Staff at MDL’s Ocean Village Marina in Southampton are looking forward to welcoming some very special visitors into the marina at the end of the month, ahead of the prestigious Royal Yacht Squadron International Bicentenary Regatta (25th – 31st July).
All four of the J Class yachts competing in the Regatta will berth at the marina – Rainbow, Ranger, Velsheda and Lionheart – along with Bystander, an impressive 42.1m vessel built as an escort for Velsheda. The yachts will be joining vessels from 25 UK sailing clubs as they take part in a number of challenging races to celebrate the 200-year history of the Royal Yacht Squadron.
The J Class will race as a fleet, with exciting 2-3 hour courses in and beyond the Solent. Spectators and fans of the J Class will be able to view the grace and power of these elegant vessels from a number of vantage points around the Solent, as well as at Ocean Village Marina itself.
Debbie Burns, Manager at MDL’s Ocean Village Marina, said: “We are excited and extremely proud to host these four magnificent yachts at the marina. Our deep waters and central location make Ocean Village the ideal location for these beautiful boats and we are highly experienced at catering for larger yachts. We were lucky to host three of the boats in 2012 for the J Class Solent Regatta and are thrilled that the boats will be returning.”
The J Class is a single masted racing sailboat that has its roots in the oldest sporting race in the world, The America’s Cup. The four J Class yachts that will be berthed at Ocean Village vary in length from the 39-metre Rainbow to the 43.7-metre Lionheart. The vessels will be arriving at Ocean Village Marina from the J Class Regatta in Falmouth.