After seeing the second video, the guy in the white boat needs to be severly beatin about the head and shoulders.....

js took us a bit off topic here, so i'll continue.... i remember exactly when i decided i wasn't doing anymore poker runs in my 36 1075 skater (and running with "the fast boats"). it happened when i was cruising at 125 MPH navigating thru channel markers (single file), following the pace boat and was "buzzed" by a 43 nor-tech running what must have been 140 MPH or faster. i mentioned it to one of the poker run heads, who was in the pace boat. he said he was actually looking back and saw it happen and would say something to the guy. i kept quiet and paid attention--- finding, on the next leg of the run that the guy continued to drive in a similar manner thereafter, and was not eliminated from the run. he is a well known guy, and i'll leave it at that.

i then found that, as an analogy, what's the point of having a ferrari if you only drive it to the grocery store. so, i sold it shortly afterward and bought a cc and, slower, but just as cool vhull... solely based on concern of what "the other guy" might do, or not do at the speeds we ran in the cats. reaction, at-speed, is everything.

the thing i enjoy MOST in life is breathing... everything else i live for stems from that. i realize this is my opinion and believe the "living on the edge" guys should also have their forum to live it. so, i removed myself from their forum and pray for their safety.

Not to harp, not to sound like an ahole, but looking at the bigger picture this gives anyone ammo to argue shutting events down.

It's one thing to read a condolence thread, but another thing of being able to google poker run accident and find the history and debates. Is it just me or wouldn't it be better to have this discussion and other past discussions moved to a more "private" area like the Bilge?

Just a thought?

"1075 powered 40+ ft cat was costing him over 100K a year"

Only if you don't blow something up, and if you do $100K becomes $200K instantly

When we reformatted the Tickfaw 3 years ago. It was to ease traffic and make it a leisure run. 2 day and no order to pick up the cards. Also got rid of the offical start. We Have a heavy law presents that's typically friendly untill provoked.

The 2 days and no order was Great. Getting rid of a official start on Saturday even better. Small groups left to gether all day. It worked for congestion on the river and the law liked it also.

This is the same thread that pops up every year after a tragedy of this nature. Nothing changes. Nothing ever will.

The water is not an asphalt race track with known curves, banks and bumps. At 150 mph you just can't read the water. Those who say they can are just flat out lucky.

RIP to those boys. I can only imagine.

joe...........................I'm like you, there's nothing that important to get killed over other than your Family (that's it for me) some people have thought I couldn't afford a 160mph boat, never cared what anyone thought, I retired at 49 and have been very happy cruising around at 50-55mph in my heavy azz slow Formula and having two or three beers (all day), waking up everyday works great for me, prayers to all involved.

You ain't lying...

artic friends brings up a huge variable that can not be controlled. The number of folks on the water in whatever that have no idea anything is going on.

Wow. I hadn't seen the accident from that view. I do not understand why others have stated that no spectator boats played a role. Viewed it on my iPhone and at
Least on the small screen it looks like that cruiser nearly got T- boned and may have caused the accident. Again, others claim to have seen aerial photographs and say no spectator boats were to blame. That video seems to suggest otherwise.