Clear Lake to host first Sprint Boat Grand Prix

The roar of speeding boats will dominate Lakeport’s waterfront on June 3 and 4 when the Sprint Boat Grand Prix comes to town, the first such competition on Clear Lake in recent memory.

An estimated 60 boats will be competing over two days of races, which are divided into categories based largely on how fast the competing vessels are capable of traveling, said Jack Long, the event’s organizer. The fastest of the competing boats are rated at up to 140 mph. The slowest are rated at up to 80 mph and will be piloted by youth.

“It’s going to be a good show,” he said.

It’s not the only boat-related event that weekend on Clear Lake. There also are three bass tournaments and a vintage wooden Chris-Craft speedboat parade planned, Lake County Department of Water Resources Director Philip Moye said.

“There won’t be an acre of water untouched by propellers that weekend,” he quipped.

City and county officials have welcomed the event, which includes food and retail booths and is expected to be accompanied by an infusion of tourism dollars.

“It should be really cool,” said county Supervisor Rob Brown. And “it may grow into something.”

Lake County is among the state’s poorest counties and typically lags behind its neighbors to the south during economic recoveries. But there has been a slow but steady increase in visitor spending since 2010, when it dropped to $141.3 million following several previous years of growth. In 2016, spending by visitors increased to $156 million, up from $152.6 million in 2015, a 2.2 percent increase, according to a joint state and Visit California study.

Lake County officials are hoping the beautiful, wildlife-filled scenery, rain-topped lake and fun activities boost tourism again this year.

A few of this summer’s scheduled events include a beer fest, pear festival, farm to fork dinner, worm races, a seaplane splashdown, Shakespeare in the park, a rodeo and a blues festival.

A list of activities and events in Lake County can be found at co.lake.ca.us/Residents/Things-to-do.htm.

The race is expected to bring 2,000 to 3,000 people to Lakeport, Long said. It will require altered traffic flows and closure of public access to the city’s boat ramps, which has generated a few complaints from professional fishing guides who use the ramps, Moye said.

But no one has raised concerns about the noise - which has caused similar races to be canceled elsewhere in the country, according to news reports - or potential impacts on wildlife, Brown said.

The races run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for children.

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to sprintboatgrandprix.com/about.

You can reach Staff Writer Glenda Anderson at 707-462-6473 or glenda.anderson@pressdemocrat.com.