RORC Series

Royal Ocean Racing Club's weekend races.

RORC Weekend Races

Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) organises weekend races which are ideal for amateur racers as well as seasoned offshore pros.

Some of the races follow a set course, some have the course announced a few hours before departure. Either way, it makes for some seriously exciting navigation and a fantastic way to spend a weekend.

Join us, either as a group, or individually, and find out what it’s all about. All our yachts are MCA certified for offshore races and all our skippers are seriously professional racers. You are in safe hands.

About Royal Ocean Racing Club

Royal Ocean Racing Club was formed in 1925 and is one of the oldest and most prestigious yacht racing clubs. It organises some of the most difficult offshore races in UK and around the world and offers unique experience to crews and skippers, from shorter exciting races across the Channel, to totally brutal Fastnet campaigns.

Tonnes of adrenaline guaranteed, we are there to win and with your help, we might just do it! Mostly run over the weekend, these races will give you a chance to switch off from everyday routine, learn new skills and test yourself against the elements. No experience is necessary, our professional skipper and first mate will teach you everything you need to know.

What’s included

  • Professional racing yacht
  • Racing skipper
  • Racing first mate
  • Team shirt
  • Food onboard
  • Wet weather gear (subject to availability)
  • Race entry and mooring fees
  • Accomodation onboard

Price

£315 per place

Book now

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Type of charter
Crew placeWhole boat charter

Racing event(required)

Number of places?

Experience to date and special requests.

Race Schedule

Your arrival: Friday, 1st of May, 19:00, Mercury Yacht Harbour
Race start: Saturday, 2nd of May, 10am
Finish: Monday, 4th of May
Course: Cowes to Le Havre (France).
Distance: 120 (racing), 240 (total)
Your arrival: Friday, 22nd of May, 19:00, Mercury Yacht Harbour
Race start: Saturday, 23rd of May, 10:30am
Finish: Monday, 25th of May
Course: Cowes to Eddistone Rock and back. One of the longer races in the RORC calendar
Distance: 120 (racing), 240 (total)
Your arrival: Friday, 5th June, 13:00, Mercury Yacht Harbour
Race start: Friday, 5th June, 19:00, Cowes
Finish: Sunday, 7th June
Course: Cowes to Cherburg, via marks in the Solent and English Channel. Usually quite an exciting race, followed by a great dinner/breakfast/lunch (depending on when we finish!) before heading back to Hamble.
Distance: 120 (racing), 220 (total)
Your arrival: Friday, 19th June, 13:00, Mercury Yacht Harbour
Race start: Friday, 19th June, 19:00, Cowes
Finish: Sunday, 21st June, evening
Course: Cowes to Guernsey. Night race to the Channel Islands, exciting seas around Alderney and generally jolly good fun. If you have some tax free shopping to do, this is the race for you!
Distance: 150 (racing), 300 (total)
Your arrival: Thursday, 9th of July, 19:00, Mercury Yacht Harbour
Race start: Friday, 10th of July, 10:00
Finish: Monday, 13th July, afternoon
Course: Cowes to St. Malo. This is our favourite race. You race hard to St. Malo (which in itself is fantastic!) and then you are in a proper race village atmosphere, and guess what, we arrive on a Bastille Day!! Perfect! And then there is the sail back, plenty of time to ask the skipper questions and perfect your sail trim.
Distance: 150-170 (racing), 350 (total)
Your arrival: Friday, 4th of September, 13:00, Mercury Yacht Harbour
Race start: Friday, 4th of September, 19:00
Finish: Sunday, 6th September, evening
Course: Cowes to Cherbourg. Excellent race to arrive for the end of season celebrations, it’s an excellent party and a trip to France. We then head back to Mercury, to arrive for Sunday evening. And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes the RORC Racing Series for the year! Hurray!
Distance: 85 (racing), 160 (total)

Race format

Please be advised, that this is full on, hands on racing on a professional racing yacht. You will experience discomfort, lack of sleep and will have to be reasonably fit. Super fitness is not required, but you will need to perform basic physical tasks and physical effort.

It’s not a yacht ride into the sunset with champagne 🙂 That’s on the way back to Cowes!

Online payment

Telephone payment

Not sure about paying online? No problem, call us and we can take payment over the phone. Or if you have any questions, we are here!

01273 987 087

I came for a 5 days course and it was freeezing! I did come in February though, so serves me right. There was a proper heater onboard though, so we we fine. The course structure was excellent, Aubrey [instructor] really knew his stuff and it was fun. Lots of mooring, which is what I was after. Feel much more confident now, and thanks for the pies, v. good 🙂

James Clover

IT Consultant

Staying in a different marina every night was the highlight for me. This is what cruising is about, I guess, so not coming back to Mercury was ideal, I got to know the Solent pretty well. Lee [instructor] was good at stepping back and letting us do it ourselves, which was very useful. Thanks again, and see you next year!

Dan Collier

IT

Hi guys, just a quick note to say THANKS! I was really nervous, but it was all good in the end. We just practiced every day and little by little I figured it out, I can moor! Still a little nervous, but the basics are there now, I understand what needs to be done. I’ll come back for the mile building, I think. All in all, the course was well structured, very much hands on and I liked the boat, very plush :J Thanks for a great week!

Elena Godfrey

Projects director, WorldVision UK