A group of junior sailors from Yarmouth Sailing Club takes to the water this Saturday in a fresh attempt to sail all the way around the Isle of Wight.
The challenge, in aid of the Charles Ridley Cadet Fund, follows a difficult 2025 when a string of setbacks – including poor weather and a support powerboat breakdown – forced multiple cancellations before the attempt fell away entirely.
Second time lucky
The team first made headlines last year when they announced plans to circumnavigate the Island in three RS Quest sailing dinghies, covering a distance of more than 92 kilometres.
This year’s attempt keeps the same format: three RS Quest dinghies setting off from Yarmouth and heading anticlockwise around the Island before returning to where they started.
Depending on conditions, the journey could take anywhere between eight and sixteen hours to complete.
Weather and tide hold the key
The club chose the 6th June date with care, judging it to offer the best chance of settled weather and enough daylight to get round safely.
As with any offshore sailing challenge of this kind, tidal timing and wind direction remain the dominant factors in whether the attempt succeeds.
The route puts the young sailors’ teamwork, resilience and boat-handling skills to the test in a way that club sailing simply cannot replicate.
Supporting the next generation
The Charles Ridley Cadet Fund takes its name from a former Yarmouth Sailing Club member, and exists specifically to benefit club members under the age of 18.
The fund supports young sailors either individually or as a group, helping them access opportunities in the sport at whatever level suits them.
By taking on the circumnavigation, the junior members of the club put their own efforts directly towards funding those same opportunities for others coming through behind them.
Show your support
You can show your support by donating via the website.
