A BUSY month of sailing on the waters off Helensburgh gathers pace with the Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club’s bicentennial regatta this weekend.

The event, on August 10 and 11, features windward leeward sailing on the Saturday and a coastal race on the Sunday, after celebrating at the bi-centenary ball on the Saturday evening.

The first race gets under way at 10.30am on Saturday.

This event is part of the Clyde Two Handed Series promoted by the Mudhook Yacht Club

All local club members are welcome.

Next weekend, meanwhile, sees the start of the Eight Metre World Championships on the Clyde, jointly hosted by the RNCYC and the Mudhook club, along with the International 8 Metre Class Association.

The class boasts many active fleets in the UK, Scandinavia, France, Switzerland, Germany and North America, and it’s expected that around 40 yachts will be brought to the Clyde for the event, which runs from August 18-24.

The International 8 Metre World Championships will be hosted by the RNCYC and Mudhook Yacht Club from August 18-24.The International 8 Metre World Championships will be hosted by the RNCYC and Mudhook Yacht Club from August 18-24. (Image: Emily Smith)

A spokesperson for the event’s organisers said: "The Clyde has been intimately involved with metre class racing since the early days and it was very fitting that the centenary of the metre rule was celebrated here in 2007.

“It is equally fitting that you should return to help us celebrate another major anniversary.

“In 2024 the RNCYC will be 200 years old and the MYC a slightly more youthful at 150 years.

“Three hundred and fifty years of sailing history takes some beating, and we are looking forward to a big year here on the Clyde.

“We are planning an exciting week of racing on the Upper Clyde and an entertaining social program, based at the fabulously historic club house of the Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club in Rhu.”

To find out more about the event see worldcup.8mr.org or rncyc.com/8mr-worldcup.