Thirteen yachts will set sail from Scarborough for a challenging two-hundred-and-ten-mile voyage across the North Sea to the Netherlands as part of the 2026 North Sea Yacht Race.
Thirteen yachts are preparing to set sail from Scarborough for a two-hundred-and-ten-mile voyage across the North Sea to the Netherlands.
The annual North Sea Yacht Race is set to begin at 18:30, with crews from across the Yorkshire Coast and further afield taking on the challenging crossing.
Boats from Scarborough Yacht Club and Whitby will be joined by vessels from Hartlepool and Blyth for the 2026 edition of the race.
Thomas Hill is one of the sailors taking part. He will be aboard a yacht named Dream Weaver.
Mr Hill said:
"We've got 13 boats signed up from up and down the coast, some from Whitby."
The race will begin directly off the outer pier in Scarborough. Spectators can watch the start from the pier, where a post marked with a diamond forms part of the start line.
The yachts are expected to leave the harbour around forty minutes before the official start time to prepare.
From the start line, the fleet will head towards the Scarborough Spa before passing the Boyes buoy.
Mr Hill explained the route out of the bay. He said:
"We'll sail towards the Boyes Buoy. We'll leave that on our port side, on our left side, and then we'll set off towards Flamborough Head and off we go."
The event is sponsored by Boyes, with organisers thanking them for their continued support in helping to put on the race.
Weather conditions are a crucial factor for the crossing. Initial forecasts predicted challenging winds right on the nose, but conditions have since improved for the start of the race.
Mr Hill said:
"It should be a nice little beam reach, the wind will be on the side of us, heading out towards Flamborough."
The fleet aims to pass Flamborough with the assistance of the tide, which is considered an important tactical advantage. However, the forecast for Saturday appears less predictable, with patchy winds expected.
Under race rules, competitors are strictly prohibited from using engine power. If a crew uses their engine, they must typically retire from the race.
There is one exception to this rule. Yachts are permitted to use engines to navigate safely through separation schemes in the middle of the North Sea, which act as busy shipping lanes for tankers. Crews must maintain a speed of at least two miles per hour when crossing these zones to avoid danger.
The fastest boats are expected to reach the Netherlands by late Sunday or early Monday morning. The strict time limit for finishing the race is 19:00 on Monday, though some crews have been known to finish with just minutes to spare.
Upon arriving in the Netherlands, the yachts will travel up the North Sea canal to Amsterdam before heading into the inland seas of the IJsselmeer and Markermeer.
A prize-giving dinner will be held on Tuesday evening in the town of Hoorn, a tradition that has continued for more than thirty years. Following the celebrations, crews will either return home or continue their holidays around the inland seas.
Friends, family, and sailing enthusiasts can follow the progress of the fleet online, allowing supporters to see the exact positions of the boats.
The tracker can be found here
Mr Hill said:
"You can choose your favourite name of the boat. Dream Weaver is a particularly good boat, that's the one I'm going on."
For many crews, crossing the busy shipping lanes of the North Sea pushes them out of their comfort zones.
Mr Hill first completed the voyage as a six-year-old but has not taken part in the crossing for thirteen years.
He said:
"I am suitably nervous about it. But yes, it's quite a thing to set off across the sea, and and a very, very busy one at that."
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