UPDATE:
It is absolutely definite that nobody can bring their boats onto the property at Founders Park until Friday. You can't even roll in there late Thursday night and drop off your trailer, because no boats are ever allowed to be stored on the property overnight.

If you are planning to arrive on Thursday (or even earlier), you will have to keep your boat at your motel or at a friend's house until Friday.

Rick suggests that for people who arrive early and want to go sailing, you could launch at the Caribbean Club (or at Key Largo Water Sports adjoining), and then you could sail down to Founders Park on Friday. I don't know what the water sports place would charge for launch fee and overnight boat and trailer storage. They are at mile marker 104, and Founders Park is at 87, so it is a 17-mile sail.

The regatta is over on Sunday, but if you are planning to leave on Monday and your motel does not have room for your boat/trailer, you can probably leave it at the Park Sunday night over at the south side of the property.

All this is because the Park absolutely does not allow overnight boat storage, even if you pay a launching ramp fee. When you are done sailing, you have to derig your boat and take it away. This applies to any kind of boat, power, sail or paddle.

This year for the regatta that rule is waived, of course, but only for the actual days of the organized event, which are Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Next year the regatta organizers will tell the Park that the regatta is Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, so that will cover early arrivals. But it is too late to do that this year.

Remember that this is the first time a regatta has been held there since it has been a city park, so we have to work with them and get concessions one little step at a time.

It was a lot easier back in the old days when it was a motel. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Watch this thread for future updates about Tradewinds.