Overview
The Royal Western Yacht Club of England was founded in Plymouth in 1827 as the Port of Plymouth Royal Clarence Regatta Club and took its present name in 1833; since 1989 its clubhouse has been at Queen Anne's Battery marina, looking towards the Barbican and Mount Batten and across Plymouth Sound to Drake's Island. The club is the home of short-handed ocean racing: it started the single-handed transatlantic race (OSTAR) in 1960, the two-handed Round Britain and Ireland Race in 1966 and the two-handed TWOSTAR in 1981, and announced the next OSTAR and TWOSTAR for 2028. The first Fastnet Race finished under its burgee in 1925, it runs the Plymouth-based Fastnet 500 (since 2021) and the Armada Cup race to Spain, and in Plymouth Sound it runs inshore and coastal club series, while the cruising section sails rallies in company.
- Founded
- 1827
- admin@rwyc.org
- Phone
- +44 1752 660077
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Regattas and series
Run or hosted by the club, per the club website. Dates and notices are on the club site.
- OSTAR – Single-Handed Transatlantic Racesingle-handed race from Plymouth across the Atlantic, first sailed in 1960; next edition 2028
- TWOSTAR – Two-Handed Transatlantic Racetwo-handed transatlantic race, first sailed in 1981; next edition 2028
- Round Britain and Ireland Race (RB&I)two-handed race round Britain and Ireland, first sailed in 1966
- Fastnet 500Category 2 offshore race from Plymouth round the Fastnet Rock and back for solo, two-handed and crewed boats, since 2021
- Armada Cupoffshore race Plymouth – San Sebastián (2025 edition)
- Ullman Sails Coastal Seriesthe club's coastal race series from Plymouth
- Plymouth – Fowey Raceannual coastal race since 1954
- Plymouth – St Malo Raceannual cross-Channel race since 1956
Live map, a start clock on every phone and results — when the club runs a race on VesselSOS Racing, it shows up here. Racing is a pilot with clubs for the 2027 season.
No race running right nowSee VesselSOS RacingHistory and achievements
- 1827Founded as the Port of Plymouth Royal Clarence Regatta Club
- 1833The club becomes the Royal Western Yacht Club; members' yachts wear the blue ensign under a warrant from Queen Victoria
- 1837First clubhouse near Millbay docks; later moves to Elliott Terrace (1866) and the Hoe (1882)
- 1925The first Fastnet Race is sailed under the club's burgee; the club has run the finish ever since
- 1934The last of the club's J-class race series, run for over a century
- 1941The Hoe clubhouse, with the club's silver and records, is destroyed in the bombing
- 1954First Plymouth – Fowey race; the first Plymouth – St Malo race follows in 1956
- 1960The club runs the first single-handed transatlantic race (OSTAR): five yachts from Plymouth to New York
- 1965A new clubhouse opens on Grand Parade, West Hoe
- 1966First two-handed Round Britain and Ireland Race
- 1981First two-handed transatlantic race (TWOSTAR)
- 1989The present clubhouse at Queen Anne's Battery is opened
- 2021The club introduces the Fastnet 500
Home harbour & location
- Position
- 50°21.90′ N 4°7.85′ W
50.36502, -4.13077 - Address
- Queen Anne's Battery
- Radio
- VHF 80
emergency VHF 16 · DSC 70
Frequently asked
When was Royal Western Yacht Club of England founded?
In 1827.
Which regattas does the club run?
According to the club website, among others: OSTAR – Single-Handed Transatlantic Race, TWOSTAR – Two-Handed Transatlantic Race, Round Britain and Ireland Race (RB&I) and Fastnet 500.