boatme

Brad You know i support your and Tres efforts

It is all about saftey and responsible boating

I am hoping this will spur more discussion

The time is Ripe and we have a small window before it closed shut on us by outside influences

I have run the KW run a number of times but since we sold the Top gun I am not sure our 16 Donzi is quite the right size

Best of luck to you and the gang and keep up the good work

Dock Holiday

Marc,

Very well said and I can assure many others agree with you because I have said and heard very similar comments. Most of us don’t have the time, resources and contacts to make it happen. Maybe you can and I know you would have my support and that of many others.

Having started doing poker runs in 2001 with almost 40 under my belt I cannot believe the changes from then to now that can be contributed to one thing and that is $$$$$. It has taken the fun out of it for many of us and we look for smaller events and safer events where we can enjoy our 80 MPH boats.

I recently asked an offshore racer why we were not able to get the guys with the BIG $$$$ & fast boats into offshore racing and his reply surprised me and opened my eyes a little.

“They don’t like to get beat!” “It’s easy to show up at a poker run with a million plus dollar boat that runs 170 MPH and get bragging rights.”

I think you could get a lot support and cooperation on the poker run side but the racing will be hard to make happen in my opinion. It is a rich mans sports and there is no prize money and there seems to be no real honor & respect in winning. We hear more of who was the fastest at the poker run then who won the championship at the races. Then you have all out factory race boats come to poker runs with the intentions of outrunning the pleasure boats on video to run adds and promote their product. That is just wrong and should never be allowed to happen again.

The one thing I really do miss however are the Factory Class F1 and F2 boats. That was the best racing in my opinion.

Thank you for all you have done for this sport and best of luck getting everyone on the same page.

Mark

Pesky Varmint

There's an excellent precedent for where Poker Runs could go. Automotive road rallys have always awarded people for exact timing, being too fast is penalized. Which ties into the observation I've long made that there is a lot of fast boat owners that know how to get the best possible speed out of their boats. But know nothing about how to give their passengers a nice ride at reasonable speeds (maybe part of the contest is something like balancing an egg on the dash).

Another observation about Poker Runs. I've learned that some of the attendees are sponsored. As an individual I don't see the point of shelling out my own hard earned money to play (misery loves company). You can't really enforce this matter, but it sure takes the fun out of it for us little guys. I won't go to Poker Runs where I get wind of someone who is sponsored.
I'm sure those sponsored people will have a problem with my viewpoint. That's fine, we'll have our Poker Runs, you have yours, and everybodies happy.

Pesky Varmint

HALLETT FAN

You're absolutely 100 % right ..I've been to Desert Storm a couple of times and the last 2 I did not enter for fear of some jack-ass in a
50 ft off-shore boat blasting by me at 150 mph...I love speed and horsepower as much as the next guy , but boats and speeds like that belong on the race course . I could care less if they crash and kill themselves, but I would not like it one bit if it involved me or some other innocent spectator .... putting a off- shore size race- boat on a lake like Havasu is like trying to race a formula 1 car on a go cart track !

AB From Windsor

Hi Mark!

All your post on this subject have been right on, no matter if some don't like it or agree with it. I really feel that if many of the bigger Poker Runners turned to Sanctioned Offshore Racing it would elevate Offshore Racing much higher in popularity and then we could really see, who are the best and the ones with the skills to win and truly say I am the fastest and best, and not to mention the Safety aspect that these Poker Runners, turned racers would get. If an accident happened in a Poker Run with a canopied boat with no dive teams to help them, I hate to think about it but it will unfortunately happen, if their is no change. Let's make Poker Runs or Fun Runs for everyone to enjoy and have a great time. We all love to go fast and we all have a little show off in all of us but Racing is Racing and if you can afford it, that is where the show is and where you should be and not at the Poker Run. You will still get all the "Adrenaline Rush"if not more then you can handle against some of the best and you will also get the recognition that comes with it. You have said what maybe many have thought but didn't want to say. I really don't think there is anything that you have left out and there is no question that you have the knowledge and experience to back it up. Great Post.

MidnightRider

The fact that SOTW is done is a perfect example there is a need for change. With the diverse levels of both speed and ability, it's dangerous. My only PR experience was at Smoke, and I was always really amazed at the lack of ability of many fast/expensive boat owners. Watch some of the Captains around the docks, or pulling into card stops, it's crazy. I don't think you want some of these guys racing you at 140mph and have a situation arise. I always got nervous at a start, some cowboy who couldn't keep his spurs from jingling would always make for a close call. MR

fund razor

There is a boating precedent as well.
Having been raised around cruisers, and finding perf boats later in life... I remember being in "predicted log" events for cruisers back in the days before gps. Chart, slide rule, watch, compass, tach and knowing your rig was what got you the "prize."
You never really knew your true speed in knots. You figured it out by rpm comparisons and logging over time.

Michael Garibay

Marc, as others have said, great ideas and courage to say something. I have been to a few poker runs a passengers and have always enjoyed. I want to participate in next years Desert Storm and possibly the SCOPE Poker run but fear all the safety issues (some participants, NOT the coordinators)as does my wife. Your ideas , I know, would help the hobby if they are implemented. I too feel that Poker runs are NOT races and it seems the playing field is getting streached apart. I, having a 38', 80 mph boat, am sort of in the middle but would like to see the playing field narrowed even more to make it a more enjoyable for all. just my 2 cents. Mike

RELIABLE ONE

Well said Marc,now back to work....Bob

never enuff

I can only speak about experiences I've had in Poker Runs as my knowledge of Offshore Racing is very limited. I do not disagree with anything that has been said about Poker Runs NOT being a race. It is refreshing to hear from "the little guys" about this subject but what I don't think they realize is that the largest majority of people that participate in most Poker Runs are the little guy. Sure there are Poker Runs that cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars to enter that maybe cost prohibitive to many of us. Most of the other Poker Runs we are in the majority. All you have to do is read the rules before the event-if it does not require PFD be worn, or it doesn't require lanyards to be worn, or it doesn't say anything about alcohol being consumed while participating and if you don't have to prove you have insurance then YOU should make a decision whether you really want to participate or not. YOU need to speak up and say something to the organizer. If someone puts on a half ass event without proper rules and you participate your just a wrong as they are. I believe that we as participants have a lot more power than we think we do. Trust me, if we stop showing up at those kind of events they will either quit having them or they will make better rules and enforce them. Remember YOU control the throttles in your boat, just because it will run a zillion mph do you really have to in this environment--do you really have a better chance of drawing better cards than I do if I get to the card stop last------?
Poker Runs are not a speed competition, they are an event where you can show your poker playing skills by sticking your hand into a box and drawing the highest 5 cards.
Jay