Seajet
...
I can only speak from personal experience gleaned during both low and high season...uber-managed, formulaic sailing.
With respect, that is just not correct; I've sailed the Solent, summer & winter, for 47 years and have never seen it as you describe.
Even the Round The island Race - and that IS a lot of boats - could never be described as uber-managed, 90% of the boats are a few people from a club out on old Fred's boat.
The only thing close to the type of sailing you describe are the Sunsail corporate charter jobs - when the company boss suddenly decides he's Captain Jack Aubrey; they are a serious pain, but one soon learns to spot their rigs, insignia, hulls and hull stickers - then they're easily avoided by miles.
Most of the time in the Solent, even at peak weekends, there are only say 2-6 cruisers or racers in sight going the same way as me, with a separation of 1/2 mile - several miles.
And lovely places to go, in a much better climate ( my father is Aberdonian and I've worked a lot in Scotland ) and no midges.
I agree with Dylan though, my late chum sailed from Dysart for a while and I joined him one week, I was very taken by the gorgeous local double enders, including one someone had grafted an E-Boat deck and rig onto - Fifes aren't too shabby either !