Re: Should we have an governing board for Poker Runs?
 

I Have Run Over 100 Poker Runs Coast To Coast Since 1999. Each And Every Person Is Aware Of What Can Happen If Something Go's Wrong. Every Poker Run Has Driver's Meeting's And The Issues Of Safety Are Gone Over. If You Don't Feel Safe Than Don't Go. We Have No Need For Any Type Of Government Or Any Community To Govern A Poker Run. There Are Many Deaths Every Day In All Sports That Can Not Helped. It's Said But We Must Live With This, An Accident Is Just That an Accident

Re: Should we have an governing board for Poker Runs?
 

That sums it up.How many people died on the highways for labor day the deadliest holiday of all.That last time I checked
speed limits and a number of laws in place.Nobody seems to give a rats ass that about 20,000 wet bike accidents that accure each year.What about hunting deaths,60% of bass boat drownings happen because no PFDs were not worn.What about the size of wakes large cruisers create.Maybe they should have to idle around not to affend me.
Over the last 25 yrs I have had 5 boats that ran over 100 and have attended many Poker Runs including Lake Texoma.
My family is well aware of the dangers in this sport, and all believe in the safety inspections we go thru before running.
If the friends and love ones we have lost in this accident were here to speak for them selfs I'm sure the words would be no different.Life is short play hard!!!
Can we learn from this accident? (SURE) You have the need for speed and living on the edge or you don't!!!!!!!!
No laws or rules will ever change it.

Re: Should we have an governing board for Poker Runs?
 

As I said before, I think this issue is being blown out of proportion. In well over 50 runs, I have never been to one poker run where there was any kind of major injury. I feel safer runnng next to the other guys in the poker run then I do passing a 23 foot bayliner or pontoon boat.
Down here in south Florida you hear of boating accidents on the news every week. 98% of the time they are small center consoles or 2 freighters running into each other. I harldy doubt any of these are in Poker runs or traveling at a high rate of speed. :D Accidents happen every day, they are accidents. The major poker runs have drivers meetings and go over the saftey issues. I know for a fact, Stu Jones has banned several people from his runs for not following rules.

Re: Should we have an governing board for Poker Runs?
 

Perfectly said!

Re: Should we have an governing board for Poker Runs?
 

It really not so much about safety if you think about. THere have been very few significant accidents during PR's showing that something must be working right. THe safety record can't get much better no matter what you do from a safety aspect.
The fight is about perception. If it was really just a safety issue, the sponsors of the PR's at Texoma and Ray Hubbard would not be cancelling them - however,I dont hear them saying "accidents happen" - I hear them saying "its time we re-think how these events are held". There are local and legislative pressures on anyone who sponsors because people dont want to hear about boats running 140+mph on open lakes with other non-participants (no matter how safe it may really be). Most laws are enacted to prevent the 5% who put themselves and others in harm's way to either not be able to do it or to pay a price when they do......and often its perception that all participants are of this mentality. Perception is the fight.........so how does one address it?

Re: Should we have an governing board for Poker Runs?
 

why are you still here?

Re: Should we have an governing board for Poker Runs?
 

It's Said But We Must Live With This, An Accident Is Just That an Accident.

I agree with Wildthing about accidents - to a point. Accidents, like s**t, do happen. However, some of our actions can increase the chances of them happening to us. I've enjoyed running many poker runs over the past 11 years, but I came to realize that I wasn't comfortable going 80 or 90 or 100 with a big group of boats. The potential for something to go wrong, and the ability to correct when it does, got to the point that it exceeded my and my wifes comfort levels.

Don't get me wrong, we love going fast, under the right circumstances for us.

Getting back to the original point of this thread, I think there will eventually be some form of governing board probably in the form of an insurance underwriter. Throttles work in two directions. If we as performance boaters don't figure this out, I bet someone will figure it out for us.

Re: Should we have an governing board for Poker Runs?
 

I'm working on that.

Re: Should we have an governing board for Poker Runs?
 

It might be a good time to see where we have come from !
Demolition Derby
SUBSCRIBE TO TIMEPRINTE-MAILMORE BY AUTHOR
Posted Friday, May 19, 1967
OCEAN RACING

If Monaco was a dice with disaster, the Bahamas 500 ocean powerboat race last week turned into what one contestant aptly termed "a demolition derby." The general idea of ocean powerboat racing is to take a boat out into the deep, open her up to 50-60 m.p.h., and pray. The Bahamas 500 was designed as the granddaddy of them all—a 512-mi. circle around the islands from Grand Bahama, and all for $50,000 in prize money. It should have been $1,000,000, considering the carnage.

On race day, a stiff 22-knot wind built up 6-ft. to 10-ft. waves. But out they went, 63 of the fastest, most expensive outboards, inboards, diesels and stern drives ever assembled on one patch of water. Bill Petty's ***** Cat, a 23-ft., 550-h.p. Sportsman worth $20,000, was barely clear of the harbor when it caught fire and burned to the water line. Minutes later, Bill Lewis' 40-ft. Formula came apart and sank. Only 32 boats reached the initial checkpoint at Bimini; of these, twelve never reached Nassau.

At that point, the leader was Bill Wishnick's 32-ft. Maritime, Big Broad Jumper, powered by two monstrous 700-h.p. Holman & Moody engines. Then the rudder fouled. That left the race to Mono. Lou III, another 32-ft. Maritime powered by twin 427-h.p. MerCruisers and piloted by Florida's Odell Lewis, 34, who used to wrestle alligators for sport until it got too tame. Bounding along at an average 50 m.p.h., he finished in 12 hr. 36 min. 20 sec., just as darkness closed in on Grand Bahama. "I ain't afraid of alligators," he said, "but nothing is going to keep me out there on that ocean after dark."

Skippers of the 15 other survivors had to live through some dark moments before they came limping in during the next 22 hours. By what seems a miracle, no one was killed in the race, or even seriously injured.

From the May 19, 1967 issue Time Magazine

Re: Should we have an governing board for Poker Runs?
 

Itilldo

What exactly do you disagree about what Tee4Texas just wrote.
I feel its exactly the point. Many people have said that we don't know what actually happened whether it be a mechanical failure ( which has not been proven) a poorly run event ,too much speed etc. etc.
What we do have is forums filled with challenges from one another about who is going to kick ass or videos of boats way too close to spectators at speed and that adds to PERCEPTION from anyone that has an interest in changing our hobby.
I have not seen TEXAS throwing rocks or being disrespectful to us that enjoy and or make a living from PR and fast boats.
Don't think even that you have to be an old time poker runner to have valid comments on something that involves organization , rules,personal responsibility and respect for fellow boaters on any lake anywhere.
We are now under a spotlight whether its proven that most events are responsibly run and attended by safe boaters or not and I've read same by TEXAS.
So he's here to add to the discussion with logic and concern which makes me wonder about your comment and all the other people that question his attendance.
Seems hes even payed just like the rest of us.