It's been almost eight years since Tauranga paddler James Bhutty Moore tragically drowned at sea but he is still fondly remembered by his friends with a memorial race held in his honour.

Registration is now open for the annual James Moore memorial race which organiser Paul Roozendaal promises to be a record number of entries this year.

Paddlers taking part in previous James Moore Memorial races. Photo: Supplied.

Paul says a record number of paddlers are expected to enter the James Moore-morial race paddled this year from Maketu to Pilot Bay.

The race has been held for more than seven years and celebrates the life of James Bhutty Moore who was drowned at sea while paddling from Maketu to the Mount in 2008.

The race is a downwind paddle with the start at Waihi Beach or Maketu, depending on conditions.

Registration can be made online at http://enternowonline.com/4221. Pauls says he is hopeful the course will be in prime condition for the event on February 6.

'We had a great south-easterly wind on Monday and eight of us paddle Maketu to Mount. It was a lot of fun and hope it will be the same in a month's time.

'Either way we will have the best paddlers around all on the line which is what counts. Again we will be having some internationals from paddlers from Australia and France locked in. Let's see if we can beat last year's record entries of 117 paddlers on the water in our 8th event.”

Registration closes February 5, at 5pm.