Solent

Solent Dragon Fleet

Sailing International Dragons from Cowes

Solent Membership   Solent Contacts   Solent Rules   Solent Series Scoring

 

 

Sailing an International Dragon in the Solent provides fantastic challenges for the enthusiastic day boat racer.  The local fleet is made up of several modern and classic dragons.  We race from the end of April to the end of September.  Racing is coordinated by Cowes Clubs and Classes Association (CCCA). We race alongside other keelboat fleets: Etchells, Darings, Xboats and sports boats so there is plenty to watch for on the water.

Each weekend a highly experienced race management team will set courses to optimise racing in the ever changing tide and wind conditions of The Solent’s 36 square miles of open water.  Race officers from the Royal Yacht Squadron, RORC, Royal London Yacht Club, Island Sailing Club, Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club, Royal Thames Yacht Club take it in turn to set the weekend’s courses. A schedule  is set at the beginning of the year to offer

  • Solent Series “Round the cans” courses – negotiate the complex combination of tides and winds, making use of the 70+ buoys in the Solent
  • Cowes Keelboat Championship: Windward leewards provide championship style racing on the Bramble Bank

In addition to the weekend club sailing there are a number of regattas throughout the year open to the fleet and visitors.  In 2023 there is a packed schedule for Dragons.

Cowes is the spiritual home of keel boat racing and the Dragon Fleet has been an established part of the Cowes scene from the 1940s.  The roster of fleet championship winners is a who’s who of South Coast sailors -the Duke of Edinburgh’s yacht Bluebottle was class champion in 1954.

The fleet is highly competitive with no quarter given on the water.  On shore it is warm and welcoming, taking advantage of the clubs and restaurants in Cowes and its surrounds.   We are always delighted to introduce visitors, prospective owner and crews to the joy of sailing Dragons in the Solent.

For further information please contact the Solent team

Owen Pay, Fleet Captain owen_pay@yahoo.co.uk
Josy Roberts-Pay, Fleet secretary josy_robertspay@yahoo.co.uk