The History of the Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta

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 Castle and 120 attended a ball.

Racing at Dartmouth Regatta

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. Then as now it was a festival of all the recreational interests of the port and at first sailing played an almost negligible part.

In 1856 it became a Royal Regatta when an unscheduled visit by Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and the Prince of Wales came into Dartmouth because of bad weather in a flotilla of nine boats, the day before the scheduled Regatta, 11th August.

Prince Albert and his son went 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.

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.

With the foundation of the Royal Dart Yacht Club in 1866 and the establishment of the Friday Sailing Regatta, it began to attract much publicity. The yachting correspondents of interested papers went out in one or more of the yachts taking part and reported the races in the minutest detail; the Times of 1885 gave one and a half columns to reporting the day’s sport.

In 1912 the Regatta was reduced to only 3 races, despite which, the largest and most important yachts in England took part. Between wars the Regatta grew and in 1947 changed its format to cater for the increasing numbers of smaller yachts. In 1982, 217 yachts raced a total of 14 races.

The event has since then grown to become one of the leading sailing regattas in the country with more than 300 boats enjoy five days of racing. The town regatta has established a preeminence and now attracts thousands to watch live air displays including the Red Arrows and two spectacular fireworks displays.