Solent Boating News and Events 2025
Check out whats happening on the water during the 2025 season on the Solent
Cowes Week
One of the most highly anticipated events in the Solent Sailors calendar is back once again for 2025.
2nd-8th August
Cowes Week claims to be the worlds premier sailing regatta, and why not! This week long event is marked in every sailors calendar and offers alot of events for spectators and participants.
West Cowes will be taken over with live music, food and festival tents to give plenty to do and easily make a day of it for anyone who'd like to get in on the action.
Admiral Cup
Beginning mid July the RORC host the Admiral Cup. where teams come from across the globe to compete for the highly coveted trophy.
17th July-1st August
The Admiral Cup is back for 2025, hosted by the RORC (Royal Ocean Racing Club) this higly anticipated event boasts many internation competitors as part of the line up.
Whilst Great Britain boasts the highest number of wins, this year will see Austrailia returning as the defending champions.
The event starts with short races in the Solent and ends with the Rolex Fastnet Race. The Admirals Cup prize giving follows.
Rolex Fastnet
The end of July will see the start of the highly anticipated Rolex Fastnet race
Saturday 26th July
Get behind the competitors and watch the action. The race start will take place on the Royal Yacht Squadrons startline just outside the entrance to Cowes Harbour.
Spectators will take to the water on Powered and Sailing craft to get the best views, with many chartering a boat for the occasion.
Those who do not have access to the water are likely to find themselves a spot at
Egypt Point- Cowes
Lepe Spit-The New Forest
Hurst Castle-The New Forest
Yarmouth Pier-Yarmouth
Outside of the Solent there are view points along the coast at
Anvil Point
St Albans Head
Portland Bill
Sa
Emirates Sail GP
Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix comes to Portsmouth to host an exciting weekend of hydrofoil action, reaching speeds of 50+ Knots under Sail
Saturday 19th-Sunday 20th July
Arguably the most exciting Sail Racing Series to happen in the Solent, the Sail GP boasts a fleet of 12 F50s set to take flight in front of a huge crowd in Portsmouth.
Spectators can purchase tickets to the event which offers live music, apres sail and plenty of action inside the events arena.
There will also be a huge crowd who opt to take to the water on their own boats to get a feel for the action.
UKOPRA-Solent 80
UKOPRA-United Kingdom Offshore Powerboat Association host the Solent 80.
Thursday 12th July
Up to 25 high powered offshore powerboats descend on the Solent for another round of UKOPRA series.
Round 3 sees the Powerboats pit stop at Haslar Marina, Gosport.
Seawork
The European Commercial Marine and Workboat Exhibition-10th-12th June 2025
"Seawork is the proven platform to build business networks, drawing crowds from around the globe for the three-day exhibition and conferences. Seawork delivers an international audience of visitors from over 60 countries made up of industry professionals involved in marine renewables, technology, safety, marine construction, vessel build and more.
The quality and variety of the event attracts high calibre decision makers from the commercial marine, workboat and marine civils industries.
Exhibiting gives businesses the opportunity to develop international relationships in one place. Seawork offers a fantastic range of options for businesses to showcase their products and services. This includes pontoon, open and shell scheme stands, waterfront space and demonstration areas as well as some fantastic sponsorship opportunities. Seawork provides businesses the facilities to demonstrate and showcase products and vessels. Give your customers an interactive and immersive experience at Seawork 2025."
Round The Island Race 2025
Round The Island Race -7th June 2025
A Race For All
Organised by The Island Sailing club, every year Cowes host the highly anticipated Round The Island race. The total distance is no less than 50NM and its expected that over 1600 yachts will enter. Run in an anti-clockwise rotation yachts set off near the entrance of Cowes through the Western Solent. Passing Hurst Castle, Rounding St Catherines Point before passing Bembridge as they race towards the finish line.
For spectators, popular view points for the start are
Egypt Point- Cowes
The Needles
Lepe Spit
Hurst Castle
Cowes Classics Regatta
Cowes Classic Sailiing Week-30th May-1st June
Based off the entrance to Cowes and the Central Solent, bare witness to some of the sleekest, most beautiful sailing yachts compete at Cowes Classics Regatta.
Cowes Classics Regatta is all about racing traditional yachts on the water and enjoying fabulous social events ashore. Metre boats, Classic Racing Dayboats and Yachts, Old Gaffers and Spirit of Tradition Yachts race central Solent courses. There are daily prize events, tea and cake at RLYC each day after racing and great value fun socials each evening."
British Motor Yacht Show
British Motoryacht Show Premier Marinas Swanick 15th-18th May
The annual British Motor Yacht Show is curated by Premier Marinas in partnership with Britain’s leading luxury boat brands, Fairline, Princess and Sunseeker. Boasting an unparalleled boat show experience, the show brings together the finest boat building names with the industry’s most knowledgeable professionals, making it a must-attend event for anyone aspiring to own a luxury motor yacht.
South Coast Boat Show
MDL Marinas South Coast Greentech Boat Show in association with Raymarine 9th-11th May
Every year MDL Marinas hosts their own Boat Show at their flagship marina here on the south coast, Ocean Village Marina.
On display will be a range of boats on the water and a host of trades and services shoreside.
Visitors enter for FREE.
UKOPRA-Round the Island Race 2025
Race Start at 14:00.
All powerboats circumnavigate Round The Island anticlockwise covering 50.1NM. Top speeds over 100mph will be recorded.
Passing famous landmarks such as The Needles Lighthouse and St Catherines point, before heading back into the Eastern Solent racing past Bembridge Harbour and the Solent Forts towards the finish line.
Spectators will find the best views on the water will be North of the Western channel between West and East Lepe Buoys. Others will anchor near Osbourne Bay Anchorage.
All participants are expected to complete by 1600, the fastest in little over half an hour.