On this day in Wembury
03 July 1928
The Western Morning News carried a prominent advert style report on the Wembury Regatta following the event held on 30 June 1928. The highlight was the handicap race for outboard hydroplanes, a relatively new and thrilling branch of motor-powered boating. Even with a 2 minute handicap, the Elto Quad powered through the field and took first place, a result impressive enough for the distributors to trumpet in bold print.
To a modern reader this might look like simple marketing, but in 1928 it reflects a genuine moment of change. Small outboard engines were transforming leisure boating along the South Devon coast. Until the mid 1920s most small craft around Wembury, the Yealm, and Plymouth Sound were rowed or sailed. Suddenly, light petrol engines were offering speed, control, and excitement that had never been accessible to everyday amateur boaters.
Regattas like Wembury’s became showcases for this new technology. They drew large crowds to the cliffs and beaches, all keen to see boats that seemed futuristic by local standards. The inclusion of Plymouth and Falmouth agents in the notice shows how quickly the outboard trade was growing, linking Wembury’s small community events with a regional marine industry that would continue to thrive across the twentieth century.
Western Morning News, 03 July 1928.