Welcome | Croeso!
If this is your first time coming to the Regattas or you are just thinking about it, this is supplementary guide will hopefully explain how things work and includes some helpful hints to make your attendance as easy and enjoyable as possible. Definitive information is available in the Notice of Race & the Sailing Instructions and on:
www.menaistraitregattas.org.uk
If you find you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to help.
The Menai Strait Regattas
Regattas have been run in the Menai Strait during the holiday season for over a hundred years. The current organisation is a collaboration between a dozen sailing clubs and associations, each of which run one or more days in the event.
Although there are 12 possible days to enter, each day is a self-contained regatta with prizes given for all races at the end of the day. Competitors can enter as many days as they wish. As well as the day trophies, there are several series trophies where the results of different regattas count towards an overall winner for the first week, the second week and the whole fortnight.
The Regattas aim to offer friendly racing for all standards. This is a good event to enter if you have some experience of club racing. During the 12 days there will be some races which are simple courses around race marks lasting about 2 hours.
The Puffin Island Race (run by Beaumaris Town/Menai Strait One Design Club under the auspices of the Royal Anglesey Yacht Club)
This starts from Beaumaris, goes up to the northeast end of the Strait, around the back of Puffin Island and back to Beaumaris (about 9 nm)
The Menai Bridge Long Distance Race (run by Royal Anglesey Yacht Club in memory of the Menai Bridge Boat Club), also about 9nm.
The Race from Beaumaris to Caernarfon
This is also called the "Race Through" and starts at Beaumaris, passes Bangor Pier, then under the Menai Suspension Bridge, through the Swellies at High Water slack, under Brittania Bridge and then down the Strait on the falling tide to the finish off Caernarvon Castle.
The Port Dinorwic Regatta
The middle Saturday offers a special day not to be missed with the fleet starting off at Caernarfon, cruising in company up the Strait on the flood tide to Port Dinorwic and then taking part in a regatta in the sheltered waters of the Strait in front of Plas Newydd on one side and Port Dinorwic / Y Felinheli on the other. After the Regatta is over, crews come ashore to enjoy refreshments on the Green and the Prize Giving and then make a Low Water passage in company in the evening through the Swellies back to Beaumaris.
The Regattas are hosted by the Royal Anglesey Yacht Club (RAYC) at Beaumaris on Anglesey, the Royal Welsh Yacht Club at Caernarfon and the Port Dinorwic Regatta Committee at Port Dinorwic | Y Felinhelialong the waters of The Menai Strait (Admiralty Chart 1464). The 2026 Regatta begins on Monday the 27thJuly and lasts until Saturday 8thAugust.
The Notice of Race is available at www.menaistraitregattas.org.uk and aims to give you all the information you need to decide if you want to enter the Regattas. You should read and note the contents of this carefully.
The sailing instructions go into more detail about the races and courses and must be carefully studied before racing. They are available at www.menaistraitregattas.org.uk.
Entry for the 2026 Menai Strat Regattas will open in April via the online entry facility at www.menaistraitregattas/entries.html and there is an Early Bird discount for entries up to 14th June.
The entry fee depends on: what class you are entering; your age; and how many days you are entering. It is cheaper for dinghies, for young skippers and when you enter more than 5 days.
The entry system will calculate your entry fee (taking into account if you have already entered any races) and you should then make your payment on-line by BACS using the details provided.
Late entries may be accepted at the Race Committee's discretion up to 1 hour before the start of racing on the day of racing and can be made at the Starting hut located on the seaward side of Beaumaris Green. Payment must be made by BACS or card payment can be taken on our card reader at the Line. Welcome packs will be issued at the Regatta Briefings on Saturday 26th July and Monday 3rd August (see below).
You must specify which days you are entering. For safety purposes we need to know who has entered each race. If a day is cancelled, for example due to adverse weather, the entry fee is not refunded or transferred to another day.
You do not need to obtain any class compliance or rating certificate - this is a friendly regatta, and we expect all competitors to honour the principle of self-regulation.
It is perfectly acceptable for a boat to be sailed by different crews in different regattas. If so, skippers can either register and pay separately for the races they want to enter, or you can arrange among yourselves for one person to complete the entries. For series scores, the results will be applied to the boat rather than the person submitting the entry
Regatta Briefings will be at RAYC in Beaumaris on Sunday 26th July at 18.00 and Monday 3rd August at 10:00.
Enquiries should be addressed to:
The Secretary,
secretary@menaistraitregattas.org.uk
Beaumaris
Swinging moorings at Beaumaris are available for visiting boats but are limited in number and will be issued on a first come first served basis. Requests for a mooring must be made directly to Guy Williams, RAYC Boatman (07793 152823).
A launch service between Beaumaris Pier and the moorings will operate each day during the regattas.
Caernarfon
Free berthing in Victoria Dock is provided for competitors. The dock is tidal with the gates being open 2 hrs before high water to 2 hours after. Competitors are not permitted to sail into the dock. The support boats will assist in towing the boats in and out of the Dock. Boats will be rafted up in the dock (so remember to have fenders and lines available).
Port Dinorwic | Y Felinheli
Details will be confirmed once the Regattas start but the usual plan is for the boats to be in Victoria Dock at Caernarvon the night before the PD regatta and sail up to PD | YF on the incoming tide to arrive in good time before the race start.
Beaumaris
Vehicle parking at Beaumaris is available on the main area of Beaumaris Green. There is a single day rate and payment must be made at the car park entrance (card payment is available at the machine if the kiosk is not manned). You can obtain a weekly temporary resident permit which is a significant saving if you are going to be using the carpark all week. This is also obtained at the kiosk at the carpark entrance and you will need confirmation of your Regattas registration. See the Notice of Race for more details. There are other carparks and some on street parking in the town.
Boat storage at Beaumaris is available on the designated area next to the RNLI station. Entry is via the slip road to the beach and then through the gate to the left. Towing vehicles cannot be left here and must be removed to the main car parking area.
Caernarfon
No special arrangements have been made for vehicle parking at Caernarfon but there are two large pay and display car parks close to Victoria Dock.
Boat storage and Launching at Caernarfon
If you plan to sail your dinghy in the races at Caernarfon, please get in touch with the secretary. There is a public launch site or we can accommodate up to 10 dinghies in Victoria Dock which may be more convenient.
Port Dinorwic | Y Felinheli
Larger boats will probably remain in Victoria Dock as described above but dinghies on trailers can launch off from slipway off the green.
There is a wide variety of accommodation available in Beaumaris and the surrounding area to suit all tastes and pockets. Here is a list of some of the accommodation providers.
Our Sponsor Oyster Holiday Cottages provide beautifully appointed holiday accommodation. Accommodation is also available at Plas Menai (National Outdoor Centre)
Classes - What Fleet am I in?
The Regattas are a mixture of One Design and Handicap races. If you are entering one of the specified One Design classes, you will be racing only against other boats in the same Class. There are also races for handicap cruisers and dinghies where you will be racing against boats of different design and the final result will depend on your time adjusted by your handicap. Each fleet is given a number. Make sure you know which is your fleet number as you will need to know this to find your start and course
Racing will be provided for the following boats:
| Fleet 1 Cruiser (NHC>0.81) | Fleet 2 Multihull Cruiser (MOCRA) | Fleet 3 Cruiser (NHC≤0.81) |
| Fleet 4 Liverpool Bay Falcon | Fleet 5 Mersey Mylne | Fleet 6 Royal Anglesey Fife |
| Fleet 7 Conway One Design | Fleet 8 Menai Strait One Design | Fleet 9 Hilbre OD |
| Fleet 10 Seabird Half Raters | Fleet 11 Hoylake Opera | Fleet 12 West Kirby Star |
| Fleet 13 Slow Dinghy (PN <1177) | Fleet 14 Fast Dinghy (PN ≤1177) |
The races are started in a staggered sequence, usually with the faster classes going first and then the slower but check sailing instructions as some races are started in an alternative sequence. The standard 5, 4, 1, Go sequence is used - see the Racing Rules of Sailing for further details. The start of one race is the 5-minute warning for the next. Check the Sailing Instructions to see where you will be in the start sequence. Note than there may be more than one Fleet starting together. Also, watch out, if for some reason there are no boats in a start, their start sequence is still run.
Racing - What's the Course?
Handicap dinghies (Fleets 13 & 14) will be provided with their course at the Start Line.
For boats in the other fleets, once you are off your mooring or launched from the slipway you will sail up towards the start line. A large board at the Start Line clearly visible from the water will show a number referring to one of the pre-planned courses given in the Sailing Instructions. Note that for a given number, the course may be different for different Fleets. If none of the pre-planned courses are suitable, a special course will be signalled by an X on the Course board followed by boards showing the race marks - see the Sailing Instructions for more details.
The course will not be broadcast over VHF. However, any change to the course including shortening the course or abandoning the race will be broadcast over VHF as well as signalled in the usual way at the Line.
Racing - Safety
The organising committee follows a safety-first policy. We recognise our duty of care to your safety. We take this very seriously and as you would expect we have the standard suite of safety documents including a Safety Management System (SMS), Event Risk Assessment (ERA) and Emergency Action Plan (EAP).
Each regatta is managed by a Line Team including Race Officer and Safety Officer, and on-water safety is provided by a team of support boats led by the RAYC bosun.
There will be a safety meeting of the Race Officer, Safety Officer and on-water support team each morning about 2 hours prior to the first warning gun. They will review the current weather conditions and forecast and issue a safety briefing.
You need to do your part by recognising your responsibility for your own safety, and that of your crew and other competitors. It is ultimately your decision whether you are happy to accept the conditions to race. Your boat should be in good condition, and you should be carrying the required safety equipment. We now request boats to carry a handheld VHF radio as communication is key to safety.
Dinghy sign in / Tally
All dinghy sailors must come to the Start Line prior to launching to sign in on our Tally Sheet and sign out after they come off the water.
Racing - The Start Line
Start lines for races are the extended transit between two poles on shore usually to an Outer Limit indicated by two buoys.
Start Lines can be crowded and there is the potential for collision. Therefore, maintain a close watch on all the boats around you, and keep away from the start line until your starting sequence begins.
Racing - Taking Penalties and Sailing the Course and Protests.
Sail racing depends on all competitors regulating themselves, there are no umpires or referees on the water or at the Line. This means you need a working knowledge of the main Racing Rules of Sailing and if you breach one of these you must take the appropriate penalty actions. Other competitors can raise a protest if they feel you have breached a rule, but you should take your own penalties without being asked.
It is your responsibility to sail the correct course. Do not ask other competitors or support boats for advice. Neither the Line Team nor the Support boats are responsible for ensuring that you have sailed the correct course. If you realise you have not sailed the correct course and you cannot correct your error, you MUST self-declare your retirement ideally over VHF, and you should leave the racecourse so as not to interfere with other competitors still racing.
If you feel another competitor has breached a rule and not taken appropriate remedial action you can raise a protest. You should hail the boat to let them know and speak to the Race Officer as soon as you get ashore or by VHF after the racing is finished. Do not broadcast the protest on VHF during the race.
If there are protests to hear after the race, the Race Officer will convene a protest meeting prior to the prize-giving.
Racing - Local water conditions
The tides in the Menai Strait are notoriously complicated - this is part of the fun of racing in these waters. The time of slack water and the change in the direction of the tidal flow is not the same as the time of low tide or high tide. The times are more or less the same at Puffin Island, but the offset increases up the strait to Menai Bridge. There is a diagram published in the print programme which explains this in graphical form. In addition, there are back-eddies and currents formed by promontories and headlands which can be used to advantage when you are trying to make ground against the tide.
Racing - Channel and Banks
There is a deep buoyed channel along the Anglesey side of the Strait marked in the usual way. The sand banks on either side dry to several metres at low water. The wider northeastern entrance between the lighthouse on Trwyn Ddu and Puffin Island is a narrow gully with deep water constrained by spits extending from the Puffin Island shore. The tide runs at considerable speed through this gully which can cause significant standing waves if there is wind over tide.
Racing - Other traffic
The Regattas run in a waterway used by other craft including trip boats, other recreational users and commercial traffic. Boats that are more maneuverable than you should keep clear of you but be aware that large craft must keep strictly to the buoyed channel and you must remain clear of them.
Racing Declarations
As part of the entry process, each competitor completes a standard declaration confirming their acceptance of their responsibility of the risk of sailing and that they hold appropriate 3rd party public liability insurance.
Communication between the organisers and Competitors
All important notices such as postponement, cancellation, or changes to the sailing instructions will be posted on the Notice board at the Royal Anglesey Yacht Club and also on the website, Facebook page, and sent to those competitors by WhatsApp if they have registered for this.
Please be aware that we are the guests of Beaumaris Town, Caernarfon and Port Dinorwic | Y Felinheli. We want them to enjoy the spectacle of the Regattas and look forward to our return each year.
Results are posted on the Event notice board in the foyer of RAYC and on the website as soon as possible after the days racing.
There will be a Prize Giving every day after the races have finished and all the crews have come off the water. The Prizes are for you to keep and are funded partly through your entry fee and from the support the Regattas receive from the sponsors, advertisers and the participating sailing clubs. In addition, there are Trophies which have been donated for individual classes and races. While there are not (yet) Trophies for every race for every class, there will be Prizes for all races. 2nd Prizes will be awarded if there are three or more competitors in the race and 3rd Prizes if there are four or more. If you are one of the winners, please make every effort to attend to collect your prize. Even if you have not won, come and give your congratulations to those who have bested you (this time).
At Beaumaris the Prize giving will be in the Mary Burton Suite upstairs at the Royal Anglesey Yacht Club clubhouse.
When the fleet is at Caernarfon the prize giving will be in the Royal Welsh Yacht Club clubhouse in the historic walls of Caernarfon Castle.
At Port Dinorwic | Y Felinheli the prize giving will be immediately after the racing on the Green at YF prior to the return sail to Beaumaris
The bars are open every night during the event at both RAYC and RWYC. In addition, there will be a variety of evening entertainment and the daily prize-giving.
Things to do in and around Beaumaris
The Tripadvisor website is a good place to start with recommended activities which will include The Castle, The pier, The Courthouse and The Gaol. There is also a variety of shops around the town to cater for all tastes, not mention the various Cafes and Restaurants. The Eryri National Park is only a short drive away as are numerous beaches and viewpoints.
The Beaumaris Health Centre
Rating Row
Beaumaris
LL58 8AL
Tel: 01248 810818
E-mail: Beaumaris@wales.nhs.uk
Emergency Line: 01248 810333