Poker Run on Lake Charlevoix?
 

I was mailed a copy of the March 24 edition of Boyne City, Michigan's "The Citizen Journal" newspaper that had an article titled Coming to the lake this summer: "Boyne Thunder". I'll paraphrase the story:

There is real excitement brewing downtown: the offshore racers are coming to Boyne City. The weekend of July 17, Main Street and Camp Quality are sponsoring Boyne Thunder, a Poker Run sanctioned by the American Poker Run Association. So what is a Poker Run? Well, it's really a combination of a road rally on the water and a scavenger hunt. The entrants are given a course at the beginning of the day; they visit five towns and at each stop are given a sealed envelope containing a playing card. At the end of the day, the boat with the best hand wins a prize. And what boats!

They are privately owned offshore racing boats with powerful engines and spectacular paint jobs. They will depart Boyne City and cover a 125 mile course on Lake Chrlevoix and Lake Michigan, including a stop at Beaver Island, before returning.

The skippers and their crews are true yachtsmen. They know the rules of the road and are experts in navigation, boat handling and seamanship. They all agree in writing that the rules of boating will be strictly observed and that there will be no alcohol consumed during the event. Make no mistake, though: where it is both safe and legal, these folks can be expected to put on an awe inspiring display of speed and power. Participants also have a solid history of being gracious and considerate guests wherever they visit. Central to the weekend, of course, is raising funds. The proceeds support outdoor adventures throughout the year for children battling cancer and their families, all at no cost to participants. The article goes on to explain planning with the city fathers, Sheriff's Department and Coast Guard, and invites volunteers to help with supporting the boats and crews ashore and helping to make the event a success.

There was no contact name or information given regarding registration, costs, or any other details. Has anyone else heard about this. Although I live in Battle Creek, my boat hoist is at the cottage on Lake Charlevoix and I sure wouldn't want to miss this on my "home" lake!

Get some more info. I'm sure there are some of us here in West Michigan who might want to try this one out.

have not heard about this run, turns out being the weekend before our fun run with simular distinations. i will try and call the city tomorrow and ask some questions about it.

wow here it is on the web, i will call on it tomorrow.

http://www.boynecity.com/minisites/b...nder/index.htm

Now i am not happy about this

They have taken all there pictures for there site off of our website www.smokeonthewaterpokerrun.com

am i over reacting or should we be pissed off about this ??

these people called me and asked for advise on how to put on a poker run a while ago

I gave them some advise and Ideas
but never did they ask, nor would we have given permission, for them to take pics from our site to promote there event

am i wrong to be upset??????

NO you are not wrong. Call 'em on it, and demand they take down "your" pics. :mad:

i agree, i got the impression that the two runs were related some how. a north and south version per say.

Marc I'd be pissed too!:hothead: But it looks like fun!

93
 

Is there anywhere on the water up that I can get premium? I would love to do a poker run up that way. Thanks Steve.

Re: 93
 

Nykamp I'll bet you can get it somewhere on Lake Chalivoix, I'd call Irish Marine they would know!

Nice area up there, using Marc's pics is bull****.

Marc I think that it is BS they did not ask you about the pictures, instead of asking them to take them off, why not request they include a line like "photos curtesey of Smoke on the Water" and a link to your site. This way you get some extra PR and they get a chance to use your beautiful pictures. I think that would keep peace among you poker run promoters.

It is a shame to have it the very next weekend though

I am also curious about Boyne City. Is it right on Lake Charloviox, and is there a marina? It should be interesting to run a poker run down through the middle of the lake, I am assuming there would have to be several restrictions. Anybody hear how much$$ the link sure does not give much info.

Donna Boyne city is on the lake and they have a Municipal marina as for running down the middle of the lake its not all that big I'm sure they plan on running the Big Lake most of the run!!!

__________________________________________


If they use your pic's they should let you and everyone that runs SOTW in for free:D

Kidding... No it's not right for them to take your website pictures at ALL.. You have no choice but to call and ask them to take them down.

By them using your pictures it's false advertising not a big foul but they really shouldn't take credit for your hard work.

my 02.... but if they want to let us in for free count me in

:D

I just talked to Howard who is in charge of this event, he is very nice and excited to be putting this charity run on. He felt awful about the picture situation, he did not mean to offend any one and they will be removed today. In fact I told him that there are several of us that would probably not mind letting him use shots of our boats :D :D

It sounds like a nice event, and certainly located in one of the most beautiful areas for us great lake boaters. I encouraged him to join OSO & I am assuming after he does that he will post the info. However I got most of the scoop; but I am not telling :p I don't want to spoil his thunder:D

i talked to him today as well, sounds like it should be fun. everything that they have planned sounds nice. he said he should have all the info in a few days. boyne city to elk rapids to beaver to petoskey bay harbor and back. should be nice, dockage in boyne city both nights.

the best thing is you keep your boats up here for the week and do the 5 th annual northern michigan fun run the next weekend and see mackinaw and charlevoix in all it glory for venitian weekend.;)

I wrote Howard this morning

and we talked this afternoon

sounds like we have it all cleared up

sounds like he is planning a fun run

he is changing his web site to reflect a better representation of his event

I just didn't think an aerial Pic of Grand Haven on his site, that we had taken and posted on our site, was a good idea since the event was in Boyne City

kinda deceiving not to mention the boat pics

but all is good and all are forging ahead :)

Hope he posts more!!!

dyno are you going to be up here that week?

not sure on all the dates Scott but I have the weekend of your run off! I'll be there fo the Northern Michigan Fun Run:)

cool we will have fun

Wow, lot's of us were searching for info and finding the same sources. Howard was one of three names I was given but couldn't connect with him. However, someone from the Boyne City Main Street organization fax'd me a draft of a press release. I support the idea of not stealing Howard's "thunder" so won't go into the draft, but there are a lot of great events planned. One difference that may not be settled are the destinations. My information (which may not be the latest) is; Boyne City to East Jordan, to Charlevoix, Beaver Island, Bay Harbor, then returning to Boyne City.

I haven't found higher than 89 octane gas anywhere on Lake Charlevoix or Petosky, with the exception that I've never filled up in the Boyne City marina. Maybe this year will be different.

This should be fun!

where on the lake are you?

The cottage is on the south side of the main body of the lake, almost exactly half way between Advance and the Ironton Ferry. It's in the middle of a sandy cove. Making plans to put the dock and hoist in over the next couple of weeks.

Where are you?

i'am in petoskey, 5 miles down resort pike, just built a home in a sub called the oaks of walloon. my office is just down from cormacks deli and the super 8

As one of the organizers of the BoyneThunder Poker Run I would like you all to know that there is a web site that has some data with more to be added shortly. Just Google Boyne Thunder fo find us. There is some discussion in this thread about our using some pictures from smokeonthewater on our web site,. That did happen and we have now changed them and apologized to Marc. We certainly meant no harm and have great respect for Marc and his poker run. Our dates are July 16-17.

Howard we need more info!!!

Escape V., I boat out of Charlevoix and I need premium for my 575's. I usually fill up on the trailer. But, the pump in East Jorden says 92 or 93 octane. I have not gotten petro there and have not been able to confirm that it is what it says it is. FYI Wrink

Website
 

here is the link, click on Boyne Thunder below.

Boyne Thunder Poker Run


Cougarman

Howard it says that its a charity run, curious as to how much of the entry fee goes to charity or is it set up the same as SOTW where it's money from the auction and not the entry fee that gets donated?

I am sure Howard will let us know. Interesting info about SOTW though, are you saying that none of the entry fee gets donated, I find that hard to believe since when people have complained about the entry fee he talks about the money for Make a Wish, I sure hope you are mistaken, perhaps Marc can let us know.

Anyone know what the entry fee is???

BoyneThunder Charity Amount
 

100% of all funds go to charity. We have no paid staff & all labor is donated. There are costs for food, etc., but all other money goes to charity. While not a tax advisor, most of the fee should be tax deductible. We are having high end food with a dnner at Garrett's On Water Street, lunch at Bay Harbor and an awards banquet with a Northern Michigan theme (probably beef and white fish).

Boyne Thunder Entry Fee
 

The entry fee is $600 for two and $100 more for each additional and includes Friday reception, dinner, live entertainment and pub crawl, breakfast Saturday at Lester's, Lunch at Bay Harbor, reception and awards banquet, goodie bag, T shirts , etc. The following other poker runs are also $600: Sarasota, Fort Myers, Quebec City, Alexandria Bay, and Georgian Bay. Ours is 100% charity and the other are not. Go for the deduction!!

Our event is dedicated to providing as much money for the Make a wish foundation as we possibly can

$29,000 plus last year alone


Entry fee is $1000 for boat and 4 participants $150 for any additional over 4 on your boat)

includes 4 Top Drawer meals including Steak and Lobster on Sat Night

I have also posted all the gifts in the goodie bag on another thread

we are hoping to break the $100,000 Total raised for the kids this year

Howard I think your a little steep for a first year event...no mention of a video,helicopter shots... I'll bet thats where alot of the money fo SOTW goes. Sounds like great eats but does it include Beer and wine? with 4 people your at $800 thats close to the entry of SOTW and its one of the best in the nation..... My .02

Don,

thanks i forgot those things

we do so many things i forget what all it is we do :)

The DVD is always great we cover entire event from air and ground and a copy goes to each boat entered
we send them out around Christmas (winter teaser)

BoyneThunder Alcohol
 

Drinks are included. The fee is certainly partially, in fact mostly, tax deductible with the proceeds going to support kids with cancer. We are trying to give a quality experience and raise money. We knew that no one wanted a low quality event. Our marina is smaller than most so we are going to have a 45 boat limit. That too, causes problems on the money raising side.

Marc my understanding has always been that the money raised for make a wish was from the donated items that are auctioned off at SOTW.

I agree that you include alot of things with the pokerrun and I enjoyed myself at the pokerrun. So maybe I misunderstood and if that is the case I apologize.

I guess my question to you is then, of the $29,000 that was raised, was the money soley from the auctioning of items that were donated or did SOTW donate part of the $1000.00 entry fee to make a wish.

I think its a legitimate question for anyone that is participating in a charity event to know what part of their entry fee is going to the charity or how the event benefits the charity.

My question was actually directed to Howard but I guess in all fairness I should ask you the same thing.

Ron,

without explaining the entire logistics of raising money for a charity (I cant type that much )

suffice to say we personally do not make any money on this event THIS IS A FACT!

as a matter of fact Bob and I have reached in our personal pockets to make this happen each year

and all of the money that is brought in, above and beyond the cost to put on this event, goes to the make a wish foundation Bob and I contribute thousands to make sure many things get coverd that normally would come out of the overall money just so we can give the kids a larger piece of the pie

fact is we are Make a wish of Michigan's second largest outside contributer thanks to the great offshore guys and girls that participate in this event