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Cowes Week 2026 - How Did We Get Here?

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:26:10 GMT

I Think I Will Need A Nervous Wee !

As we motor into Cowes Yacht Haven to find our berth for Cowes Week 2026, I start to wonder how we got here. Not in the physical sense, that was easy, I got in the car in Billericay, drove to Gosport, got on the boat and motored over to Cowes.

No, I mean in the "How on earth did we get here" sense!

When I acquired Aquila, my 1979 Westerly GK29, she was showing her age. Outdated fittings, rigging in need of renewal, a dodgy old engine at best, saggy sails, more wiring than the space shuttle (as an example, there was a football size blob of wiring including wires that connected to nothing at all and the steaming light positive and negative both connected to a power feed !) but, she was now mine and now we are here.

Over the last 5 years we have new standing rigging, new running rigging, new instrument displays and plotter including a NMEA 2000 network, wiring stripped out and replaced, including the dodgy 240volt set up (gazoiks !), new (2nd hand) engine, new fuel tank and lines, new windows you can see out of, crisp new radial cut sails. The gas set up has been completely removed including the non compliant, really heavy locker and replaced with a camping simple gas hob which means all in all, we are riding higher in the water by about 2 inches and along with the new paint job (by my own fair hand), we will be racing.

Phew !

I think she is sailing better now than for a long time and really lifts in 6 knots plus, feeling "light" in the water and easy on the helm. All we need is a professional crew and not the three old men who are stumbling around, giggling, cursing and offering each other no help at all other than a few smirks and laughs.

Can't wait to get going.

Reminder to myself - Must not get drunk on the first night of Cowes Week !

Cowes Week 2026 - Sat 1st - Day 1

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:57:15 GMT

A Day Of Two Halves That Turned Out To Be Hard Work

We sat around all morning baking in the hot sun with no wind to cool you down or sail in. The race committee raised the AP flag and announced a 2 hour delay while they waited for the sea breeze to kick in.

We motored out to the start line and off we went just after 14.00 into a Westerly force 5. It was bordering on too much for Aquila with full rig and after discussing a reef, decided to leave it all up in the air.

The start was ok and we went over just after the gun whereas some boats were early and all drove down the line to the pin end and some were early over “OCS” or On Coarse Side forcing them to turn around ad go through the start once again. We tacked away quickly to get clean air but it was out of the deep water where the tide was strongest so we lost out a little there.

The beat up to the first mark was ok but we soon decided that the wind strength was too high for Aquila and a reef should have been put in. However, we got round the first mark in touch with the fleet and made our up tide to the next. This really killed us the wind dropped just after the boats in front got round and we were left sitting there. The run home was interesting and once again we decided after putting the kite up , really really badly and very slowly, that it was to much and dropped it once again and goose winged it all the way home.

12 miles sailed in 2 hours 46 minutes and 42 seconds gave us 21st place in a fleet of 31.

The boat did ok, the crew must try harder.

Cowes Week 2026 - Sun 2nd - Day 2

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 13:00:09 GMT

Better But Not !

So we sat down last night with a non alcoholic beverage and discussed, planned, plotted, moaned and came up with a plan to improve our result and move up the leader board.

Some things we planned really worked, centring the main sheet car on the track prior to tacking meant that we were powered up more quickly after coming through the manoeuvre…….great.

Having the all the spinnaker gear rigged and ready to role prior to actually needing it. Worked a treat. Also, to tie the spinnaker sheet and guy down with the tweakers to give us more stability through the run.

All we had to do was to have a great start and a great down wind leg unlike yesterday. D’oh….. we were miles of the start after being far too cautious over a down tide start line and not wanting to be OCS (see yesterday). But, as it turned out, were so far of the pace and in traffic that it took us about three minutes to get over the line and into the race.

A nice beat with the boat going ok in 10 knots of wind but we soon worked out that it really liked the 12-15 knot gusts and lifted quickly and was far more responsive. Sadly, these were few and far between. We got to the top mark in touch with the fleet and with a few Behind us, so we were pleased. Then came the spinnaker hoist ! Bloody hell, what a disaster.

Much swearing as the halyard got caught around the steaming light and then was rigged incorrectly around a shroud. When that lot was sorted half the spinnaker was getting a good wash in the sea and twisted itself into a right knot. There I was sitting on the bow, trying to find so else to blame while swearing and shouting, getting wet through as the sail was dripping wet. Anyway, 5 minutes later it was up and drawing and worked a treat. Can i just say, that the foredeck of a GK29 is really quite small for a rather large, mildly over weight 57 years old to be balancing on a rolling boat.

So all in all some things better but the result showed no improvement at all. Shame for all the effort that went into coming 23rd.

15 miles sailed in 2 hours no 38 minutes and 5 seconds.

Thought for the day - “Boat better, Crew better………..find someone to blame. It can’t be my fault all the time.”

Cowes Week 2026 - Mon 3rd - Day 3

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 13:00:33 GMT

I Found Someone To Blame.

Today was much the same as yesterday in terms of tide at the Royal Yacht Squadron start line and wind at force 4 Easterly in direction.

Our start was much better today and we were in touch with the main fleet for a good portion of the race. We made a small tactical error but nothing that other boats may not have made. The main problem being the sharp choppy wave on the Solent today. It meant that as we went over a wave, we went down, we hit the next stopping us dead in the water. This affects the wind speed over the sails, which means no pressure, which means no speed.

Our downwind hoist and drop of the spinnaker were excellent and we are proud of the advancements we have made so far this week.

The main moan I have is with the race committee. They have a class of 31 boats which are all handicapped in such a way that I will never be able to win a race. Not only that, in our class, some of the boats are up to 10 feet longer than us with the accompanying mast height and sail area. This makes them faster and allows them to get to the top mark prior to the tide turning against them. We are not so quick and so hit the tide and get stuck in light winds and loose out so much. Very disparaging Knowing that as hard as you try, you will never beat a fully crewed Sigma 33, a Contessa 33 or a Dufour 36 with full laminate racing sails. The clue is in the face that the winning boat took 2 hours 11 mins and we went round in 3 hours 18 mins !!

It would be fine if they gave us a coarse that we could compete in but sadly, they favour the fast boats and write a coarse for them, even if they should be in a faster class, bloody glory hunters…..bah humbug.

Thought For Day - Don’t look in front as to see who is winning, look behind to see who your beating.

20 miles sailed in 3 hours 18 minutes and 23 seconds.

Cowes Week 2026 - Tues 4th - Day 4

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:01:23 GMT

I Think They Read This Blog !

After yesterdays minor rant about the courses we have been given to sail this week, todays was different. After a long beat that gave you tactical options there were reaches and runs galore. Happy days.

The wind was fairly strong at F5-6 SW so instead of short tacking up Cowes Beech, we decided to take the pain of tide and went across to the other side of the Solent and short tack up the mainland side instead. We clear wind and the boat sailed strongly and freely. On the other side we just left, there’s was shouting galore and few boats have new scratches in them. We did the right thing and were in the fleet as we went round the top mark.

Sadly, the wind was to strong but we decided to use the spinnaker anyway and found that it was too much for the old girl. So the fleet left us alone as they sailed off and we came back under our white sails only. Shame, but safety is key and if the boat is in danger, your in danger.

Still, the three old men onboard this 50 year old boats are getting used to the Aquila and her methods. We however are showing our age and finding things that hurt that we didn’t know we had anymore !!!

20 miles sailed in 3 hours 37 minutes and 37 seconds for 14th place in fleet of 21. Well pleased with that.

lots of wind tomorrow so maybe a day tied up in harbour is coming, we shall see.

Thought of the day - Sometimes people do listen when you moan, always worth a word or two, you never know.

Cowes Week 2026 - Weds 5th - Day 5

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:20:50 GMT

A Day Onshore For Us.

With an occluded front coming through mid morning the wind was due to build from 18-20 knot range up into 30 gusts. This is far too strong for Aquila so we decided to bale out just prior to the race committee cancelling our class due to safety reasons.

Once your clear and away from a crowded start line, it’s ok as you have room to manoeuvre but with a 3 knot tide running against you, strong winds and many boats, it’s dangerous.

being as there is nothing to report, I thought I would give you a quick lesson in starting a race, so go and get your pens and paper and I shall begin. Ready?

It all starts with the warning gun at 5 mins to the start of the race. At this point your class flag is shown on the line so you can see it’s your start, assuming you know your class flag. This is followed 1 minute later by the Preparatory Flag, a plain dark blue flag that indicates you have 4 minutes to the start and your engine must be off.

Your now sailing in anger and jostling for the best spot on the line to achieve your goals going over the line.

With 1 minute to go, the Preparatory flag is withdrawn. Most of the fleet will be aiming to be on starboard (wind coming over the right hand side of the boat) as you have rights over a port tack boat and they must give way. The boats all gather in a headlong rush for the line and the race is go at the sound of a gun or hooter. You know it’s the start because the class flags are withdrawn at that point.

As mentioned in previous days wittering, do not be over the line or OCS as you have to turn and go back through the line to try and start again. Easier said than done ! If your in a fleet of racing yachts all going in one direction, you can’t just turn away as you will automatically be the give way boat. You’re trapped and the race has gone in the first 10 seconds. No chocolate Hob Nobs for you tonight, just a plain Rich Tea at best.

We went and sat on the line and watched to days mad starts and the beat up (nautical chit chat for the upwind leg) the beach at Cowes which is the area of water with less tide than in the main channel. This is hectic stuff and as described yesterday, exactly what we avoided. We saw 2 collisions ands several very near misses with shouts of “Starboard” and “Water” (I’m running out of depth so demand to tack now) coming thick and fast through the wind.

Here Enders the lesson. I’m off to a big fat fry up and an afternoon snooze.

Cowes Week 2026 - Thurs 6th - Day 6

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 13:13:57 GMT

Can You Hear The Shouts Of Frustration From There?

10-12 knots of West North West winds todays with a 3 knot tide over the line against us, meant for a tricky start. Much thought went into it and we got away on the pin end furthest away from the beach in the tide but with potentially a longer tack to take advantage of the soft wind. The tactic worked well and we were going nicely and popped out in front of most of the fleet as they tacked out from beach to where we were.

Happy days, we are in this now, what can possibly go wrong?

As the faster boats tacked out, they went underneath us, or behind us which meant they tacked up wind of us back onto the same direction of sailing as us. They were then able to go past us as they are generally larger and quicker and as they went passed, they deflect the wind from our sails and slowed us down, this coincided with a drop in wind speed so even when they were clear of us and we had some wind again, we could never get our water speed back. However hard we tried to trim the sails or sail the boat, we were standing still in the tide. It was as if Aquila did not want to play today, too tired from a weeks work and thought “sod this, I’m done!”

Such a shame as were catching boats that started 10 minutes ahead of us when the wind started to play games and Aquila run out of puff.

3 dejected crew, one dejected boat and an hour later we retired. Couldn’t take any more pain.

1 hour of sailing, half a mile sailed, Retired.

Forecast for tomorrow is even less wind so maybe this could be the last play of the week which has made us a bit sad. We shall see.

Thought for the day - Any joker can sail a boat in strong winds, the real skill is sailing one in light winds.

Cowes Week 2026 - Fri 7th - Day 7

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:16:36 GMT

Aquila Showed Her Age Today

On waking up this morning to last night plates and Chinese meal paraphernalia still in the sink, we looked out to see the flags just hanging around the ,marina and the moored ship outside in the deep water. The race committee soon announced "AP over 1" which meant that there would be at least a 1 hour delay to the start sequence due to commence at midday.

We decided to do a rig check in the intervening time to see everything was still tickety boo but sadly found an issue with part of the rigging that holds the mast up. After a close inspection, we found it was beyond our current skill set to sort out so took the decision to call a day to the racing and Cowes Week as a whole.

Whilst the others were flopping around waiting for a sea breeze to kick, the three old men on an old called "Aquila" decided to head for the hills and take the tide back to Portsmouth a day early.

There was a race that lasted nearly 2 hours and there will be some grand fireworks over the Solent at 21.30 tonight. We won't be there in body but our spirits will be there "oohhing" and "Aarring" as the rockets explode.

Thought for the day - Discretion is the better part of valour. Especially when a new mast costs £15,000 !

Cowes Week 2026 - The End Report

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:22:41 GMT

Cowes Week 2026 - Success or Failure?

If you look at the results, Cowes Week 2026 was a bit of a flop for Aquila and her crew. However, you have to be in it to win it and whilst we did not win, we showed that a 50 year old boat can make it to the start line and make much younger fully crewed boats look over their shoulder to see where the GK29 was.

The boat had far to much weight on it in terms of spare parts, tools, anchors and chain, far to ,much kit for the crew (we were sleeping onboard) and lots more. Remove this and you may make a small gain. The issues with the mast not being straight up down because of the rigging definitely caused us grief and affected our pointing upwind as did the weed on the propeller that stopped it from closing into its racing form. We need to tweek some parts of the rigging and running rigging to make it more efficient, but hey, we are talking small gains all round if any.

On the plus side, we got better at crewing as the week went on and our hoisting and dropping of the spinnaker became a thing of beauty by the end. We had not sailed together before as a crew and Aquila had not been sailed that hard for many years, so issues were going to come out of the woodwork. We cleared the weed mentioned above and became a lot more comfortable sailing the boat.

One time through the week, a gentleman came along, spoke to us whilst beaming from ear to ear. He used to sail on the Aquila 25 years ago in Wales. He could not believe to see the boat still going and also that the decor of the vessel had not changed one bit. That was a special moment for me.

A note will be sent to the race committee about the races and how they favour, without any shadow of doubt, the faster boats but it will also be sent with a congratulatory note on how good and well organised the week was.

Success or failure..............? Hard to say. We enjoyed ourselves, the evolution of Aquila from an project boat when purchased to competitive family cruiser racer continues.