RORC - EASTER REGATTA

Q: 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.

RORC Easter Challenge — early-season inshore weekend in Cowes

Dates

Dates TBA

Duration

1.3 days

Location

Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble

About

RORC's early-season inshore weekend in Cowes — friendly, coached, a great first race.

RORC's early-season inshore weekend — a Cowes-based shake-down regatta.

The RORC Easter Challenge is a Cowes-based inshore regatta over the Easter weekend, run by the Royal Ocean Racing Club. Per the RORC 2026 NoR programme, the location is Cowes — windward-leeward and short coastal courses on the central Solent.

A friendly format with on-the-water coaching from the RORC team between races, designed as an early-season blow-the-cobwebs event for crew preparing for the offshore season. Day-racing only — boat returns to Cowes each evening.

Ready to race?

£450

Book your place Have a question?

Race programme

Friday sail to Cowes · Saturday + Sunday inshore racing with coaching · Sunday evening sail home.

Friday — pre-regatta brief & dock-out
16:00 onwards
Crew arrive Mercury Yacht Harbour. Skipper brief, kit check. Sail to Cowes for overnight base.
Saturday — racing day 1
Multiple windward-leeward / short-coastal races. Coaching debrief afterwards. Ashore in Cowes.
Sunday — racing day 2
Continued racing and coaching. Prize-giving Sunday afternoon.
Sunday — sail home
Sail back to Mercury Yacht Harbour Sunday evening.

Joining details

Friday from 16:00 to sail to Cowes, or Saturday morning if you prefer.

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

Book your place Have a question?

What to bring

Day kit, layers, light bag — we provide lifejackets and full safety equipment.

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

Beginner — all experience levels welcome

FAQs

First-race suitability, experience needed, sleeping arrangements, kit.

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?

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RORC - EASTER REGATTA

About

Ready to race?

Race programme

Friday — pre-regatta brief & dock-out

Saturday — racing day 1

Sunday — racing day 2

Sunday — sail home

Joining details

Meeting point

Arrival

Parking

Crew WhatsApp

Before you arrive

Ready to race?

What to bring

Essential

Overnight

Offshore / double-handed

Provided

Not provided

Leave behind

Who can join

FAQs

What's on the boat vs what I bring?

What if the weather is bad?

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

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

Can I arrive the night before?

How do I cancel or change my booking?

Also sailing on OW

More with Louise Clayton

Ready to race?

Official links