Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta
Encyclopedia
The Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta is a regatta
in the English
county of Devon
. The regatta was founded in 1822. It is based on the River Dart
, in the town of Dartmouth
, and the village of Kingswear
opposite.
The regatta takes place over the Thursday, Friday and Saturday where the Friday is the last Friday in August. The regatta is formally opened on the preceding Wednesday evening, although as the regatta has grown, some events now start as early as the weekend beforehand.
The regatta is organised by a committee appointed each year by Dartmouth Town Council. A large number of other organisations are involved in running events under the auspices of the Regatta Committee.
and 120 attended a ball.
In 1834 the regatta, which used to be run by leading gentlemen of the neighbourhood, changed its format when the inhabitants of the town called a meeting and elected a committee of their own.
In 1856 it became a royal regatta when Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and the Prince of Wales
came into Dartmouth in a flotilla of nine boats on an unscheduled visit because of bad weather, arriving the day before the regatta started on 11 August. Prince Albert and his son went up to Sharpham Point in the new steamboat Dartmouth, which had arrived on the river only the previous day. The Queen followed in the state barge, going as far as Dittisham
. The Queen came ashore at 6 pm and was met by the borough mayor. The Queen then drove in a carriage over 'The Ridges' to the 'Black House' at the junction of Jaw Bones/Swannaton Road/Stoke Fleming Road. She was accompanied by Sir H.F. Seale on horseback. That night there were special illuminations both ashore and afloat. The Queen donated £25 and Prince Albert gave £20 for three rowing races to be competed for by the sailors of Dartmouth and this was done on the second day of the regatta. The Queen the next day sailed on to Plymouth but before leaving bestowed the title of 'Royal' on the regatta.
The Committee write each year to the Monarch to request the renewal of the Royal Patronage.
The patron now is Prince Andrew
, the Duke of York.
during a fair in the town. To many visitors, the events in the town are more visible, but there is a vast array of events both on and off the water. A sample of these follows.
The West of England Amateur Rowing Association holds one stage of its championship on the Thursday. This rowing is in skiff
s and sculls, with competitors from across the West of England and further afield - Bex Hill Rowing Club and BTC (Southampton) being present at the 2008 regatta.
On the Friday, the local rowing events take place, where local crews (often representing pubs and clubs from the town) compete over various distances in purpose built rowing boats.
RAF display team. The steep sides of the Dart Valley make the display truly spectacular even for those who know the display well.
In recent years, displays have also been made by the Royal Navy
Lynx
helicopter display team, the Black Cats
. In addition, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
, RAF Typhoon
, Harrier
and Jaguar
aircraft have displayed, along with RN Sea King
and Chinook helicopters.
recognised tournament is held on the courts in Coronation Park and at the Britannia Royal Naval College
, with events covering mixed doubles and the normal singles and doubles matches.
, along with fun sailing in the River Dart
. This regatta
is one of the largest sailing
events in the United Kingdom
. The sailing events are organised by the Joint Regatta Sailing Committee (Royal Dart Yacht Club
and Dartmouth Yacht Club) under the auspices of the regatta committee.
vessel attends the regatta as guard ship. In 2008, HMS Argyll
(a type 23 frigate) performed the task, following on from her sister ship HMS Somerset
the previous year. The regatta has also had visits from the navies of Belgium
, France
and Argentina (ARA Libertad
), among others. The guard ship is open to the public during the regatta, and the crew traditionally take part in a large number of regatta events.
There is also a craft market in a marquee on Coronation Park.
There are also recitals in the local churches.
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. The regatta was founded in 1822. It is based on the River Dart
River Dart
The River Dart is a river in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. Its valley and surrounding area is a place of great natural beauty.-Watercourse:...
, in the town of Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
, and the village of Kingswear
Kingswear
Kingswear is a village and civil parish in the South Hams area of the English county of Devon. The village is located on the east bank of the tidal River Dart, close to the river's mouth and opposite the small town of Dartmouth...
opposite.
The regatta takes place over the Thursday, Friday and Saturday where the Friday is the last Friday in August. The regatta is formally opened on the preceding Wednesday evening, although as the regatta has grown, some events now start as early as the weekend beforehand.
The regatta is organised by a committee appointed each year by Dartmouth Town Council. A large number of other organisations are involved in running events under the auspices of the Regatta Committee.
History
The first recorded regatta in Dartmouth was in 1822. There were three sailing races, one six-oared gig race, and a military band played out at the Dartmouth CastleDartmouth Castle
Dartmouth Castle is one of a pair of forts, the other being Kingswear Castle, that guard the mouth of the Dart Estuary in Devon, England .A small fortalice was built in 1388 under the direction of John Hawley...
and 120 attended a ball.
In 1834 the regatta, which used to be run by leading gentlemen of the neighbourhood, changed its format when the inhabitants of the town called a meeting and elected a committee of their own.
In 1856 it became a royal regatta when Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and the Prince of Wales
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
came into Dartmouth in a flotilla of nine boats on an unscheduled visit because of bad weather, arriving the day before the regatta started on 11 August. Prince Albert and his son went up to Sharpham Point in the new steamboat Dartmouth, which had arrived on the river only the previous day. The Queen followed in the state barge, going as far as Dittisham
Dittisham
Dittisham is a village and civil parish in the South Hams district of the English county of Devon. It is situated on the banks of the tidal River Dart, some upstream of Dartmouth....
. The Queen came ashore at 6 pm and was met by the borough mayor. The Queen then drove in a carriage over 'The Ridges' to the 'Black House' at the junction of Jaw Bones/Swannaton Road/Stoke Fleming Road. She was accompanied by Sir H.F. Seale on horseback. That night there were special illuminations both ashore and afloat. The Queen donated £25 and Prince Albert gave £20 for three rowing races to be competed for by the sailors of Dartmouth and this was done on the second day of the regatta. The Queen the next day sailed on to Plymouth but before leaving bestowed the title of 'Royal' on the regatta.
The Committee write each year to the Monarch to request the renewal of the Royal Patronage.
The patron now is Prince Andrew
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, the Duke of York.
Events
Although the event is described as a regatta, the charter specifically provides that a regatta should take place on the River DartRiver Dart
The River Dart is a river in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. Its valley and surrounding area is a place of great natural beauty.-Watercourse:...
during a fair in the town. To many visitors, the events in the town are more visible, but there is a vast array of events both on and off the water. A sample of these follows.
Rowing
There are two distinct forms of rowing, on two separate days.The West of England Amateur Rowing Association holds one stage of its championship on the Thursday. This rowing is in skiff
Skiff
The term skiff is used for a number of essentially unrelated styles of small boat. The word is related to ship and has a complicated etymology: "skiff" comes from the Middle English skif, which derives from the Old French esquif, which in turn derives from the Old Italian schifo, which is itself of...
s and sculls, with competitors from across the West of England and further afield - Bex Hill Rowing Club and BTC (Southampton) being present at the 2008 regatta.
On the Friday, the local rowing events take place, where local crews (often representing pubs and clubs from the town) compete over various distances in purpose built rowing boats.
Air displays
The regatta has for many years hosted the Red ArrowsRed Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton, but due to move to RAF Waddington in 2011...
RAF display team. The steep sides of the Dart Valley make the display truly spectacular even for those who know the display well.
In recent years, displays have also been made by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
Lynx
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
helicopter display team, the Black Cats
Black Cats (Royal Navy)
The Black Cats are the Royal Navy's helicopter display team. The team is composed of two Westland Lynx anti-submarine and anti-shipping helicopters, with the aircraft and crews drawn from No No. 702 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset....
. In addition, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is a Royal Air Force flight which provides an aerial display group comprising an Avro Lancaster, a Supermarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hurricane...
, RAF Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
, Harrier
Harrier Jump Jet
The Harrier, informally referred to as the Jump Jet, is a family of British-designed military jet aircraft capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing operations...
and Jaguar
SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet ground attack aircraft, originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Armée de l'Air in the close air support and nuclear strike role, and still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force...
aircraft have displayed, along with RN Sea King
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
and Chinook helicopters.
Running
Organised in association with the Dartmouth Amateur Athletics Club, adult road races to Stoke Fleming (up what is possibly the steepest hill in any regular race, Weeke Hill) and back, and fun races for children are held.Tennis
An LTALawn Tennis Association
The Lawn Tennis Association is the national governing body of tennis in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.As the governing body, the LTA is responsible for the coaching and development of junior players, offering courses and qualifications on coaching, as well as the...
recognised tournament is held on the courts in Coronation Park and at the Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
, with events covering mixed doubles and the normal singles and doubles matches.
Sailing
Four days of events are held in Start BayStart Bay
Start Bay is the bay in the English Channel in Devon, England between the River Dart's estuary and Start Point. On the coast, from south to north, are Hallsands, Beesands, Torcross, the Slapton Sands, Strete, Blackpool Sands and Stoke Fleming...
, along with fun sailing in the River Dart
River Dart
The River Dart is a river in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. Its valley and surrounding area is a place of great natural beauty.-Watercourse:...
. This regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
is one of the largest sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
events in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The sailing events are organised by the Joint Regatta Sailing Committee (Royal Dart Yacht Club
Royal Dart Yacht Club
The Royal Dart Yacht Club was founded in 1866 located in Kingswear, Devon, England.There is a large ground-floor bar and informal dining area, opening onto the riverside terrace, which is a wonderful place to sit, eat, drink and enjoy the ever-changing river scene...
and Dartmouth Yacht Club) under the auspices of the regatta committee.
Guardship
Traditionally, a Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
vessel attends the regatta as guard ship. In 2008, HMS Argyll
HMS Argyll (F231)
The third and current HMS Argyll is a Type 23 'Duke' Class frigate. She was laid down in March 1987 by Yarrow Shipbuilders at Glasgow, launched in 1989 by Lady Wendy Levene, and commissioned in May 1991...
(a type 23 frigate) performed the task, following on from her sister ship HMS Somerset
HMS Somerset (F82)
HMS Somerset is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy.Somerset is the eleventh of the class to join the fleet since 1989. She was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd on the River Clyde, in Scotland and was launched in June 1994 by Lady Elspeth Layard, wife of then 2nd Sea Lord Admiral and...
the previous year. The regatta has also had visits from the navies of Belgium
Belgian Navy
The Marine Component of the Belgian Army, formerly the Belgian Naval Force, is the naval service of Belgium.-Early history:The Belgian Navy was created as the Marine Royale in 1831. This force has operated in various forms throughout Belgian history.When after the Belgian Revolution, the country...
, France
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
and Argentina (ARA Libertad
ARA Libertad (Q-2)
ARA Libertad is a tall ship which serves as a school ship in the Argentine Navy. She was built in the 1950s at the Río Santiago Shipyard near La Plata, Argentina...
), among others. The guard ship is open to the public during the regatta, and the crew traditionally take part in a large number of regatta events.
Street Market
During the regatta, the road along the river front is closed to allow the street market (known locally as the Cheap Jacks) to set up in front of the Royal Avenue Gardens. The market is open only on the Wednesday to Saturday of regatta week.There is also a craft market in a marquee on Coronation Park.
Steamboat rally
Usually, a rally of steam powered vessels, all available for inspection throughout the regatta, is organised in conjunction with the Steam Boat Association of Great Britain. They, with other classic craft, also participate in a review, proceeding down river with a commentary detailing their history.Fun events
There are numerous fun events including:- Barrel rolling races
- Waiters and Waitresses races
- The International Trolley Race
- Tug of war
- A waterborne tug of war (two boats secured together by a rope at the stern with the teams rowing against each other)
Music
Throughout the week there are public performances in the bandstand in the Royal Avenue Gardens, covering all tastes. There is a rock concert at the beginning of the week.There are also recitals in the local churches.