Parties and parades at the Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix

The past few days of Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix events have been successful at raising money for Suncoast Charities for Children and bringing our community together. On Thursday night the Hyatt Regency’s “Pre-Race” Party and Fashion Show brought out Sarasota for casino games, fashion and local music. The Sarasota crowd does "cocktail casual" better than anywhere south of Charleston, with the crowd decked in summery dresses and a few nautical-themed outfits. Beautiful Sarasota ladies strutted the runway styled by JFLO Salon, Spa, and Boutique, wearing outfits from Swim City and accessorized  by T. Georgianos Shoe Salon. DJ Imminent provided runway tracks and music throughout the night with his always fun and danceable beats. The crowd thinned considerably after the runway show, but those who stayed were treated to the sounds of one of my favorite fun, creative and talented Sarasota bands, Villanova Junction.

On Friday the fun continued with Powerboats By The Bay and a special fishing outing for the physically and mentally-challenged. At 6 p.m. I met our local Super Boat race team, Team REDS, to prepare for the Festival Parade of Boats. The Team REDS Watt-Ahh boat stood out across the parking lot with its snazzy paint job of red and orange flames. I hydrated with crisp, cool Watt-Ahh and climbed up a ladder onto the hood of the boat. The first noticeable attribute of the Watt-Ahh boat, measuring 36 feet, is its sheer size --- but it wasn't until we were riding down 10th Street to the parade lineup that I really comprehended how huge the boat is; 10th Street had a completely new look from up in the air. From on top of the boat we waved to the race fans gathered at Broadway Bar, the kids playing outside the Salvation Army and all the cars stopped at intersections. At 301 and Main Street we joined the parade lineup, drank more Watt-Ahh and surveyed the growing crowd.

While we were waiting for the parade to begin, Team REDS driver Nate Hunt invited me to check out the boat’s cockpit. I was mesmerized by the number of levers, buttons and other important-looking technical equipment installed inside. The two front seats and single back seat are all outfitted with five-point harnesses, and each team member has their own respirator and air supply in case the boat flips and they need to bail. In all there are more than 10 adjustments the crew can make to the boat during a race, from throttle adjustments to bringing in water to change the weight balance of the boat. I was thankful for my recent attempts at doing daily pushups, as it took a good jump and pull-up to get myself out of the cockpit and back onto the hood of the boat.

As the parade began and we rolled down Main Street, I realized how there is nothing like a parade to bring a community together. I also realized that kids love the Watt-Ahh logo and screaming “Watt-Aaaah!!!” (Give it a try, the kids are onto something!). It turns out Sarasota has some dedicated Watt-Ahh drinkers, including one fan who shouted us a testimonial of her love for Watt-Ahh as we passed by. And most importantly, I learned how Sarasota comes out to support their home team. As we cruised down the parade route, family, friends, and fans of Team REDS shouted out their support for our home team to have a safe and great race this Sunday. 

The Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix Events continue through the weekend, with the races held on Sunday. For more information, visit the Suncaost Super Boat Grand Prix website.