Many people, when thinking about British yacht racing, immediately think of Cowes, the Solent, the Fastnet race and so on. What many do not realise is just how popular yacht racing has been - and still is - on the 130+ miles of interconnected lakes and waterways that are the Norfolk Broads.

Breeze's origins can be traced all the way back to the Napoloeonic wars. In the intervening years, racing competition, innovation, and the inevitable yarns have left a rich history and, even now, a regatta calendar crammed full with highly popular events, hosted by over 40 clubs and associations.

On each page, there is a different video of Breeze under sail, taken June 2011

There are numerous local classes of boat unique to the Broads, such as the Yare and Bure One Design, a very pretty, 20' half - decker with over 130 registered boats and a fiercely competitive racing fleet.  The most popular, however, is a diverse collection of one-off cabin cruiser designs that is the now the River Cruiser Class, with over 4oo registered yachts.

This website is intended to give you a deep insight into one of those yachts, put her origins into context and paint a picture of what Broads yacht racing is all about.

Colin and Liz Chettleburgh hope you enjoy reading about her.

If you spend some time on this site, you will quickly realise she is much more than just a boat. She is also more than just a classic yacht. Built in 1924, she is a truly living museum, testament to the highly innovative, competitive and lucrative Broads yacht racing of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

What she is not, however, is a dusty relic to be seen but not used. She is out there every season, freshly refitted, going head to head with the most competitive yachts in the fleet of 400+ and well able to kick a transom or two. If you doubt these words, just google “colin+chettleburgh+breeze”. Click here for a list of her recent wins! Her continued success is a fitting tribute to the innovation of the designer.

Having said that, the other essential quality of a truly successful

Broads yacht is providing for après-sail activities and for this, she has a formidable reputation. Our hospitality record was sitting 15 down for dinner to celebrate our first regatta with her! (Admittedly, one was sitting on the brand new loo!) She also offers comfortable accommodation and 5 berths.

Currently owned by Colin and Liz Chettleburgh, who took her over on the first day of the new millennium, she has been a source of immense fun and excitement for an (extended) family totally devoted to her.

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