FuelinAround

I have put on a poker run locally that has grown from 15-over 70 boats and 300+ people. We run it on the Ohio River. This year I am increasing the distance that we run along with trying to accomodate so larger boats (maybe some of you guys!!!) can come to our area. I have a few questions.

1)We have a new marina but it doesn't have a lot of spots for boats to stay in over night so boats would have to be pulled out of the water. We do have a local hotel that will shuttle people from the dock at that point. Is this a problem?

2)We have an island we have put the event on for the past 3 years but we are out growing it. There is a huge beach but it would require that you lock through to get to it. Is this a problem? This beach is over a mile long and could accomodate a huge amount of boats.

3)Does anyone do overnighters on their boats? If we made this beach our final stop it is large enough that one could easily camp or just throw anchor and sleep inside? Are many people on this site into that or do most like to have a hotel?

4)Have you ever ran a poker run that didnt start and end at the same place? Our poker run would start and end at two seperate locations. Reason being....We would start it at the marina where you put in at but there is not enough room for everyone to tie up and have a party. So we would end it at the beach about 15 miles away. This would allow you to have a place to party until it got darker or all night and stay on your boat. Does this sound way out of the norm or totally stupid?

20outlaw

Sounds like a great time to me, Every run dosent have to be the same, you see a lot of that, I think what you are talking about would be fun and make it fun for the participants, and also set it apart form other runs, so many posibilities for the beach stop (events, contests, tug of war, band, volleyball, etc.)
just my 2 cents but I like it.

t500hps

JOTJ...starts at one marina that is packed holding 1/2 the boats that launch the night before with the rest launching at various nearby ramps (mostly locals).....we end at another marina 92 miles away that can hold us all, has a BIG hotel next door and we have a big banquet dinner/band for the night. A number of boats are rafted together to squeeze everyone in. Aprox 10-20% of the people stay on the boats that night, the rest in hotel rooms. Sunday is a return to the ramp day with informal stops at a beach along the way back.

FuelinAround

Thanks guys I really appreciate the input...Since I have started these things we have seen our community putting more money into projects to improve the riverfront maybe one day we could be the cause of a huge marina for our city. The feedback I receive on here is crucial to me since some of you are well weathered boaters. Anymore input would be greatly apprecaited.