Once again classic yachts from across Europe will come together to race and celebrate all that is best in classic yachting with some 50 yachts participating in this tenth anniversary edition of the regatta.

The fleet is always a spectacular sight and will once again feature a host of famous sailing yachts. This year the 1903 Charles Sibbick designed yawl Thalassa will be amongst those attending the event. Thalassa is not only one of the oldest boats entered, but also has a fascinating history. She has been raced since her launch with considerable success including 3rd overall in the 1927 Fastnet. In the early 1930s her sailing master was John Illingworth, perhaps the most famous racing sailor of his generation and widely regarded as the founder of modern ocean racing. Having spent the war safely tucked up in a mud berth in Brightlingsea, Thalassa led the post war return to ocean and RORC racing and continued to be one of the most successful boats on the racing circuit.

The youngest boat attending will be the newly launched 74’ Spirit of Galatea, designed by Sean McMillan. Built by Spirit Yachts of Ipswich, Spirit of Galatea will join Panerai British Classic Week as a cruising entry, taking part in the Around The Island Race on Monday 14 July. This stunning yacht is a wonderful example of the regatta’s “modern classic” division, which incorporates modern yachts built with the appearance of a classic.

Another fascinating yacht to look out for will be Overlord, a 58’ Bermudan sloop built in 1936 by Abeking and Rasmussen for the Luftwaffe. She was part of a fleet of yachts used for training Luftwaffe navigators. In 1945 Overlord and many other yachts in the Luftwaffe fleet were taken as prizes of war at Kiel and later included in the reparations agreement. Overlord was handed over to the British Armed Forces in the guise of the Sapper Yacht Club and enjoyed a distinguished racing career between 1945 and 1955.

Thalassa, Spirit of Galatea and Overlord will join a fleet of some 50 classic and modern classic yachts for the regatta, which runs from Saturday 12 to Saturday 19 July. There will be daily racing from Sunday 13 to Friday 18 July including the Around The Island Race on Monday 14 July, the Ladies Race on Wednesday 16 July, a long inshore race on Thursday 17 July and the Sandeman Yacht Company Race on Friday 18 July. The quality of the racing is matched by the quality of the social programme which includes Mezze at Moocow on the opening Saturday, a Welcome Reception at the Royal Yacht Squadron on Sunday, the Open Yachts Pontoon Party on Tuesday when the participants get to inspect each other’s yachts, a Crew Party and BBQ on Wednesday and the Prize Giving Dinner on Friday, as well as daily hospitality in the Panerai Lounge. The regatta will conclude with the traditional Parade of Sail past the Royal Yacht Squadron and Cowes Green on Saturday 19 July.

Officine Panerai remains the world’s leading classic yachting regatta organiser with no less than 11 events scheduled for 2014 in the most maritime tradition-rich corners of the world. Panerai also underscored its links to classic sailing in this anniversary year by creating the Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Titanio, a chronograph designed to bring a revolutionary simplicity to start-time countdowns.