Choose from bareboats, for those who want to use their own experience and skills, or charter a captained yacht to set sail to the amazing Bimini Islands. The great thing about having your private yacht charter is that you’re free to explore and follow your own schedule. Bimini is actually closer to Florida than to Freeport or Nassau, so Miami makes a great base to explore this far flung part of these islands. Although you can make the trip to Bimini as a day trip, by staying to explore you can experience the local culture and cuisine without rushing back. Head to Alice Town to stock up on supplies for your boat rental, as well as enjoying a sundowner with a fantastic view across the sea.īeing so close to South Florida means that many choose to sail over to the Bahamas for an overnight stay, or longer. Arriving by yacht charter from Miami means you’ll be able to island hop, find your perfect cay or beach and then jump in the sparkling sea to explore the vibrant marine life here. Enjoy a long weekend and find out why Hemingway and Martin Luther King Jr loved it here.Ī slice of tropical paradise, just a short trip from Miami, the Bimini Islands are packed full of things to do for a long weekend away. Word around the “wet pits” is that the Florida-based world-champion will be looking to set a new record before the season is over.Just 50 miles from Florida, the Bimini Islands are perfect to explore with a boat rental from Miami or Fort Lauderdale. Miss Geico, powered by twin, Army-surplus helicopter engines, is rumored to be capable of a top speed of 200 mph. The introduction of new, turbine-powered boats capable of speeds that were not even dreamed of 20 years ago has upped the stakes. The boats, now grouped by size and horsepower, often finish just seconds apart in a race that could be nearly 200 miles long. Spectators lined the beaches in Fort Lauderdale, Daytona, Fort Myers and Destin to the “super” cats and vee-bottoms maneuver around multi-turn courses that often saw a new leader lap to lap. The close, “deck-to-deck,” racing proved a tremendous hit with die-hard race fans who often welcomed a new champion, week-to-week. The streamlined classes and tight specifications made the sport more competitive. But then in the late 1990s, the American Power Boat Association Offshore took what had formerly been a club sport, and introduced rule changes to bring it in line with professional motor sports such as NASCAR. Deck-to-deck powerboat racing in Floridaįor decades, offshore powerboat racing was the realm of weekend warriors. In cities such as Sarasota and Key West, it was not unusual to see crowds that number in the tens of thousands to turn out for these battles of man and machine. In 1980s, movie stars such as Chuck Norris, Kurt Russell and Don Johnson were active on the racing circuit, bringing Florida boating and this growing motor sport international acclaim. In the 1960s and 1970s, North Miami’s 188 Street was home to several of the industry’s top manufacturers including Cigarette, Donzi and Apache. Performance, muscle or “go fast” boats originated in Miami, and the state is still home of many of the top builders of performance boats in Florida and the world.īlue-water or open-ocean powerboat racing began in South Florida in the early 1950s with the legendary, there-and-back-again, races to Bimini and other islands in the Bahamas. There is more powerboat racing in Florida and poker runs than any other state or country for that matter. Some might say that Florida could call itself the Performance Boat Capital of the World. I am now fully convinced that driving a race boat at 100 mph is a two-man job and that I would much rather watch that action from a chaise lounge on the beach. But a driver’s skill really comes into play when you introduce other boats, such as on a crowded race course.Īfter a few minutes at three-quarters speed, I motion for Tomlinson to back off. On this test run, my job is to just keep the boat on course. In offshore racing, the throttleman is like the quarterback on a football team, controlling not only the speed but the "trim" of the boat, or its position in the water. The veteran had invited me to go for a test drive so I could get a feel for what it's like inside an offshore race boat. But Tomlinson, a Miami native considered by many to be one of the best “stick men” in offshore powerboat racing history, was barely leaning on the controls. Our 40-foot, twin-engine catamaran was capable of speeds faster than 130 mph. “Just don't make any sudden movements with the wheel,” warned my throttleman, Johnny Tomlinson. Miami- Flying across the water at 100 mph, the white stucco buildings on South Beach looked like a picket fence. Experience off-shore powerboat racing in Florida in the Performance Boat Capital of the World
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