Busy stretch of water borders races; Organizers of a children's regatta fear a watery rush hour from a nearby power boat competition.(B SECTION)

Byline: MICHAEL POLLICK michael.pollick@heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA -- Hundreds of small sailboats dot the spacious grounds of the Sarasota Sailing Squadron. The property, which hosts 800 member families, including hundreds of children learning to sail, is at an interesting watery intersection, where the channel into the Gulf of Mexico through New Pass forms a "T" with the Intracoastal Waterway.

Every year since 1946, the squadron has been throwing its Labor Day regatta -- a first chance for its youngest sailors to hoist their sails in a real race after a few weeks of summertime instruction.

Every year, it seems, there are more fast-moving powerboats with which to contend.

This year, the regatta faces a new challenge on top of the normally heavy Labor Day boat traffic along the channel.

One of the nation's most powerful boat-racing organizations, APBA Offshore L.L.C., confirmed earlier this week that it has applied to the U.S. Coast …