SOTW
LOTO
Desert Storm
1000 Islands
Cumberland
Texoma

I can think of major incidents on all of them right off the top of my head.

It pains me to type this, but I can't help but think about it.

Why this grouping on lakes (both small and large); as compared to open water runs like FPC events, Chesapeake Bay, SCOPE, the Caribbean Islands... ??

Yes. I think in large part due to the fact is a much smaller venue with less room. All of my Poker Run experience has been on Lakes and the narrow waterways and spectator boats make it more dangerous. Living at Cumberland I've seen the spectator boats be a big issue.

Can't really call SOTW a small lake poker run. Lake Michigan is no small lake. Let's face it I don't think the venue has anything to do with these accidents.

Granted, it was on Lake Michigan, but is it 100% on LM, or part of a finger lake as well? And I'm certain that Marc will know... where on the run did the incident take place?

I'll go back and tweak my post, but we splitting hairs doesn't really make a difference.

They happen everywhere, I believe it's a "mentality" until everyone (all boaters) can keep their egos in check it's never going to stop.

With the speeds the boats are going now and the quanity of how many of them are on the waterways it's something that's going to have to be dealt with and soon.

Pretty sure that was in open water. You can't go that fast on inland lakes in Michigan.

LOTO poker runs are permitted with speed limit by the WP. I do not believe they used to enforce it.
It has been enforced the last few years, at least on the MWBP Support Our Troops PR.
Last year the Support Our Troops PR was a 70 mph limit and that was 10mph more than the normal 60mph limit. I think this year is going to be 60mph.

I do believe you are correct; as I did a little research.

However, 45 MPH was the speed limit on Lake Charlevoix during Boyne Thunder last year. That was followed about as long as the parade lap.
As soon as we left Boyne City headed out; that didn't really didn't slow anyone down. More than a few boats were "checking out" between Boyne City and the Town of Charlevoix.

I think it is because the calm water on most of the lakes lets these boats run at speeds that would be unthinkable in the open ocean, especially given the size of some of these smaller boats running over 150mph... A 32 foot boat running these speeds is as bad as a 18 foot river rocket with a 300hp outboard doing a 100mph

The two boat builders that pop into my mind first are west coast, lake style cat builders: DCB and Eliminator