Dates
Dates TBA
Duration
1.3 days
Location
Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble
About
RORC's early-season inshore weekend — a Cowes-based shake-down regatta.
The RORC Easter Challenge is a Cowes-based inshore regatta over the Easter weekend, run by the Royal Ocean Racing Club. Per the RORC 2026 NoR programme, the location is Cowes — windward-leeward and short coastal courses on the central Solent.
A friendly format with on-the-water coaching from the RORC team between races, designed as an early-season blow-the-cobwebs event for crew preparing for the offshore season. Day-racing only — boat returns to Cowes each evening.
This race sounds great?
Get a crew place on this race
Join for FREE, everything to gain
- FREE consultation call with one of our team
- Join our WhatsApp community
- Member discounts and offers
- First to hear about crew places and last-minute spots
- Matched to the right boat and crew
Race programme
Friday sail to Cowes · Saturday + Sunday inshore racing with coaching · Sunday evening sail home.
Read moreShow less
Race programme
Friday sail to Cowes · Saturday + Sunday inshore racing with coaching · Sunday evening sail home.
Friday — pre-regatta brief & dock-out
16:00 onwardsCrew arrive Mercury Yacht Harbour. Skipper brief, kit check. Sail to Cowes for overnight base.
Saturday — racing day 1
Multiple windward-leeward / short-coastal races. Coaching debrief afterwards. Ashore in Cowes.
Sunday — racing day 2
Continued racing and coaching. Prize-giving Sunday afternoon.
Sunday — sail home
Sail back to Mercury Yacht Harbour Sunday evening.
Good to know
Meeting point
Mercury Yacht Harbour, Satchell Lane, Hamble-le-Rice, SO31 4HQ. We meet on the pontoon by your assigned berth — your skipper will share the berth number and a location pin in the crew WhatsApp group the week before.
Arrival
- Arrive by the start time shown on this event page.
- Subject to availability you can arrive the night before, arrange with the team
Parking
Free at Mercury, except Round the Island Race weekend.
Crew WhatsApp
Set up by the Wednesday before. Confirms timings, weather, destination berth.
Before you arrive
- Emergency contact, medical info and waiver in your dashboard profile.
- International races: upload passport details.
Essential
- Waterproof sailing jacket + salopettes
- Sailing boots (deck shoes only OK for inshore day races)
- Warm base layers (no cotton) + mid-layer fleece
- Hat and sailing gloves
- Sun hat, sunglasses with retainer, sun cream
- Head torch with red-light mode (any night sailing or offshore)
- Personal medication
- Sea-sickness remedy (taken 30 mins before the start)
- Water bottle and snacks for the day
- Soft holdall or dry bag — no hard suitcases
Overnight
- 3-4 season sleeping bag (no bedding provided)
- Toiletries, change of clothes, quick-dry towel
Offshore / double-handed
- Notebook for debrief
- Passport for cross channel races
Provided
- Life jackets and safety kit
- Charts, AIS, VHF (+ satcom offshore)
- Galley kit, water, tea, coffee
- Homebase Mooring fees
- Insurance (Security and damage deposit held for Bareboat Charters)
Not provided
Food and snacks aboard — bring your own, or shared crew food order on overnight / offshore (cost shared, leftovers taken home).
Leave behind
Hard suitcases, hair dryers, excess alcohol.
Who can join
- Beginner — all experience levels welcome
Questions
What's on the boat vs what I bring?
What if the weather is bad?
I'm sea-sick prone — can I still come?
I don't have a partner — can I still book?
Can I arrive the night before?
How do I cancel or change my booking?
Reviews
“Better than expected”
Interested in this race?
£450