Miami Boat Show Poker Run
Mar 02, 2017 For 23 Years the Florida Powerboat Club has been bringing Miami Boat Show goers on a fantastic run to the keys following the boat show. This year brought a new venue at Faro Blanco with bigger and better docking to over 60 boats who signed up for the run. Having just returned from the Miami International Boat Show five days ago, I am questioning my decision to come home rather than stay for the Florida Powerboat Club’s Miami Boat Show Poker Run. So I’m playing a wicked game of “If Only” with myself. It’s a game I play a lot, and right now.
Coming back from a less-than-stellar, Miami-centric showing in 2018, the Florida Powerboat Club’s Miami Boat Show Poker Run (Feb. 21-24) already has sold 43 of its available 50 slots. The dual-venue event, which has participants lodging at the Marriott Autograph Collection Playa Largo Resort and the Hilton Curio Collection Bakers Cay Resort in the upper Florida Keys, represents a solid return to form for the annual happening, which attracted 90-plus high-performance boats in its heyday.
Returning to Key Largo, the Florida Powerboat Club’s 2019 Miami Boat Show Poker Run is almost sold out. Photo from the 2017 Miami Boat Show Poker Run courtesy/copyright Florida Powerboat Club.
“The Miami Boat Show run will never get back to that size,” said Stu Jones, the president of the Pompano Beach, Fla.-based club. “We had a much larger, single venue back then and it still felt overstuffed and uncomfortable. We are at 43 boats right now, and though we can handle 50, I’ll be happy with 45.”
In addition to the traditional Friday night banquet and the Saturday night card-playing-and-cocktail party, the FPC will hold a Saturday afternoon raft-up and beach party/barbecue. Thanks to one of Jones’ business associates, the club will have access to a posh waterfront home just a short swim or tender ride—Jones plans use a center console as a shuttle boat—from the raft-up fleet.
“The raft-up will start at around noon and go to 4 or 5 before we have to head back to the cocktail party where we’ll play the poker run hands,” said Jones. “That way, club members who want to make a lunch run to Marathon will have plenty of time to do that and then come back for the raft-up. I know a lot of our members will want to do both.
'The bay for the raft-up is in the southern part of Key Largo,' he added. 'It's has a sand bottom, so when the sun is out it has this incredible azur water color that will be perfect for photography.'
Jones said that in addition to returning longtime event sponsors including Blackwater Boats, Deep Impact Custom Boats and Nor-Tech Hi-Performance Boats, Performance Boat Center has signed up to back the event and will campaign its new Wright Performance 420 catamaran in the run.
“That will be the 420's first poker run,” said Jones. “Midnight Express also is bringing its new 60-footer, which will be the biggest boat in the event, and it also will be that boat's first poker run. And Seakeeper is bringing its Boston Whaler demo boat so they can showcase their gyroscopic stabilization system that's become so popular in the performance-oriented center console segment.”
Attendees to the Miami International Boat Show—a week prior to the poker run—can stop by booth F-606 to receive more information on additional upcoming FPC events and membership.
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Great attendance, perfect weather, and a wonderful group of people showed why FPC’s Miami Boat Show Poker Run is one not to ever miss.
I have been attending this Poker Run regularly since 2006 and it remains a favorite. This year saw a return of a very large and diverse group of boats as well as many new members. This resurgence is exciting to see and it certainly bolsters the confidence in the performance boat market. We saw many boats that were on display at the Miami Show on the Run, Andre and Leslie’s , new 33 Active Thunder, Michael Ciasulli new 388 Skater, Mark Fisher, new 39 Deep Impact, Albert Haynesworth, new 39 Cigarette GT Center Console, and Brad Benson running his 52 MTI, Pass Blocker
Miami Boat Show 2020
Thursdays run down was absolutely sensational, the Power Boat Nation Cigarette ran flawlessly and we were able to sneak ahead of the group to capture some great pictures an video of the group running south. Friday we returned to Gilberts to meet up with the remainder of the group and had nothing but fun all along the way.
The highlight was Saturday’s sand bar raft up that was the best ever. We shot T-shirts into the crowd and supported Stu and the club as much as we could by assembling a large group of girls on the bow of Kenny Armstrong’s Viking for the best photo shoot ever.
After ruturning to Fort Lauderdale I talked to Stu for a long while and asked some questions about how he saw the event.
PBN
How was this years Miami Boat Show Poker Run?
STU
” I am elated and so very happy about the event. The numbers were huge. We broke records….Record registrations, rooms booked, total amount of people, sold out hotels all around the area. Incredible fleet of boats, MTI had a huge showing with at least 20 registered boats and Cigarette brought along as many or more. Between both brands they must have accounted for 40 percent of the entire fleet.”
PBN
It seems like there are many new members?
STU
Yes! Just like we saw in Key West last November, about 25-30 per cent of the entries were new registrations. I have heard over and over again that many have these two premier events on their Bucket List. Its been a really hard winter and to have the chance to come to South Florida for these premier events is something many boaters look forward to for months or even years. IT is exciting to see these guys come down and run with us.”
PBN
How did the new Safety Management plan work out?
24th Annual Miami Boat Show Poker Run To Key Largo
STU
“Well, it worked great, but it really isn’t new. Our relationship with Miami Dade, U S Coast Guard, State of Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has been a long standing and they do a great job. Our management plan is one that has been developed in wonderful cooperation with all these authorities and we know they really appreciate all of the combined efforts. We had a very safe event with only minor infractions from some new poker runners that were easily taken of.”
PBN
What about next year?
STU
“Same plan, same place, and same time. It sure would be cool to have a shootout though. If we can find the right arrangements it may happen. We shall see….”
Big thank you to Stu and Jackie for continuing to provide us with great well organized events that bring together the wonderful people of powerboating!
Andre and Leslie’s
Brad Benson
Michael Ciasulli
Mark Fisher
Additional Photo Credits to Freeze Frame Videohttp://www.freezeframe.us/ and Shoot2Thrill Nulled script download.