LEOPA Fall Poker Run.
 

Went out this morning with some friends to watch the LEOPA Fall Poker Run, that left from the Ford Yacht Club and flew up the Detroit River on their way to Jacks for a Poker Card. We were floating around between Peche Island and Belle Isle, when we saw the first Poker Runner come roaring by us. It was an Outer Limits with a real nice paint job with a rooster tail, they were flying and then a beautiful 42 ft. Cigarette Tiger came by and hit a roller from a big cruiser and he went airborne, I mean everything was completely out of the water and then he broke something. We offer to give them a tow but they still had one engine and were trying to fix their problem, which I don't think they did. Then the rest of the Poker Run fleet ,flew by and another Cigarette broke a drive I think and they were out. We think that there were about 40-50 boats, which was a great turnout. We drove around for a while and then went back by Peche Island to wait for the boats to come back from Jacks on Lake St. Clair after they got their Poker Card and heading to the Detroit Yacht Club for Lunch and this time they were packed together and they were flying by us like a swarm of Yellow Jackets, what a sight to see and hear and I was looking for the Konrad Fountain of Youth and he never disappoints the spectators as he only knows one speed WOT and that guy can drive, every run is a race to him and every time I see that boat on the Detroit River he is always racing someone. Had to get home after that to do a few things but got my wife in the car and made it on time to the water to see the Poker Run going down the Detroit River from the DYC on their way to Portfolio's for another Poker Run Card. Once again they all gave the spectators on shore a great show as this swarm of Yellow Jackets hammered it down the Detroit River. The sad thing about it, is that it is usually a sign that the year around here for boating is coming to an end. One more thing I wanted to say to everyone who is driving on the Detroit River, try to drive along the shore lines close to the people on shore and not in the middle of the River, on the Canadian side you have to stay 100 ft. from the shoreline and it is plenty deep. Great Job to all of the participants of the LEOPA who gave us a show today. Next year I'm video taping the action on the Detroit River.

Finally I finished a poker run this year. I'm 1 for 3 this year. The fall poker run is my favorite. It's quite a thrill navigating the river with all the boats running wfo.

a.b. i was right behind the yellow cig ,,,i saw it shoot straight up,,,it run a little,,,and when i went by ,the hatch was starting to come up,,,i had the 35 baja,,,he hit the wake from that dam cruiser,,,just in front of belle ile,,,i didnt know there was another boat that broke,,,but on the run back there was another yellow boat,,i thought it was the first boat making its way back in on one engine,,,not a good day for yellow boats:eek:

I saw one of the white cig's clear the props on the way back from Jacks... was a good time..

The other boat that broke shortly after the the 42 ft. Tiger was a White Cigarette Top Gun or Cafe Racer, older model and they said that they broke a drive and they never made it to Jacks and the last I saw of them they were idling back down the river on one engine and stopped to talk to the guys in the Cigarette Tiger. There were a lot of nice boats out there and what a way to spend a nice day on the water, watching them all roar by.

Does anybody know I believe there name was Tadson on the 63 sea ray at the entry to jacks ? Larry in the 42 fountain and I buzzed him pretty close and I noticed somebody got a pic of us as we raced by, would love to get a copy of the pic if possible. Absolutely a great run, our favorite one each year.

[QUOTE=AB From Windsor;2951711]The other boat that broke shortly after the the 42 ft. Tiger was a White Cigarette Top Gun or Cafe Racer, older model and they said that they broke a drive and they never made it to Jacks and the last I saw of them they were idling back down the river on one engine and stopped to talk to the guys in the Cigarette Tiger. There were a lot of nice boats out there and what a way to spend a nice day on the water, watching them all roar by.[/QUOTE

I was the 39 Cig that broke the drive, we think the air time at the mouth of the river did it in but thats boating ! We want to say thank you to all the people who stopped and asked if needed help. LEOPA is a great club to run with and we are proud to be members !!!! I would rather race for a day then be a spectator for life !! If you read this Don let me know what you found ? Thanks again to LEOPA for a great weekend !

Bill.

leopa fall run
 

there are a few pics on greatlakesoffshore.com
I think you will have to register to be able to get in there.

No charge for the rigistration

My bud RayRay was up with his 38' Lip Ship I heard...
Jr.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqdZyy_MoxA

Video from our boat.

Phragle when are you going to post some of the shots you took, you should have a bunch of good ones. Laz, the SeaRay is Capital T for Tom Tadsen he is one of the founders of LEOPA and the father of the guy in the small Eliminator that got the BS ticket under the bridge. I will see if his email is on the list we got from LEOPA. AB it's funny Phragle was on our boat and I said to him on our way to Jack's I wonder if ABWindsor is out here watching us, next time you will have to tell us what boat you are on and where you going to be. I saw a lot of boats completely in the air between the DYC and Portafino's. To me that was a short but wild ride. Did anyone see that red and grey Sunsation he had air half for more that half of that leg. Of course our BT almost never gets air, which is fine by me since I don't want to break anything. this was our best year ever, did all the poker runs and had no problems. Well I guess we had one small problem and needed a jump when leaving Portifinio's but other than that all was good this year.

Ray was there he said he enjoyed the first leg but the others were a little short for him. Larry it was good to finally meet you again, hope to see you at more LEOPA events. Like always LEOPA did a great job on putting together a fun and affordable day.

I did make it up there. Kinda last minute. It was worth it!
GREAT WEATHER! GREAT RUN! GREAT PEOPLE! Hats off to Larry! Donating his first place winnings back to charity! Top class move buddy! (Even for a guy in a fountain) :coolcowboy:
It's great when it's the charity that counts! Thanks everyone that put that run together! We'll Be Back!(not a threat)

Ms PatriYacht!

I'm always out there, sitting with the wife looking at the boats going by. BTW is your Black Thunder, white with baby blue colors on it and were you driving up the Detroit River on Sunday, heading towards Lake St. Clair around 5-6 pm and the one I saw last Saturday by Jacks and then you went towards Metro Beach around 2:30 pm. The Sea Ray "Capitol T" that boat was sitting on the Detroit River as the Poker Runners came from Jacks to the Detroit Yacht Club, should of entered the Poker Run, that boat was going around 50 MPH following the Poker Run boats heading to the DYC for Lunch. It's just amazing how the hull designs and new technology has revolutionized the speeds in the Cruiser industry now a days. Next year I will be out their trying to take some video of the boats going by. I took a shoot at it with my camera and screwed up but got some shoots of the boats leaving the DYC on there way to Portifinio's. I haven't had a chance to check it out as my wife had her knee replace yesterday and will be in teh hospital for a week and then I will be busy for a few days playing nurse for her but if I get a chance and it is not to bad I will post it.

There's my boy... My pops said you and Lyn had a great time!!! :)

I am pretty sure we were the only BT in the run. On Sunday afternoon we took a quick ride on the river from The Ford YC to the second bridge (the real low one), and then realized we were lower on gas than we thought so headed back to the Lake Erie Metro Park's boat ramp. Our boat is mostly white with some blue and red stripes down the sides, and a row of stars on the top of the bow. LOL in the sun it probably looks a bit faded. I'd post a picture but I lost those privildges when I did not reup my paid membership :(

Do you live on the water, you seem to catch all the action.

Good hearing that you had a great time. Weather was near perfect. Com'on, more details on the ticket.

No I don't live on teh water but spend a lot of time with the wife ****ting by the water, as she does't want to go boating but enjoys watching them go by.

First time we have missed the LEOPA FPR in years. We were Moose hunting last weekend in BC, Canada. This "great weather" even in Northern Canada was a bust for hunting.
See you next year!

[QUOTE=risingsun;2952006]I was really bummed you guys broke a drive this year. What did you find out?.
Chris

I have been with Leopa for 4 years now. This has to be one of the greatest and nicest group of people I have met on the water. Everyone is willing to lend a helping hand if a problem arises and every event that we have attended has been a class act. You could not ask for a better group of people. The weather for this years run was perfect. Even with a few breakdowns, We all still had a great time. Thanks again to Rick and Dino and everyone else who put there time and effort into making this run another success this year.

[QUOTE=ThunderChris;2957778]About time you wiped the cobwebs off your computer.

[QUOTE=brian41;2957782]LOL, Its getting close to winter time. Need something to do so I dont go crazy for the next 6 months.

[QUOTE=ThunderChris;2957786]You have to come down to miami for the boat show good way to break up the winter.

[QUOTE=laszlo01;2957804]We will be down there again this year. You still going?

does anyone have the link to great lakes offshore, someone posted it on one of these LEOPA threads and I can no find it, when I search for it all I get is links to the old race org.

[QUOTE=ThunderChris;2957979]We will be in key west for the SBI worlds as well as miami for the show, did you ever find out if tadson had and pics of larry and I when whe flew by ?

http://www.greatlakesoffshore.com/gr...hore/index.php

Sorry Lasz I could not find my LEOPA email list, someone finally sent me a new one this morning so I sent him an email
earlier today. As soon as I get a response I will let you know.


Sprague, I will not rub it in but you were missed and the weather was about as perfect as you could get it for poker run.

I may be crazy but I was thinking since we all enjoy this run so much, I think we should do almost the same thing for the spring run:cool-smiley-011:

[QUOTE=ThunderChris;2957778]Brand new lower gears broke a tooth. trashed the whole drive.!! Al's going to try the cryo and rem polishing on custom built XR's.

I think the 2009 LEOPA Spring Run format was much improved and achieved the goal of "not to far" for many members. I do feel that that one more stop and less time for lunch would make it even better. Maybe add a yacht club on the Maumee River? Whatever...we plan to do both in 2010 :drink:

Ran every run this year and not 1 runnning shot of my boat.... thats it I am not running out front any more !!!!

fountain
 

keep your pants on I will find some pics for you !!!!!!
I was driving so not responsible for fuzzy photo's

fountain of yute
 

http://i34.tinypic.com/2nkkkl.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/of7bxv.jpg

couple more
 

I wish this had come out clear !!! this is after making the hard right turn to go south when we left portofino ( north end of grosse ile)

http://i34.tinypic.com/k1avwy.jpg

Wrong Brian..... Mike sent this this morning

Pic as we where pulling out of FYC.

Good edit Laszlo..... I was the second boat at Jack's (made the Wyandotte cut and everybody caught up) and the first at Portafino's the 2 longest run bouncing just a tick under 90 the entire way. The old Baja may not be the fastest boat on the runs but it will run wide open all day without issues.

baja
 

Sorry---Must be the beers !! I guess the baja logo on your profile was to obvious for me !!!

portofino
 

here you go...

http://i36.tinypic.com/2rdiu4o.jpg

baja
 

Brian,

I do believe Donna got you on the video camera. We havent looked at it yet. Not sure how it turned out. Will let you know if there are any good shots of you.