2016 Sailfish Regatta, Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22

STUART, Fla. – Event organizers have set the date for the 5th Annual Stuart Sailfish Regatta.

The much-anticipated event draws thousands of spectators to the Stuart Causeway to watch high-performance vessels race at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. Last year, thousands of dollars were raised benefiting local charities.

Carrying the tradition forward, Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22 have been selected for the 2016 Sailfish Regatta. The event will be kicked off with a VIP Party on May 20, followed by the high-speed races all weekend long at the Stuart Causeway.

One of the event’s top priorities is the protection of the Indian River Lagoon. Each year, spectators are able to take advantage of recycling receptacles onsite, a cleaning crew ensures the Lagoon and Causeway are left in better condition than they were prior to the Stuart Sailfish Regatta and marine life spotters are contracted to successfully prevent any marine life from being harmed.

The Stuart Sailfish Regatta is a tradition rich in local history, having begun in the late 1960s and continuing through the mid-1980s. The races successfully returned to Martin County in 2012, and organizers look forward to many great years to come.

Online tickets sales are set to begin February 1, 2016 at StuartSailfishRegatta.com. For more information or for 2016 sponsorship opportunities visit StuartSailfishRegatta.com or call 772-284-3007.

http://stuartsailfishregatta.com/Rac...h-Regatta.html

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Stuart Sailfish Regatta Ernest Lyons Bridge closure

On Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22, the American Power Boat Association will host the Stuart Sailfish Regatta. The Ernest Lyons Bridge - SR-A1A (Ocean Blvd.) will be closed between N.E. Sewall's Point Road and N.E. MacArthur Boulevard beginning at 6 p.m. on May 20 and will reopen at 11 p.m. on May 22.

Motorists and pedestrians are encouraged to exercise caution and and to expect delays through this area..

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Boat races wrap, ready for next year

STUART — The roostertails from the fifth annual Sailfish Regatta powerboat races were barely gone before organizers for the event were already working on preparations to make the 2017 installment even better for spectators, vendors, sponsors and racers.

Sergio Nativi, president of the regatta, said his crew has been receiving positive reviews for the weekend's work, but his only regret is that more locals and visitors didn't get a chance to come out and enjoy the unique event and atmosphere.

"We probably had 7,500 to 10,000 for the entire weekend," said Nativi with a conservative estimate. "The weather forecast for Saturday hurt us. It was hard for us to overcome about an 80 percent chance of rain."

As it worked out, not a drop of rain fell at the Ernie Lyons Bridge at the Stuart Causeway or on the Indian River Lagoon in the race area all weekend long.

All the races ran, and spectators had a chance to take in some of the best inshore powerboat racing on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Nativi said the organizers of the Grand Prix racing class, the largest, most powerful and fastest boats that have attended the Sailfish Regatta since it was reborn five years ago, are already trying to work out logistics to have even more of the exciting race boats attend next year.

Instead of Auto Train, could there be Nautic Train?

"They were even wondering if possibly freight cars could transport race teams by train rather than by truck," Nativi said.

He added some of the racing classes, like the H350 5-Liter class, did not have as much participation as the regatta would have liked.

"We'll have to figure out how to recruit more race boats," he said. "The more we have, the better the racing is. We'll need those GPs, too, to have a good show."

Spectators had very few race stoppages to contend with this year. If there was a silver lining to the lagoon's dirty water discharges from Lake Okeechobee, it was that it led to a reduced incidence of marine wildlife entering the race course Saturday and Sunday.

Most years, the racing is delayed about 10 times in two days due to manatees and dolphins swimming onto the course.

Some of the changes the regatta staff made for this year included moving more food vendors to the top of the bridge, moving several of the corporate chalets or VIP tents to the top of the bridge, and having Molly's Trolleys ferry spectators back and forth across the bridge from entrance gates to viewing areas.

Those changes worked very well, according to feedback Nativi received.

Organizers satisfied the requirements of all permits, including getting the A1A bridge re-opened to auto traffic by 11 p.m. Sunday.

There were a few complaints from Hutchinson Island and mainland residents who were dissatisfied with increased travel times to and from the island via Jensen Beach Causeway since the Stuart Causeway was closed for the races beginning at 6 p.m. Friday.

Nativi said he has already circled the third weekend of May next year — May 20 and 21 — for the sixth annual Sailfish Regatta powerboat races.

"I'm in this for the long haul," Nativi said about his tenure as president. "We have a great team, and little by little we're chipping away to make it a better event for all involved."

For more information on the event, go to the regatta's Facebook page or www.stuartsailfish regatta.com.

http://www.tcpalm.com/sports/fishing...380573621.html