Keelboat Regatta in Cowes - Expression of Interest
LCSC Keelboat Regatta October 2026
Members only.
We are hosting a keelboat regatta at the Island Sailing Club in Cowes. This weekend will include training and practice races followed by a regatta. May the best crew win!
When & where will it be held?T
This will be on the 17 th and 18th of October 2026. You will need to be at the Island Sailing Club in Cowes by 9.30am and the event will finish late afternoon on the Sunday.
What are the boats?
The boats are called Sonars. They are a keelboat that we will crew with 4 people per boat. They have symmetric spinnakers and a spinnaker pole which may be a new challenge depending on your sailing experience.
What is the Itinerary?
Saturday
- Meet at Island Sailing on Saturday morning at 9:30AM for introductions and safety briefing
- Form initial crews and get on the water by 11.00AM
- Coaching and learning the boats until 12:00pm
- Lunch on the water 12.30pm to 1.00pm
- Practice Races 1.00pm to 4.00pm
- Debrief with Coaches and finalise race crews until 6.00pm
- Dinner and fun in Cowes 7pm onwards
Sunday
- Meet at Island Sailing on Saturday morning at 9.30AM for introductions and safety briefing
- On the water and ready by 11am
- First races 11am-12.30pm
- Lunch 12.30pm-1.00pm
- Afternoon races 1.00pm to 3.00pm
- Awards Ceremony 3.30pm to 4.30pm (protest hearings if required)
- Heading home
What kind of racing?
We will be doing short races, 5 to 6 a day. They will mostly be windward leeward raced with legs no longer than 0.5 of a mile. Island Sailing Club will provide a race committee.
How do I get there?
The Red Jet ferry is the best way of getting to this part of Cowes which leaves from Southampton. If you are catching the train you can set "West Cowes" as the destination and the ferry will be included in your rail ticket
What does it cost?
The costs are expected to be about £180 per person. This includes the costs for hiring the boats, coaching, and organising the racing. This excludes food, travel, and accommodation. We can suggest accommodation options for different budgets.
What do I need to bring?
You can wear either clothes that you would for offshore sailing or for dinghy sailing. Because these are keelboats you should not capsize, but they are small boats and the risk of falling in the water is still there. Island Sailng Club will provide life jackets and safety packs.
What experience do I need?
We will make sure that we balance the experience of the crews as evenly as we can so we are able to accommodate novice racers through to veterans. If you have experience sailing or racing a dinghy that will be an added benefit, especially if you have sailed under spinnakers before. An understanding of the key Racing Rules of Sailing is also a benefit.
Coaching?
We are looking to get 1-2 coaches available on the water to support us on the Saturday. They will give feedback both on and off the water.
I'm Interested what next?
Please sign up below if interested in joining us. Once we have sufficient numbers, we will form a Whatsapp Group to announce next steps and forward the bookable link.
Please contact Guy Turner for any queries rcoffshoreracing@lcsc.org.uk
Last updated 6:34pm on 23 April 2026