More than 45 sailboats as large as 90 feet long are expected at the starting line of the 37th annual Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race on Wednesday afternoon. Their crews are hoping for strong northerly winds to push them quickly along the 160-mile course.
The first finishers are expected to cross the line in Key West Harbor late Wednesday or early Thursday, and some stragglers might not arrive until early Friday. An awards ceremony will be held Friday afternoon.
The course record for a monohull is 10 hours 24 minutes 2 seconds set by the 81-foot Carrera in 2005.
The multihull record is a speedy 8:32.04 set by the 60-foot catamaran Stars & Stripes in 2007.
Some racers may remain in the Island City for Quantum Key West 2012, the 25th anniversary edition of a mid-winter regatta that hosts a smattering of world champions, Olympians and America’s Cup veterans. It runs Jan. 15-20.
Racing classes include: Mini Maxi, IRC 52, Farr 40, Farr 30, Farr 400, Melges 32, Melges 24, J/80, J/Boat handicap class, McConaghy 38 and Carkeek HPR 40.
![Mario Valladares, [L], mate on the Key Biscayne charterboat Top Gun and Diego Toiran, creator/host of the Spanish language cable television fishing show, "Pescando en los Cayos" hold up a blackfin tuna caught by Toiran.](http://media.miamiherald.com/smedia/2012/05/23/19/57/1ci1uF.Bi.56.jpeg)
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