Have a great weekend, http://speedonthewater.com/component...ill-not-a-race.

Very well put, but it's always going to be a "race" to some people.

It's only a race if there's a checkered flag. LOL

Bring all the fast boats to the Bimini Race. Its fun in Miami and its a fun old school race and you can win a flag. Well worth the 20000.00 to 30000.00 you will spend that weekend. That's if you dont break anything. Hope to see a few of you guys there.

Thank You Mr Lee!!!

www.Offshoreevents.net


By the way it is very safe and comfortable. Individual starts, Jet rangers, with Dive teams, boats.

It is the Ocean, so it might scare some of you!!

Great article Matt. Like you said as much fun as it is to go fast we all know we are one incident away on any lake from changing High Performance Boating forever.
I agree with Jimmy bring them bad boys to S. FL!!! It is an awesome event. Saw them run last year!

Funny you mention that because the flags at the card stops were orange and white checkered flags I was a great event and very safe. I never saw anyone acting stupid or out of control. See you guys there next year

Does this run have safety coverage like OPA, SBI, OSS ?
How do you shut down 150 boats enroute to card stop #1 if there were an on course accident ?

No poker run has the kind of safety coverage found at an offshore race. That's why they're not—or not supposed to be—offshore races.

Regarding your question: You would have to ask each poker run organizer what his plans are in the event of the scenario you described.

Having actually seen that scenario at the start of the Big Cat Poker Run several years, I can tell you what photographer Robert Brown and I (we we covering the race in a helicopter for Powerboat) did.

We had the pilot head back toward the start of the course, where about 60 or 70 boats had already come on plane and were getting up to speed. We had the pilot position the helicopter in the middle of the course and turn the helicopter sideways to the fleet, so Brown and I were clearly visible.

Then we started motioning, palms to the water, frantically with what we hoped would be seen as a "slow down" signal. And it appeared to work. Everyone slowed down and went past the accident at idle speed.

I'm not suggesting that as a "plan." I'm just giving you an example of something that worked in the moment. Staying calm and thinking clearly can make a lot of difference when things go bad.

Well said.