The Solent has been awash with billowing sails this week as 200 of the world's fastest, biggest and most historic racing yachts came together to create spectacular scenes that will be neither repeated nor forgotten for many years to come.

Competitors and spectators alike revelled in the awesome congestion of massive boats, many of which had only been seen in sepia pictures by the huge crowds who lined the Island and mainland shores.

The finish of the UBS Jubilee Round the Island Race, an exact re-enactment of the original 1851 race that kicked off the America's Cup, was like a stage-lit procession of the great and the good in world yacht racing, past and present.

It was a truly spectacular sight as the sleek 92ft Italian boat Stealth glided under brilliant sunshine, main and spinnaker, towards the Royal Yacht Squadron finish, her progress impeded by strong currents but her pedigree as the quickest boat in the fleet established, as she took line honours in four hours and 48 minutes.

She was followed by her modern sisterships, Mari Cha II, Hasse Plattner's Morning Glory and Mike Slade's Solent-based Skandia Leopard but behind them came a line of thoroughbreds who through the ages, have kept the yachting world entranced by their trophy-winning exploits.

Among the classic boats, the schooner Mariette of 1915 and the Bermudan rigged Cambria, built in 1928 and racing alongside the J-class yachts offered most pleasure for sheer size, sail area and elegance.

Not only were the boats big but on board there was also a parade of giants with John Bertrand, Alan Bond and many of the original crew of Australia II reliving memories of 1983 when they seized the Cup away from the Americans.

Kiwi legend Grant Dalton was on the helm of the three-masted schooner Shenandoah and even Lawrie Smith was back on the water, as skipper of 140-ft ketch Rebecca, which recently emerged from the Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth.

Another Kiwi Russell Coutts was on the 12-metre South Australia with Brad Butterworth on tactics and crew from his Alinghi Swiss America's Cup Challenge and on Team New Zealand, the modern ACC boat which won the title in 1995 was Dean Barker, who will defend it in 2003.

Veteran America's Cuppers Denis Connor and Bill Koch were also in evidence though on the water, it was boats, not names, that vied for top billing, none more so than the J-class contenders Velsheda, Endeavour and Shamrock V, back together in the Solent after a 70-year absence.

In the end, the Royal Southampton Yacht Club boat Velsheda owned by businessman Ronald de Waal was beaten by a full six minutes by Dennis Koslowski in Endeavour. But winning was not the issue on Tuesday. It was all about yachting history and the glorious spectacle of big boat racing.