GULF REGIONAL REPORT
FEBRUARY
A Foiling We Shall Go
Pensacola, Florida, to host Foiling Week 2025.
Pensacola, Florida, has checked another box for its growing reputation as the sailing capital of the Gulf of Mexico.
The first check mark was last year with news that Pensacola had been selected as permanent winter headquarters for training for the American entry in the 2024 America’s Cup Races. The second check is the recent news from the international sailing organizations that Pensacola would host Foiling Week 2025. This is like the Grand Slam in tennis. Races are scheduled from February 24th to March 2nd.
Pensacola Yacht Club and Pensacola Beach Yacht Club played big roles in bringing Foiling Week to Pensacola. Foil sailing vessels will compete on Pensacola Bay. Foiling surfboard races will be on the Gulf shoreline in front of the Pensacola Beach Hilton.
Hydrofoil racers will compete in a variety of categories, including the Moth, Waszp, A-class Catamaran, Birdyfish, Nacra 15 FCS, X-15 North American Cup, and other mono- and multi-hull foiling categories.
Is foiling boating’s future? The Pensacola races give traditional boaters the opportunity to see how different kinds of hydrofoil vessels perform. A good place to watch races is Maritime Park, where you can also meet competitors and attend discussions on the evolution of foiling.
For more information about racing venues and times, go to foilingweek.com.
What’s New for 2025?
It’s boat show season across the Gulf Coast. Florida got a head start in January with the Charlotte County Boat Show, St. Petersburg Power and Sailboat Show, and Naples Boat Show. Now, the other Gulf States are ready to show and sell the newest vessels and gear for 2025.
The Greater New Orleans Boat and RV Show is in Kenner, Louisiana, on Lake Pontchartrain, January 31-February 2. The Houston Fishing Show at the George R. Brown Convention Center starts February 12th. This five-day show displays lots of fishing boats as well as fishing tackle. boatshowneworleans.com;
houstonfishingshow.com
The Biloxi Boat Show is February 14-16 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. A month later, March 14-16, the Mobile Boat Show will be at Alabama’s Mobile Convention Center. gulfcoastshows.com/biloxi; gulfcoastshows.com/mobile
Dallas’ Winter Boat Show 2025, advertised as the “Largest Boating Event in North Texas,” is March 6-9 at Dallas Market Hall. dallasboatexpo.com
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Buffett’s New Friend
Buffett the manatee is a star at Mote Marine’s Aquarium on Sarasota’s City Island in Florida. He was born at the Miami Seaquarium and later transported to Mote Marine. Buffett has helped Mote researchers understand how manatees see, hear, and importantly, how they socialize.
But what if they’re not born in the wild? Mote researchers say they still need companionship. So early on, they realized that they should introduce Buffett to a manatee that, like him, was not born in the wild. Now Buffett has a friend with a common background. His name is Lou and he was rescued after losing most of his tail in a boat propeller strike in 2000. The word is that Buffett and Lou are getting along well. Visit them at Mote Marine. mote.org/visit
-by Bill AuCoin
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Source: https://southernboating.com/destinations/gulf-regional-report/
