Sailing - Solent and Isle of Wight
Sailing off the Isle of Wight
The Island's northern coastline from Bembridge to Yarmouth offers some of the best sailing in the UK. The many calm, sheltered bays provide an excellent environment for the beginner whilst the challenging tides and wind conditions found in the open seas of the Solent can put a broad smile on the face of many a professional.
Cowes, nestled in the mouth of the river Medina is the spiritual home of international yacht racing and has always attracted the sailing hot shots of the day. Both Dame Ellen MacArthur and double Olympic Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson have moved to the Isle of Wight in recent years and train regularly off Cowes. In addition to Cowes, there are natural harbours with marine facilities at Bembridge and Yarmouth.
Image Gallery
© UKSA (1-4)
Key Events
Stephen Park OBE presents: “An Inside Look into Britain's world-beating Sailing Team”
North Sea Race Preview
Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup: Third time lucky for Hong Kong?
2012 Morgan Cup - Race report
Chartering a boat
You are almost spoilt for choice if you wish to charter a boat either for racing or just cruising between the many harbours and marinas.
- Fairview Sailing (Hamble)
- Firstaway Yacht Charters (Southampton)
- Fourseasons Yacht Charter (Gosport)
- Frontline Sailing (Southampton)
- Hamble Point Yacht Charter (Hamble)
- Hamble Yacht Charters (Hamble)
- Island Charters (Cowes)
- Solent Yacht Charter Int (Gosport)
- Sunsail (Portsmouth)
- Windward Sailing (Solent)
Isle of Wight Yacht Clubs
Shirley Robertson's Isle of Wight
Learning to sail
"The Isle of Wight is a great place to learn to sail. It is fun and gives everyone a great sense of achievement having faced the challenges of being out on the water." Dame Ellen MacArthur, Round the World Yachtswoman and Island resident.
The schools below offer a variety of taster courses for complete beginners as well as RYA dinghy, multihull and yacht courses.
Cowes Sailing School
Tel. 01983 289631
- 21 Gurnard Heights, Cowes Isle of Wight PO31 8EF
- Click for more
IYWAC
Tel. 01983 293073
- Whitegates, Artic Road, Cowes PO31 7PG
- Click for more
UKSA
Tel. 01983 294941
- West Cowes, Isle of Wight PO31 7PQ
- Click for more
Wightwater
Tel. 01983 866269
- 5 Rew Close, Ventnor, Isle of Wight PO38 1BH
- Click for more
Ellen MacArthur Trust
Red Funnel are proud supporters of the Ellen MacArthur Trust which takes young people aged 8-18 sailing to help inspire them and rebuild their confidence as they recover from cancer, leukaemia and others serious illness.
Ellen MacArthur Trust