Cowes Week has opened for entries. This iconic British event, one of the longest running in UK sporting history, will run from 31 July to 7 August, and celebrate its 184th anniversary.

The team at Cowes Week Limited have been work behind-the-scenes to make improvements to the regatta in response to feedback and requests. As a result, a number of changes have been made for 2010…

Crew Lists

This year a crew list requirement has been introduced, designed to improve communications between the regatta organisers and participants. This will ensure all competitors have access to the information they need (not just the person who enters the boat) and planned improvements and amendments to the Sailing Instructions can be reported as widely as possible.

Class Changes for 2010

J/Sprit & J/92 Championship – the J/Sprit class has been re-instated to split out the majority of fixed bowsprits from boats with moveable spinnaker poles. The first four days of Cowes Week will also be used by the J/92s as their National Championship.

Sigma 33 Championship – the Sigma 33s will use the 2010 regatta as their Class Championship.

Mixed Dayboat Class – the 707, 1720, and Sonata fleets will be amalgamated into a single mixed dayboat class. They will use the same class flag, have the same starts, courses and finishes but have separate one-design fleet results.

Sportsboat (SBR) class – If sufficient numbers of people want to race using the RYA/RORC  sportsboat rule then a class will be added to the mixed dayboat class. Please contact the Regatta Office to discuss.

IRC rated fleet – To reduce the average fleet size, the number of IRC classes will be increased by two. Following your feedback last year, we will be doing splits based purely on rating.

Large, canting keeled boats – There are unlikely to be enough of this type of boat in the UK to justify their own fleet and they do not fit easily into a fleet of boats with fixed keels. However, if sufficient numbers of canting keeled boats want to race, we will consider running racing for these boats. Please contact the Regatta Office to discuss.

Cruisers – To accommodate cruisers, two choices are offered:

a) A non-spinnaker class for the whole week.
b) A class for a single day of racing on the final Saturday using the free and simple Island Sailing Club Rating System. This is offered with the low entry fee of only £40 for the day’s racing, regardless of boat size.

Longtze Class – We are delighted to welcome this new and exciting planing dayboat and anticipate an inaugural fleet of between 15 and 20 boats.

Course Setting

Good courses are a key component of Cowes Week and something the organisers take very seriously.  To ensure consistently high standards are achieved, a number of improvements for 2010 have been made:

Black and White Groups will each have a dedicated Principle Course Setter chosen from a core team of only the most experienced racing sailors. They will be assisted by club representatives.

The support team will be strengthened and extensive pre-event training sessions, designed to help familiarise all team members with a variety of race-day scenarios, will be run.

An overall course setting coordinator will be in place to maintain good communications and to ensure that each course satisfies the ethos of fun and challenging racing.

Berthing

Following feedback from the 2009 event, we have been able to agree some reductions for you in the cost of berthing during Cowes Week.

For 2010 Cowes Yacht Haven has reduced its berthing prices by 10%. Although currently fully booked, Cowes Yacht Haven will keep a number of berths available on a first come first served basis for people wanting to experience Cowes Week for a short time period. There will also be FREE entry into Cowes Yacht Haven each evening (excluding fireworks night).

East Cowes Marina have rolled back their Cowes Week Package to 2006 prices and  access will be improved for 2010 as Solent & Wightline Cruises, courtesy of East Cowes Marina and Cowes Harbour Commission, will provide a free upriver ferry service.

Responding to a number of requests for provision of short-stay berthing, organisers are introducing a new facility on Trinity Landing; berthing for up to 3 hours for a fixed fee of £15. This will be strictly limited according to availability and pre-booking will not be possible.

To enter online, or read more, download the Notice of Regatta at www.cowesweek.co.uk