From the trio of go-fast boating events that begin today, you’d think it was mid-July rather than late-September. Then again, at locales around the country September does tend to be among the best months of the year to be on the water. The crowds are down and the daytime temps are mostly still up. You have to love it.
In the Sunshine State, the reformatted Florida Powerboat Club Emerald Coast Boat Week begins this late morning with a lunch rendezvous that will see participants head from the Emerald Grande Resort to Juana’s Pagodas in Panama City. The round-trip journey off the Florida Panhandle covers more than 100 miles of blue-green Gulf water.
Some 1,800 miles to the west and a few hours later courtesy of a three-hour time difference, performance-boat fans signed up for the Lake Powell Challenge will follow local Deep Impact 399 center console owner Nick Child on a tour of the spectacular waterway. Those folks are in for a treat—and one they never will forget.
Last but oh-so-far from least, the invitational Weekend at Ronnie’s affair happens this weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks in Central Missouri. Well-known go-fast boating community member Ron Szolack organizes the annual affair, this year to the tune of 25 entries. There are no sign-ups. As the event-name implies, you have to be asked.
Of course, speedonthewater.com and Powerboat Nation will deliver coverage—complete with excellent photos from Pete Boden in Destin, Jeff Helmkamp at Ozarks and Tom Leigh at Lake Powell—of the event trio.
Three boating event going on around the country on the third weekend in September? There’s definitely something to love about that it’s simply this.
The 2025 boating season isn’t over just yet.