Photo Credit: Mike ShappellRegistration for the Florida 300 Endurance Catamaran Race is complete and 12 boats will take the start of the inaugural event. The start is at the Islander Resort, there mile marker 82.1, pharm Overseas Highway, Islamorada, FL. tomorrow at 10:00 am.

Today captain, crew, and support staff worked on rigging and race setup on their high speed sail boats. Much time was spent focusing on dialing in and fine tuning all the many adjustments that a modern racing catamaran can take advantage of. This is where experience, local knowledge, recommendations, and luck all come into play.

The race is a four day event with stops at some of the nicest beaches in Florida.

Race Schedule:
Race Day 1, May 19 – Islamorada to Key Biscayne;
Race Day 2, May 20 – Key Biscayne to Palm Beach Shores;
Race Day 3, May 21 – Palm Beach Shores to Vero Beach;
Race Day 4, May 22 – Vero Beach  to Cocoa Beach

Today some of the boats went out for a shakedown run to make sure all systems worked. Winds were ENE around 22mph, seas around 2-5 feet inside the reef. The winds are expected to stay the same for the next few days. The sun is out and temperature will be in the mid 80’s showcasing the great Florida weather.

The first Florida 300 will be an exciting race with expected wind and sea conditions to test the skill and stamina of the sailors and boats at the upper end of their skill level. There will be three classes: open class, I-20 class, and F-18 class. The skill level in the race is varied from teams with no extreme distance races to teams with numerous Tybee 500 and Worrell 1000 finishes.

The entire race will be tracked using Kattack "Live" software. Each boat is equipped with a satellite tracking device that transmits each boats location every ten minutes. There will be monitors at each finishing point so race committee, crew and spectators can watch the race unfold.

For a complete entry list and the latest updates please check out www.Florida300.com and "Like" www.Facebook.com/Florida300.

Photo Credit: Mike Shappell