Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is situated on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floating Bridge, a chain ferry. It is one of a couple of remaining chain ferries not replaced by a physical bridge. Leland's 19th century verses referred to the towns poetically as 'The two great Cowes that in loud thunder roar, This on the eastern, that the western shore'. Cowes has been seen as a home for intercontinental private yacht racing since the founding of the Royal Yacht Squadron in 1815. The town gives its name to the world's oldest routine regatta, Cowes Week, which takes place yearly in the first week of August. Later in the summertime, powerboat races are held. The population was 9663 in the 2001 census, a figure that doubles during the regatta in early August. More recently, the population at the 2011 Census was 10405. Much of the town's architecture is still profoundly influenced by the design of elaborate structure which Prince Albert popularised. Business in both Cowes and East Cowes has typically centred on the building and style of marine craft and materials associated with boat-making, such as the early flying boats, and sail-making. Cowes is a gateway town for the Isle of Wight. Travellers to Southampton are served by a high speed catamaran passenger ferryboat from Cowes called the Red Jet. It is the place where the first hovercraft was analyzed. For all your home renovations, make certain to find reputable contractors in Cowes to make certain of quality.