Excitement builds for the 2015 Sutton Harbour Classic Boat Rally in Plymouth

A host of vintage vessels will be heading into Britain’s Ocean City next month when Plymouth hosts the 28th annual Sutton Harbour Classic Boat Rally.

The increasingly popular rally has become one of Plymouth’s best-loved events, with visitors flocking to Sutton Harbour every summer to see dozens of classic boats moored in the heart of the city’s vibrant waterfront.

This year, Sutton Harbour will have even more to offer visitors of all ages with an array of traditional fairground rides on shore, alongside stalls, street theatre acts and entertainers, throughout the four-day event which runs from July 24th – 27th.

More than 60 classic sail and motor boats including Luggers, Gaff Rigged Boats, Bermudan rigs and Schooners will be moored in Sutton Harbour’s 5 Gold Anchor Marina, including many vessels on the National Register of Historic Ships.

This year’s star attraction will be Grayhound, an iconic three-masted lugger and an exact replica of the original Grayhound built 200 years ago on Cawsand beach. Originally a fast revenue boat, Grayhound later switched sides to become a privateer, enjoying a lively history. The Grayhound replica was also built locally at Millbrook, and launched in 2008. She is over 100ft long and has sailed halfway around the globe but the 2015 rally marks her first visit to Plymouth.

Other feature boats expected to draw the crowds include two grand Island Trust vessels – Tectona, a large ketch built solidly of teal in South India, and Pegasus, a replica Bristol Channel pilot cutter, as well as the return of the remarkable World War One Motor Torpedo Boat (DCB 1), which visited during the 2014 rally.