The Hell’s Bay team is no stranger to this competition, having won it before. This year five teams from around the state used the grueling exercise to help raise awareness for water quality, especially the need for the continuing clean-up efforts for the Florida Everglades.
Five boat companies put 18-foot skiffs and their best teams to an impressive endurance test, circumnavigating the 1,300 mile Florida peninsula in nearshore waters from state line to state line.
“Each four-man team includes two skiff operators and two land-based support crew. Teams are equipped with extensive safety gear and navigation aids and pre-plot their own pit stops for fuel, food, repairs and rest. Boats are powered by up to a 70-horsepower outboard motor and may carry up to 22 gallons of fuel at a time,” according to the Florida Skiff Challenge.