Columbus Day Regatta

[Benebobby]

Anyone familiar with Elliott Key and how swells are when the wind comes out of the north .Thinking of anchoring at the south end for Regatta and the wind is supposed to shift to north on Sunday with 20 knot winds .

[s/v Moondancer]

The Columbus day regatta is one massive disaster waiting to happen. It used to be a great sailing regatta (700 sailboats at its peak) but has been hijacked by the MIPBA (Miami Incompetent Power Boaters Association). However, it is very entertaining.

The holding at Elliiot Key is poor and the power boaters with small anchors raft up in 3,4,5 and 6s. One night there will be a big squall and they will all pull..they might hold in 20 knots from the north but it will be marginal.

Last time we raced 4 or 5 college students were killed when a 30 ft go faster boat ran over a 20 ft boat, full of students, being towed. While the offending driver claimed the other boats were unlit...that night was a full moon and you could read by the light of the moon.

My friend Thomas got deported back to Lithuania for fighting 5 water cops at one Regatta...he was motoring around the anchorage at 7 knots, naked and very drunk at 03:00! So if you go you will find it entertaining and do not expect to sleep, the naked bacchanalian orgy goes on all night.

When we raced in the Regatta we anchored away from the MIPBA boats but ultimately
we simply stopped going to the Regatta.

[Benebobby]

Yeah , I am going to be anchoring as far South as possible and Dinghing to the Orgy ,but Sunday the wind is supposed to shift to North from NE and was wondering what kind of swells can be generated from Biscayne Bay

[s/v Moondancer]

Yes, there can be swells but I would not anchor down wind of the pack. We always anchored to the north off Sands Key. If you are shallow draft you can in close and get some protection from north swells but you had better have mosquito screens.

http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11465.shtml