The Copa del Rey is coming up in Palma at the start of August. Even if you’re not racing, it’s a fantastic spectacle from shore or from a spectator boat. The Real Club Náutico de Palma puts on a great show.
I’ve been a few times as spectator crew and once managed to wangle a spot on a boat in the cruiser class. The atmosphere is incredible — some of the world’s best sailors right here in our waters.
Anyone planning to go? I was thinking of anchoring off the course one day to watch from the water. Could turn it into a little flotilla if there’s interest.
Love the Copa del Rey! We always try to get a few charter boats near the course — clients love it. The best viewing spot is near the start/finish line off the Club Náutico. If you anchor, make sure you stay well outside the course marks — the race committee gets quite strict about spectator boats.
A flotilla sounds fun — count me in!
I watched the Copa del Rey last year from Dique del Oeste and it was spectacular. Seeing those TP52s and the Maxis up close is really something. Would definitely be up for a flotilla — any excuse to get out on the water!
This sounds amazing! I had no idea it was so close. Would love to come along if there’s room on someone’s boat. I can bring snacks and drinks!
We went last year for the first time and it was brilliant — even just watching from shore. We took the dinghy out to the course area off the Paseo Marítimo on one of the race days and the speed and precision of those TP52s is just unreal when you see it close up. Makes our Coastal Skipper tacking drills look a bit amateur!
The atmosphere around the Real Club Náutico de Palma in the evenings is fantastic too. Lots of crews milling about, you can get close to some seriously impressive yachts and chat to crew members who are surprisingly friendly and happy to talk about their boats. Lisa got talking to a bowman on one of the Maxis who gave us a tour of the deck — absolutely bonkers amount of running rigging.
We’re definitely going again this year. If anyone fancies meeting up for a drink one evening during regatta week, we’d be well up for that. Always nice to put faces to forum names!
Late to report back but I did get out for one of the race days in the end — a friend of a friend had a spot on a spectator boat off the Dique del Oeste. Seeing the TP52s go through a gybe at that speed genuinely made my jaw drop.
Also, Katrin was completely right about staying well outside the marks. We watched a RIB get a very loud telling off from the committee boat.
I completely missed the Copa del Rey this year — we were busy settling into the new flat and I had a course session that weekend. Sophie, your description of the TP52 gybes makes me wish I had gone! Maybe next year when I actually know what a gybe looks like done properly, ha.
Is it the kind of thing you can just turn up and watch from the harbour wall, or do you really need to be on the water to see anything?
Well, another Copa del Rey in the books. I managed to get out on Saturday for the final day of racing and it did not disappoint — the wind was actually cooperating this year, steady 14-16 knots from the southwest, and watching the TP52 fleet do downwind legs at that speed from maybe 200 metres away is just something else entirely.
The atmosphere around the Real Club Náutico afterwards was brilliant as always. If anyone is already thinking about next year, my advice is to sort a spectator boat early. The good spots along the course fill up fast and watching from someone’s deck with cold beers is infinitely better than squinting from the Dique del Oeste.