The Classic Channel Regatta is almost starting and a hundred classic boats are coming to take part in the event. The amazing classic boats are coming from Ireland, the East Coast, Holland, Scotland and La Rochelle in France. One boat is even coming all the way from Guadeloupe. There are 23 boats from France that will be taking part in the competition while Belgium will be represented by 2 boats. Holland is represented by one boat but there are a good number of local boats that will be taking part.
Speaking for the regatta, a spokesman said that they were hoping the Kingswear Castle will be usable before the start of the regatta so it can lead the Parade of Sail that’s supposed to take place on July 8th (Saturday) in the morning. He explained that the parade will start close to the Higher Ferry before the boats sail downriver close to the Embankment before going out to sea as they prepare for the first race that will be taking place on that day. He also pointed out that for people who wanted to see the boats, the best vantage points were Dartmouth Castle and the South Embankment.
There will be a number of boats inside the Town Jetty but most of them will be moored together somewhere off Dartmouth in the middle of the river. Pen Duick II is a yacht that was built in memory of Eric Taberly, a French national hero and the well-known yacht is also coming to Dartmouth. Eric won the Observer Single-Handed Transatlantic Race (OSTAR) back in 1964 and with that win, he was on the rise on his way to becoming a national hero.
The Royal Dart Yacht Club is part of the organising team for the two-day racing event. The first day or racing will be 8th and this will start at noon. There will be one extra race on Sunday than on Saturday and thus racing will start earlier i.e. 10 in the morning. The Classic Channel Race that starts in Dartmouth and ends in Paimpoi will have its first leg on the afternoon of July 10th (Monday). The race has a stopover in St Peter Port located in Guernsey. This will be an overnight race and the boats will be expected to reach the Guernsey Port the morning after.