poker runs. true or not?
 

have read an article about old poker runs;people used to put thousands of dollars and the winner takes all....
is this a true story?
do you still have this kind of runs?

as i know poker runs are like cruising tours for fun now. right?

thnx

It's still basically the same you pay $ to enter, the hotel room, etc.
And win some $. It's become more competitive. And alot of industry people enter too. (I am speaking of the NY Hudson run). It's a pure adreneline rush, and the best part is the start (for me anyway). Unfortunatey, last years weather was overcast, cold and damp. Not nearly as many boats showed up as compared to the previous years.

It has become the who's who in the area. It's great!


Just have one question for Sharkey. How do you survive that run every year? I'd have to be put in traction after that run. You definately are the "Spirit of the Hudson."

''put up $100,000 each.... winner take all..... for a race from Miami to New York.''

talking about hi $$$. races.
this part is taken from www.apacheraceboat.com

Poker Runs
 

Timucin,

I run several each season. Winter with Stu Jones and the Florida Powerboat Club (FPC) and Summer with the Lake Erie Offshore Alley Club.
They all have some sort of Cash Prize. Usually it is a small portion of each persons entry fee.
In the Offshore alley run we can also "buy" additional hands for $100.00 each.
But with only 20 boats and perhaps 60 people in that event you really do not get a big purse.

In either case the real fun of the events is running with the other people and boats. The sheer audacity of running with 20-80 other offshores at the same time to the same place cannot be described. Words and pictures could never do it justice.
Check out the FPC website and you can get some more info but at some point your gonna have to get back to the USA and just do one. whether as crew or captain. Just do it.

Best
Rice Hauler

Try the AHBA Sping and Fall Heatwave poker runs every year in Havasu. There's always 150-200 fire-breathing, thunderous hot boats in the run. The best hand prize is normally in the area of $4000, with at least that much also going to local charities. Lotta fun, cool boats, and great folks. Can't be beat.

I know that the Lake Taxoma(sp) was advertising in 2000 a winner take all poker run. The entry fee was if I rember right $500.00 and the min. purse was $75,000.00 I don't know if it is still ran that way and how the outcome was of that run, maybe there are some people here who have more input on it. That is the only one that I know of that was still a winner take all run.

Now that would be cool ... kind of a like a cannoball run.

Each "team" put's up say $5000, and it's run what you brung.
The key would be to make it from one point and then back. Say from Detroit to Port Huron and back. So you have to make a gas stop and do some navigating. Sure it might be illegal but wouldn't it be fun !
Winner takes the money ..minus enough to pay for a chopper to video the race.

26 Scarab
 

Scarab,

Don't forget a true "Poker Run" is not a race.
I think that it is very important to reinforce this among the informed and unimformed.
Yes sometimes the boats do run pretty hard from stop to stop.
But the point of the whole excercise is to allow chance in the form of cards that are randomly picked to even out the playing field.
Having the fastest boat is never an issue and in some cases having a boat period is not an issue.
Last year the winning hand on our offshore alley poker run was held by a crew member who was not the boat owner.
I'm a fan as much as anyone of the Cannonballs but in this format that is just a recipe for disaster IMHO.
Personally I like them because I enjoy meeting and running with all the people, that share the same hobby that I do.

just my $.02

Best,

Rice Hauler

Rice Hauler-

Your location says Ohio. Have you ever been to the 1000 Islands run??

"The sheer audacity of running with 20-80 other offshores at the same time to the same place cannot be described. "

We had over 150 boats in this years run! You're right - words and pictures can't do it justice. What a RUSH!! :cool:

P.S. -Was that your boat in the Lincoln comercial?

Rice Hauler,
I understand and have been in more than a few poker runs and as much as what you stated is reinforced 80% of the boats where running as hard as they could.:D Including myself. And yes I do agree there is a danger there. Not everyone is comfortable running hard with boats that close, let's face some people drive there boats the way they drive there cars and we all know how the freeways are.

True
 

Rice Hauler............

You hit the nail on the head. It's about getting out there with people that have the same passion for boating that we all do.

timucin......around here there a a few pokerruns every year, ranging from $100 per person, where the prizes are paid out, and a portion of the proceeds go to charity (everyone who goes gets a card), to $1000 plus per boat for a few meals & prizes.

I've only driven in 1 run so far (cause I just got my boat done), but I've been in a few. Personally, I rather enjoy the lower cost runs, becuase everyone that's in a boat gets a chance to win.............there is a wide range of participants (all out race boats to cruisers), you typically spend a little more time at the stops (where you can check out all kinds of boats), and it feels good to do something you enjoy that benefits someone else (like a charity run I described above).

What it all boils down to is a lot of people having a lot of fun !

RJ

We finally got a group together in September to run from Metro up to St Clair for lunch and then rafted out on Muskomoot. I think we ended up with nine boats and it was a hell of a lot of fun. I would like to see more of those get togethers next year and we could even stick in a poker hand there just for fun. I think we had 3 24 Sunsations, 29 Scarab, 24 Outlaw, 38 Hustler, 272 Baja, and a Phantom joined us on the way back. Great bunch of people and I look forward to it next year. Keep these runs in mind.

I plan on doing some this year. My biggest fear is beig blown away by the true performance boats. I am told many of the runs here in Florida have participation by smaller boats. I have 21' Donzi.

I agree
 

What we should do is come up with set days every month (say the 1st and 3rd saturday), let everyone know, and meet at the same place...............Basically open invitation. The first one......we'll have a plan as to where to go, add the cards (for the pokker hand), and whoever gets the best hand pics the next weeks course. Maybe we should throw in $100 per boat, and winner takes that (kind of a fee for picking the next week's run & making photocopies of where the sotps are).

Just a thought............But, I think if you keep the price reasonable, and the length (maybe we limit it to a ceertain number of miles), a lot of people would participate ?

RJ

Gator, like some said, it's not a race...................It's about finishing all the legs, and having a great day ! (although in some events there are minimum requirements (26 & over).

We had the best hand once!!
 

WOT for 4 hours is not good!!
:(
We had a great time at the OPBA, St Petersburg
Florida poker run. Ron Long really does a great
job putting these things on. Very, very inexpensive compared to the PRA, OPC.
It was $100 per hand, boat and $50 for extra hands.
Hubby likes the running, I like the stops too,
checking out new habors or marinas we've never been
to. We had 65 boats all sizes.....................
:p kitten

When you start getting into these poker runs with massive amounts of boats, like the 65 in this poker run, don't you get into liability insurance and then its a promoted gathering? In additon, I ran the Sunsation rally last year with my 25 Aggressor and with 65 boats spent way too much time in wash getting the snot beat out of us. I would rather keep these smaller and more manageable and give the smaller offshores a better opportunity to enjoy it, even if I am running a 32 next year.

Florida Gator, I suggest getting your own runs together and keep the max size of the boats down so you can actually enjoy it. Running a boat that size with 30'+ boats sucks.

You're most likely right....thanks for the insight. If I recall, if you read most insurance policy's closely, I'm not sure if you're covered in races, regattas, large gatherings, etc.

Anyways, I'd like to be in on it, unfortunately I missed the last one. :rolleyes:

I forgot to mention that in some of the larger ones, I think you had to "sign a waiver" saying that the organizers are not responsinle for.................

So maybe we shouldn't get this thing overly organized

Poker Runs / CJC
 

CJC,
Have not had the pleasure of doing the 1000 islands yet.
I hear that it's a great itme though. Looking at the pics. I can see where navigation has got to be a key to getting there and back.

I'm off to Key West next week with the Florida Powerboat Club (FPC) for the annual Key West offshore races.
Our launch is out of Miami on Friday and talking to Stu Jones the President we are looking at 70-80 boats.
With an additional 30 boats leaving on Tuesday before.

I enjoy this run because of the variety of boats and length of the run 160 nm. Also the trip length of 4 days long Friday to Monday makes for a great break.
But at times the "crowd" gets wearying. lots of wild water in the intercoastal and such.

But hey it could be worse I could be still in Ohio watching it rain with 40 for the high that day.
And yes that is my boat in the Lincoln Commercial and also the new Cigarette Racing Team Ad with the woman blowing smoke.

Best,

Rice Hauler

RH-

Damn!!! Nice looking boat :cool: (I'm sure I'm the first one to ever tell you that) Feels like I'm talking to a celebrity! :D

Seriously.....1000 Islands is a blast - and oh the scenery!! Yes, you don't want to go off course or try a "short cut", but unless you're leading don't worry about it. Lead boats know EXACTLY where they're going and fast enough that you won't hold back the sticks.

:)