Well, what can I say. The 34th annual Seneca Lake Battleship Run presented by Seneca lake Resorts was a resounding success. Mother nature provide an absolutely stunning day for approximately 35 boaters. The air temperature was in the mid-80's. The water temperature was in the upper 60's. Waves were 1' or less. Lake traffic on the 31-mile-long lake was basically non-existent. Oh, and the event raised $7,500 for the local Himrod Volunteer Fire Department - a record for the run.

But wait, how did we raise a record amount of money with a relatively low boat count? The answer is the same one that keeps popping up year after year here - people. First, there were the sponsors. The Rochester Offshore Powerboat Association somehow attracts the absolute nicest sponsors year after year. And that number keeps getting bigger and bigger. We can't thank these people - and the companies they represent - enough.

Then there's the people that come to this event. Ask anybody who's ever come to beautiful Seneca Lake for this event. You'll hear volumes about how down to earth, friendly, approachable and just plain nice everyone is. And this year, those people did something that's never happened in the previous 33 years. Every single person that won a cash prize turned it back in so that it went directly to the Himrod Fire Department. Every single one! I had the honor of running the Awards Ceremony and I had a huge lump in my throat. And Chief Webster from the HFD was in exactly the same boat. (No pun intended.)

I talked to a lot of people before, during and after the event. I keep an eye on the club Facebook page. I got texts. And you know what? Every single bit of feedback I saw was positive. What made that possible? A dedicated - and relatively small - team of ROPA Board members. We spend months planning and organizing so that everybody has the best possible chance of having a great time. Sometimes in spite of all that work, Mother Nature throws us a curve ball with the weather. This year though. it just couldn't get any better. I think I can speak for the whole ROPA team in saying we went home tired, sun burned and truly happy with what transpired. Now, after a short breather, it will be time to start planning next year's event. As always, keep the 3rd weekend in July open on your calendars!

It was a great run. A shout out to to Too Stroaked. I broke down outside the last stop. Tom towed me in to a marina then give me a ride back to the Showboat to get my trailer. Another shout out to Barret Marine who let me slip my boat, then helped me get it on the trailer....no charge. I have been doing this run since 1999. What a great group of people!

Padraig
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Any pictures from the run

If you go to the Rochester Offshore Facebook page, you'll find tons of pics and videos.