TL;DR
For the Race World Offshore World Championship, the Coast Guard has set up a temporary regulated area around the Key West Main Shipping Channel and off the north shore of Sunset Key, enforced from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on November 4, 6 and 8, 2026. Non-participants may not enter, transit, anchor or remain inside without permission, which you request on VHF channel 16. If you are moving a yacht through Key West this week, time your passage around those hours. The wider lesson: check for regulated areas before every passage, not just race weeks.
Key West is one of my favorite harbors to arrive in. It is also one of the busiest, and this week it is busier than usual. The Race World Offshore World Championship is running in the Main Shipping Channel, and the Coast Guard has published a temporary rule that closes part of the harbor to everyone who is not racing during the race hours.
If you keep a yacht in the Lower Keys, or you are planning to pass through on your way south, here is what was published and how I would plan around it.
What the Coast Guard published
The rule is a temporary special local regulation issued by the Captain of the Port, Sector Key West, and published in the Federal Register on November 4, 2026. In plain terms:
- When. It is enforced from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on November 4, 6 and 8, 2026. Outside those hours, it is not being enforced.
- Where. All navigable waters within 800 feet of the racecourse in and around the Key West Main Shipping Channel, and the waters extending 300 feet out from the north shoreline of Sunset Key. The rule lists the exact coordinates.
- Who it applies to. Anyone not registered with the race organizer as a participant. Non-participants may not enter, transit through, anchor in or remain in the regulated area without permission.
- How to ask. Permission is requested from the Captain of the Port or a designated representative on VHF channel 16, and anyone inside the area must follow their directions. Representatives can include Coast Guard crews and federal, state and local officers assisting them.
The Coast Guard’s reasoning is simple and sensible: the event expects roughly 80 race boats and around 300 spectator craft, and high-speed boats in a working channel near marinas create a real risk of collision. You can read the full rule in the Federal Register under docket USCG-2026-1264.
A quick caution: event details and enforcement times can change with weather or by order of the Captain of the Port. Before you leave the dock, verify the current position with the Coast Guard on channel 16, through Sector Key West or in the Local Notice to Mariners.
If you are moving a yacht through Key West this week
For most owners, this is a scheduling question rather than a problem. On the three race days, I would plan arrivals and departures for the morning before 9:00 or the evening after 6:00, or simply use the off days between. If you are berthed in the harbor, ask your marina how they are handling traffic during race hours; marinas near the course often have their own guidance.
If you must move during the race window, call on channel 16 well before you reach the area, explain where you are going, and wait for an answer. Patrol boats are there to keep everyone safe, and in my experience a calm, clear call gets a calm, clear reply. Do not assume that because you can see a gap between heats, you may cross it.
Spectators deserve a word too. A race day brings hundreds of small boats into the same water, many of them at anchor or drifting with their attention on the course. Slow down, keep a proper lookout, and give anchored boats plenty of room. Wakes travel a long way in a crowded harbor.
The wider lesson: check before every passage
Races, fireworks, air shows, bridge work and vessel movements all bring temporary safety zones and regulated areas, and they appear throughout the year in every busy harbor I work in, from Florida to the Mediterranean. Before any passage, I check three things:
- The Local Notice to Mariners for the district, and any recent Federal Register rules for the waters I will cross.
- Broadcast notices on VHF. The Coast Guard announces many of these on the radio, so I keep channel 16 on and listen.
- The marina and local knowledge. A short call to the dockmaster at my destination often tells me more than any chart.
None of this takes long. It belongs in the same routine as the weather check and the fuel check, and it is exactly the kind of item that is easy to skip when you are in a hurry. A written pre-departure checklist keeps it from being skipped.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pass through the Key West Main Shipping Channel during the race?
Not without permission while the rule is being enforced, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on November 4, 6 and 8, 2026. Request permission on VHF channel 16 and follow the directions you are given, or plan your transit outside those hours. Always verify the current status with the Coast Guard before you go.
What is the difference between a safety zone and a special local regulation?
Both are temporary controls the Coast Guard uses to keep people safe on the water. A special local regulation is typically used for marine events such as races and regattas. In practice, the instruction to you is the same: stay out unless you are authorized, and follow the directions of the Coast Guard or its representatives.
Where do I find out about regulated areas before a passage?
Check the Local Notice to Mariners for your Coast Guard district, recent rules in the Federal Register, and broadcast notices on VHF channel 16. Your marina or dockmaster is also a good source of local information.
Captain JC — Juan Carlos Castro II. USCG 200-Ton Master · 500-Ton ITC · English & Español. About Captain JC
This article is general guidance from one captain’s experience, not a substitute for your surveyor, insurer or the U.S. Coast Guard. Rules and requirements change; verify current ones before you rely on them.
