Some long term OSO members might think I'd get tired of writing up and posting a new thread every year for the Rochester Offshore Powerboat Association's annual Battleship Run on Seneca Lake with this being the 28th year. (Yes, you read that right - twenty eighth!) But no, I kind of look forward to it every year. Heck, the first year the club ran the event, we actually had a few folks show up with - then new - infamous Mercruiser 454 / Alpha Drive combination - and they hadn't blown them up yet! (They're pretty well all blown up now though.) ROPA President (for life) Bill Krystan had his Chaparral Villain and was only on his 17th custom built Spinelli Brothers prop - and was still going exactly 63 MPH. (He would continue to go 63 MPH through dozens more props and for many more years before finally finding the winning combination - a new boat.) Other fun facts from the day: A hull with "steps" was a feature that made it easier to board. A mullet hair cut was still fashionable. A Flip Phone was actually cool. (Mine still is, right?) High performance outboards were considered loud, stinky and fast. And the people who drove them were considered social outcasts. (Ok, so that hasn't changed.)

But some things haven't changed. For instance, the ROPA Battleship Run is still one of the most cost effective runs anywhere in the country. (I can best describe the entry fees as "unbelievably reasonable.") The run still takes place on beautiful Seneca Lake in upstate New York. The lake and the facilities (The Showboat and Rainbow Cove Hotels) are still great places to stay, dock, eat, drink and relax. The ROPA staffers that put in countless hours preparing for and putting on the run are cheerful, hard working and friendly to a fault. Better yet, the run still attracts some of the most down to earth high performance boaters one can find anywhere. And that's probably the biggest reason why the Battleship Run continues to be one of the best things about the 3rd weekend in July every single year.

So I guess it's time for me to officially announce the 28th ROPA Battleship Run on Seneca Lake. As the post title says, it will be held on the weekend of July 20-22, 2018. You can find all of the details and sign up for the run by going to the ROPA web site:https://www.rochesteroffshore.org/

The signup isn't ready just yet, but will be shortly. As usual, I'll be there with my Mercury outboard trailing a wonderful wisp of 2 stroke blue mist for everyone to follow.