Heritage racing, a morning at the water.
The Dubai International Marine Club runs a season of traditional boat racing, and its events list marks every race as free. The first rowing heat is on Saturday 7 November 2026. If you bring a culture group, a photography club or a sailing or boating society, this page gives you the club’s own dates and places, the points where its sources disagree, what it does not say about viewing, and how a private vehicle fits.
What the club says
The club’s events list gives a place and a date for each race, and marks each one as free. The rowing races use 30 ft boats, and the club says they began in the 1996 to 1997 season, with the first race on 7 March 1997. It also runs sailing races for traditional dhows of 22 ft, 43 ft and 60 ft.
The club’s PDF, the Sports Season Calendar 2026 to 2027 issued on 14 October 2026, lists the season. Several events in the region were postponed or cancelled in 2026. Check the club’s notices before you book transport. If dates change, we adjust a quote. We are not the club’s transport provider and not a partner of the club.
Planning this trip? Tell us the date and group size for a fixed price.
Get a quoteDates and places
These are the club’s dates. Where its events list and its PDF differ, we show both.
| Date | Race | Place the club lists |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 7 Nov | Traditional rowing race, heat 1 (PDF: 7 to 8 Nov) | Al Jaddaf |
| Sat 14 Nov | Traditional rowing race, heat 2 (PDF: 14 to 15 Nov) | Al Jaddaf |
| Sun 22 Nov | 30th Al Maktoum Cup, traditional rowing (PDF: 21 to 22 Nov) | Al Jaddaf |
| Fri 27 Nov | Aquabike freestyle | Dubai Offshore on the list, Dubai Harbor in the PDF |
| Sat 28 Nov | 60 ft “Burj Al Arab” dhow sailing race (PDF: 28 to 29 Nov) | Dubai Offshore |
| Sat 5 Dec | 60 ft “Dubai Eye” dhow sailing race (PDF: 5 to 6 Dec) | Dubai Offshore |
| 10 to 13 Dec | UIM XCAT World Series, Dubai round (see below) | Dubai Offshore, says the PDF |
| 9 to 10 Jan 2027 | Kitesurf, kayak and stand-up paddle events, and a sailing heat | Jebel Ali Beach, says the PDF |
Visit Dubai’s calendar names Jebel Ali Beach as the place for the rowing races. The club and its PDF both say Al Jaddaf, and the club is the organiser, so we use Al Jaddaf. The offshore races are out at sea, and the club gives no shore point for watching them.
The December powerboat round
The club’s PDF lists the XCAT Dubai Grand Prix from 10 to 13 December. The series’ own calendar lists the Dubai round as 11 to 13 December. A powerboat news site reports that it is held at Sunset Kite Beach with free entry, reading a club release. We could not confirm that on the club’s pages, so treat it as reported and not as fact, and check the club’s notice close to the day.
How far it is, as modelled
The club publishes no drive times, so these are our own, from OpenStreetMap routing with no traffic and no event closures. They are modelled and approximate. Sunset Kite Beach is the place a news site reports for XCAT.
| From | To | Distance | Modelled drive, no traffic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Dubai | Al Jaddaf | About 9.7 km | About 10 minutes |
| Dubai Airport (DXB) | Al Jaddaf | About 14.3 km | About 15 minutes |
| Dubai Marina | Al Jaddaf | About 28.7 km | About 25 minutes |
| Dubai Mall | Sunset Kite Beach | About 12.9 km | About 14 minutes |
| Dubai Airport (DXB) | Sunset Kite Beach | About 25.8 km | About 25 minutes |
What the club has not published
We found no start times for any race, no place where spectators may stand, no parking or shade information, no rule for large groups, and no statement on whether a coach may stop near a launch point. We do not guess at any of these, and this page is short for that reason.
We agree a drop-off point and a collection point with you once they are published, and we cannot promise a stop at the water’s edge. Ask the club for start times for your date.
Planning the morning
Here is an example sum, not a promise and not a club timing. A group of 12 staying in Downtown wants to watch a rowing heat, and the club tells you it starts at 08:00. The modelled drive is about 10 minutes, so with a generous margin the vehicle might leave the hotel at about 07:00. Agree one return time with the group in writing.
A heritage morning combines well with a Creek day. Our Creek, souks and abra half day and the private minibus city tour show how to build the rest of the day. The ticketed boat show is a separate event, covered on our boat show page. For the airport end, see Dubai Airport to Downtown Dubai.
A licensed guide can be arranged for a fee: ask when you request a quote. Our driver is not a guide.
Choosing the vehicle
Photography groups carry tripods and long lenses, so tell us the number and size of the cases. Our guide figures:
- Mercedes V-Class: up to 7 passengers and 6 bags.
- 13-seater HiAce: up to 13 passengers and about 10 suitcases.
- Mercedes Sprinter: up to 16 passengers and up to 12 suitcases.
- 30-seater mini coach and 50-seater coach for a club or a society party.
How a booked vehicle fits
- Send the plan. Dates, hotel area, party size, camera cases and the race you want to see.
- Ask for a fixed written quote. Nothing is charged until you confirm.
- Read the pick-up and drop-off arrangement. The quote states it, and we update it when the club publishes its notices.
- Agree the return time. We plan the margin and tell you what is not yet published.
- Tell us if plans change. We adjust where we can, and cannot promise to beat queues or traffic.
Keep reading
- Al Habtoor Polo Club season 2026-27 transport: The 2026-27 polo season at Al Habtoor Polo Club in Dubailand: the UAE National Day Cup, Silver Cup, Gold Cup and the rest, with modelled drive times and what is not yet published.
- Abu Dhabi GP race day return to Dubai: The drive from Yas Marina Circuit back to Dubai on race night: what is published for the exit, last year’s precedent, approximate times and a meeting plan for a group.
- Dubai World Cup 2027 weekend transport for overseas fans: A ground-transport plan for racing fans from Japan, the USA, the UK and Australia for the Dubai World Cup weekend of 27 March 2027, from the airport to the last race.
- Al Fahidi heritage sites: open days: Al Fahidi and nearby heritage doors, day by day as Dubai Culture printed them on 31 October 2026, plus how to ask for a guided tour and the modelled drive times.
- Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge 2027 transport: The Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge, Sunday 7 February 2027, at Expo City: the build-up rides, the race pack rules and a plan for a very early start.
- HYROX Dubai 2026 transport: HYROX Dubai, 27 and 28 November 2026, at the Dubai Exhibition Centre: the provisional schedule, the check-in rules and how a group of athletes or supporters plans the days.
Frequently asked.
Quick answers for this trip.
When is the first Dubai Marine Club race of the season for visitors?
The club’s events list gives the first traditional rowing heat on Saturday 7 November 2026 at Al Jaddaf, with a second on 14 November and the 30th Al Maktoum Cup on 22 November. Check the club’s notices before you book transport.
Are the races free?
The club’s events list marks each race as free. For anything about a group, ask the club.
Where are the rowing races held?
The club and its PDF both say Al Jaddaf. Visit Dubai’s calendar names Jebel Ali Beach for the rowing, which does not match the club, so we use the club’s place.
Where can we watch the dhow races?
The club lists them as Dubai Offshore and gives no shore viewing point. We do not know of one, and we will not guess. Ask the club.
How far is Al Jaddaf from my hotel?
Our routing model with no traffic gives about 10 minutes from Downtown, about 15 minutes from Dubai Airport and about 25 minutes from Dubai Marina. Add time at busy hours.
Can a coach stop near the water?
We found no coach drop-off or parking information. We agree a drop-off point and a collection point with you once they are published, and we cannot promise a stop at the water’s edge.
How do I get a price?
Ask for a fixed written quote through the booking form with the dates, hotel area, party size and any camera cases. Nothing is charged until you confirm.
To the water and back, one planned morning.
Two questions now, a fixed price in your inbox shortly after.