Gaining Speed on the Water with Offshore Boat Races

Offshore powerboating is back and better than ever in Fort Myers Beach. Grab the kids, grab the grandparents, and get everybody out for a rip-roaring good time along the Gulf of Mexico waters.

What are the offshore boating races all about? We cover the when, the where, the how, and even the why of what makes this frenetic, fun, and family-friendly event such a draw in Fort Myers Beach.

The Roar Offshore National Championship Race

Offshore boating races are common along the Florida west coastline. But the event in Fort Myers Beach is the big one – a chance to finally crown a champion for the season. The Roar Offshore race is the culmination of months, if not years, of hard work. With our pet-friendly Fort Myers Beach rentals near all the race action, it’s easy to book a rental online and participate in all the festivities.

The Roar Offshore event features real speedboats racing along the water at speeds of 180 miles per hour or more. It is dangerous, fast, and incredible. Guests of our Fort Myers Beach rentals can feel the rush of the wind when the boats roar past them along the gulf as well as the rumble in their stomachs of the powerful roaring engines.

Attendees line up along the beach and watch as the boats soar on by roughly 50 to 100 yards out. You can take a spot just about anywhere on Estero Island and see the action unfold. The race carries participants along almost the whole span of the island.

A Weekend of Activities

While it may seem like there is only one race, there are actually many smaller races involved in the event as well. These smaller weekend races will lead up to the big national championship race.

These offshore boat races run from Oct 10th to Oct 12th.

The festivities officially begin on the evening of Oct 10th. The whole shebang launches with a parade of racing boats. It is a casual run designed to announce who is participating and to show off the boats for the big race. Most of the boats will be pulled by trucks over land, giving you a first-rate look at them from close up. This is the Sarasota boat show side of the weekend festivities and the best time to see the boat up-close-and-personal. So be sure to plan ahead and book one of our Fort Myers Beach vacation rentals.

Many boats will remain on display as live music, food, and dancing continues into the evening.

Unofficial racing begins Friday at 9 a.m. at Salty Sam’s Marina. This is located at 2500 Main S. For the offshore boating event, the area is temporarily retitled the Race Village.

Many team racers will bring their boat out to the water for a quick rally run. Others will be available for meet-and-greets, photographs, and close-up viewing. This is your opportunity to interact with sponsors, meet the racers, and just enjoy your (hopefully) sunny and beautiful afternoon by the beach.

Finally, the event goes into full gear on Saturday morning. There are three scheduled races for the day, including two preliminary races and the final powerboat grand prix.

Who is Involved?

These offshore powerboat races are sponsored and run by the Offshore Powerboat Association. The group harnesses the power of the community to deliver a big and popular weekend extravaganza.

Many local restaurants offer special discounts during the event and have sponsored the festivities. This includes Coste Island Cuisine, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grill, Nervous Nellies Waterfront Eatery, Yucatan Bar and Grill, and Cabana’s Beach Bar and Grille. These are all great options close to our awesome Fort Myers Beach vacation rentals.

Local radio stations and businesses are also sponsors, such as 100.1, 95.3 OLZ, the Fort Myers Tourist Development Center, iHeartMedia, Cat Country 107.1, and Creative Web Builders.

The event is crafted with one vision- to bring understanding and interest to the world of recreational boating and water sports. It helps attract people to the lovely beaches of Fort Myers and to show care and love for the local waters. It also happens to be an uproariously good time for all. If you can’t make this event, then come to another Fort Myers event during the year. So book your Fort Myers vacation rental and plan your next visit today!