Please select your home edition
Edition
Savvy Navvy 2024

The oldest video footage of Cowes Week

by Magnus Smith 4 Aug 11:00 UTC
The Isle of Wight © OS

Cowes Week 2024 has just concluded. But how has it changed since the early years? England has certainly changed, and so have the yachts. Let's look back at the 1920s to 70s at the oldest video footage we can find in the archive.

The main problem we are going to face is the obsession British Pathé had with filming royalty visiting Cowes. Whilst the earliest newsreels have been preserved, and that is wonderful, there is often not the focus on racing which we might like! Be prepared to see the King and Queen embarking motorboats and waving, or Prince Phillip in his Dragon and Flying Fifteen, if you go hunting for more early Cowes action on YouTube.

In this article we have tried to present only the top ten of the 31 videos we have on Cowes Week prior to the year 1990.

We skip 1920 and go straight to Cowes Week 1921 which features J class, gaffers, dinghies and 6 Metres. It's not speedy but is worth watching.

We skip 1922, 1923, 1920s, 1930, 1931 and 1932.

Cowes Week 1935 is worth showing as the commentary identifies boats and people by name.

We skip 1935 and look at Cowes Week 1936 where J class yacht 'Endeavour II' has a mishap: to break one mast is an accident, but two...?

We skip 1936, 1937, 1938 and 1939.

Cowes Week 1952 is almost all about "the duke" it gives enough general Cowes flavour to be worth a watch. It's amusing that a royal competitor wins ten shillings!

We skip 1952 and 1953, to see Cowes Week 1957 with our current King as a young boy, out racing. The footage is worth watching for larger fleets and shore shots too.

Cowes Week 1960 has 12m, Dragon, Redwing, XOD, Flying Fifteen and Redwing - supposedly there were nearly 400 yachts competing. (There is the inevitable royal bit too.)

We skip 1960 and 1961 to see Cowes Week 1961 which has footage on board 12 Metre 'Sceptre', plus lots of shore footage and people.

We skip 1962 because Cowes Week 1963 is better.

We skip 1964, 1965 (and another from 1965) and 1960s. Much better is Cowes Week 1967 with its focus on youth, and great footage of XOD class (still one of the largest classes at Cowes).

There is some good on-board footage in Cowes Week 1968.

Finally we skip 1979 and end our top ten here.

What of the rest?

Do you know the location of any 1980s Cowes Week videos that are worth a watch? We would love to share these with other sailors. You can submit video links to us for immediate review.

Keep watching with:

Related Articles

Savvy Navvy - making boating more accessible
I spoke to founder Jelte Liebrand about his background, philosophy, the app itself The rise of Savvy Navvy in the world of boating navigation has been spectacular, with over 2 million downloads of the app. Posted on 21 Oct
Who makes a better BBQ?
Hold that thought. We'll revert, as this story about Sabre is right in the middle of our wheelhouse Hold that thought. We'll come back to it, because this story is right, bang, smack in the middle of our wheelhouse. Sabre is part of a small group of boatbuilders who started out making yachts (sailboats) before venturing into motor yachts. Posted on 24 Sep
For when looks not only matter, they count!
It's in the way the canopy integrates, and her amazing folding bulwark It's the look of her, for sure. She's just got something about her. It's in the way the canopy integrates, and her amazing folding bulwark. It is like the boat is sort of on steroids, but remains elegant, and everyone's interested to see her. Posted on 10 Sep
Do it on an empty stomach
Now I bet you thought that means this editorial is going to be about seasickness. Uh-uh Now I bet you thought that means this editorial is going to be about seasickness. Uh-uh. Actually, it is about hospitality. More specifically, Turkish hospitality, which is incredibly generous, and always involves heaps of food. Posted on 28 Aug
Magnificent journey and an awesome passage
43 years and 7000 nautical miles. The former is the journey, and the latter is the passage 43 years and 7000 nautical miles. Both are very weighty numbers in their own right. Both have tremendous significance. Both apply to the same greater subject here. Now the former is the journey, and the latter is the passage. Posted on 14 Aug
Talk about a bad rap
For whenever you think you have it bad, ponder these guys For whenever you think you have it bad, ponder these guys. Now rather than just the whole of them, it really comes down to the Big Four, albeit the stature of one of them is nowhere near as big as its reputation. Posted on 31 Jul
Good times
I had a distinctly Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers flashback with the Tesoro T40 Yes. I had a distinctly Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers flashback. Actually. Stop the press! It was a halleluiah moment. The reason? Got to catch up in person with the Tesoro T40... Posted on 30 Jul
From the Olympics to ocean passages
1.5 million users and counting: from Olympians, to ocean racers, cruisers and powerboaters Yes. The best there are on the water use PredictWind. However, it is not just limited to the Olympic Classes. Ocean racers and cruisers, as well as powerboat passage makers comprise the 1.5m users of the renowned system, and there is good reason why. Posted on 29 Jul
It's called fishing. Not catching…
Time for a Q&A with Andrew Ettinghausen ahead of the Sydney International Boat Show Ahead of the impending SIBS we were fortunate enough to get time for a Q&A with ET (Andrew Ettingshausen). As one of the most recognised fishing experts in Australia, we were keen to understand how someone can make a start from a pier, and be waterborne. Posted on 16 Jul
The latest kit for summer boating, rain or shine
Our pick of the latest kit Summer's finally here and the season is in full swing. Here's our pick of the latest kit for racing, cruising and enjoying the water, rain or shine. Posted on 19 Jun
Maritimo 2023 M600 FOOTERSavvy Navvy 2024