The Edgartown Yacht Club’s annual Round the Island race begins at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning, and by Wednesday afternoon already there were 46 sailboats registered to start in the 67-mile contest. It is one of the three big racing events for the Edgartown club, with sailors from along the East Coast here for a full day of sailing.

The race starts in the waters outside of Edgartown Harbor, near the Cape Pogue Lighthouse. They’ll circumnavigate the Island clockwise, first rounding Chappaquiddick, then making the run south along South Beach, up around Squibnocket, Gay Head and back along the north shore to Edgartown by way of West Chop and East Chop.

“Some sailors will finish just in time for cocktails and there will be others who will finish after dinner,” said club manager Bill Roman.

There is another world class “‘round the island” race, around the Isle of Wight. That 50-mile race now in its 80th year was held last month, and there were 1,305 sailboats that finished.

The Vineyard race, first held in 1938, is considerably smaller but still a favorite in the region.

Not as many sailboats are expected in this year’s Edgartown race as last because it conflicts with the big Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race. Still, Mr. Roman said, looking at the early registrations, he’s encouraged. Some of the sailors competing come from families that have competed for generations.

The sailboats range in size from 30 feet to 65 feet and their designs are from comfortable cruising class sailboats to the high-tech, made-for-speed boats. One of the fast favorites is Jim Swartz of Edgartown and his 52-foot sailboat, Vesper, a custom Transpac 52.

The best viewing spots will be on along the Edgartown Lighthouse beach or Memorial Wharf, where the boats can be watched as they leave the harbor at 8 a.m.

The club’s 88th annual regatta is the following weekend.