I wish I could have attended this run with a helicopter but I was at the Southern California SCOPE poker run and just read about this one. We keep a heli in Newport Rhode Island for boat photography bsince 1990. Call or pm me about any poker runs nationwide as we have aircraft everywhere . Tom. Boatpix.com 5613462816.

Thank you to all that attended. This was the first time I ever even tried to put something like this together. I hope everyone had a good time. And for the out of towners, I hope you enjoyed the beautiful Hudson River. We had 67 people and 27 boats. Not bad for a run that was put together in just a couple of weeks. We couldn't have asked for better weather. Also a thanks to Chris for helping put this together,and all the Maryland guys for making the trip.I hope you will come up again. I don't want to forget to thank Lisa at The Steel House for making sure everything went smooth in Kingston. Thanks again everyone

WOW What a weekend. I never imagined sending out a simply thread about a "friends and family fun run" would end up being what we experienced. Unbelievable weather, great people, spectacular water, great food, fast boats...who knew !!!

Several weeks ago I posted a thread asking what the deal was about the Hudson Run. I received a note from Jonathon (fatherb68) saying, "just pick a date and we will get it together". Well Jonathon nailed it. With his help, organizing the lunch stop at Steel House, organizing the marina for launching the boats and mother nature blessing us with great weather...Three of us from MD towed our boats up Friday. Stayed at a hotel in Central Valley. We met up with Jonathon, his beautiful girlfriend and Jim, went had a bunch of cold beers, (a bunch of Bacardi doubles and coke for Jonathon...lol) and had some eats. Woke up Saturday and trailered the boats up over the mountain, not so easy for Dave and his gas powered Suburban, oh ya, we saw a Black Bear cross the road in front of us along the way...very cool and pulled into Stony Point Marina to see a bunch of awesome boats. Way more than we thought we would see. Guess the weather brought all the players out.

Well around 1115am we all start heading out of the marina. Very cool to see all the boats hanging floating motors idling waiting for our illustrious leader "FATHERB" to wave the "ALL GO"...we are off !!! Running north up the Hudson, not a cloud in the sky...freakin COOL !!!! Go under the first bridge to find a ferry boat pushing HUGE water...WHITE PHANTOM...TOTALLY AIRBORNE We run to the Newburgh bridge and stop for a re-gather of all the boats...thank god because I would have been lost. The big boys we hauling ass and were no where to be seen. We all get going again for 30 more miles of flat awesome water...great views. Pull into the Steel House, what an awesome building, for a outstanding lunch. As you can see from the photos that Blake posted, very nice. Made some new friends,....Great to meet, Brian, Chris, Eric, Tim, Frankie, etc, etc, etc...can not remember all the names.

Now the run back to Stony Point...AWESOME !!!!! Seeing the big boys go blowing by us...thought 75MPH in a 26' Scarab was fast...NOT !!! Running side by side with my buddies that trailered their boats from MD with me...what can you say !. Well get back under the Newburgh bridge and notice that my fuel gauge is EMPTY...OH SH*T !!! Back it down to 3500RPM as to not have the secondaries open...praying that we make it back...guess I should of pulled back the throttle at some point to safe some coming back fuel...who does that ?.... lol. Well we made it back. It was amazing. Watched everyone help each other getting the boats back on their trailers, share emails phone numbers and the promises of next season to do it again. Awesome !!

Mickey heads back to MD, Dave goes around the mountain because his Suburban has no balls...Blake and I...we go right back over the mountain back to Central Valley. Get cleaned up, drink more beer and have some eats. Sunday get up and find that Dave has rolled out early and headed back to MD. Blake and I contemplate what we are going to do. The plan was to hook up with Jonathon and some the boys from NY and boat in Manhattan. We decide to tow the boat to Liberty Marina in Jersey...trying to be a bit closer to home. OUTRAGEOUS !!! Floating passed the Statue of Liberty and seeing Manhattan...makes you realize how small we are and truly blessed we are..."who gets to do this" !!!! We met up with Jonathon and the boys and they lead us thru the canals around Manhattan..."LOST FOR WORDS".... AMAZING.. After a short stop for a beer or two, the "NY crew" head back north up the Hudson...running away from us hearing the motors screaming was very cool. Once last pass by the Statue of Liberty back onto the trailer. Get back on the road south to MD. Fought NJ Turnpike traffic got back into Pasdena, MD around 7pm...EXHAUSTED !!!

Thank you Jonathon for being so kind to help and organize a great weekend. A true gentlemen. Jim thanks for sharing the stories. We will see you all again in Spring.....oh ya and the Fall !!!

Thanks,

Chris

Definitely was a great time. I didn't end up getting back to VA until about 1 o'clock last night. One of the best boating weekends I have had (and I didn't even have my boat!). Not to often I would get to boat around Manhattan and right by the Statue of Liberty. I will get a few pics up of Sunday's boating as well maybe this evening. Nice to meet many of you. I hope some of you all will be able to get down to Virginia for Powerboating for the Cure and Jammin' on the James!

Blake

Hi Blake and James I never miss this trip and will most certainly be there in the spring, as you read someone stole my drives 2 weeks ago. Hope to meet you guys next year for another Great Run. I even add 120 miles running across from Atlantic highlands N.J.
Richard Cuny

Few more pictures from Sunday:

Thanks Blake for posting all the photos...

Hey guys. This run was AWESOME. seeing all the boats was really cool aswell. Can anyone instruct me on how to post pictures and video(keep in mind I'm a computer idiot). I only have a few decent photos and 1 short video of the guy with the sonic passing me (not the sonic that turns out of newburgh)