Greece at the top of global yachting last year

 

According to an annual analysis, the Greek market leads the global ranking with 3,030 vessels available for charter, while demand for catamaran-type vessels shows a steadily upward trend.

Greek yachting recorded a global first place in 2025, with our country having the largest number of vessels available for charter and surpassing traditional competitors, according to data from Riginos Yachts.

With a total of 3,030 available vessels, of which 904 are catamarans, our country leads the international ranking, with Croatia following with 2,531 vessels, Italy with 1,282 vessels, France with 970 vessels and Turkey with 578 vessels.

This superiority becomes even more evident in the premium catamaran category, where the Greek fleet significantly outperforms international competition. According to the same data, Greece has almost twice as many catamarans as Croatia, which reaches the number of 501 catamarans, while Italy follows with 438.

France and Turkey rank even lower, with 72 and 146 catamarans respectively, confirming our country’s dominance in the category. The category is steadily gaining ground in the preferences of charterers, offering the comfort, stability and luxury that the modern traveler seeks.

The impressive rise of Greek yachting is also reflected in the dominance of specific catamaran models, which monopolize the interest of the international market. The Lagoon 42, Lagoon 46 and Lagoon 40 confirm their long-standing superiority as the most popular vessels in Greek seas, while the strong presence of the Bali 4.2, Bali 4.6 and Bali Catspace highlights the clear trend toward vessels that offer the ideal environment for multi-day holidays.

At the destination level, the main areas in Greece that have vessels available for charter are located in Athens, with the marinas of Alimos and Lavrio being dominant. The Ionian follows with consistently high demand, with vessels mainly in Lefkada, Corfu and Preveza, attracting in particular charterers from markets such as Germany, France, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia.

Despite the perception that yacht holidays are a high-cost option, the data confirm that they remain a particularly competitive alternative compared with staying in luxury accommodations or villas. Indicatively, the rental of a sailing yacht starts from €3,000 per week, offering a group of 6–8 people not only accommodation but also the possibility of daily movement and exploration of new destinations within just one week, an advantage that no conventional accommodation can offer. The final cost depends on the type of vessel and the services provided, while it is significantly influenced by the time period, with demand and prices peaking during the high season of July and August.

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Join the Haven Knox-Johnston 'Cruising Adventures in your Wayfarer' webinar

 

Free webinar - Cruising adventures in your Wayfarer: A practical guide to overnight cruising

What do overnight cruising adventures really look like in a small open dinghy?

If you'd like to discover how it's not only achievable, but also a rewarding way to explore coastal waters, join our upcoming webinar, where we'll be joined by our latest webinar guest, experienced Wayfarer sailor Jonathan Ferguson.

Jonathan will share what he has learned from extensive dinghy cruising in UK waters. From coastal passages to ambitious voyages including sailing to Shetland and single-handed to Barra from the Scottish mainland, Jonathan will explain what is possible in a 16 foot open dinghy, and how to approach it safely and enjoyably.

When: Thursday 19th March at 1930 GMT

Click here to register

This Webinar Covers:

Planning and navigation

Storage on a dinghy

Boat setup for cruising

Clothing

Victualling

Sleeping on a dinghy

Live Q&A

If you are unable to join us live, the webinar will be recorded and uploaded to the Haven KJ YouTube channel. Follow our social media channels or subscribe on YouTube to be notified when it becomes available.

Follow our social media channels or subscribe on YouTube to be notified when the recording becomes available.

1720 Sportsboat Class - A busy 2026 year ahead

 The 2026 season for the 1720 Sportsboat class is filling up nicely with 3 scheduled events.

The Royal Cork Yacht Club will be hosting an April league on each of the Saturdays in April to kick start the season for the 27ft class. With short and sharp races scheduled, crew hope to dust off any winter cobwebs and fine tune their boat handling skills in advance of the busy season ahead.

The club will also be hosting the Doyle Sails Ireland sponsored Southern Championships on the weekend of the 16th & 17th May. With a 7 race series scheduled off the waters of Cork Harbour, racing is expected to be hotly contested as a season opener. With early entries to date, the Class is expecting a strong 20 boat fleet with entries from Baltimore, Lough Derg, Galway Bay, Howth, Dunmore East and Kinsale.

With a quick turnaround, Baltimore Sailing Club will be hosting the National Championships from 12th to 14th June. 2026 marks the 30th anniversary from the first Nationals which was hosted by the class and the current class captain Robert Dix was quick to remind all current owners of the competition in the class in 1996 following his victory in the inaugural Championships. Baltimore offers 3 fantastic race courses within the waters of West Cork which were duly tested during the 2022 Nationals when all were utilised in varying weather conditions.

Baltimore Sailing Club will also be running club league racing in July & August with their well supported Baltimore Cup taking place on 1st & 2nd August. Held over 2 days, the series of racing offers an action packed events inside Baltimore harbour with a strong spectator crowd viewing from the square outside Bushe's Bar!

The European Championship will be held in the 4th to 6th Sept in Lough Derg Yacht Club. Following the success of the Southerns in 2024, the Dromineer club is hoping to target a competitive 25 fleet with close racing expected off the shores of the clubhouse. Testing lake conditions could be both a blessing and a cruse in a very short space of time.

The class has seen a recent injection of new owners over the last season which include Karl & Peter Fagan, Jonny Sargent, Emma Geary & James Kitt, Graeme Noonan and Marty O'Leary showing a healthy balance of single and co-ownerships making great value for racing. The class offers plenty for sailors regardless of age, fitness, shape & size with crews ranging from 5-6 sailors that often include multiple generations of families.

The class benefit from a strong mixture of gender in crews with the 2025 National Champions RopeDock Atara holding an impressive 50/50 crew with an average of 25-30% of crews being female across the fleet. To add to this, with helms including Mia Murphy, Aisling Keller and Emma Geary, female sailors in leadership roles on the boats continues to growth.

Since it's design inception in 1992, the class has always attracted the best sailors which have included Ben Ainslie, Dean Barker and Jimmy Spithill along with all of the top Irish sailors. Whilst it has seen a number of ups and down over the 34 year lifespan, with the recent influx of sailors and strongly supported events, two keys values of the class have always remained - Competitive and Fun racing.

International Dragon legends to assemble off Cowes in August 2026

 

August 2026 will see the crème de la crème of the International Dragon fleet assemble off Cowes, UK for the 2026 Edinburgh Cup and International Dragon Association UK Grand Prix. The Edinburgh Cup is presented annually to the winner of the Dragon British Open Championship, whilst the Dragon UK Grand Prix is one of the four European Grand Prix Series Regattas being held in 2026. The two events will run concurrently from Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 August.

Under the leadership of British Dragon Association (BDA) Chairman Chris Grosscurth and Event Director Gavia Wilkinson-Cox, the event will be hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS), with racing taking place on windward-leeward courses in the central Solent.

2026 sees the BDA celebrate its 70th Anniversary, and alongside a world class racing programme, competitors will also enjoy a special celebratory social programme, which will include a welcome reception on the RYS’s famous lawn, and a Prize Giving Gala Dinner in the RYS Pavillion.

The fleet will be based at Cowes Yacht Haven, where launching and recovery will also take place. Registration will commence on Sunday 16 August and continue until Monday 17 August when there will also be a special BDA 70th Anniversary Celebration Race and Practice Race. The championship series will run from Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 August.

For overseas competitors travelling to Cowes there is a bumper summer of sailing on offer. From 1 to 7 August Cowes Week will celebrate its 200th Anniversary with a strong Dragon fleet participating. The Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix will be immediately followed by the Marblehead Trophy, the International Dragon’s premier inter-club competition. Organised by the Royal Yacht Squadron and hosted by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, with the Bluebottle crew, Dragon teams are welcomed to Cowes to challenge for the Marblehead Trophy, one of the sport’s most historic prizes. Any recognised club can challenge the holder in a series of races designated by the current holder in his or her country.

BDA Chairman, and Dragon Solent Fleet Captain, Chris Grosscurth highlights the prestige of the combined event; “The Edinburgh Cup returning to Cowes as an International Dragon Association Grade 1 regatta is something we are extremely proud of. It is a privilege for the UK Dragon community to host one of the class’s premier events once again.

“We are seeing a genuine swell of enthusiasm for Dragon sailing, not only across our regional fleets in the UK, but internationally as well. There has already been strong interest from British sailors, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming teams travelling from further afield to race on the Solent. The Edinburgh Cup has always held a special place in the Dragon calendar, and 2026 promises to be a particularly memorable edition.”

Further information about the regatta, including the Notice of Race and online entry can be found at britishdragons.org. A discounted early entry fee is available to those who enter by 31 March, after which standard entry remains open until 31 July, with entries then being accepted until 7 August with a late entry fee.

Further information about the Edinburgh Cup can be found at britishdragons.org

Record-breaking sailor completes solo global trip

 

A world record holding adventurer has added another first to her name after circumnavigating the globe in a 19ft (5.8m) plywood yacht.

Jasmine Harrison took 381 days to travel 26,000 nautical miles to and from Falmouth Harbour in Antigua.

The 26-year-old, from Thirsk, sailed across four oceans as part of the Mini Globe Race and stopped in 15 different countries, including Panama, Tahiti, South Africa and Brazil.

After completing her epic adventure - the first time a British woman has sailed solo around the world in a vessel of that size - she said: "I'm relieved to have finished, but also sad that's it's over. It's been an incredible journey."

The swimming teacher, lifeguard and adventurer was one of 15 sailors taking part in the world solo sailing race, with only 11 sailors completing the feat.

"I took one stage at a time, never really absorbing the totality of the journey until now. To think that I've sailed solo around the world, across four oceans is surreal" she said.

As part of the trip, Jasmine came into contact with many different marine animals including dolphins, whales and sharks.

"The wildlife has been an absolute highlight and the sunsets are always incredible," she added.

During a seven-day break in St Helena she also became the first woman to swim around the island in the South Atlantic - completing the grueling 30-mile swim in 18.5 hours.

Announcing the Torbay Dinghy Regatta and Torbay Royal Regatta 2026

 

The Torbay Dinghy Regatta will take place over the weekend July 11th - 12th Open to PY Dinghies both Asymmetric and Non-Asymmetric, and Junior Classes.

The club is especially excited that the Melges 15 class have chosen Torbay to host their first ever UK National Championships. The event is being supported by the Melges 15 class, with charter boats available and a coaching day on Friday 10th. Enquiries from dinghy classes seeking a venue for their Regional or Seasonal are always welcome. Competitors, their friends, and families are encouraged to meet up at the club on the evening of Friday 10th for pre regatta drinks, the social programme continues after racing on Saturday 11th with a BBQ and music at the club.

The Torbay Royal Regatta will be taking place at the same venue August 21st -24th The event is open to IRC yachts with the IRC South West Championship an integral part of the event, Cruisers, Sportsboats and SB20's, and three National Championships. Interest is already high and with two courses the bay will be alive with colour, action, and activity.

The J/24 class have been regular supporters of the regatta in recent years we delighted to welcome them back for their 2026 Nationals. The Impala class will also be heading to Torbay for their Nationals, and with the location midway between the Solent/Poole and Plymouth/Falmouth fleets, a strong entry is expected.

The RS 21 class are excited about bringing their National Championships to the English Riviera for the first time, and the club are looking forward to hosting this high profile event over 4 days. Charter boats are available now here.

The growing local fleet of SB20's can be assured of fast and competitive racing, and with the SB20 Worlds coming to Torbay in next year, high entries are expected as the UK fleet prepare for 2027.

The club will be hosting post racing social events in the club with the traditional and ever popular Commodores Welcome party on the Friday evening, music on Saturday night, entertainment Sunday, with the bar and restaurant open throughout.

Regatta time has been the highlight of the summer season for over two hundred years, and the Torbay Royal Regatta was one of the first to be granted royal patronage. Torquay on the English Riviera is just a great place to be in the summer. The town offers a wide choice of accommodation, an unrivalled range of harbourside cafes, bars, and restaurants, all within easy walking distance of the club, car park, and harbour.

Over many years, the Royal Torbay Yacht Club has established an enviable reputation in hosting top class regattas and championships. Torbay is a spectacular location with racing on some of the finest sailing waters in the world. The club and its members are looking forward to welcoming sailors from around the country to come and join us at these events.

For further information on both events contact Bob Penfold events@rtyc.org

DIY sailor completes round-the-world trip

 

A 61-year-old man has completed a round-the-world voyage in a boat he hand-built in his garden shed.

Adam Waugh, from Angerton in Northumberland, had limited sailing experience before signing up for the inaugural Mini Globe Race.

He arrived in Antigua on Monday after travelling 28,000 nautical miles solo around the world in his 19ft (5.8m) yacht Little Wren, raising £60,000 for UK cancer charity The Ella Dawson Foundation.

Waugh said he was feeling "on top of the world" after a total of 250 days at sea.

"I thought it would take a while for it to sink in, but within minutes of crossing the finish line there was a weight lifted off my shoulders and a... feeling of real elation," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"The biggest challenge [of the trip] was mental rather than physical. It's a very small boat and the seas were quite big, so quite often you couldn't be outside, you had to be sitting inside the cabin for safety reasons.

"A lot of time in a very small area in intense heat was testing. But it's amazing what you can do and what you get used to."

Waugh began building Little Wren in early 2022, spending two years constructing the yacht in his shed at home, before she was launched at Amble Marina in March 2024 for sea trials.

After being transported to Portugal in December 2024, Waugh completed his first offshore passage to Lanzarote, then took his first solo 3,000-nautical-mile qualifying voyage to Antigua.

In February last year he lined up with 14 other competitors in identical Class Globe 5.80 yachts for the start of the inaugural Mini Globe Race.

During the qualifying trip, he broke several ribs falling over in rough seas and a key piece of equipment, his spinnaker pole, was lost overboard.

But Waugh, who is the first known Northumbrian to sail solo around the world in a self-built yacht under 20ft (6m), said there were also lots of highlights.

"This journey has pushed me to my limits in ways I never imagined," he said.

"There have been incredible highs and some very tough moments, but I feel truly privileged to have experienced it."

He said he loved seeing sunrises and sunsets on the ocean, as well as whales, some great white sharks, turtles and sea crocodiles.

"And of course you spend a lot of time on your own and having time to reflect on life, so has been quite a journey."

The Ella Dawson Foundation was set up in memory of Newcastle University student Ella Dawson, who died from cancer in 2021, aged just 24.

The foundation offers tailored well-being services designed to help young people live well at every stage of their cancer journey, supporting more than 1,000 young adults and their families in the UK each year.

Entries open for the 80th Merlin Rocket Nationals

 

Entries for the 80th Merlin Rocket Aspire National Championships are NOW OPEN.

Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy will host the Merlin Rocket Class from Saturday 22nd to Friday 28th August 2026 for six days of racing, nine races will seek to find our 80th National Champions.

There's going to be plenty of action on and off the water. With the schedule of racing moved around to [hopefully] enable the Crew's Race to take place. What Went Well is back, plus Helen and Geoff Kimber have an action-packed fun filled social programme including fancy dress, discos, paella, dancing, golf plus more.

Paul Dean's Buddy Bonaza is also making a return; you have got to be there to understand the joy this brings to the fleet.

The battles will continue throughout the fleet. There is one start line with multiple battles happening for gold, silver and bronze fleet victories.

There is a class subsidised entry for boats where both the helm and crew are under 25, and all entries include two evenings with food, plus snacks when the sailors come ashore. The class has boats available to loan and can help with a crew matching service.

Who will secure their entry on the start line in the Champions of Champions race at Upper Thames Sailing Club on Saturday 5th September and be able to have a gold Merlin Rocket emblem on their mainsail?

More news on sponsors coming soon.

You've got to hoist the sails to have a shot at the silverware!

Enter at: portal.merlinrocket.co.uk/event/weymouth-and-portland-national-sailing-academy-national-championships

Brassed Off Cup returns to Howth Yacht Club in 2026

 

Howth Yacht Club's much-loved Brassed Off Cup is back and set to sail in just a few weeks on Good Friday, April 3rd. The event promises the perfect spring shake-off for Optimist sailors, kicking off the season with energy, excitement, and friendly rivalry.

The lively annual regatta has firmly established itself on the junior sailing calendar, attracting young competitors from across Dublin to the sheltered waters just north of Howth Harbour. With the first real taste of spring sailing, participants will dust off their gear and dive straight into action.

The format is designed for fast, fun racing with three short, sharp races from 11:00, ensuring plenty of thrills on the water. And in true Brassed Off Cup tradition, every sailor goes home with an Easter Egg!

Whether you're taking part or cheering from the pier, the Brassed Off Cup offers a brilliant way to kick off the season and celebrate junior sailing in Dublin.

Notice of race & online entry details: hyc.ie/open-events

Shustoke Gauntlet 2026

 Sunshine has been difficult to find this winter, so when Shustoke Sailing Club threw down the Gauntlet to visitors to race against them on Sunday 1st March, 23 visiting boats took up the challenge and were treated to some rare winter sun.

Not since 2017 when a fresh faced Andy Davis got his hands on the fearsome gauntlet trophy has a visitor won the senior race. This year with its own active and growing junior section Shustoke Sailing Club also drew a crowd of juniors to compete for the junior gauntlet.

There was a fabulous fleet of 43 boats with16 different classes on the water with a large contingent of Solo's and a good number of Lightning travellers using the race to kick off their 2026 season.

With a light base wind flowing over the more sheltered clubhouse side of the water the occasional gusts made for challenging racing conditions. The sun though put smiles on the faces of most racers... even those climbing back in their boats following an early bath.

Race one was competitive from the start with the U18's, Fin Neal, William Clarke, Adam Collins, Thomas Croxton and Ed Croxton in the Toppers working their way around the course doing their best to hold off the bigger boats. The course and shifting wind provided ample opportunity for the racers to find an edge and the mass of the fleet changed places regularly. Matt Thrushfield in his Supernova and local lad Adrian Padro and crew Hatty Connolly climbed the ladder through the fleet and as the racers neared the end of the first race, Andy Davis in his Finn slipped past Adam Froggatt in the Phantom to take the first bullet.

The break for lunch was well received and recharged everyone's batteries ready for what turned into being a more gusty afternoons race.

Some fabulous racing from William Clarke in his Topper saw him hold off the larger boats until the dying minutes when Oliver Davenport in his Solo and Andy Davis in the Finn ran through to take second & first place respectively.

With two wins out of two Andy Davies romped home to take away the Senior Gauntlet trophy, with Olly Davenport a close second & Adam Froggatt in third. A fabulous performance by Will Clarke secured him the junior Gauntlet trophy with Tom Croxton in second and Ed Croxton in a commendable third position.

Big thanks go to the race team, rescue crews, galley team, DJ and all the volunteers who helped make the event possible - a great day enjoyed by all!

Overseas Boats Drive Round Ireland 2026 Fleet Toward 30

 

The entry list for the Round Ireland Yacht Race 2026 has grown again, with five more boats registered since Afloat’s last early bird entry rate update. 

The additions bring the fleet to 29 entries, with 19 of them visiting boats from outside Ireland. The last race in 2024 had a final entry of 48 boats.

The latest yachts to join the list include Aruba, a Pogo RC entered by Tanguy Bouroullec, and the Class40 Maccaferri Futura skippered by Italy’s Luca Rosetti.

Irish entries among the latest additions include the return of Cinnamon Girl, the Sun Fast 3300 entered by doublehanders of Sam Hunt and Cian McCarthy of Kinsale Yacht Club.

Early March entry numbers appear broadly in line with the same stage of the previous race cycle.

Despite the availability of a reduced entry fee for boats registering before the end of February, fewer Irish boats than expected appear to have entered early.

The largest yacht currently on the list is Venomous, a Carroll Marine 60, although she may not be among the most competitive boats on corrected time.

Attention may instead centre on a trio of 43-footers entered so far, including two Ker 43 designs and John Treanor’s NMD 43 Cristina.

However, larger and faster yachts could still join the fleet in the coming months as teams assess the competition and the potential for an open line honours contest.

Howth Yacht Club’s John Murphy, the 2025 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race champion, has also entered the J/109 Outrageous.

Meanwhile, Noel Coleman has registered the Oyster 37 Blue Oyster, representing the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, early entries showed a strong international trend in the fleet.

That pattern continues, with a majority of entries coming from the UK and European offshore racing circuits.

The race starts from Wicklow Harbour on Saturday 20 June 2026, organised by Wicklow Sailing Club in association with the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

The 704-nautical-mile course runs clockwise around Ireland, leaving all islands to starboard except Rockall.

Entries paid in full before the end of February qualified for an early entry discount of up to €400.

The closing date for entries is 31 May 2026, although applications after that date may be accepted at the discretion of the organising authority.

Bass Week 1-9 August 2026

 For decades Bass Week has attracted visitors from across the country, renowned for competitive racing, a fantastic social programme for all the family, stunning views of the fells, and arguably the best vantage point of Skiddaw mountain.

In recent years the event has also seen growing momentum in traditional classes such as the Flying Fifteen, alongside increasing junior participation in Mirrors, Fevas and Teras.

The nine-day schedule offers real variety, with one-day mini-series, single-race events and two pursuit races ensuring there's something for every sailor. Be sure to enter early, as caravan and motorhome pitches often sell out within the first few days, part of what makes Bass Week so special is the chance to stay on site, camping within the beautiful sailing club grounds. Food is available throughout the event from the club galley as well as visiting food vans, and three generous prize-givings, supported by race sponsors, help keep competition fierce and the glassware impressive.

This year's new title sponsor, Navigators & General Insurance, adds further energy to the event; business development manager John Tuckwell notes, "This is the kind of event that captures everything great about the sport — fun, friendly competition, and a community that keeps coming back year after year."

Bass Week continues to offer outstanding value at under £250 for racing and camping for two people sailing a double-hander. You can enter directly from 1st April by visiting www.bassweek.org.uk

DBSC Sets Late Entry Deadline for 2026 Summer Sailing Season

 

Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) has reminded members that late entries for keelboats and Wags in the 2026 AIB DBSC summer sailing season close on Wednesday, 18 March.

The club is urging competitors to submit their entries as soon as possible, ahead of the new racing programme. The season will run from Thursday 23 April to Saturday 26 September and will feature DBSC’s regular weekly racing schedule across the bay.

The first Thursday race is set for 23 April, followed by the opening Saturday race on 25 April and the first Tuesday race on 28 April. The final Tuesday race will take place on 25 August, the last Thursday race on 27 August, and the season will conclude with Saturday racing on 26 September.

Organisers say two popular initiatives will return this year. The Women on the Water Tuesday evening racing series will again require a female helm and at least 50 per cent female crew.

The Under 30s Keelboat Team programme will also continue, offering a 25 per cent entry discount to encourage younger sailors into keelboat racing. DBSC said further updates will be issued before the season begins, with the AIB DBSC 2026 Yearbook scheduled for publication early in the season.

Entry forms for membership renewal and keelboat racing are now available online, while dinghy membership and entry forms have been published separately. The club said it looks forward to welcoming sailors back on the water for the 2026 season.