Jayl13

I can see both sides of the fence but the article had some more "harsh" words and a more derogatory direction dealing with absolutes. The gray area of spectators was not really brought up. Its either anyone watching IS a crasher and a Thief or running with the pack was a crasher or thief mooching off of the paying participants. That gray area was not touched on. They need to write an apology and rewrite it, (like your 5th grade teacher, re-write it and we will grade the rewritten version)
I do admit I passed jugement on the local club here due to 2 members being *&$*&%$# and I should not have done that. I took pride in my boat even though it was not the loudest, fastest and most blingin boat in the harbor. Maybe it was my personal insecurities but when you meet up with 2 members and ask then a few questions and they turn their heads and purposly ignore you, well you get the idea, Might have been easier to just ask the source of the club rather than a few members but these 2 knuckle heads did not give a crap about anything except their own crap did not stink. That says to me the club is made up of people like this which is something I cant stand. Like I said I should not pass judgement on an entire club and their runs and events based on 2 members attitudes. My mistake but you can see how it can play with your head a little.

In these PR I know they have drivers meetings and such but after that and you start to get underway, do those rules get follwed to the letter or is there more chaos out there and people disregard what they were just instructed to do to boat safely in such a large crowd?
DHlaw, I have the money to join but honestly is it worth all that you pay for? From the descriptions above and what the general feeling of alot of the posts here the feeling is no. If you have to question your fees, dues yearly, and other costs that you incur, you might have a point to question the clubs that provide these runs and ask where does this money go, what is it for? Maybe there is alot more behind the scenes stuff that I dont realize but geez, does not seem like there would be months worth of leg work and logisitcs involved in setting up a 100-150 mile run round trip. I could be wrong though.
J

rickdarling

I think it's May. Last page in the back.

yahoo

I like to go on them, because of the people you meet and you can follow the other boats to the spots. That way you dont have to buy new props everytime you go to a new place.

Will definately do some new ones next year.

Dean Ferry

dhlaw,
Thanks for the info. I have a hard time justifying those $$, I guess it's just out of my league. Plus with all the time I spend working, when I do get to go boating, I don't go out on the boat unless the family is with me.
Alot of the poker run coverage I've seen, some PR's aren't exactly rated PG-13!
I wonder what the JAX poker run costs.
Thanks again,
Dean

JB4Boyne

We 1st off I can't speak for other Poker Runs, but in ours (Boyne Thunder) the board starts meeting in March once a week for the run that is in the middle of July, in mid June it is up to twice a week.
Not a single person that helps put on this event collects a dime, we all do it for the love of the sport and to raise money for kids with cancer.
2nd DHLaw, I think you are a Lawyer and I respect that but for me standing on the outside looking in, I can't see why Lawyers charge so much, but you being inside can. I'm sure you could type all day adding up all of the expenses you occur, I know know my Lawyer does whenever I get his bill. LOL
Our run cost $600 to enter and all of that goes to just put on the event. And it is a 1st class event, gourmet meals at a 5 star restaurant and all. All of our profits come from sponsors and spectator (not thieves) activities. YES you can find ways for to collect $$$ from spectators to help the kids.
3rd I don't see how you can have party crashers, We know how many people we can comfortably hold at a party and limit it at that, Boaters tickets 1st, Sponsors tickets 2nd and then the additional tickets are sold at the doors for spectators really wanting to pay the $$$ to get in to the partys.
All of the boats are assigned slips for the weekend when they sign in on Friday. So I think if the run is run correctly there is no room for so called Crashers or Thieves.
We do however limit our event to under 50 boats, we feel that with more then that it would be to hard to control and safety is our #1 concern. I do have to say that I'm very proud of our participants they are all very professional and respect the rules and other boaters.
We have our own safety patrol, Rescue Boats and the Coast Guard, DNR and the Sheriffs Marine Patrol clear the course before the boats come thru. Reckless boaters will not be tolerated. Thanks, JB

dhlaw

We have to charge that much to pay for the goddamn poker run fees!!!!

JB4Boyne

Just remember you get what you pay for. We could have you beach your boat, sit in a lawn chair and give you a hotdog and a glass of water from the lake for $5.00.
Now... if you want Ketchup that's extra...Mustard extra...Relish extra...Table extra...And so on

beertruck

Having just read the article, I agree with the writer with many of his points. I do believe it could be better written to not create as much controversy, but that being said it has achieved it's purpose of getting every ones attention, and creating discussions of the topic.
Being a business owner, I know that there are many hidden costs associated with running a business, or organizing a event that the consumer does not realize. These cost need to be past on to the consumer, so the more the run offers, the more it will cost.
I have been in run in the NW that have cost $50-!00. These events may offer a stop for lunch, but it is not included in the price. The dinner could be as simple as pizza and beer. very informal.
I just recently attended dessert storm, and found the $250 entry fee to be well worth it. Actually that was one of the better bargains of the weekend. When you calculate the 4 days driving, $800 in diesel, $1000 in boat gas, $1000 in lodging the $250 feel didn't seem bad.
Would I pay $500-1000 for a entry fee? Probably, but I would expect a lot more from it. A more formal diner, reserved dock space, larger prizes ect. I know boating as hobby can be very expensive, and as long as you can justify the expense as entertainment then it is fine.
All this being said I have have just as much fun at some of the less expensive events I have attend as the the more costly ones. To me it is about the boating, and social aspect.
If it is a money issue for some then they should choose to attend some of the less expensive events, and enjoy the others as spectators, watching the fleet go by, and enjoying the trill of seeing some of these boats run.
By trying to run along with the boats, using dock or beach space that has been paid for, and reserved for the run, and attending functions that are paid for with the entry fees I would feel that you were tagging along on my nickle. Once the event (Card stops) are over should be able to run with the boats, sure that is the perfect time to see what poker runs are all about, and meet with some great people. Like people have said nobody owns the water, and it's a free country.
I guess what it comes down to is respecting others. Respect those that choose to pay for the run, and allow them the opportunity. For poker runners it's respecting the other boaters, and spectators who are using the water at the same time, and respecting the communities that allow us to pursue these activities in their towns, and cities.
We must remember that hopefully someday some of these spectators will be poker run participants, and good friends, and hopefully when they are I'm sure they will appreciate the opportunity to run in a safe well organized event, where everyone that is running has been well informed at the safety meetings, and running their boats in a safe manor.

timewarp

I agree that nobody owns the water and it's a free country and that everyone has a right to be out boating, but if you are going to plan your boating around an established Poker run,(meaning you travel to the event and hang with all the people that paid to be in the run) you should buck up and pay to enter the run, now if a poker run happens to come to where you boat and you go out to watch them go by you are a spectator.
Personally I wouldn't spend the funds to attend an $800 Poker Run, but I also wouldn't try to go hang out with the people who have paid for the event, I would boat somewhere else that day. If you feel the cost is too high for an event then why add to the number of boats that it looks like from an outsiders perspective are at the event, if the price is too high stay away.

Also if the $$$ is why you don't want to enter the event I am sure that if you volunteered to help the promoter as a safety boat, or in some other way you could attend the event and be included in what's going on without $$$ out of your pocket for an entry fee, I have never been to an event that they wouldn't have taken some extra help putting the event on, I'm saying really help though, not just say you will to crash the party.

woogie

Don't have to look too far to go full circle....
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...ghlight=havasu