full of corners, and ensured accurate finish times despite a flurry of boats charging across the line. It was a bitterly cold day for the three RIB crews, who did a superb job managing a few capsized boats in between laying some great courses.
verall honours went to Dave and Ian Kent of Largs Sailing Club, who claimed victory in their Hurricane 5.9 after a strong and consistent performance. Their win was followed by a tightly contested Solo class, with Kevin Gibb of Largo Bay securing second place and Stuart Gibson of CCC taking third.
A standout performance also came from ILCA 6 sailor Kate Shelley of Largs Sailing Club, who was the best-placed youth sailor of the day.
The event was supported by Optimum Time, whose sponsorship included prizes for the competitors - ensuring that there will be no excuses on the start line for the winners in the future.
With the New Year's Race now complete, attention turns to the rest of the season. Largs Sailing Club will shortly publish its 2026 race calendar, while the popular Frostbite Series is set to begin on 22nd February. Visiting sailors are warmly welcomed, with plenty of time beforehand for winter maintenance, or a bit of relaxed bimbling before returning to the water.
The Fastnet Trophy 2026 will take place in Schull Harbour from 17–19 April. The Notice of Race has now been published.
The schools team racing event enters its second year following a successful debut in 2025. Organisers hope to build on last year’s momentum with a larger entry.
Schull Community College Sailing Club is again hosting the event in association with the Fastnet Marine Outdoor Education Centre. Racing will be managed on the water by Schull's Dave Harte.
A large team of local volunteers and past pupils will support the event throughout the weekend. The format remains an invitational schools team racing regatta.
Royal Hospital School, UK, returns as defending champion. Irish schools are expected to provide strong competition, with further UK entries also anticipated.
Schools wishing to compete must request an invitation via the Notice of Race. The closing date for applications is 6 February 2026.
Despite the forecast of 30mph gusts and sub-zero wind chill there was a good turnout for the Ripon SC Whisky Stakes on New Year's Day.
With the fleet ranging in speed from RS200 to Optimists race officers Em and Ali set a beat through the narrows to the north lake, followed by an occasionally extremely interesting run back to the south lake, with a fast reach across to the jetties and a further run down to the factory before turning to beat back towards the club house.
In the first race James and Sue in the RS200 pulled away at the start chased by a mixed pack of Streakers and Solos. The first beat through the narrows was a little congested but the pack thinned out down the run with the leading Streakers able to make good use of some of the gusts down the narrows to gain distance on the RS200. During the second beat places changed in the Streaker pack with Lucy finding her way to the front, still chasing the RS200 while in the junior fleet Ethan had pulled away from the other Laser Radials. The wind stayed fairly consistent throughout, although one or two people got caught out by some classic Ripon shifts at Point. With a second back to back race to follow, the race team shortened course on 3 laps for the leading boats (2 laps for the Optimists), with the bulk of the fleet finishing in a 5 minute window.
With the weather still much better than forecast only one boat decided that one race was enough and the second race started promptly. Chris definitely won the start on this one, judging it almost to the millimetre, and there was some fierce racing between the Streakers up the first beat. A bad tack from Lucy resulted in turns, letting Steve and Ian through to chase Chris down the run, while Ethan was definitely enjoying the increasing wind speed. During the second lap the wind really started to build and the gusts and shifts became less and less predictable. Having clawed her way back into contention in the Streakers, a huge gust on the downwind leg in the narrows wiped Lucy out but also took Steve out, while Chris ended up in completely the wrong part of the lake (but still the right way up!). Further down the fleet the carnage continued, with two boats retiring and several getting to test the water temperature, and the race team decided that enough was enough and shortened the course on two laps for the leaders.
Back in the clubhouse Gail had done a fantastic job turning everyone's Bring & Share contributions into an amazing lunch spread while Em and Ali had the results processed well before the last sailor was out of the boatpark, never mind the changing rooms. The overall results in the junior (U18) fleet saw Ethan finish first followed by Oscar in second and Matthew third, all sailing in ILCA6. The overall winner of the Whisky Stakes was Ian Priest (Streaker) with James and Sue (RS200) second and Lucy (Streaker) third.
Many thanks all the club volunteers who contributed to running the event, and particularly to Ali and Em in the race box and Nigel and Michael in the safety boat for their efforts on the day. Here's to a fantastic year for Ripon SC in 2026!
🌞 Here are Some Top Sunny Sailing Destinations for a New Year Break
🌴 Caribbean (Trade Wind Paradise)
Best picks: Antigua, St Martin & St Barts, Grenada, British Virgin Islands, Grenadines
Why go: Classic winter-sun sailing with reliable trade winds, warm seas, and easy island hopping between beautiful anchorages, beaches and snorkel spots.
What to expect: Daytime temps ~24-28°C, steady winds perfect for cruising.
Tip: The BVIs (Tortola, Virgin Gorda, etc.) are excellent if you want sheltered waters and shorter hops between stops.
✈️ Flights from the UK generally take around 9-10 hours and Barbados, St Martin, or Antigua are excellent hubs for charters.
🌊 Seychelles & Indian Ocean Islands
Best picks: Mahé, Praslin & the Inner Islands
Why go: Winter (Dec-Feb) is warm and sunny with trade winds — island hopping here feels like sailing in postcard waters with crystalline anchorages.
Weather: Around 29°C, calm seas, ideal for both novice and experienced sailors.
🏝 Thailand (Andaman Sea)
Region: Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi islands, Phang Nga Bay
When: Dry season (Dec-Apr) — bright sunny days and pleasant winds.
Vibe: Tropical beaches, dramatic limestone scenery and sheltered anchorages perfect for day sails and snorkelling.
🐠 Maldives
Why go: A very scenic option for a charter with warm weather and calm seas in January.
Highlights: Crystal clear water, coral reefs everywhere you anchor, and secluded little atolls for peaceful sailing.
☀️ Canary Islands (Short-haul, Mild Warmth)
Best islands: Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura
Weather: Around 20–25°C with pleasant winds — not tropical heat but reliably sunny and comfortable.
Great for: If you want sun-soaked sailing with a shorter flight from the UK.
Would you like help planning your next trip?
Please let us know about your sailing experiences and where you're planning to go by using our Contact Form on this Blog, with your requirements to receive immediate help and assistance and using our Vast Knowledge and Experience to Help and Guide You.
WITH 12,000 RENTAL YACHTS ACROSS 60 COUNTRIES WHICH ONE WILL YOU CHOOSE?
#yachts2rentnow
Entries for both the International Paint Poole Regatta and The 2026 IRC European Championship are now live at pooleregatta.co.uk. Poole Regatta takes place over the late May Bank Holiday from the 23rd to 25th May 2026, with an extra day of racing scheduled on the 22nd May for the European Championship. Be one of the first competitors to enter over the New Year break and start 2026 as you mean to go on out on the water! It's the perfect New Year's Resolution.
As one of the UK's most popular keel boat events, the regatta will also host the IRC Southern Area Championships, VPRS Championship, J80 National Championship and Sonata Southern Championship. Around 200 yachts across 28 classes are expected to compete over five racecourses in carefully matched fleets for competitive, closely fought racing. Classes competing at the 2026 regatta also include TP52, Performance40s, Cape31, J70, J24, Impala, Contessa32, HP30, Quarter Ton Class, Mini Tonners, Sports boats, RS21, Classics, Folkboat Class, Sigma 33 & 38s, Beneteau 40.7, Flying Fifteens, 2.4mR, Shrimpers, XOD and the Non-Spinnaker Class.
The regatta is set against the picturesque backdrop of Old Harry's rock and the Purbeck Hills and organised by a highly experienced committee from the combined yacht clubs of Poole, who have been successfully running the event since 2000. Decades of race organising experience means Poole Regatta receives great feedback from competitors regarding both the on-water racing and social events every evening. With the generous support of our sponsors, the prize-giving is always a bountiful affair with the overall regatta winner picking up the historic Canford Cup, which predates the America's Cup Auld Mug by 2 years, demonstrating the yacht racing heritage of the region!
The 2026 regatta sees International Paint retain their title sponsorship for the 26th year and are joined in support by the recognised brands of Haven Knox-Johnston, Poole Harbour Commissioners, Charles Stanley, Stoneways Marine, Rooster, Salcombe Distilling Co and The Knot Agency without whom, the regatta could not exist. The charity partner for 2026 is Poole Lifeboat Station.
For direct access to the entry forms, visit pooleregatta.co.uk/entry-information
In a non-Fastnet year, for 2026 the East Anglian Offshore Racing Association is offering a new format programme in the hope of encouraging more boats to sample the delights of racing beyond their local waters.
The season will start with a coastal regatta to make the most of the first May Bank Holiday. There will be races from Harwich to Medway (Saturday May 2), Medway to Burnham (Sunday May 3) and Burnham to West Mersea (Monday May 4). This will give seasoned racers a great opportunity to test and tune their boats a couple of weeks before the RORC’s North Sea Race (Harwich to Scheveningen on Friday May 15).
To encourage newcomers, the mini regatta will have classes for both IRC and YTC handicap systems.
YTC entrants will also be welcome to join in EAORA’s renowned Southern Holland Race Week (Monday June 22 to Friday June 26) - racing in sheltered inland waters, visiting favourite Dutch ports and with a great social programme apres race, an event not to be missed. IRC entrants can start their week with the RORC East Coast Race (Harwich to Breskens on Saturday June 20).
The 2026 EAORA programme then continues with the Round the Goodwins Race (Ramsgate, Sunday July 19), the HMS Halcyon Cup (Harwich to Lowestoft, Saturday August 15, and the Houghton Cup (Burnham, Saturday September 5) before the traditional season’s finale, The Buckley Goblets (West Mersea to Ostend (Friday September 18).
For full details visit www.eaora.org.uk
Ten hardy boats shrugged off truly Arctic temperatures to line up for the Scammonden Water Sailing Club Freezer Open on the 28th of December. The last race on Scammonden's 2025 calendar is always a good chance to burn off Christmas dinner. Conditions delivered a classic Scammonden challenge: a North-Easterly breeze at 8-9mph, with gusts of up to 16mph as it funnelled off the dam wall.
The 90-minute endurance test got under way promptly at 11:30, and it was the local Enterprise pairing of Ollie Boocock and Luke Hartshorn who nailed the start, launching cleanly off the line. They rounded the first windward mark locked in a tight battle with early pace-setters Mike Goodwin (SWSC) and Ian Jones (Dovestone), both flying the flag for the ILCA fleet.
As the race unfolded, Scammonden showed its teeth. The wind refused to sit still, slowly shifting throughout the race and constantly bending around the surrounding hills. The infamous Scammonden topography ensured no two laps were the same: shifts and sudden cruel gusts meant that a winning move on one lap could become a glaring faux pas on the next.
Mid-race, Ian Jones began to stretch his legs. Consistently plotting the best course, he steadily extended his advantage and looked increasingly untouchable as the clock ticked on. Over the closing stages he controlled the fleet confidently, eventually taking both line honours and overall victory.
Behind him, Boocock and Hartshorn once again demonstrated formidable pace in their Enterprise, securing second place and holding on to the title of fastest enterprise from Scammonden. Mike Goodwin negotiated the aeros well, and sailed a consistently strong race to claim third.
The battle for fourth went right down to the wire, with the second Enterprise of the two Holdaways just edging out Ben Ratcliffe's RS Aero on corrected time in a closely fought handicap duel.
As ever, Scammonden hospitality matched the quality of the racing. Competitors thawed out first with hot soup, and then an outstanding post-race spread featuring a choice of pies or lasagne, followed by an impressive selection of desserts. Huge thanks go to the galley team for keeping sailors warm and well-fed, and to the race officers and rescue crew whose commitment ensured racing could go ahead despite the Baltic conditions.
Winter racing at its very best: demanding, tactical, and hugely rewarding.
It was wall to wall sunshine for our 'Festive Junior & Youth Race' on Saturday as 17 boats from Optimist to 29er battled it out up and down the River Hamble in a gusty North-Easterly breeze.
It was 6 knots one minute, 20 knots the next, keeping the sailors on their toes! Despite a few capsizes everyone returned to shore smiling!
After warming up, the sailors joined club member Jacqui who hosted a Q&A session with Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team driver Dylan Fletcher.
Dylan then kindly gave out the prizes to our winners.
1st Overall - Jake D - ILCA 6
2nd Overall - Thomas M - Topper 5.3
3rd Overall - Aedan H - ILCA 4
1st Double Hander - Sam W & Max EA - Feva
Commodore Roger was pleased to present Dylan with a WSC burgee as a token of our thanks for his visit.
To find out more about joining Warsash SC please head to warsashsc.org.uk/membership
The Enterprise Association is delighted to announce that the 2026 Enterprise National Championships will be held at South Shields Sailing Club, from 23rd to 26th May, marking a special celebration of the class's 70th anniversary. This four-day event will bring together the nation's finest Enterprise sailors for a showcase of skill, strategy, and camaraderie.
South Shields Sailing Club's commodore, Nick Woodhouse added, "We are honoured to welcome the Enterprise Nationals and to celebrate the class's 70th anniversary. It's a fantastic opportunity for our members and the wider community to participate or witness some of the best sailing in the country, while also celebrating the rich history of the Enterprise dinghy."
The championships will feature 9 races over four days, alongside social events, prize-giving ceremonies, and opportunities to reflect on the Enterprise class's seven-decade legacy. Competitors, families, and sailing enthusiasts are invited to join in this landmark celebration of one of the UK's most enduring dinghy classes.
For registration, schedules, and event information, visit sailenterprise.co.uk. Entrants are encouraged to join the WhatsApp community.
In celebration of the anniversary the Enterprise Association is also offering a 70% discount on membership fees; new and existing members can join the class for 2026 at a price of £7.50 via the class website.
The Lark Class has had a really strong 2025, but 2026 already looks to be even stronger.
40 to 50 boats expected for the Lark Nationals in Fowey (26th-29th July 2026)
With 32 boats already pre-entered for the 2026 Musto Lark National Championship and over 40 boats already having booked their accommodation, it is set to be largest Lark Nationals in over a decade . People are returning to the Class who left 20 years ago, more youth teams getting boats, and lots of local interest. This will build on the 33 entries in Abersoch in 2025, and the Class has booked Looe in 2027 and Weymouth in 2028.
Newcomers to the Class can buy a competitive second hand boat that could win an Open Meeting or get you in the Top 10 at the Nationals (Yachts & Yachting Gear Guide). This is attracting a new generation of Lark sailors from youth classes, those leaving university, and others attracted by the low cost of a new boat and strong competition. The Class also has growing Club fleets at Barnt Green, Frensham, Shustoke, South Staffs, Netley, Weymouth, Waldringfield and Banbury and Littleton, and a growing interest in refurbishing old Larks found in dinghy parks and eBay/Facebook for next to nothing.
The Class is making a welcome return to the RYA Dinghy Show in Farnborough from 21st - 22nd February 2026. We will have a brand new Synergy boat on the stand, so why not come and find out how you can try a Lark and get involved.
The future is bright for the Lark Class as it looks forward to a phenomenal 2026, why not come and see what you are missing, visit larkclass.org.
