news-engine

Nigel Sharp reports back on the challenging Suffolk Yacht Harbour Classic Regatta 2026 The weekend of the 24th Suffolk Yacht Harbour Classic Regatta at the end of June provided gloriously contrasting weather conditions for all of the vessels, 37 sailing boats and 18 motorboats, that were entered for the event. The three sailing races were held within the Orwell and Stour rivers with the start and finish lines just downstream of Suffolk Yacht Harbour’s entrance. Nigel Sharp gives us a full regatta report, accompanied by some brilliant photos from him and Den Philips over the weekend. Suffolk Yacht Harbour Classic Regatta 2026 After a short postponement in a seemingly dying wind on Saturday morning, a southeasterly sea breeze began to build and then remained steady throughout the two races on that day. For the final race on the Sunday a blustery south-westerly provided more challenging conditions for everyone. In the seven-boat Stella class, Andrew Gilmour’s Timoa had a clean sweep of victories (having also won the all-in unofficial Friday evening warm-up race) with Nigel Waller’s Polaris second overall despite carrying away her mast off Felixstowe on Sunday. Five boats, all of them centenarians, took part in the oyster smack class in which Daniel Tester’s Yet was the overall winner followed by Tom Bowman’s Harriet Blanche. The winner of the slow Bermudan yachts class was Angus Bate’s 1926 West Solent One Design Erin, which was taking part in only her second event, having been out of commission for some thirty years; while last year’s winner, Ross Wey’s 1920 Mylne-designed Gudgeon, was second. The fast Bermudan yachts class was won by Amanda Steer and Ben van Dijke’s 1966 varnished sloop Nini followed by Robert Gillespie’s Spirit 30 Lady Eleanor. Richard Ham’s 1870 Itchen Ferry Fanny of Cowes, the oldest boat taking part in the regatta, was the winner of the gaff class, with Paul Cook’s 1912 Morgan Giles Capriccio in second place. Meanwhile the motorboat fleet, which included no fewer than twelve Faireys, took part in a time trial in the River Orwell on Saturday; and then on Sunday they cruised up the river to Woolverstone for lunch at the MoniMar Restaurant. Je Ne Sais Pas trophy The highlight of the social programme for all crews was an evening of music – a combination of a live professional band and somewhat less organised karaoke – on board the 1932 lightship LV87 which is berthed at the Yacht Harbour and is home to Haven Ports Yacht Club. The final prize to be presented at the prizegiving was the Je Ne Sais Pas trophy which goes annually to the boat that has best entered into the spirit of the regatta. This was awarded to the 1938 Conway and Menai Strait Fife one design Merlin which was taking part in her first event having been restored over a three-year period by her owners, the Simpson family. “This regatta is pitched at exactly the right level,” Shannon Simpson said afterwards. “A great variety of boats and a good balance between competitive sailing and entertainment.”