By 1661 the Pett brothers had constructed two yachts, the Catberine for King Charles and Anne to the Duke of York. The first official yacht race took place between these two vessels, where the defeated King Charles, in a route from Greenwich to Gkravesent and back.

The first yacht club in the world, The Water Club of Cork, was created in Ireland around 1720. The reports about the club are lost at the end of the 18th century, but re-established as The Cork Yacht Club in 1828 and in 1830 was renamed The Royal Cork Yacht Club.

In 1815 created The Yacht Club, which was renamed The Royal Yacht Club.

With the exception of the two World War’s, the yacht race is conducted it.