ORANGE BEACH POWERBOAT WEEK 2021

from Powerboating In Paradise Vol21#3

30th ANNUAL BAHAMAS POKER RUN 2021

CROSSING

THE LINE!

WHILE FLORIDA POWERBOAT CLUB HAS ALWAYS BEEN FOCUSED ON KEEPING ITS POKER RUN EVENTS WITHIN THE SUNSHINE STATE, CERTAIN OPPORTUNITIES TO VENTURE ACROSS STATE LINES ARE JUST TOO IRRESISTIBLE TO PASS UP, AND STAGING A POKER RUN FROM THE WHARF IN ORANGE BEACH ALABAMA IS ONE OF THEM!

STORY: STU JONES

Finding the right venue for a great poker run isn’t always easy, and Orange Beach Alabama wouldn’t seem to be a likely target for a powerboat club focused on Florida-based events. But things happen in peculiar ways, and it all began way back in 2004, when FPC organizers decided to bow out of Emerald Coast Poker Run one year due to shifting tides with the co-organizers, and we soon discovered that Orange Beach was a boaters’ paradise. That vivid memory lasted well over a decade, and somewhere around 2017, FPC member Scott Favre suggested to Stu, that his family’s new resort property called The Wharf, located in Orange Beach might be the ideal poker run stage. Those words started the wheels turning and by 2019, FPC launched its 1st Annual Orange Beach Powerboat Week, with strong backing from Scott and his father Art Favre, owner of The Wharf. Little did many of the first-timers realize, The Wharf was not just any little family resort. Lodging choices include luxury condo rentals on property, or a brand new, well-managed Springhill Suites hotel, right on the doorstep to a huge floating dock marina. Making it even easier to stay on property and enjoy a one-stop-venue, multiple restaurants, bars, amusement rides, a giant movie theater and shopping boutiques galore, this was a boater’s paradise and the first impressions had many teams asking, “When are we coming back?”

Well course the plan was to be back in 2020, but due to the pandemic FPC had to scratch that from the calendar, but May 2021 brought the Orange Beach rendezvous back, with a repeat performance from The Wharf ownership and management team, as the event’s presenting sponsor. What a win-win this was for everyone attending, for so many reasons!

Some simple changes to the format created the ideal agenda. Organizers dropped the Wednesday Powerboat parade, and focused on Thursday as the primary arrival day, with the Miss Orange Beach Powerboat Week as the kickoff party. This event on the entertainment agenda, as well as all the captains meetings and evening parties were staged at a private party venue, The Port, which is just steps from the hotels and condos on property. In other words, no driving…anywhere! No driving means one thing to this event organizer, as it does to many others, we can DRINK all night!

Lexi

Which brings to mind another change in the agenda. By renting The Port as a private venue for all the poker run parties and functions, and by securing sponsors for these activities, FPC was able to offer an open bar format for the entire three nights of parties, with premium brands and something for everyone. No cash, no credit cards, no tabs…just take care of your hard-working bartenders. Yes indeed, this was a party!

The Friday morning activities commenced with a captains meeting at the Port, and by 10:30am the 53-boat fleet was rumbling out of the marina and headed along ICW waterways towards the Perdido Pass, gateway to the Gulf of Mexico. While Orange Beach provides miles of protected ICW waters, the Gulf is the only place to truly enjoy the performance of these amazing offshore powerboats. With a helicopter in hot pursuit, these adventurous teams enjoy an eastbound course with about twenty miles offshore, and cross the Florida-Alabama line, before turning in through Pensacola pass and continuing east towards Navarre Beach, home of the landmark Juana’s Pagodas. Candace

Perdido Pass, Orange Beach,AL

PHOTOGRAPHY: PETE BODEN

After a great beach rendezvous and fabulous lunch, it was back on the waterways with a westbound trek that would stay on the ICW, and take our teams back into Alabama to one of the area’s most popular waterfront hot spots, Pirates Cove. This rustic beachfront burger bar is a barefoot boater’s paradise, providing ample docking and plenty of soft sandy beaches for a great afternoon party. From there, it was just a short ride back to The Wharf, where a Friday evening cocktail party got the poker runners together to share stories of a fabulous day on the water. Now the beauty of this Orange Beach Powerboat Week is, that for Saturday agenda, it was a simple hit of the REPEAT PLAY button! The only difference was, it was a westbound course, which cut through ICW waters to Mobile Bay and out to the Gulf of Mexico, then trekked back along the scenic beaches, returning to the Perdido Pass, and multiple choices for waterfront lunch in a town that knows how to have fun. Based on feedback from participants and sponsor, in every measurable way, the Orange Beach Poker Run, presented by The Wharf was a big hit with everyone in attendance. And, for the organizers…simple. Simple is good. SJ

Miss POWERBOAT WEEK

Every great poker run begins with a great party, and there’s no mistaking the popularity of a Miss Powerboat Week contest. With The Port at the Wharf as our private venue to host this exciting and festive occasion, organizers crown a new Miss Powerboat week every year. In addition to competing Thursday night, many of the contestants are actually recruited to hang out and have some fun with the poker runners throughout the weekend, riding on the boats, posing for fun photos, being hostesses at our functions, and of course dealing the poker cards at the Saturday night party! Special thanks to our 2019 Miss Powerboat Week Winner Amber Contant, who is now the contest organizer and our lead recruiter for the most amazing crew of ladies ever! Special thanks to Thursday night party sponsor Paul Bertucci from Team Beer Money, along with Chad Havens who sponsored the cast winnings for the finalists! Judges made donations to our charity FEEDING THE GULFCOAST, for that coveted judging seat, and we congratulate all the winners! What a great way to start the weekend fun!

Shelbie, Candace, Laken Paul Bertucci-Sponsor Award Chad Havens-Sponsor Award

SHAKE N BAKE Crew

Chris Jarreau | LA | Team SHAKE N BAKE | 38' Fountain / 2-Mercury Racing 700 SCI

Curtis Watkins | FL | Team EVIL WOMAN | 39' Nor-Tech / 4-Mercury Racing 450R SAVAGE Crew

SMITH Crew FAST LANE Crew

Candace

Ricardo Chaves | AL | Team IN DEBT | 34' Fountain / 3-Mercury Verado 300

Lexi

Jeff Trimble | TX | Team MAVRIK | 32' Skater

Mike Boyle | FL | Team XCAT | 34' Pilini Marine / 2-Mercury Racing 400R

Paul Bertucci | MS | Team BEER MONEY TOO! | 39' Deep Impact / 4-Mercury Verado 350

Frank Bulte | FL / France | Team SHARK RIDER | 44' MTI / 2-Mercury Racing 1100 SHARK RIDER Crew

Rip & Nikki Tomlinson | IL | Team DOUG WRIGHT | 34' Doug Wright / 2-Mercury Racing 525

THE WORLD’S LARGEST BOAT SHOW IS ON THE HORIZON

THE MUST-SEA EVENT OF 2021 OCTOBER 27-31

FLIBS.COM

TUTZ Crew

Steven & Casey Head | AL | Team TUTZ | 35' Formula

Lexi

LIQUID PROZAC Crew John Cosker | FL | Team MYSTIC POWERBOATS | 42' Mystic / 4-Mercury Racing 450R

Brandon Mayer | FL | Team SWEETWATER LANDING | 40' Mystic / 2-Mercury Racing 450R

The fun continued Saturday after the westbound run with numerous lunch stop options for all the crews. A vast selection of popular waterfront dining spots like Tacky Jacks, The Cobalt, and Playa at Sportsman Marina are just a few of the many choices. Poker Run sponsors and friends of the Favre family enjoyed a BBQ lunch at the home of Art Favre, host by son Scott Favre who attended the poker run with his MTI. This beautiful nautical themed home is conveniently located just inside the Perdido Pass, which made it the ideal first poker card checkpoint on the Friday run a day earlier. Along with the amazing ultramodern architecture of this magnificent home, its waterfront takes boathouses to a whole new level, with a fully covered boat slip that accommodates Work of Art, a 92’ tournament fishing Viking sportfish. Special thanks to the Favre family for their tremendous hospitality. Chloe

Pete Riveiro | FL | Team CLOSING QUICKLY | 34' MTI / 2-Mercury Racing 400R

Lance Jr. Panepinto | LA | Team PLAN B | 24' Baja / 3-Mercury Racing 450R

Demand the best in your next boat!

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1151 TAB

Bottom of tab

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11 COLORS TO CHOOSE FROM

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COME SEE US AT IBEX!

Booth #3-331 8/28-8/30

Sponsor

Scott Favre | LA | Team GAME ON | 44' MTI / 2-Mercury Racing 1100

Apolinar Acevedo | LA | Team WILD CARD | 30' Spectre

Chloe & Cindy

MRS. WAR PARTY Crew

Brandon & Jennifer Spain | FL | Team TINY DIAMOND | 38' Formula

Bill & Jen Howell | GA | Team NO COMPLAINTS | 34' Nor-Tech / 3-Mercury Verado 350

Darin & Marcy Watkins | LA | Team NOR-TECH | 39' Nor-Tech / 3-Mercury Racing 450R

Candace

Christopher Villar | FL | Team REEL G.U.S. | 39' Nor-Tech / 3-Mercury Racing 450R

Jason & Tiffany Youell | TX | Team BAD ADDICTION | 34' Nor-Tech / 3-Mercury Verado 350

Chloe & Cindy James Furlow | MS | Team CAT FIVE | 37' Invincible / 4-Mercury Verado 300

Lance & Paula Panepinto | LA | Team FLYING HIGH | 30' Baja / 2-Mercury Racing 496HO

Saturday Night Awards

1st Place-Jeff Layton-Team LAYTON CHEVROLET 2nd Place-Steve & Lynnette Turner-Team MIAMI TWO STEP 3Rd Place-Rufus Scott-Team OBSESSION

There’s only one way to celebrate two fantastic days on the water, and that’s with a great poker run dinner and awards party with the event videos playing on two dozen TV screens, and the lovely FPC girls playing out the poker cards! Add to that a great spread of food by the on-site caterers from the Wharf’s Villagio restaurant along with a free-flowing open bar, and you have all the ingredients of great bash. Special thanks from FPC participants Steve & Kelly Marina from Alacomp Insurance, who stepped up as the party sponsor for their second year at Orange Beach. Congratulations to all the poker run winners, and the FPC is pleased to report that party proceed from the Thursday and Saturday functions raised over $ 5,000 which was donated to the local chapter of Feeding the Gulf Coast. Scott Favre-Team GAME ON Best Catamaran

Beau and Tiffiney Renfroe-Team DIRTY MONEY-Member Appreciation Award Team SHARK RIDER-Farthest Tarveled Award Steve & Lynnette Turner-Team MIAMI TWO STEP-Broken Propeller Award

John & Robin Cosker-Team MYSTIC POWERBOATS Best Center Console Octavio Valdivia-Team BLUEBAYOU Best Performance V Bottom