The vibrant history of Fitted Dinghy racing in Bermuda will be showcased in a documentary to be screened at Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute on Tuesday.

Bermuda Fitted Dinghies are one of the oldest continually sailed class of boat in the world with designs stretching back to the earliest decades of 17th century Bermuda.

They have given rise to a rich sailing culture with dedicated clubs and syndicates racing for some of the oldest sports trophies in the world.

Roger Beach, chairman of the Bermuda Fitted Dinghy Association and Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club commodore, is “honoured” to do his part in keeping the iconic sport alive.

“These unique boats are Bermudian to their core,” he said.

“With crew members sometimes being ejected from the boat before the race finishes, it’s one of the most entertaining sailing classes to watch. It’s also one of the most challenging to sail, with a sail area much larger than the boat.”

The documentary, produced by the Department of Culture, will be screened at 6.30pm and will be followed by a panel discussion with Fitted Dinghy sailors sharing their experiences in the boat.

Fitted Dinghy races are held every other Sunday during the summer with three to four races per day contested between the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, St George's Dinghy and Sports Club and Sandys Boat Club.

The boats are normally crewed by six people and sail windward leeward courses with the number of legs determined by the conditions and the racing fleet always finishing to windward.

The next race day in Mangrove Bay is on July 13 with spectators encouraged to watch the action either on the water or from Watford Bridge.

The final race of the day will be for the Leatrice Oatley Trophy, which is geared towards promoting the participation of women in the sport.