Cowes for the use of Queen Elizabeth I sowed the seed for Cowes to grow into a world-renowned centre of boat-building. However, seafaring for recreation and sport remained the exception rather than the rule until much later. It was not until the reign of keen sailor George IV that the stage was set for the heyday of Cowes as 'The Yachting Capital of the World.' In 1826 the Royal Yacht Squadron organised a three-day regatta for the first time and the next year the king signified his approval of the event by presenting a cup to mark the occasion. This became
East Cowes celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the Queen's coronation in 1977, the main hangar doors of what was then the British Hovercraft Corporation (a successor to Saunders Roe) were painted with the world's largest image of the Union Flag, which can still be seen today. In January 2015, the car carrier bound for Bremerhaven, Germany, ran aground on Bramble Bank after developing a heavy list, roughly five miles north of the entrance to the River Medina. It has since been re-floated, repaired, and returned to service. East Cowes is linked to the mainland by Red Funnel’s vehicle ferry service. The Cowes