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RACING
through the Key West Sailing Club, which holds weekly
club races open to all. The only exception is the Schooner
Wharf Wrecker’s Race, which is a series of four races with
boats of any size racing. First boat out and back wins, with
no handicaps. The series runs every few weeks, starting in
January during Key West Race Week. All sizes of boats race,
from small day sailers to 80-foot schooners.
Marathon has limited racing with the sailboats from the
Boot Key Harbor mooring field holding an annual regatta.
Florida Keys Race Calendar
Key West Sailing Club. Every Saturday – Open House at the Key
West Sailing Club. 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (305) 292-5993.
www.keywestsailingclub.org. Sailboat Lane off Palm Avenue in
Key West. Come by the club to sail. Non-members and members
welcome. Wednesday night racing has begun for the summer season.
Skippers meet at the clubhouse by 5:00 p.m. and boats start
racing at 6:00 p.m. in the seaplane basin near the mooring field.
Dinner and drinks afterward.
Upper Keys Sailing Club (UKSC). www.upperkeyssailingclub
.com. Go to the Club Web site for regular club racing open to all.
SEPTEMBER
See the Club Web site
OCTOBER
23 Founders Park Destination Race
West Florida—the region from Naples to Cedar Key—is one
of the most active racing venues in the Southeast. More sailboats
are concentrated in this region than any other in the
South, although it does cover a large area. And Tampa Bay
is the largest concentration of sailboats—and racing—in this
area, although racing is very active south of here. Racing is
year around, but like the rest of Florida, it is concentrated
from fall through spring—during the “tourist” season—and
many club races move to evening venues during the hot
summer months.
Besides club racing, many major national one-design
and PHRF regattas are held in the Tampa Bay area each
year. The St. Petersburg Sailing Center is also home to some
notable disabled racing/sailing groups. The area is also
home to the decades-old annual Regata del Sol al Sol race
from St. Petersburg to Mexico.
Almost all racing is handled through the West Florida
PHRF organization (see below). The main regional racing
areas are the Fort Myers-Naples area, Charlotte Harbor,
Sarasota-Bradenton and greater Tampa Bay, although racing
is organized through the many clubs in between these points.
SOUTHWINDS Annual Online West Florida Race Calendar
Posted Sept. 1
SOUTHWINDS magazine posts the annual race schedule/calendar
(9/1— 8/31) on its Web site racing pages (www.southwindsmagazine.com)
for all racing in this region. The calendar
includes all scheduled races of the West Florida PHRF
(WFPHRF) organization (www.westfloridaphrf.org), plus club
races in the area and any others that sailors in the area would
like to post. The WFPHRF Boat of the Year races are also listed.
Contact editor@southwindsmagazine.com to list your
race, or changes.
Upcoming Regattas
Sarasota Sailing Squadron 64th
Annual Labor Day Regatta, Sept. 3-5
The Sarasota Sailing Squadron is hosting its 64th Labor Day
Regatta, Sept. 3-5. Held on Sarasota Bay, this regatta attracts
sailors from all over the country. Five racecourses will be set
up hosting several Opti fleets, Lasers, 420s, Sunfish, Melges,
SR Max, One-design, Multihulls and PHRF fleets.
In 2009, there were almost 300 boats racing. Free dockage
and limited camping are available. Food and entertainment
will be provided throughout the weekend. Contact the
SSS at (941) 388-2355 for further information. www.sarasotasailingsquadron.org
28th Bradenton Yacht Club Fall
Kickoff Regatta, Bradenton, FL,
Sept. 24-26
This regatta, held at the Bradenton Yacht Club, is the “kickoff”
event for the Tampa Bay/Sarasota Bay area winter racing
season. It is two days of racing in Tampa Bay. Six classes,
Sspinnaker, Non-spinnaker, True Cruising, Racer
Cruiser, Multihull and One-design, will make up the threerace
regatta. Free dockage at the yacht club. Upwards of 70
boats have raced in the past, most of which raft up at the
yacht club. Partying for the event begins on Friday night as
boats gather at the club, continuing Saturday afternoon
after racing. Register at www.bradenton-yacht-club.org, or
call (941) 981-3891. For dock reservations, call (941) 722-
5936, ext. 212, or the dockmaster cell at (941) 374-2310.
26th Annual Dunedin Cup and
Kiwanis Regatta, Dunedin, FL,
Oct. 1-3
Spinnaker, Non-spinnaker, Cruising, Prams, Sunfish, Beach
Cats, Offshore Cats, Ensigns, Sailability, and Kayaks. Racing
on the Gulf of Mexico and St. Joseph’s Sound. Dunedin Boat
Club and Kiwanis Club of Dunedin. Proceeds go to
Dunedin Youth Sailing Program (www.dunedinsails.com).
The regatta ball is held the weekend before on Sept. 25
at Bon Appetit restaurant, Dunedin. Gary Jobson will speak.
Car Show with food vendors at Edgewater Park next to the
Dunedin Marina, benefitting Cardiac Kids Foundation of
Florida, Oct. 2, during the regatta.
For information, contact Rod Collman at rcollman@collman-karsky.com,
or (727) 734-3749. www.dunedincup.org, or
www.dunedinboatclub.org, for NOR.
60 September 2010 SOUTHWINDS www.southwindsmagazine.com