Did they lower the entry fee? I hardly see the point in paying top dollar to run in a poker run if I am doing it at my leisure, I can do that any day of the week without the cards. The party will be great this year as always, next year remains to be seen but I'm betting that next year see's a ton less people all together at this event without a change to the format.

I have to say, I felt the same way about that format until I ran Tickfaw this year. Everyone met at roughly the same time at the marina and we all broke up into groups we wanted to run with. (speed equalish) and off went 100 boats up the river. We had a blast running in a 15-20 boat group (until we had engine issues).

It's already one of the cheapest poker runs in the country. What is it, like $450 an entry?

Bingo Tom! Tickfaw is a great example of how fun a poker run can be without a massive group start or a pee-pee measuring contest to the first card stop. Guessing Emerald Coast is the same way.

Early on in this thread, someone stated "Life goes on." Well...unfortunately, last year, that wasn't exactly true. Change was necessary in this run, and I hope it is for the good.

So is there a speed limit for thIs poker run? If not, then I would think the "big dogs" could still run together on their own and not change much about the feel of the run. Basically it would be up to them to organize themselves, therefore perhaps shifting at least SOME of the liability to the runners themselves and less to the organizer.
I would guess this is one of the main reasons for the change.
I am a fan of more relaxed pace poker runs and then a "Shootout" event within the run. Funny how some of the guys with the "fast" boats shy away from this format....maybe they aren't that fast after all!

We are in the process of getting boat ready to be shipped to Kentucky at the end of the month and signing up for Lake Cumberland run, looking forward to it no matter what format... We did this format at Lake Murray run last year and had a great time. Looking forward to it with a great safe weekend!!

Pat

I have never been but think I am this year. Even at this new format that is more than worth it.

The biggest issue I see now is you'd have a group of guys running 100+mph down a lake full of spectators that are not lined up along the shore with a safe clear path to run at the speeds the few want to run at. I highly doubt spectators will stay put along the shore for 2 days hoping to see the intermittent self organized groups running.
I don't see the new format as safe as before. Other than eliminating the race to the 1 st card. At least then there was some degree of spectator organization.
I can't help but to think the flyby played a huge part of the new format. Risk acceptance among the runners is a given. Involving innocent spectators is another. Guarantee if a runner hit a spectator, Johnny Cochran would be called.

With the accidents I can understand the changes. With the past accidents they had to try something new. "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." Up to this point it has just been participants involved. But if you want to see the final nail drove into the coffin of poker runs as we know it....have a family/spectators get killed during one of these events. We have all been put in a situation where we have had to make a decision behind the wheel where we have het closer than we felt comfy. But I'm willing to bet a judge down in KY isn't going who you are or how how much $$you have when you run your boat over his cousin.

Have to be 1 hell of a phone call, he passed in 2005, just sayin... I hope to make it to LC some time, maybe next year as I will be working in Lexington Ky. next spring...