Vintage Boat
International classic sailing comes to Mahón
Between 26 and 30 August, Mahón was once again the unmissable event for the most beautiful classic and vintage sailing boats in the Mediterranean. Almost 50 boats, many of them over a century old, set sail last week along the coast of Menorca, the most surprising island in the Balearic archipelago.
Menorca, surprising and unique
Surprising for its history, marked by its strategic position in the Mediterranean, with many remains of Talayotic culture and traces left by the Carthaginians, Romans and Muslims. Later, it was the scene of continuous exchanges and conquests between pirates, the French, the English… Finally, in 1802, it came under Spanish sovereignty for good. Recognised as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1993, its architectural heritage reflects both its Mediterranean roots and British influence, particularly visible in Mahón, where Lord Nelson’s house stands out on top of a hill overlooking the entrance to the port and where he is said to have shared his love with the beautiful Lady Hamilton.
This small island is unique. With just over 700 km2 and a population of around 100,000, it is less bustling than nearby Mallorca and Ibiza, but its extensive beaches, with sandy dunes stretching for several kilometres and rocky coves with turquoise waters where pine forests reach the sea’s edge, make it unique.
Menorca retains a peaceful lifestyle linked to the sea. Its economy combines sustainable tourism with crafts, notably avarcas, traditional footwear, and renowned cuisine, featuring products such as lobster stew, Mahón cheese, sobrasada, and ‘arroz de la tierra’ (land rice), made from wheat. Special mention should be made of Mahón gin, which is used to make the popular ‘pomada’, a drink that is a must at the Sant Joan festivities in Ciutadella, where Menorcan horses are the stars of the famous ‘jaleos’.
Menorcan sport is closely linked to its culture and natural environment. Horse riding, especially with the Menorcan horse, is a symbol of identity and festivity. In terms of sport, the island has ideal conditions for sailing, with internationally renowned nautical competitions in the port of Mahón. In addition, its coastline is ideal for family kayaking, diving in its calm and crystal-clear coves, cycling and hiking, with the Camí de Cavalls being one of its most emblematic routes.
Mahon, one of the largest natural harbours in the world
The harbour of Mahon, over 6 kilometres long, is one of the largest natural harbours in the world, standing out among those of Manila Bay, San Francisco Bay, Sydney Harbour and Pearl Harbour.
Protected at its entrance by the imposing Isabel II or La Mola fortress, one of the largest European fortresses built in the 19th century, and by the castle of San Felipe, this extensive stretch of water is bordered by commercial docks and small harbours where small traditional boats, large cruise ships and powerful motorboats moor or anchor. and reflects the old fishermen’s houses and beautiful modern buildings that blend in well with the surroundings.
Its waters are home to four islets:
– Isla del Rey, which owes its name to the fact that it was the first Menorcan land set foot on by King Alfonso III when he went to conquer Menorca from the Muslims. It contains the remains of a 6th-century early Christian basilica and, thanks to the Isla del Rey Hospital Foundation, the old 18th-century English naval hospital has been restored and converted into an exclusive art gallery and a restaurant and bar where you can sample the best of Mallorcan and Mediterranean cuisine.
– Lazareto Island (or Quarantine Island), a historic peninsula where a lazaretto was built in 1793, a historic and sanitary architectural complex, originally designed to quarantine crews returning on ships from the East and North Africa during the constant plague epidemics. This unique construction was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1993.
– Pinto Island, octagonal in shape due to the artificial docks that were built around its perimeter. Among other uses, it was once used as an arsenal, a powder magazine, a food depot and a shipyard. It currently belongs to the Spanish Navy and has been transferred to the Naval Museum Foundation for the creation of a museum.
– Isla de la Cuarentena, where Menorca’s first quarantine station was built. It is currently in disuse.
Vela Clásica Menorca / XXI Copa del Rey de Barcos de Época
Hundreds of enthusiastic sailors prepared for four intense days of racing off the coast of Mallorca. With the boats moored next to the CMM facilities, the crews were able to enjoy not only intense days of competition at sea, but also the characteristic hospitality and friendliness of the organiser, the Club Marítimo de Mahón (CMM), which, together with the local authorities, strives every year to be one of the most outstanding hosts on the Classic Sailing circuit.
The CMM originated in 1900 with the creation of the Mahón Maritime League (‘Sa Lliga’), an organisation linked to the promotion of maritime and nautical activities, and in 1945 it evolved into what is now the Mahón Maritime Club.
This century-old club, in addition to organising the Copa del Rey de Vela Clásica (King’s Cup Classic Sailing Regatta) for the past 21 years, has also hosted major international competitions, including the 52 SUPER SERIES circuit and the Menorca Maxi, and has been awarded the organisation of the Snipe World Championship to be held between 19 and 26 September 2026.
Four days that have yielded a lot
As always, in addition to boats and crews, the wind and the sea are the protagonists in sailing competitions, and here they have competed singularly to see who would take the medal for the most outstanding performance.
In the end, it was the boats and their crews and, of course, the large CMM team coordinated and led by Nacho Marra, who made sure that everything ran smoothly at all times, who took the top prize, but the unstable weather came close to sharing the podium.
Breakfasts, sunsets on the Club’s wonderful terrace, good music, and snacks featuring Menorcan products were the beginning and end of each day for crews and volunteers.
– The first day of racing was the only one to achieve victory: Unstable weather conditions, marked by an almost total lack of wind, rough seas, haze and humidity, prevented the 22-mile coastal race scheduled for Wednesday to kick off the competition in the waters off Mahón.
– The second day of the Copa del Rey Repsol Vintage Boat Race offered a unique spectacle, rarely seen (only twice in the history of the race), with these jewels setting sail from the organising club. Ariane Mainemare, the regatta’s chief judge, commented that this start can only be given for these boats, many of which have restricted manoeuvrability, when conditions are such that the angle and intensity of the wind are perfectly suited to it.
The finish line was also located in front of the Club, but it was not an easy day… With the race shortened (except for the Big Boats) due to the threat of a storm, when part of the fleet had already crossed the finish line and was safely moored, a violent squall broke out. The torrential rain and gusts of wind caught the Big Boats in the middle of their voyage, hitting them hard. They had started last and their route included leaving Isla del Aire on the starboard side, so they were outside the protection of the harbour when the storm reached its peak. Gusts of over 50 knots mercilessly battered the FI15 Tuiga (1909), the flagship of the Monaco Yacht Club, which was sailing very close to the coast with all sails set and, in a manoeuvre to move away from it, suffered the dismasting of its trapezoidal rigging. Meanwhile, the Lady Anne (1912), of the same class but further from the coast, broke its bowsprit and starboard spreader. Fortunately, there were no human casualties.
The fleet, divided into five classes: Big Boats, Vintage Gaff, Vintage Bermudian, Classics and Spirit of Tradition, completed this first leg (except for the Big Boats, which was ultimately suspended) and the first illustrious names rose to the top of the rankings: the 1913 Spartan among the Vintage Gaff boats, the Amorita (1937) in Bermudian, in Classics, the victory went to the 1964 Argos and in Spirit of Tradition, the winner was the small 1975 LOTUS SCANDINAVIA 40 Barlovento.
– The third day dawned sunny and clear, with a light, moderate to fresh breeze, and a race of just over 20 miles was held in which all the boats were able to circumnavigate the iconic Isla del Aire.
After compensating for times, three classes kept the winners of the first day in their first position, with the only change in Spirit of Tradition, where the SPIRIT 52 MOD Flight of Durgan (2007), one of the longest boats in the class, relegated Barlovento. Unlike the other classes, where the leaders were solid, in this class three boats faced the final race tied on points. The 1908 Mariska, following the withdrawal of the Tuiga and Lady Anne, had no rival in the imposing 36-metre schooner Cariad, with 130 years of history.
– There were no surprises on the final day, except that Barlovento-Senda Azul regained first place in the Spirit of Tradition class ahead of Flight of Durgan and its twin Happy Forever (2008) in third place.
Spartan, Amorita, Mariska, Argos, Barlovento-Senda Azul, champions of the 21st Copa del Rey Repsol Vintage Boat Regatta in Menorca
In the Vintage Gaff, Spartan won all three races, ahead of the private match race between the two twins, Rowdy (1916) and Chinook (1916), which was decided by Donna Dyer’s boat.
Amorita did the same in the Vintage Bermudian class with two first places and a second, relegating Wendy Schmidt’s Santana (1930) to second place, with Baruna of 1938 completing the podium.
Special mention goes to Argos, which achieved its tenth victory in the Copa del Rey Repsol. Behind them were Albacore (1966) and Star Shaphire of London (1957).
The awards ceremony brought the 21st edition of the Copa del Rey de Barcos de Época to a close. Like all previous editions, it was a shining example of good organisation and sportsmanship by all participants, leaving us all with the feeling that we will be back for the next edition.
