Powerboating In Paradise Vol 24#2

miami boAT SHOW POKER RUN

Big Horsepower Weekend Takes on a New Venue in Duck Key!

Largo!

PERFORMANCE RELENTLESS

THE MERCURY RACING 400R PUTS MORE HORSEPOWER AND TORQUE TO THE WATER THAN ANY OTHER OUTBOARD IN ITS CLASS, WITH INSTANT THROTTLE RESPONSE AND MIND-BLOWING ACCELERATION. FEEL THE DIFFERENCE.

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Stu Jones

stu@flpowerboat.com

OFFICE MANAGER

Megan Smith admin@flpowerboat.com

EVENT MANAGEMENT

Jackie Jones jackie@flpowerboat.com

RESERVATIONS & LODGING

AmyPlumstead-Hospitality Mgr. amy@flpowerboat.com

EVENT LOGISTICS & DOCKING

John Wittenberger Jr.

Gen Mgr- Marine Operations john@flpowerboat.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN & PHOTO DESK

Lina Montes fpclina@gmail.com

VIDEO PRODUCTION

Ryan McCoy- Producer mccoymedia@me.com

VIDEOGPAPHY & DRONE

Joe Kotrady

Andre Alvarez

Stu Jones

Tyler Jones

PHOTOGRAPHY

Jerry Wyszatycki

Jeff Helmkamp

Pete Boden

FPC HEADQUARTERS

Moving July 1st to: Florida Powerboat Club 2044 NW 25th Ave. Pompano Beach, FL 33069

MAILING ADDRESS: 1031 NE 28th Terr

Pompano Beach, FL 33062

Tel: 954.545-1414

Fax: 954.782-2452 www.flpowerboat.com

POMPANO OFFICE HOURS

Monday - Thursday 10 AM - 5 PM

CONTENTS

6. LETTER FROM PRESIDENT:

Stu Jones updates us on plans to seek new event venues in 2025 and reminds boat haulers of the importance of wide load permits, signage placement on vehicles and CDL requirements.

8. WINTER FUN RUN 2024 – KEY LARGO

FPC Kicks off the 2024 calendar with January temperatures in the mid 80's for a true winter escape to paradise!

24. MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN 2024

After 29 years this February event keeps ticking with a solid roster of high-performance hardware and a new venue in the middle Keys!

50. NOR-TECH DEALER RENDEZVOUS

Nor-Tech Owners Rendezvous- This new early March event invited Nor-Tech owners to join the company owners and management for a relaxing weekend in paradise, at South Seas Resort on Captiva Island.

52. SPRING KEY WEST 2024

No better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than on Duval St. with your best boating friends. But wait, did we mention it's packaged in a 400-mile agenda of boating through the scenic Florida Keys?

58. TAMPA BAY POKER RUN 2024

FPC saw record numbers for this spring fling with bright lights and big city backdrop in Downtown Tampa!

94. ORANGE BEACH POWERBOAT WEEK 2024 SNEAK PEEK

FPC crossed state lines to Alabama for a mid-May weekend of boating fun, hosted by The Wharf, a one-stop poker run venue with something for everyone!

ON THE COVER: Photo mix with group running shot Winter Fun Run, drone image of Hawks Cay Resort & Marina and the FPC girls having fun at Orange Beach Powerboat Week!

May 2024

Looking back over the start of 2024, I am happy to report we have had a solid showing of support from our FPC membership, with increased participation at four of the five events staged January through May. As organizers, the math speaks volumes. The four events that are showing good performance will remain on the 2025 agenda. As for the fifth, well it’s time for a change.

The Spring Key West Poker Run, staged every March for the last decade, seems to have trouble getting traction at just under twenty registered boats. While the smaller fleets are typical for Bahamas events due to limited size of the venues we visit, FPC’s business model requires robust participation during the high season, therefore we are currently reviewing potential venues on Florida’s gulf coast to freshen up our 2025 calendar. These include Fort Myers/Cape Coral and Sarasota/Bradenton areas. At the same time, we feel the need to revisit the central and north Florida boating scene, after taking more than a decade away from exploring these waterways. If you have any ideas about powerboat-friendly venues that include full-service marinas, boat ramps, quality hotels and waterfront dining options nearby, we would love to hear from you!

The second item of importance that I want to share in this President’s message, is a recent incident on Interstate 10 in Escambia County Florida, as a club member was pulled over by an FHP state trooper while transporting his Nor-Tech 390 to the Orange Beach event. The trooper cited multiple infractions, including over width (just 10’ beam), no permit in place, and operation without a CDL, required for any combination rig at over 26,000 gvw. In fact, the total weight of the rig was under that 26K max weight, but the female trooper explained it was the GVH rating of the truck/trailer combo that created the violation.

Fortunately, a friend traveling on board had a current CDL, and the officer allowed only that driver to proceed, with the trooper’s escort to the Alabama state line.

After a 45-min stop, the driver ended up with no points infractions, but rather a misdemeanor charge, requiring him to seek legal counsel to appear and fight the charge in Escambia court, with of course substantial legal fees. So this message concerns virtually every non-CDL licensed club member hauling their boat to any poker run event in Florida. Many of us, me included, have managed to haul boats back and forth across the United States for years, without ever being stopped and/or ticketed. Our word of caution to everyone, is that apparently – there may be a new agenda being directed by FHP and state officials, to focus more attention on recreational boaters on Florida highways. For some of us, securing a CDL license and following the protocols with permitting for wide and overlength loads is the obvious best solution. And meanwhile at the very least, securing an annual permit and marking your vehicle with the mandated WIDE LOAD signage and flags, might be a good way to keep rolling, with no stops by FHP. We have information at the FPC office on how or where to secure the necessary permits, so please email me if you wish to proceed further. We are also looking into the various procedures one might take to acquire a CDL, without having to invest in the “school days” which is often typical. We will keep you posted and meanwhile, be safe on land and sea!

Jones, Florida Powerboat Club President

Stu

Stu & Jackie Jones

Story by: Stu Jones

The Winter Fun Run returned to the FPC calendar as the season opener for 2024, revisiting the luxurious Playa Largo Resort & Spa in Key Largo, a Marriott Autograph collection resort that has been wildly popular with the FPC membership since it opened in 2016.

At 26 registered teams, while this may not appear to be striking attendance when considering the 275-boat fleet for the November Key West event, it represented an increase of five teams from the previous year’s 21-boat fleet, and this 2024 fleet featured a stellar lineup of high-performance hardware from the leading builders. Interestingly, two builders took center stage in that lineup, with MTI owners stacking the deck at nine registered teams, followed by Cigarette owners at six teams, representing 57% of the entire poker run roster!

While those numbers deserve mention, other statistics reveal this season opener to stand alone in many respects. Falling

on the last weekend of January, the Winter Fun Run breaks the longest gap in the FPC event calendar, with a 74-day event pause after completion of the Key West Poker Run on November 13, 2023. Indeed, for these poker run teams who hailed from a dozen states with cold winter climates, the unseasonably warm temperatures put a welcomed spin on the Friday morning start from Grove Harbour Marina, as the weather reports forecast the January temperatures to reach well into the 80’s!

After a dockside breakfast and captains meeting, it was hammer-down on Biscayne Bay, with the FPC chopper crew in hot pursuit! While there was certainly no need to hurry, since this event continues to be FPC’s shortest course of the entire year at just sixty miles one way, all the pentup winter fever revealed that these weekend warriors were ready to enjoy the performance of their Mercury Racing powered hardware!

After a pleasant lunch stop at Gilberts Resort in Key Largo, it was just another ten miles on the scenic bay waters before the group settled in for the night, then began to enjoy the amenities of the highly-acclaimed Playa Largo Resort. The destination offers a wide range of luxurious lodging choices from mild to wild, including bay view suites, two-story bungalow units and a spacious three-bedroom, two-story private home with a pool, at the south end of the property.

for FPC members and organizers alike. Later in the day, event attendees trickled back into the Playa Largo’s small marina, many of them gathering at the cozy, open-air waterfront eatery Sol By the Sea, with scenic bay views and amazing sunsets daily.

Saturday provided another perfect day for a boating fun run, and Hawks Cay Resort & Marina in Duck Key was on the agenda, just fifty miles south of Key Largo. This was an appropriate destination for reasons other than its great location, large marina and multiple dining options on site. Significantly, Hawks Cay was the scheduled destination for the upcoming Miami Boat Show Poker Run in February, and this 26-boat fun run provided a great shake-down visit

The Winter Fun Run to Key Largo was a great 2024 season opener for the Florida Powerboat Club, with summerlike temperatures, a first-class destination, great dining, lodging and amenities, plus an amazing backdrop of highperformance boats that could only be discovered in this one setting during the height of winter! But the real magic, as always, was the camaraderie and chemistry that can only be enjoyed in this group setting of passionate people from around the globe. That is, the spirit of the Florida Powerboat Club and its members. SJ

Photos by: Jerry Wyszatycki & Tyler Jones

Peter Mazzo | NJ | Team NO DISCIPLINE | 42' MTI

Jorge Arellano | FL | Team ORANGE CRUSH | 45' Victory

Michael Tandoi | NY | Team SPEED RACER | 44' MTI

Jorge Arellano | FL | Team 151 DCB | 29' DCB

Alexander Daskaloff | FL | Team I'M BATMAN | 48' Azimut

Frank Lovato | NJ | Team NO XCUSES | 44' MTI

Tory Robson | MN | Team BE FIRST | 39' Cigarette

Jeff & Jennifer Corbel | MN | Team PERFORMANCE BOAT CENTER | 42' MTI

Steve Perry | NY | Team SMOKE SHOW | 39' Cigarette

Stu & Jackie Jones | FL | Team TOP GUN FLIGHT 1130 | 38' Cigarette

TIME CONSCIOUS Crew

Lunch Stop at Gilbert's

Andrew Rocco | NH | Team

Deris Ceresa | FL | Team PHANTOM BLACK | 43' Midnight Express

Stu & Jackie Jones | FL | Team TOP GUN FLIGHT 1130 | 38' Cigarette

Robert Nelson | AR | Team HELIOS | 43' Midnight Express

PHANTOM BLACK Crew

LUNCH STOP AT GILBERT'S

Shawn & Shelby Aksamit | AZ | Team INSTAGATOR | 38' Skater

Jeff & Brenda Jacobs | MD | Team TRIPLE J's | 39' Cigarette

James Matarozzo | NH | Team BOOSTED 40 | 40' Baja

Brant & Jamie Daniels | KS | Team TEAM KANSAS | 38' Fountain

Craig & Paula Ackerman | GA | TeamLEVEL UP | 39' MTI

TEAM KANSAS Crew

BOOSTED 40 Crew

HIGH MAINTENANCE Crew

Frank Bulte | NJ | Team SHARK RIDER | 44' MTI

James & Tammy Johnson III | NJ | Team NEVER ENOUGH | 50' Nor-Tech

Amy with SHARK RIDER Crew

THANKS TO THE EXCELLENT VARIETY OF BOATS AND A NEW DESTINATION VENUE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS, THE FPC MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN MAINTAINED ITS REPUTATION AS A THE MOST POPULAR WINTER SEASON POKER RUN EVENT, TAKING PLACE WHILE THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTRY REMAINS BLANKETED UNDER SNOW!

By Jason Johnson/Speedonthewater.com

Besides the November Key West Poker Run, which many people believe to be the most iconic poker run in the world, the Florida Powerboat Club’s annual Miami Boat Show Poker Run has the largest spotlight on it thanks to the amount of new, show-quality boats in attendance and its wintertime Florida Keys destination that attracts members from across the country to escape the colder weather and hang out with their boating friends.

Of course that spotlight adds expectations for the mid-February event, which, because of the pandemic, venue renovations and more, has been adapted several times during the past few years. True to form though, the Florida Powerboat Club staff that had to make a last-minute move from Post Card Inn on Islamorada to Hawks Cay Resort & Marina in Duck Key did an incredible job based on participant feedback.

Club member Daniel Cates of Georgia, who took delivery of the first 38-foot Renegade Powerboats center console with triple Mercury Racing 500R engines just in time for the 2023 Key West Poker Run, said that he and his crew had a blast despite the weather not being as nice as it has been in previous years.

“What I like about this poker run, you know, is just the fellowship and meeting different folks,” said Cates, who said his black Renegade got a lot of attention during the poker run, more

so than the three 33-foot Renegades he’s owned previously thanks to the 38-footer’s luxurious tan interior and 500R engines. “This year wasn’t quite as good as the rest but that was because the weather wasn’t great. I mean the venue was very accommodating, the organization was perfect and the boaters were in good spirits—the weather was just a little rough on us this year.

“We had a good time at Gilbert’s, as usual, on the way down” he added. “That’s always a great place to eat and meet up with people. Hawks Cay was nice, too. It’s the first time I’ve stayed there so we enjoyed that.”

New Hampshire performance boater James Matarozzo, who owns a twin-engine, 40-foot V-bottom from Baja Marine that he keeps on Lake Winnipesaukee, said he and his wife, Heather, enjoyed both the Winter Fun Run to Key Largo and the Miami Boat Show Poker Run to Duck Key, and are happy they joined the club this year

The Matarozzos were turned onto the club in 2023 when they joined friends from New Hampshire for the Miami Boat Show Poker Run in their Midnight Express center console.

“It’s really hard to beat our lake in the summer, but as you know, we have a long winter,” Matarozzo said and chuckled. “Last year we did the poker run to Islamorada with our friends

who are involved with the club and said, ‘You know what, we should do this next year.' So we did—we hauled our boat down to Florida for the fun run and the boat show run. And I’ll tell you what, it was awesome to open the boat up in the ocean and run it within the limitations of the water. The hull was built for the ocean and now I can say I’ve actually had it in the ocean and that it handled everything with ease because it’s long and pretty wide for its size."

“The whole experience was great—from the people and the boats to the organization and the resort, we’ll definitely do it again,” he continued. “Stu (Jones) and his team made us feel like we were part of the group right away. And the venue was very nice. Everyone on the property was so helpful.”

Matarozzo said that the most memorable part of the event though was when he and Florida Powerboat Club founder Stu Jones, who was in his Cigarette Racing Team 38 Top Gun, ran alongside each other on the return trip back to Miami.

"We just cruised the whole way back, the two of us; at one point we were running 65 to 70 mph about 300 feet off the Miami shoreline—it was awesome,” said Matarozzo, who took home the Best Dressed Crew award thanks to his stylish Italian wear, with Jones explaining that Matarozzo walked off his boat with pressed pants. “Stu even took us to see Stiltsville, the historic landmark in Biscayne Bay, which was cool. I honestly can’t praise him enough

for letting us walk right in and be a part of all this.”

The winners of the event’s Best Outboard Catamaran award, Georgia’s Owen and Lauren Middour enjoyed their first Florida Powerboat Club event in their brand new MTI 390X catamaran.

“It’s my first poker run with the Florida Powerboat Club and I’m blown away that I actually won that award,” Owen Middour said. “We had a fantastic time. To take home that award really enhanced an already great experience for us.”

Definitely not club newbies, Paul Ison and his now fiancé, Tiffany Crawford—Ison proposed to Crawford during the Miami Boat Show Poker Run—had a blast in their Cigarette 42 Auroris powered by four of the new Mercury Racing 500R engines.

“We love the Miami Boat Show Poker Run; of course now it’s even more meaningful to us since we got engaged there,” said Crawford, who recently announced that she and Ison are co-owners of the newest Cigarette dealership, Cigarette Kentucky, which is located at Lee’s Ford Marina on Lake Cumberland. She said they’re also planning to open up another dealership called Cigarette Tennessee on the shores of Lake Norris in the Volunteer State. Continuetopage26.

Photos by: Jerry Wyszatycki & Stu & Tyler Jones

“We had a great time at the poker run as usual,” Ison said. “We always enjoy seeing our old friends and getting to know new ones. The Hawks Cay venue is pretty special, too. From the food to the service at the docks, everything there was awesome.”

A veteran poker run participant who is getting back into the swing of things after taking some time off because of his young children and the relocation of his business, New Jersey native Tom Menshouse said he enjoyed his very first Miami Boat Show Poker Run, which he said has been on his bucket list for many years. He added that he and his wife, Amanda, felt like the February poker run was a perfect event to bring their six-year-old daughter, Ellie, and three-year-old son, Weldon, to, primarily because they were familiar with the Florida Keys and the event’s well-appointed host venue at Duck Key.

Menshouse, who relocated his family to Lighthouse Point, Fla., permanently during the pandemic, said he was glad to be back involved with the Florida Powerboat Club and that his 37-foot Midnight Express ran great all weekend.

“We had a blast in the poker run,” said Menshouse, who has a new 44-foot center console on order from Concept Boats and has owned dozens of catamarans and V-bottoms, which he often ran in New Jersey Performance Powerboat Club events back when that organization still existed. “I’ve done other Florida Powerboat Club events, like Key West, but I’d never done the Miami Boat Show Poker Run so it was a nice, new experience. What’s funny is that we left our house in Lighthouse Point dressed like we were going skiing because it was pretty cold. Once we got to Grove Harbour and joined the rest of the group for the start, we had to shed a layer. And once we arrived at Gilbert’s and ate lunch, it warmed up and turned into a typical Keys day after that.

“Our little guy was super excited to be in the poker run,” he added. “He is obsessed with boats. On Saturday mornings, he wakes up and asks to watch the poker runs on YouTube.”

On hand with two boats from Cortez Cove Marina and Yacht Sales, a full-service Fountain Powerboats dealer in Cortez, Fla., Simon Williams, who co-owns the dealership with Jon Lynch, said he always has a good time at the Miami Boat Show Poker Run, adding that it works out perfect in terms of having new boats to use and showcase after the show.

“The timing of the poker run is very convenient for us being right after the boat show,” Williams said. “The run was really good this year—it was good promotion for Fountain and Cortez Cove. All of the club’s events are, honestly. The club has done well for us in terms of bringing notability to the Fountain brand again.”

The president and owner of GoGPS USA, Inc., and Shore Thing Storage in Sarasota, Fla., Williams ran his new Fountain 43SCX center console that was on display a week earlier at the boat show. He said Cortez Cove also brought the first Fountain 39DX dual console to the poker run. Both boats, Williams, said, left Hawks Cay and headed back to the dealership on the water.

“We didn’t just have fun running down to the Keys, we also had a nice run back home after the poker run,” Williams expressed. “The new Fountains are so enjoyable to drive. I really like the new dual console, too. It might not be the prettiest Fountain I’ve seen, but its functionally is incredible. It's a 70-mileper-hour SUV.”

Williams is sure to return for the 2025 Miami Boat Show Poker Run, no matter the final destination. The same can be said for many other, because that’s how impactful the showcase is every year.

Michael Tandoi | NY | Team SPEED RACER | 44' MTI

Timothy Suchocki | CT | Team JOB-SITE | 36' Avanti

Ronnie Paul | IL | Team NOTHING BUT TIME | 39' Nor-Tech

SPEED RACER Crew

Cliff Anderson | FL | Team AIR SIGN | 34' MTI

Tory Robson | MA | Team BE FIRST | 39' Cigarette

Stu, Jackie & Tyler Jones

Stu Jones/ Matt Trulio | FL | Team TOP GUN FLIGHT 1130 | 38' Cigarette AJ Bott | FL | Team FOUNTAIN | 39' Fountain DX

Simon Williams | FL | Team FOUNTAIN | 43' Fountain SCX

Bob Ladas | MA | Team MTI V 50 | 50' MTI

Daniel Cates | GA | Team NAUTI NAUTI | 38' Renegade

Zach & Chrissy Polsky | NJ | Team MEGA FLEXIN | 50' MTI

Christian & Andrea McCauley | FL | Team NEXT EPISODE | 43' Midnight Express

Eric Avila/ Priscilla Bermudez | FL | Team CONCEPT | 44' Concept

Frank Lovato | NJ | Team NO XCUSES | 44' MTI

Frankie Salvatore | CA | Team FIGURE

OUT | 37' DCB

Barry Henson | FL | Team MTI | 40' MTI

JC & Leesa Norvell | OK | Team AWOL | 39' Donzi

Mark Stoddart | CAN | Team HUNTRESS | 42' Cigarette

Jared & Chelsea Bartholomew | NY | Team STEEL TEAM 6 | 43' Midnight Express

Frank Scheelen | FL | Team TOP FUN | 36' Nor-Tech

Brent Medley | MO | Team FIRST BORN | 42' Performance Cat

TOP FUN Crew

Eric & Hagan Glaser | FL | Team MIDNIGHT EXPRESS | 43' Midnight Express

Boats lined up at Gilbert's to pick up their Poker Card

Miranda - Team AIR SIGN

Craig LaScola | MA | Team ROLLING THE DICE

ROLLING THE DICE Crew

Kassandra - Team TOP FUN

Team FOURPLAY TOO Crew

Joe & Jen Greulich | OH | Team ENDLESS SUMMER | 39' Nor-Tech

Dennis Delatorre | FL | Team DEEP IMPACT | 39' Deep Impact

Jimmy & Jackie Blackburn | OH | Team COWBOY UP | 39' Nor-Tech

Frank Bulte | FL | Team SHARK RIDER | 44' MTI

OUR PROMINENT FAMILY OF BRANDS IS DRIVEN TO DELIVER PREMIUM PERFORMANCE, EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY, AND LIFESTYLE-DRIVEN INNOVATION.

David & Jenny Landsman | MD | Team GAME CHANGER | 43' Midnight Express

Daniel Loth | FL | Team TLSEA | 28' Glassstream

Daniel & Chelsea Beck | OK | Team STEEL HOOKIN | 45' Nor-Tech

Robert & Aubrey McAtee | OK | Team EMERALD ISLE | 40' Nor-Tech

Team FIRST BORN Crew

Domenick Landriscina | NJ | Team FOURPLAYTOO | 43' Midnight Express

Michael Lacasse | NH | Team TOO MUCH BABY | 37' Midnight Express

Chuck & Shannon Stark | SC | Team CRYPTO | 42' MTI

Grant Bernardy | MN | Team WAVEMAKER | 37' DCB

Jeff & Jennifer Corbel | IL | Team PERFORMANCE BOAT CENTER | 32' Sunsation

Rusty Williams | FL | Team PERFORMANCE BOAT CENTER | 42' MTI

Brittany Chrisco / John Wittenberger | FL | Team CIGARETTE | 42' Cigarette

Dennis Delatorre | FL | 39' Deep Impact DEEP IMPACT

Tom Menshouse | FL | Team SIGN'D OUT | 37' Midnight Express

Saturday Night Awards Party

Sponsor Award - Robin Layton/ Caleb Hollimon ADRENALINE POWERBOATS

Sponsor Award - Eric & Hagan Glaser MIDNIGHT EXPRESS POWERBOATS

Sponsor Award - Eric Avila & first mate Priscilla CONCEPT BOATS

Sponsor Award - PERFORMANCE BOAT CENTER

Sponsor Award - Brittany Chrisco CIGARETTE POWERBOATS

Sponsor Award - Dennis Delatorre/ Brianna Murray DEEP IMPACT CUSTOM BOATS

Sponsor Award - Randy Scism MARINE TECHNOLOGY INC.

Sponsor Award - Terry Sobo NOR-TECH HI PERFORMANCE BOATS

Sponsor Award - FOUNTAIN BOATS, CORTEZ COVE, ICONIC MARINE

Second Place Winner - Paul & Tiffany Ison Team - LIQUID ASSETS

Third Place Winner - Michael Lacasse Team - TOO MUCH BABY

First Place Winner - David Wood Team - WOODEVER

Farthest Trailered - Frankie Salvatore Team - FIGURE IT OUT

Sexiest Crew - Michael Tandoi Team - SPEED RACER

Broken Propeller - David Landsman Team - GAME CHANGER

Best Sterndrive CAT - Chris & Lori Nazetta Team - BLUGATTI- 48 MTI

Best Engines & Rigging - Frank Bulte Team - SHARK RIDER

Best Outboard CAT - Owen Middour Team - FAST LEASE

Best Center Console - Caleb Hollimon Team - ADRENALINE 47 Reaper

Best Cockpit & Interior - David & Jenny Landsman Team - Team FOUNTAIN, CORTEZ COVE

Best Paint & Graphics CAT - Cliff Anderson Team - AIR SIGN

Best Team Name - Ron Szolack Team - SLOPOKE

Best Performance V - Tory Robson Team - BE FIRST

Best New Boat - AJ Bott/ Simon Williams Team - FOUNTAIN

Farthest Traveled - Frank Scheelen - Germany Team - TOP FUN

Best Dressed - James Matarozzo Team - BOOSTED

Best Paint & Graphics Performance V - Craig LaScola Team - ROLLING THE DICE

NOR-TECH Owners Rendezvous

South Seas Resort, Captiva Island - March 8-10, 2024

Story by Stu Jones

With the growth of performance recreational boating over recent decades, a handful of prominent manufacturers have enjoyed great success with staging owner-driven boating events. The management at Nor-Tech High-Performance Boats based in Cape Coral, Florida, has offered a variety of ownercentric events over the years, and more recently they selected a very exclusive venue at South Seas Resort on Captiva Island for what will now be an annual rendezvous weekend, created exclusively to recognize Nor-Tech owners for their loyalty. The FPC team was invited to attend, with FPC President Stu Jones and son Tyler making the early March trek across Alligator Alley and through scenic Sanibel Island, where road-side work crews continued to work feverishly on the rebuilding process after the devastating Hurricane Ian in September 2022.

Titled Nor-Tech Extravaganza, the event agenda was underway by Friday afternoon, as invited guests arrived in a variety of Nor-Tech models and were assisted with the docking at Yacht

Harbor Marina followed by the check-in process at a variety of luxury villa-style units and private homes throughout the lavish grounds. South Seas Resort has still been rebuilding due to the Fall 2022 hurricane damage, but they were able to have a soft opening for lodging options in Summer 2023, and the resort promises to have several new concessions and restaurants coming online by summer 2024. None of these challenges deterred organizers and the Nor-Tech team worked with South Seas management, erecting a massive event tent, and an upscale event was soon underway Friday evening with an amazing dinner buffet at Sunset Beach- featuring a spectacular sunset in the backdrop and live musical entertainment!

Scott & Cathy Campbel | Nor-Tech 46 Flyer | Quad Mercury Racing 500R

Keith & Rebecca Stansell | Nor-Tech 390 Sport | Triple Mercury Racing 450R

Bill Raisbeck- Nortech Factory | 42 Monte Carlo | Triple Mercury Racing 500

Toskov

Photos by: Kevin Lane

Saturday’s breakfast buffet was followed by a captains meeting and Nor-Tech Fun Run to Useppa Island, for a festive lunch rendezvous at this upscale private club. The fun continued back at South Seas Resort with a cocktail happy hour, gourmet dinner, awards presentation, and hilarious comedian, who had the entire room in stitches! The event was appreciated by everyone

in attendance and gave the Nor-Tech management team and factory owners the chance to thank their loyal customers, while giving attendees a chance to meet some new boating friends.

SJ

The Nor-Tech Extravaganza got kicked off Friday evening with a wonderful outdoor dinner at Sunset Beach, a private function venue at South Seas Resort that featured live music, incredible food and a postcard-worthy sunset.

John & Jenny Lanza | Nor-Tech 390 | Triple Mercury Racing 400 Pierre & Meghan Brousseau | Nor-Tech 400 Supersport | Quad Mercury Racing 500R

Trond Schou | Nor-Tech 400 Supersport | Quad Mercury Racing 500R

Jack & Jennifer Couto | Nor-Tech 390 Sport | Quad Mercury Racing 450R

Bill Raisbeck & Trond Schou

Useppa Island- Saturday Lunch

Springing To Action!

For the third event on the Florida Powerboat Club’s 2024 calendar, the Spring Key West Poker Run provided the perfect outlet for boaters who don't mind long distances and letting their hair down in a playground known for its festive spirit!

Story by Stu Jones

Spring Break means many things to many people of all generations…but one common denominator always seems to prevail- There’s going to be some parties involved! To a handful of Florida Powerboat Club members registered for the Spring Key West event, this fact is very appealing, as is the measurably long poker run course that logs over four-hundred miles during the four-day format. Simple logic…More boating equals more fun!

If you have signed up for the Spring Key West Poker Run, you accepted the fact that you’ll be burning two or three tanks of fuel and paying top dollar for hotel rooms in Key West, for no other reason than… “Well, it’s Spring Break…high demand means we’ll be sold out anyway!”

That Economics 101 factor possibly played into the outcome of having just sixteen registered teams, as the more popular hotels including the Hyatt Centric Key West, Marker and Pier House, were all commanding rates that pushed the thousand-dollar-a-night threshold for the mid-March outing. That said, our good-natured FPC attendees took a grin-and-bare-it approach, citing that chill vibe of the event and the more relaxed agenda, always make it worth the price tag.

The Thursday departure commenced from Grove Harbour Marina in Miami, and the lunch destination took on a new venue at Sundowners in Key Largo, while the much larger MTI owners run settled in at nearby Gilberts Resort. By late Thursday, the boats were settled in at various marinas in Key West Harbor, including the Key West Bight city marina, Galleon Marina and A&B Marine next door. Due to the smaller group, FPC gave up the opportunity to do an exclusive buyout at the Conch Republic Seafood company docks, but still maintained the popular Green Street eatery as poker run headquarters, for happy hour parties and the Saturday night poker run festivities. Among the weekend highlights, most would agree that the Friday fun run to Boca Grande was as close to the “Powerboating in Paradise” experience that anyone could ever achieve, confirming that this stretch of sandy beach in the heart of the Mule Keys is among the finest in this part of the country.

Saturday evening, sponsors in attendance were recognized and a handful of President’s Choice awards were presented in a variety of categories.

Congratulations to all the winners and special thanks to Conch Republic Seafood company for a great party venue! We look forward to returning in November for the 32nd Annual Key West Poker Run.

FPC organizers thank everyone for keeping this Spring Key West poker run alive for as long as we have! Sadly, we will put this event on the back burner for the next few years as we focus our efforts on a larger event platforms and new adventures on Florida’s waterways. SJ

Photos by: Tyler Jones

Richard Leon | MA | Team MIAMI VICE | 38' Fountian

MIAMI VICE Crew

Tory Robson-Team BE FIRST

Cliff Anderson | FL | Team AIR SIGN | 34' MTI

Steve Perry | NY | Team SMOKE SHOW | 39' Cigarette

SMOKE SHOW Crew

Roger & Pam Anderson | TX | Team WILD HORSES | 39' Nor-Tech

Frank Bulte | FL | Team SHARK RIDER | 44' MTI

Bobby & Kendall Berk | FL | Team WRIGHT TIME | 36' Doug Wright

Chris Nazetta | IL | Team BLUGATTI | 48' MTI

WILD HORSES Crew

Saturday Night Awards Party

2nd Place - Cliff Anderson - Team AIR SIGN

Best Center Console - Roger & Pam Anderson Team - WILD HORSES

Best Performance V-Botton - Steve Perry Team SMOKE SHOW

Best Catamaran - Bobby Berk Team - WRIGHT TIME

Broken Propeller - Ivan Lopez Team Navivan

Sexiest Team - Brant & Jamie Daniels Team KANSAS

Broken Propeller Award - Shawn Lather Team - DIRT MONEY

Most Enthusiastic Team - Richard Leon Team - MIAMI VICE

Best Paint & Graphics - Chris Nazetta Team BLUGATTI

1st Place - Frank Bulte - Team SHARK RIDER

3rd Place - Brian Williams - Team ACES N' EIGHTS

A BAY TO REMEMBER

Downtown Tampa provided a vibrant cityscape as the backdrop for the 13th Annual TAMPA BAY Poker Run, as the Florida Powerboat Club members enjoyed an exciting cruising agenda by day, and great nightly dining and entertainment on their doorstep!

Story by Stu Jones

Returning to its Mid-April dates, the Tampa Bay Poker Run fell in a post-Easter time slot, translating to an abundance of well-priced lodging at major hotels including the Westin Waterside Resort and the Tampa Marriott Water Street Resort. Combined with the recent completion of the Tampa Convention Center’s floating dock marina, FPC organizers finally had all the pieces of the event puzzle aligned, providing the necessary dock and rooming inventory that allowed the event roster to exceed seventy poker run teams for the three-day format.

Thursday was the scheduled arrival date for many of the attendees, although Mother nature put a damper on transportation logistics for several teams- as violent storms passed through the coastal regions of Florida’s gulf coast from Fort Myers to Tampa Bay, throughout the morning and early afternoon. While there were many delays encountered no casualties were reported, and the poker run check-in opened on schedule Thursday afternoon at the event headquarter hotel Westin Tampa Waterside, with a 7pm captains meeting to follow. For the remaining evening, countless dining and entertainment options were available to attendees just steps away, including American Social, Jacksons Bistro, and the Marriott Water Street outdoor bar, where

reportedly some well-imbibed attendees may have been seen performing on the bar.

Friday’s weather was favorable for a fun day on the water, as teams gathered at the Tampa Convention Center to prepare for the lunch run to the Suntex-managed Sunset Grill & Beach Bar, located at Little Harbor Marina along Tampa Bay’s east shoreline. The lunch stop was new to the Tampa agenda, primarily due to its massive docking inventory- where marina managers assured FPC that 60-70 boats would present no issue on a Friday afternoon. The location proved to be the ideal choice- as plenty of marina staff were on hand to assist, and over two-hundred participants enjoyed their lunch at Sunset Grill. The location had also provided a great rendezvous point for several participants who had opted to cruise in from homeports in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Sarasota, rather than trailer the boats.

With the subject of trailering now in the text of this story, the writer would like to report concerns about the Davis Island boat ramp, which has been our official launching location since the event moved to downtown Tampa. The City of Tampa managed

ramp is located about three miles from the Tampa Convention Center and is suitable for launching most big powerboats up to fifty feet in length, offering adequate parking for several truck-trailer combos on weekdays. This is one reason FPC has always suggested the earlier launch day of Thursday, when space is abundant, and the ramp is uncrowded. That said, some of the local boaters have no boat ramp manners whatsoever, launching their boats early in the morning, then parking their trucks & trailers just a hundred feet forward of the ramp - then lock up and leave, blocking the entire ramp for others to use. This is something FPC organizers will take up with the City of Tampa in the future, and hopefully a boat ramp program with directional signage, designated parking areas and perhaps an onsite city employee, will prevent this practice from occurring again in future years.

Getting back to the fun…Saturday was an amazing day on the water for everyone! The event kicked off with dockside breakfast at the Tampa Convention Center sponsor dock, and shortly after 10am, FPC Girls Kendall and Natalie began handing off the first bonus card for the day. One by one, each spirited team came alongside the floating dock to gather up

their Bonus card, and very soon a long line of spectators had formed along the Tampa Riverwalk overlooking the marina. Teams were instructed to continue to the Seddon channel and proceed into Tampa Bay, for a southbound leg to the Sunshine Skyway – where they passed under the bridge and continued into the Gulf waters to Egmont Key for the next poker card.

With winds kicking up from the north, the bay waters developed into a significant chop, which slowed down many of the teams as they approached the Sunshine Skyway…but provided amazing photo opportunities for the FPC aerial photo and video crew. Every team has its limitations, and the bumpy ride was a dealbreaker for half of the captains, who aborted the Egmont Key checkpoint completely, turning back to the north and proceeding to the St. Petersburg checkpoint, at The Vinoy Basin near the landmark St. Pete Pier. When it’s uncomfortable for the captain and crew, it is no longer fun and not worth the discomfort. FPC organizers always support captains in these prudent decisions…because it is indeed the captain’s responsibility to ensure the safety of his crew and his vessel!

Continuetopage60

Photos by: Pete Boden & Tyler Jones

Ladies of Team BAD DOG 3.0!

Ladies of Team BABBO- 34 Nor-tech

Tampa Convention Center - Sponsor Dock

Continuing the course, the Vinoy basin checkpoint, sponsored by Statement Marine with the impressive all-gold Sunseeker 80 Predator “007” had quite the party going! This was a great photo op for teams as they pulled alongside to pick up their bonus card, and then continued northbound on the course. Card number four was sponsored by Tampa Yacht Services and handed by FPC girls Hannah and Abbey from a Marlow yacht on anchor, near the Hula Bay Club Lunch stop. At this point in the run, teams would break up into four groups and proceed to their selected lunch stop. This is a practice that was adopted in recent years for many larger FPC events, where the number of boats and attendees at the event was far greater than any single restaurant could accommodate. For the Tampa 2024 event, the four selected restaurants were Doc Fords at the St Pete Pier, Hula Bay Club, The Getaway in Tampa, and Whisky Joe’s Tampa, which was the only lunch stop with a long sandy beach. This seemed to work well as reported by most of the poker run attendees, although organizers are continuing to seek larger waterfront restaurants in the area with the objective of accommodating all 70+ teams at one lunch stop.

The poker run boating activities wrapped up late Saturday as the teams returned to the Tampa Convention Center docks along with the Marriott Water St docks, which accommodated about fourteen teams. One other marina, Marjorie Park on Davis Island, was able to take some overflow docking, and FPC plans to continue working with Marjorie Park next year, which is also the location of the only fuel dock in the area.

Moving to the Saturday night agenda, over 330 attendees, a record for this event, gathered at the Westin Waterside Oasis Ballroom, for a fantastic poker run dinner party. Along with the formalities of recognizing our sponsors and presenting two dozen President’s Choice awards, guests were treated to a wonderful dinner and played out their poker cards- competing for a $ 6,000 prize purse. Most would agree, this was by far one of the best turnouts yet for the Tampa Bay Poker Run, and organizers are happy to report that no incidents occurred that required emergency services or dispatch of any law enforcement agencies. Whooohooo – we made it through another one!

Frank Bulte | FL | Team SHARK RIDER | 44' MTI

Cliff Anderson | FL | Team AIR SIGN | 34' MTI

SHARK RIDER Crew

AIR SIGN Crew - Kendall, Miranda, Amy

Bruce Kruglick | FL | Team BAD DOG 3.0 | 38' Statement!

Chris & Quinn LaMorte | NJ

Team SKATER 36 | 36' Skater

Stu & Jackie Jones | FL

TOP GUN FLIGHT 1130 Crew

Tampa Convention Center - New North docks now equipped with power and water.

Sunset Grill at Little Harbor- Friday Fun Run lunch stop

Above & Below: Quick beach stopover at Beer Can Island for small group of boats on Friday Fun Run.

Amy, Miranda and Kendall on Team AirSign

Rachael Garnett - Team JUST GOT BORED

Departing Tampa Harbor with Tampa Skyline in background.

MIDNIGHT EXPRESS Crew

CORTEZ COVE Crew

Card Stop #1 -Tampa Convention Center

TEAM FOUTZ Crew

TURN Crew

Miranda,Team AIR SIGN

Card # 1 Saturday with Westin Waterside Resort in background

Joseph Castellana | NY | Team AWESOME | 38' Skater

Paul Jordan | FL | Team BABBO | 34' Nor-Tech

BABBO Crew

Passing under Tampa's landmark Sunshine Skyway

Pete & Cathie Mackey | NY | Team IN SPADES | 43' Black Thunder

Eric Lemoine | FL | Team TIMEKILLER | 43' Midnight Express

Greg Roberts | OH

Team

42'

IN SPADES Crew

Trey Robinson | GA | Team NAUTI WAYS | 37' Seafox

Jean-Come Maziere | FL | Team NUOVA JOLLY | 38' PRINCE 38CC

Kevin & Bev Primmer | ON | Team MANY TONS INVESTED | 42' MTI

Spencer Headley | OH | Team MAIDEN AMERICA | 42' Fountain

Roger & Lazara Ors | FL | Team NEVER ENOUGH | 42' MTI

Greg & Racquel Tolson | FL | Team POWER TRIPS | 34' Nor-Tech

Mark Fischer | FL | Team DEEP IMPACT | 39' Deep Impact

Michael Foutz | OH | Team TEAM FOUTZ | 38' Fountain

MAIDEN AMERICA Crew

Craig & Paula Ackerman | GA | Team LEVEL UP | 39' MTI

Brad Hancock | FL | Team ALL HAIL | 43' Midnight Express

Mike Boyle & 1st Mate Kelsey | OH | Team CATTITUDE | 39' MTI

Devin Wozencraft | CA | Team WOZENCRAFT | 34' Victory

The picturesque Vinoy Basin along the vibrant St Petersburg waterfront provided the ideal checkpoint for poker card number three. Nick Buis from Team Statement provided the ideal handoff boat, a bright gold Sunseeker 80 Predator named 007, which evolved into quite the raft-up party for the occasion. Several other Statement owners including Ron & Elaine Long joined in the fun, and it reminded many of us of the earlier years of the Tampa Bay Poker Run, when the event was headquartered right here at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort. From this checkpoint location, teams proceeded further north in Tampa Bay, to the Hula Beach Club checkpoint near the Gandy Expressway bridge for poker card number four. Special thanks to Nick & Priscilla Buis for providing the eye-catching 007 as our poker card checkpoint boat.

Available on Amazon

“The 2008 Round Britain Powerboat Race was a unique and wonderful experience. For a power boater, it is the ultimate race. It is long, it is in the open sea, it is challenging and you have to go for it. Endurance racing is the ultimate test for the boat and the crew. Everything has to be good, the preparation of the boat, the navigation, and the people involved, and then you need a little luck. If I could do it again I would, for the experience, for the people you meet, and for the challenge. Thomas Vandamme. Race Boat - Team Birretta”.

Pricscilla Buis, Ron & Elaine Long, our poker card team on 007

Jeff Shellenberger | MD | Team PATIENCE | 38' Donzi

Kenneth & Laura Wolkens | FL | Team DOCKED WAGES | 34' Cobalt

Antonio Swad | TX | Team SQUARE GROUPER | 45' Nor-Tech

Kyle Fowler | GA | Team SMOKIN' 420 | 42' Wright Performance

Jesse & Stephanie Neumann | MN

Team DIRTy SEACRET

44' MTI

Dennis & Amanda Phillips | FL | Team CLEAN MONEY | 44' MTI

Tory Robson | MN | Team BE FIRST | 39' Cigarette

CLEAN MONEY Crew

Daniel & Chelsea Beck | OK | Team STEEL HOOKIN' | 45' Nor-Tech

Glenn Kennedy | FL | Team G-FORCE | 42' Fountain

Aaron Swafford | TX | Team FOUR PLAY | 38' Fountain

Alan Lima | FL | Team GROVE HARBOUR MARINA | 38 Cigarette

Tom Hall | FL | Team JUST GOT BORED | 42' MTI

Gary Karwowski | FL | Team LOADED DECK | 42' Mystic

Ryan & Rachael Garnett

MTI

Jim & Sarah Wiley | FL | Team BAD ALTITUDE | 39' MTI

Tim Busch | OH | Team THROTTLE UP

37' Outerlimits

Sal Olivia | FL

Team X-SCAPE

40' Mystic

Chad & Nadya VanTilburg | FL | Team HIGH LIMIT | 44' Concept

Hula Bay Club at Tampa Harbor Marina provided a great lunch stop location, one of four lunch options on the saturday poker run agenda.

Daniel Hollis | FL | Team WHY KNOT | 47' Adrenaline

Jack & Jennifer Couto | MD | Team TRIMMED OUT | 39' Nor-Tech

Michael & Robin Layton | GA | Team REAPER 47 | 47' Adrenaline

THE GETAWAY Tampa is a popular boating hangout, was one of the four lunch stop locations for the Saturday Run.

Amy Plumstead with Robin Layton - Team ADRENALINE

Simon Williams | FL | Team CORTEZ COVE/FOUNTAIN | 43' Fountain

Michael Tandoi | NY | Team SPEED RACER | 44' MTI

Frank Bulte | FL | Team SHARK RIDER | 44' MTI

Bret & Alli Laso | FL | Team NAUTI BEAST | 38' Mystic

Scott & Cathy Campbell | FL | Team SUGAR | 46' Nor-Tech

Thomas & Susan Klein | FL | 39' Nor-Tech

Shorty & Brenda Schultz | PA |

39' Nor-Tech

SUGAR Crew

39 NOR-TECH Crew

Stu & Jackie Jones | FL | Team TOP GUN FLIGHT 1130 | 38' Cigarette

Kevin Catron | MD | Team IT'S MY TURN | 43' Midnight Express

Richard Haase | FL | Team SOME LIKE IT HOT | 36' Deep Impact

Guy Wilson/Ron Paul | VA

Brandon Mayer | FL

John VanDyck | MI | Team RELAPSE | 36' Concept

Mark & Laura Fitzgerald | MD | Team EXEMPTION | 36' Statement!

FPC MEMBERSHIP MARKETPLACE

Florida Powerboat Club offers a “Commercial Member” program which is designed for individuals or companies that are engaged in some form of commerce that relates to the marine industry. In many cases these members provide special discounts and offers to FPC members, so we invite you to contact them and keep your boating-related needs within the FPC family.

Join us in RECOGNIZING these FLORIDA POWERBOAT CLUB COMMERCIAL MEMBERS:

ARTHUR FUSCO

American Marine Performance | 954-852-5252 americanmarineperformance.com arthur@americanmarineperformance.com, claire@americanmarineperformance.com 601 NW 12th Ave | Pompano Beach | FL 33069

SIMON TAVCAR

Astel Underwater Lights | 786-458-8861 astel-usa.com | info@astel-usa.com 66 W Flagler Street | Suite 900 – #9102 | Miami | FL 33130

ED CHAMPION

Astel Underwater Lights | 573-365-4001 bigthundermarine.com | Ed@bigthundermarine.com 3401 Bagnell Dam Blvd | Lake Ozark | MO 65049

RICHARD GARCIA

Boat Depot | 305-587-3094 boatdepotonline.com | boatdepot@live.com 101500 Overseas HWY | Key Largo | FL 33037

JAYE & DONNA WATSON

Card Payment Solutions | 800-359-0710 | 800-359-0710 cardpaymentsolutions.com | jaye@cardpaymentsolutions.com

9838 Bellasera Circle | Myrtle Beach | SC 29579

RAYMOND / PETER ROBERTS

Double R Performance | 705-487-7575 doublerperformance.com raymond@doublerperformance.com, peter@doublerperformance.com

50 Line 9 N, Oro-Medonte | Ontario L0L 1T0

PAUL CALISI

East Coast Flightcraft | 978-777-1721 | 978-777-7279 eastcoastflightcraft.com | pcalisi@eastcoastflightcraft.com 4 Lookout Lane | Middleton | MA 01949

JODY HAMILTON

Hamilton Marine Finance | 470-248-2655 hamiltonmarinefinance.com | jody@hamiltonmarinefinance.com 3231 Lake McGinnis Dr | Suwanee | GA 30024

ED MILLER

Hi-Tech Marine | 410-375-1638 hitechmarine.com | ejmiller@thehomemag.com 2023 River Road | Baltimore | MD 21221

JOHN & DAWN CLARKE

Jaguar Powerboats LLC | 844-JAGBOAT (524-2628) jaguarpowerboats.com | dawn.clarke@jaguarpowerboats.com 1437 Cunningham Brickyard Rd. | Thomasville, NC 27360

JORDAN LAMPKIN

Lampkin Marine Services | 242-376-3066 lampkinmarine.com | jordan@lampkinmarine.com

1323 SE 17th st | Fort Lauderdale | FL 33316

ANDY IMHOF

Maryland Offshore Marine | 301-294-5936 mdoffshore.com | info@mdoffshore.com 9615 Doctor Perry Road | JAMSVILLE | MD 21754

KELBY MYERS

Myers Brothers Marine Corp. | 954-240-1355 myersbrothersmarine.com | service@myersbrothersmarine.com 7031 SW 22nd Ct, Suite D | Fort Lauderdale | FL 33317

STEPHEN GIFFORD

NavInsure Brokerage, Inc. | 631-664-6805 navinsure.us | steve@navinsure.us 11 Maple Ave | Suite 212 | Bayshore| NY 11706

CRAIG PLASSMEYER

North American Yacht | 805-906-0589 craigyacht@aol.com 2110 N Ocean Blvd | Suite 19 A | Ft Lauderdale | FL 33305

JEAN-COME MAZIERE Nuova Jolly North America | 773-999-7834 nuovajollyusa.com | jcmaziere@highfieldusa.com 9639 Fox Hearst Road | Tampa | FL 33647

CHRIS HANNA

Palmetto Yacht Transport | 843-687-2932 palmettoyachtmanagement.com | chris@palmettoyachtmanagement.com PO Box 31947| Myrtle Beach| SC 29588

PAUL BOYDEN

Paul Boyden Customs | 850-356-5880 paulboyden.customs@yahoo.com

7880 Apollo Drive | Pensacola | Fl 32506

ALBERT FRANKO

Powerboats | 646-785-0125 powerboatsus.com | albert@powerboatsus.com 1410 W 24th Street | Miami Beach | FL 33140

ANDREW POKORNY

Powerstroke Performance | 239-910-4169 powerstrokeperformancespecialties.com | andrew.pokorny@gmail.com

5660 Division Drive | Fort Myers | FL 33905

JIM & NIKKI CAMPBRILL

Shine N Clean Marine | 937-414-9436 jimcampbrill76@yahoo.com

111 Silverstone Drive | Englewood | OH 45322

ST. LAWRENCE RENEE

SKYDEX Technologies, Inc. | 410-980-5301 skydex.com | rstlawrence@skydex.com

246 Moreau Ct. | Severna Park | MD 21146

GREGORY ARNOLD

South Florida Powerboats | 772-631-0467 southfloridapowerboats.com | greg@southfloridapowerboats.com

533 SE Monet Drive| Port Saint Lucie | FL 34984

JOHN KRAY

Sportboats Marine | (239) 482-BOAT sportboats.com | conrad@sportboats.com

17790 San Carlos Blvd | Ft Myers | FL 33931

BRANDON MAYER

Sweetwater Landing Marina | 630-881-9422

sweetwaterlanding.net | bmayer14@yahoo.com

16991 St Rd 31 | Ft Myers | FL 33905

DAVID SHAEFFER

T&D Custom Painting | 616-841-1086 tanddcustompainting.com | david@tanddcustompainting.com

9500 Henry Ct Suit 50 | Zeeland | MI 49464

PATRICIA SUMMERFIELD

Tropic Ocean Airways | 954-299-5425 flytropic.com | psummerfield@flytropic.com

1050 Lee Wagener Blvd | Fort Lauderdale | FL 33315

STEVE SPRAGUE

Tuppen's Marine | 561-252-6105 tuppensmarine.com | boatking@earthlink.net 5999 Homeland Rd | Lake Worth | Fl 33449

JOSEPH LABON

Ultimate Marine | 407-492-8881 ultimatemarine.com | zoie@ultimatemarine.com

3419 WD Judge Dr | Orlando | FL 32808

DAVID DELEZENNE

Unique Custom Marine | 954-980-4887 ucmarinevault.com | uniquecustommarine@gmail.com

2044 NW 25th Ave | Pompano Beach | FL 33069

MARK / KATE WILSON

JIMMIE HARRISON

SEAN EVANS

Wilson Custom Marine | 772-287-8755 FJ Propeller | 954-467-7723 Go Fast Services | 754-224-1890 wilsoncustommarine.com | wilsoncustommarine1@yahoo.com fjprop.com | jimmie@fjprop.com gofastservices@aol.com

Saturday Night Awards

Sponsor Award - Fountain Powerboats, Iconic Marine, Cortez Cove

TAMPA CONVENTION CENTERFPC DOCKING HEADQUARTERS

Oasis Ballroom packed 300+ attendees in for the Saturday night party

Our Party Hosts - Jackie and Abbey

Sponsor Award - Mark & Eileen Fischer - Deep Impact

Sponsor Award - Geoff Tomlinson Nor-Tech High Performance Boats

Sponsor Award - Eric & Hagan Glaser Midnight Express

Sponsor Award - Jeff Corbel Performance Boat Center

Sponsor Award - Owen Buis Statement Marine

Sponsor Award - Concept Boats

The Fahmys & The Fowlers from GA

Mark & Eileen Fischer - DEEP IMPACT

The Glasers & Gielows - TEAM MIDNIGHT EXPRESS

Playing out 73 Poker Hands

Shorty & Brenda Shultz

& Tracy Kruglick - TEAM

Team SHARK RYDER

Owen Buis with the Fitzgeralds - Team EXEMPTION

Mike Tandoi & Andy Imhof - Team SPEED RACER

Mike Boyle - Team CATTITUDE

Team CORTEZ COVE

Jackie & Tyler Jones

Glenn Kennedy Team G-FORCE

Orange Beach Sneak Peek:

Completing the Spring poker run season and logging its fifth event on the 2024 calendar, FPC crossed state lines to Alabama for the 5th Annual Orange Beach Powerboat Week, presented by The Wharf. With a solid roster of fifty registered poker run teams, the event continued to receive its strongest representation from the Lonestar state, with twenty teams registered with homeports in Texas - some of them arriving as early as Tuesday after attending the nearby Tickfaw 200 Poker Run in Louisiana.

Poker Run activities kicked off Thursday afternoon as the check-in opened at SpringHill Suites, followed by the wildly popular Miss Orange Beach Powerboat Week at the SandShaker Lounge at the Wharf. Friday offered a full-day itinerary commencing with Captains Breakfast and full day of boating from Orange Beach

eastbound to Pensacola Beach, which included two of the four poker run checkpoints, followed by a sponsored cocktail party Friday evening at Marker 158.

Saturday took a similar format to previous years, with a westbound run on the ICW to Mobile Bay, but introduced an entirely new northbound course towards Mobile, where teams settled in at the Grand Mariner Marina & Restaurant. This new destination offered plenty of docking for all fifty teams in a rustic waterfront setting, as the friendly staff served up a hearty offering of fried seafood and a southern-style country boil of shrimp and sausage, with live music and the warmest welcome anyone could have wished for!

Look for complete coverage of this event in our next issue of Powerboating in Paradise Magazine. SJ

Story by Stu Jones

FPC discovered Grand Mariner Marina & Restaurant, an ideal Saturday lunch spot for the entire poker run fleet!

Dueling Deep Impacts! Paul Bertucci in Team Beer Money Too riding alongside Mark Fischer - Deep Impact 369

Miss Powerboat Week Winners at SandShaker

Photos by: Pete Boden

New MTI factory demo 440X

Devin Wozencraft - 34 Victory Cat

Hugh Patroni Sr - 38 Statement!

New FPC girl Nevea

Sage, Lexa, Nevaeh, Abigail

Lonnie Huff | TX | Team LOCKED & LOADED | 38 Cigarette

Mike & Melissa Muse | TX | Team AMUSE'D | 37' Axopar

FPC girl Lexa, 2nd runner up Miss Orange Beach Powerboat Week

Abigail with the right bikini color for Orange Beach.

Brent Medley | MO | Team FIRST BORN | 42' Performance

PLATINUM MEMBERSHIP

• Access to all FPC events and parties.

• Powerboating Video. (Dozens of titles to choose.)

• Powerboating in Paradise Magazine subscription.

• Embroidered Club T-shirt in your choice of colors.

• Access to all Membership discount programs.

PLUS:

• Premium mens OGIO club polo shirt.

• Premium Concierge Services

• Priority booking status for rooms and dockage on all FPC Events.

• Marina and marine service referrals for your powerboat.

• Nautical assistance to a variety of marine resorts and boating destinations.

• Planning and hotel/slip reservations for your Florida boating weekends.

$499.00/year*

GOLD MEMBERSHIP

Membership suggested for married couples Includes all of the Standard Membership benefits

COMMERCIAL MEMBERSHIP

Membership Includes:

• Discounted rates on FPC Magazine advertising

• Discounted rates on all web advertising/banner programs.

• Second membership for spouse/partner included

• Premium mens OGIO Club Polo Shirt.

• Premium womens OGIO Ladies Tank Top

PLUS: $399.00/year*

STANDARD MEMBERSHIP

Membership Includes:

• Access to all FPC events and parties.

• Powerboating Video. (Dozens of titles to choose.)

• Powerboating in Paradise Magazine subscription.

• Embroidered Club T-shirt in your choice of colors.

• Access to all Membership discount programs.

$299.00/year*

• Access to all FPC events and parties.

• Business listing on our website affiliate section.

• Business card introduction Ad in FPC magazine. Commercial Members also have the opportunity to run promotions and discounts through FPC events.

$399.00/year*

SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP

Membership Includes:

• Club T-shirt in your choice of colors.

• Powerboating in Paradise Magazine subscription.

• Access to FPC parties

• Discounted Boat Show tickets.

$99.00/year*

FLORIDA POWERBOAT CLUB

JANUARY

JULY

-

FEBRUARY 22 - 25, 2024

MAY 9-12, 2024 Y 2024

MAY 9 - 12, 2024

MARCH 13 - 17, 2024

JUNE 4 - 11, 2024 Bimini, Chub Cay, Nassau

AUGUST 13-19, 2024

NOVEMBER 5 - 11,

SEPTEMBER 19 - 22, 2024