The Island Sailing Club was founded in 1889 as an alternative to some of the more exclusive sailing clubs being established in Cowes. Affectionately known as ‘The Friendly Club’, the Club has a rich history in yachting and racing and offers a wide range of sailing and social activities for all preferences and abilities.
The Club organises the annual Round the Island Race, a one-day yacht race around the Isle of Wight. Regularly attracting around 1500 boats and around 15,000 sailors, Round the Island Race is one of the largest yacht races in the world and the fourth largest sporting participation event in the UK. A member of Cowes Combined Clubs, the Club helps organise Cowes Week – one of the oldest and most prestigious regattas in the world. Over seven days in August, Cowes Week offers a mix of competitive and social activities regularly attracting around 1000 boats and around 10,000 sailors. Competitors range from Olympic and world-class professional to weekend sailors.
Each summer, the Club meets members of the Royal Southern Yacht Club for a ‘quintessentially English’ match of cricket on the Brambles Sandbar in the Solent