What is the City Livery Sailing Challenge?
The City Livery Yacht Club are delighted to be supporting the Sea View Yacht Club in their launch of the inaugural City Livery Sailing Challenge. Following the success of the Great Twelve Sailing Challenge the Sea View Yacht is pleased to announce that they are organising this inter livery sailing regatta to be held on 19th - 20th September 2025.
All Livery Companies are invited to send a team of four to compete in one of the Club’s famous Mermaids which have been a feature of Seaview and Solent waters for over 100 years. For those that have sailed in them know what an exhilarating experience this is. Each boat is painted in a unique colour and look the part as a great classic but modern racing keelboat. The Mermaid is a 26-foot, half open keelboat displacing 1.5 tonnes with built in buoyancy making them inherently safe but safe and exciting to sail. Depending on demand there is the possibility of also organising a race for cruisers.
The Great Twelve Sailing Challenge has been running for over 20 years and was originally established because Sea View Yacht Club (SVYC) had 12 Mermaids for 12 Companies. The event has raised substantial funds for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and other charities. The SVYC is offering to charter their fleet of Mermaids to all Livery Companies at an extremely attractive rate to raise funds for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and the Seaview Sailing Trust which is a charity that pays for primary school children to learn how to sail free of charge.
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The regatta is intended to bring not only livery companies together in a spirit fraternal rivalry but also liverymen of the same company that do not often get involved in their own Company’s affairs. The Inter Livery Sailing Regatta will be open to 24 Livery Companies on a first come first served basis and sailed against each other over 2 races to award the Inter Livery Ship’s Decanter Trophy to the overall winner.
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If you are interested but you cannot attract others within your own company we will endeavour make up composite crews with likeminded liverymen from other companies.
2
Days of sailing and fellowship
24
Livery companies taking part
2
Social evenings
The Programme
Friday 19th September
5pm – Practice Mermaid charter, a chance to hone your skills and have a go
From 7pm – Drinks in the Sea View Yacht Club (casual dress)
8pm ’til late – Supper at the Sea View Yacht Club
Saturday 20th September
(Times approximate depending on previous race)
09.00 - Briefing Meeting
10.00 - First Mermaid Race for the first 12 Livery Companies
11.30 - Second Mermaid Race for second 12 Livery Companies
12.00 - Lunch
14.00 - Third Race for the last 6 Mermaids in the first and second races
15.30 - Final Mermaid Race for first 6 in the first and second races to establish to winner of the Inter Livery Ship’s Decanter Prize
19.00 - Reception and Prize-giving
20.15 – Dinner
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Practice makes perfect
It might be worth considering a practise sail on Friday evening which has proved to be very popular. It allows the better sailors to hone their skill, whilst those less familiar with the boats gives them an opportunity to find their way around.
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If you would like to have a practice in a Mermaid on Friday evening by chartering a boat or joining a crew, please let us know
The Costs
The charter cost for each team of 4 entering will be £400 per Livery Company. The cost for supper on Friday and the prize-giving and dinner on Saturday will be £100 per person. Teams are invited to bring as many supporters as they wish. Supper on Friday evening will be a casual meal of 2 courses served at any time between 7pm and 9pm with teams gathering to meet members of their own livery company together with other livery companies. There will be a pay bar. At the prize-giving on Saturday evening after the racing drinks will be served followed by a 3-course dinner.
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If there was a demand for a cruiser race to run alongside the Mermaid races the entry fee would be £100 per cruiser. If you wish to have more information please contact us.​
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This regatta is for those wishing to become involved with their own livery company and to meet other like-minded liverymen from other livery companies. We guarantee that you will not be disappointed.