West Highland Yachting Week has its origins as far back as 1882 when the committee of the fledgling Royal Highland Yacht Club resolved to hold a regatta in Oban in two classes - one for yachts under forty tons and the other for those over forty tons. But it was not until 1947 that all three local clubs - Royal Highland Yacht Club, Oban Sailing Club and Western Isles Yacht Club - agreed to bring their separate regattas together to provide one significant event, with each club contributing two days towards a six day regatta. In due course it was agreed to hand over the total management of the event to a Joint Regatta Committee comprising five representatives from each club, with additional co-opted expertise, and this is how it is managed today.

In 1980 the Committee were fortunate to commence what has become one of the longest-running sporting sponsorships in the country, and for the past 29 years they have been proud to work alongside Tennent Caledonian Breweries. Those involved in the early years would now find it difficult to recognise what has become one of the leading international yachting events, with the Committee striving to achieve an attractive combination of round the buoys and passage racing, supported by an excellent social programme.

This popular mix of the serious and the not so serious continues the tradition begun at the very first Regatta in 1882 when, in addition to yacht racing, the event included rowing races, and culminated with a "Duck Hunt" - which seems to have been some sort of pursuit race! In the evening the owners and their guests attended a huge Highland Ball. Our final prize giving dance is perhaps not quite the dazzling event of those early years, with the guests in their full finery, but it is not so easy to carry full Highland Dress aboard today's somewhat smaller yachts. Of course, in those days it would only have been the owners attending the ball - the crews (paid, naturally!) would have been expected to entertain themselves at the local public house!

Unlike many other events, West Highland Yachting Week encourages competitors to enter for individual races if they do not want to take part in the whole Series. Some choose to enter only for the passage races, or just one race - or even just a Feeder Race before going off on a cruise. Some even decide to take a day out for golf in Tobermory!

In addition to spinnaker classes, four restricted sail classes are offered which attract skippers with limited experience, crew or equipment. Whilst these classes also suit the yachts with small children aboard, some of the most competitive crew members are the children themselves! Many of our competitors are infrequent racers, often first timers - the Committee is always delighted to encourage those dipping a toe into racing waters for the first time.