RORC - DU GUINGAND BOWL

RORC - DU GUINGAND BOWL

RORC De Guingand Bowl — round-trip Channel race from Cowes, part of the Cowes Offshore Series

Sat, 30 May 2026·09:00 startIn 18 days

Dates

30 May 2026

Duration

1.3 days

Distance

75 nm

Location

Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble

About

Round-trip Channel race from Cowes, ~75 nm — part of the 2026 RORC Cowes Offshore Series.

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Round-trip Channel race, part of the 2026 RORC Cowes Offshore Series.

The De Guingand Bowl Race is a round-trip Channel race from Cowes — out into the Channel and back to the Solent. Per the RORC 2026 NoR programme, the course is approximately 75 nm. No foreign port: it's a single-leg out-and-back race with a Solent finish.

Same-weekend race: Saturday brief and start, return to the Solent finish, ashore Sunday. A good introduction to RORC offshore racing for crew building toward longer Channel races.

Ready to race?

£450 · In 18 days · Sat 30 May

Race programme

Friday optional brief · Saturday race start · overnight in Channel · Sunday finish in Solent.

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  1. Friday evening — pre-race brief (optional)

    18:00 onwards

    Optional Friday arrival. Skipper brief, kit check. Dinner aboard.

  2. Saturday morning — late arrivals & dock-out

    by 08:00

    Saturday-arrival crew in by 08:00 for condensed brief, kit check and dock-out.

  3. Saturday — race start

    see RORC SI

    Race start off Cowes. Course out into the Channel and back to the Solent finish.

  4. Sunday morning — finish & ashore

    Most boats finish overnight or Sunday morning. Recovery, debrief, ashore by midday.

Joining details

Friday from 18:00 or Saturday morning by 08:00 — Saturday start.

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Meeting point

Mercury Yacht Harbour, Satchell Lane, Hamble-le-Rice, SO31 4HQ. We meet on the pontoon by your assigned berth — your skipper will share the berth number and a location pin in the crew WhatsApp group the week before.

Meeting point

- Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble (postcode shown above). Pontoon and berth shared in the crew WhatsApp the week before.

Arrival

- Arrive by the start time shown on this event page. - Subject to availability you can arrive the night before — arrange with the skipper in the WhatsApp.

Parking

- Free at Mercury, except Round the Island Race weekend.

Crew WhatsApp

- Set up by the Wednesday before. Confirms timings, weather, destination berth.

Before you arrive

- Emergency contact, medical info and waiver in your dashboard profile. - International races: upload passport details.

Ready to race?

£450 · In 18 days · Sat 30 May

What to bring

Full offshore kit, sleeping bag — we provide lifejackets and full Cat-2 safety equipment.

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Essential

- Waterproof sailing jacket + salopettes - Sailing boots (deck shoes only OK for inshore day races) - Warm base layers (no cotton) + mid-layer fleece - Hat and sailing gloves - Sun hat, sunglasses with retainer, sun cream - Head torch with red-light mode (any night sailing or offshore) - Personal medication - Sea-sickness remedy (taken 30 mins before the start) - Water bottle and snacks for the day - Soft holdall or dry bag — no hard suitcases

Overnight

- 3-4 season sleeping bag (no bedding provided) - Toiletries, change of clothes, quick-dry towel

Offshore / double-handed

- Notebook for debrief - Passport for cross channel races

Provided

- Yacht, professional skipper/coach - Life jackets and safety kit - Charts, AIS, VHF (+ satcom offshore) - Galley kit, water, tea, coffee - Mooring fees and insurance

Not provided

- Food and snacks aboard — bring your own, or shared crew food order on overnight / offshore (cost shared, leftovers taken home).

Leave behind

- Hard suitcases, hair dryers, excess alcohol.

Who can join

  • Intermediate — prior race yacht training

Boats on this event

Log in to see who's on board

HOD

HOD

4 crew aboard

Skipper: Cal Finlayson
OW

OW

0 crew aboard

LOD

LOD

2 crew aboard · Full

FAQs

Where it finishes, passport, watch system, suitability as a first offshore.

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What's on the boat vs what I bring?

On board: yacht, skipper/coach, lifejackets and safety kit, galley kit, water/tea/coffee. You bring: personal kit, layers, sleeping bag (if overnight) plus food and snacks.

What if the weather is bad?

We still run something — theory, manoeuvres in the lee of land, sheltered routes. Seriously weather-affected weekends rerun at a discount where reasonable.

I'm sea-sick prone — can I still come?

Yes. Take your remedy 30 mins before the start, not after. Tell your skipper in the safety brief.

I don't have a partner — can I still book?

Yes. We pair crew via the WhatsApp before each event. You won't be the odd one out.

Can I arrive the night before?

Usually possible, subject to availability. Arrange with the skipper in the crew WhatsApp.

How do I cancel or change my booking?

Contact us early — refunds and changes are handled case-by-case under our T&Cs. Earlier is always better.

Also sailing on OW & LOD & HOD

More with Cal Finlayson

Ready to race?

£450 · In 18 days · Sat 30 May

Official links

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