Clearwater is the place this weekend for big boats and big crowds!

  • 8th Annual Bright House SuperBoat National Championship runs through October 2
  • Super boats in competition can be up to 50 feet long, weigh 70 tons
  • 180,000 expected to attend over festival's three days

The 8th annual Bright House SuperBoat National Championship and Seafood Festival kicked off Friday evening with a boat parade and street party along Cleveland Avenue and in Coachman Park.

During the festival, Coachman Park will be home to the race village, where fans get autographs and meet boat crews and racing teams.

Among those teams is the Miss GEICO Offshore Racing Team. Gary Goodell, the team's president, offered members of the media rides in their VIP 38-foot, 1,200 horsepower "Top Gun" Friday afternoon.

"This boat will do about 90 miles-an-hour,” Goodell said about their VIP boat, “and when our boat goes out -- the Miss GEICO -- it goes twice as fast. So when we are at 90-miles-an hour, it will pass us like we are sitting still."

While the VIP boat is an open cockpit, the Miss GEICO racing boat is a closed capsule racer. Like other boats in its class, it looks like could take flight at any moment as it skates across the waves.

The SuperBoats are also impressive outside of the water. They can be up to 50 feet long and weigh up to 70 tons, about the same as a few dozen SUVs.

"They are unbelievable, unbelievable,” said Michael Doby, a spectator in the Racing Village.

Doby and his wife Djuna were looking at these boats up close for the first time.

"You watch it on TV. You can't help it because it's all exhilarating,” said Djuna, “They're just amazing.”

Patrons will also enjoy a seafood festival, fireworks and live bands over the weekend.

According to race co-founder Brian Aungst Senior, when they started 8 years ago, this was one of the slowest tourist times of the year in Clearwater.

Eight years later, the hotels are booked, and organizers are expecting 180,000 people over the three-day period.

For more information on the event and its festivities, visit clearwatersuperboat.com.