VOL 12 #4
A MAGAZINE SHOWCASING THE FLORIDA POWERBOAT CLUB LIFESTYLE
KEY WEST
2012 Special Edition 20 YEARS of ♥♣♦♠
♥♣♦♠
AMAZING HIGHLIGHTS
Of fici al 2012 Program
Elena
Key West, 1998
WWW.FLPOWERBOAT.COM
See the complete digital edition of this publication online at www.flpowerboat.com FALL 2012 Vol. 12#4 EDITOR/PUBLISHER Stu Jones stu@flpowerboat.com
est n W y e K oker Ru P SPE
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T EDI IAL
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CONTENTS
A Magazine Showcasing The Florida Powerboat Club Lifestyle
EVENT MANAGER
Jackie Jones jackie@flpowerboat.com GRAPHIC/WEB DESIGNERS Juan C Grisales fpc.mag@gmail.com David Vaccaro fpc.art@gmail.com
MEMBER SERVICES
Laura Schrader fpcservices@gmail.com
PHOTOGRAPHY Stu Jones Chris Odom Jim Wenger Bill Helfrich Greg Greer Richard Klehe
EVENT COORDINATORS Jackie Jones jackie@flpowerboat.com Rachel Babitt fpcevents@gmail.com Darin Gleichmann Drew Kravitz
MARINE COORDINATOR
Captain Chris Pelly captchris@flpowerboat.com
MEDIA SALES
NOW HIRING stu@flpowerboat.com
TV & VIDEO PRODUCTION Stu Jones David Steele Bruno Koplin RJ Murdock
DIRECT ALL INQUIRIES TO Florida Powerboat Club 1214 SW 6th St. Pompano Beach, FL 33069 Tel: 954.545-1414 Fax: 954.782-2452 www.FLPOWERBOAT.com
POMPANO OFFICE HOURS Monday - Friday 10 AM - 5 PM
FPC Pompano Beach Headquarters
All copyright laws apply. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the expressed written permission of the publisher
4 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 6 HOW IT ALL BEGAN—1993 TO 1997
While many have heard the story, it’s always fun to tell. Find out how the first Key West Poker Run sprung its roots.
14 FAST & FURIOUS—1998 TO 2002
After the first five years of growing pains, it was time for Key West to adjust to the fast pace of new blood, faster boats and an event that was growing in popularility.
Lunch stopover, Marriott Key Largo, 1994
22 TEN YEARS LATER—2003 TO 2007 When you drive a super fast powerboat there is a tendency to never look back. In a similar light, after ten years, the Key West Poker Run was wide open throttle!
29 | 37 | 39 | 43 | 47 KEY WEST 2012 FEATURE SPONSORS
Biscayne Bay aerial, Key West, 2003
30 ALL GROWN UP—2008 TO 2012
With a changing economy and a marine industry in turmoil, it was only a matter of time that the Key West Poker Run might feel the aftershocks. But the ability to adapt kept the wheels spinning through tough times!
38 2012 KEY WET POKER RUN ITINERARY Check out the agenda so you won’t miss a single event or party!
40 2012 PARTICIPANT LIST
We all want to know “Who’s Here” and there’s no better way than to check out the alphabetic listing of all our 2012 participants. (current as of Nov. 1)
The Girls of Team Saber, Key West, 2006
44 2012 KEY WET POKER RUN VILLAGE
Every great poker run needs a great headquarters. The Key West Poker Run Village at the Conch Republic Seafood company has become not only the hub of entertainment and fun, but also the site of a fantastic High Performance Poker Run Village!
46 KEY WEST POKER RUN 2012 PRIZES
From the 2012 Mustang convertible from Offleaseonly.com, to luxurious special edition watches and high-end marine electronics, three top winners and other participants will take home over $36,000 in prizes. Check out all the cool stuff! ON THE COVER: The poker run pack gets up to plane on Biscayne Bay during the Key West Poker Run 1996 MODEL: Elena from Michigan was a Venus Swimwear model from 1996 through 1999, attending many FPC events during that time. INSET: The event that started it all. Sonic USA owners rally to Key West, staged in 1993.
Gilberts, Key Largo, 2005
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letter from the
PRESIDENT Stu & Jackie Jones
GOT A COMMENT FOR ME?
E-MAIL ME AT
STU@FLPOWERBOAT.COM
As we launch the boats, wipe down the decks and tweak the engines for the 20th Annual edition of Key West Poker Run Festival, it appears, once again, that numbers will far exceed the magical 150 poker run teams. That’s great news for all of us, including the seven hundred or more participants that have traveled across state lines, national borders and even oceans to attend. It’s great news for almost thirty or more sponsoring companies that see new sales on the books and smell fresh fiberglass and resin in their factories as we round the bend into a more prosperous 2013. And for all of us from the FPC clubhouse, indeed, there is a sigh of relief as we measure the results of the marketing machine we feed with the colorful content from hundreds of events staged over the club’s twentyyear history! New members continue to emerge into our sport, purchase powerboats of all sizes and descriptions, and join the FPC powerboating lifestyle. I would like to welcome all of you, especially our newcomers, and ask our longtime veterans to
Stu at work, Key West, 1998
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Key West Special Edition Fall 2012 reach out and welcome your newest fellow members! Clearly, the spirit for powerboating adventure in this unique setting is alive and well. No other event satisfies this pursuit like the Key West Poker Run. That is precisely why this event has come so far. As the club’s founder, I would like to ask everyone attending, sponsors and participants alike, to join in this very special celebration which documents twenty consecutive years of what has truly become our signature poker run event. I would also like to make it very clear to everyone that I plan to commit my time and all the resources of this organization to continue maintaining the integrity of our safety programs, the excitement of the journey, and the quality of the experience for all those who attend. I am very proud of how far we have come and we could not have done this without you! Together, let’s go to Key West proudly and celebrate this great milestone in our club’s history, as well as this great country, that has given us the freedom to pursue our powerboating lifestyle with passion!
Stu Jones
President & Founder, Florida Powerboat Club
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STORY: STU JONES l PHOTOS: FPC ARCHIVE
In 1993, twenty five boat crews, and a fleet of Sonics gathered at Fort Lauderdale’s Pier 66 for a four-day adventure to the Keys.
THE FIRST STEPS (1993) There is an interesting story to be told about how the Florida Powerboat Club actually came to be, in 1992, but this is not the right time to share it! Therefore, we begin our timeline in the late summer of 1993, just three months after the Florida Powerboat Club became a bona fide Florida Corporation. With many events on the active FPC calendar and club offices in four South Florida marinas, some of the mainstream magazines had published stories that poker runs were fun for the boat owners, and that it was great for business! It was all the new owners of Sonic USA needed to know, and the call came on my cell—a brick phone. It was Tom Andrews, the son of one of the co-owners of Andrews Brothers from Philadelphia, who took the Hollywood boat builder out of bankruptcy earlier that year. “Stu, I hear good things about you and these poker runs sound like fun!” he commented. “Would you consider organizing our Sonic Owners Rally in the Fall! We want to take a bunch of boats to Key West!” Well, that was an easy answer - YES! - and two months later about twenty five boat crews, and a fleet of Sonics from 30 to 45 feet in length gathered at Fort Lauderdale’s Pier 66 for a fourday adventure to the Keys. First challenge—the weather. It was absolutely miserable with heavy rains, gusting winds, and eight-foot seas inside the Port Everglades inlet. “Really? I thought to myself. My first big gig for this new company, and I have to deal with this crap!?” Well, my instincts told me it would be better to take the safe approach, and we hunkered down for the night. That was apparently a good idea because the next day, the weather was nicer and away we went. Our destination was the Faro Blanco Resort in Marathon, where the guests were entertained by a pool side Venus Swimwear continued on next page POWERBOATING IN PARADISE
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fashion show and a fun run to the Key West Superboat races the next day. Of course, there are many stories to be told about those days, but the really big story is that this first (and only) FPC Sonic Owners Rally was a history-making event. 2ND ROUND—NEW FORMAT (1994) The owners of Sonic probably had no idea what they were getting into on that first adventure in 1993. With reports of bicycles and carts being thrown off the Faro Blanco docks, near-brawls erupting in the bars, and the Sonic invasion of the race spectator fleet in Key West Harbor - which resulted in at least one anchor line sheering and another fully wrapping around three bravo drives - they were content to let it go down as a one-time deal. Of course, that wasn’t my problem, and the 2nd Annual Key West Rally was staged, open to all takers! That year I came down with a deadly 104 fever which resulted in pneumonia and almost killed me. It was the closest to dying I’ve ever come, aside from a few crazy boat rides over the years! But a miracle drug called Cipro saved my ass, and continued on page 10 8
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In 1994, We had a lot of fun, but another curve ball from Mother Nature named Tropical Storm Gordon moved in fast and made the Key West races hellacious - it was the year of the Richie Powers/Tom Gentry rollover.
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two weeks later, I was running a brand new Active Thunder 25 down to Miami to pick up a pack of twenty poker run teams. A lot of those Sonic guys were still around. They remembered the fun from the last year, so the poker run fleet was stacked with a wide variety of boats, including a handful of big Sonics. The really funny part was, this little Active Thunder, no compass, no GPS, was the pace boat! After a couple jackasses in big Sonics passed me then ran aground in the Upper Keys, (we screwed around for about two hours waiting to get them towed off the sand bar) I lead the entire group in this little Active Thunder all the way from Snake Creek to Hawks Cay Resort in the dark of night. It was a ride from hell. But guess what! We all got there. We had a lot of fun, but a curve ball from Mother Nature named Tropical Storm Gordon moved in fast and made the Key West races hellacious - it was the year of the Richie Powers/Tom Gentry rollover. It got worse, and it was the first (and only) in this event’s twenty-year history that we left our boats in the Keys and rented cars to come home safely. What a memory! GOING ALL THE WAY (1995) This was the year that made a profound change in the Key West Poker Run, and set the course for future events. It was the year I decided to go all the way to Key West, and actually stay there for the weekend. I arranged dockage at a few marinas and got rooms at places like the Galleon, Truman Annex and the Pelican Landing at Garrison Bight. People really liked the idea of going all the way to Key West. We even planned a big race party at the Hilton Key West, which everyone thought was just the coolest deal. Things really came together in this third year, and event registration numbers more than tripled, with over sixty poker teams registered. continued on page 12
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By ‘97 the Key West Poker Run was full steam ahead
THEY KEEP COMING, WE KEEP IMPROVING (1996 & 1997) The word got out that the Key West event in ’95 was a big bash, and the momentum for 1996 and 1997 registration picked up rapidly. Cigarette was building a lot of boats and Fountain was full speed ahead having just introduced his first “stepped bottom” 42 Lightning, which happened to be registered for the run. Nor-tech was starting to make some headway with their 38 foot stepped v-bottom, and they now had a new 50-foot v-bottom that was a huge hit. In fact, a variety of powerboat builders were starting to see that poker runs were producing a whole new set of buyers for their product, and they were taking note.
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FPC was getting good coverage in all the major magazines, and in the summer of 1996, the Powerboating in Paradise TV show hit Sunshine Network for its very first broadcast. People throughout Florida and around the U.S., could actually see poker runs on TV for the first time. It had never been done before. The Poker Run headquarters was now based at the all-new Key West Hilton Resort, and participants seemed to enjoy the venue for so many reasons. After five years, the event continued to see strong growth in numbers, and it was my job to find new ways to entertain our participants. We were under full steam, and there were no signs this was going to change. SJ
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STORY: STU JONES l PHOTOS: FPC ARCHIVE
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epending on who you ask, 1998 may have been a great year or a bust. The economies of Southeast Asia and the Soviet Union were in turmoil, natural disasters were rampant worldwide, and President Bill Clinton tried to wiggle his way out of a sexual escapade with a willing intern, an incident, which eventually cost him his job. But in the whole scheme of things, a powerboater’s life was pretty damn good! The national average for a gallon of gasoline was $1.15, boat insurance was cheap and Florida Powerboat Club offered more than twenty boating events during the 1998 calendar year to a variety of destinations throughout Florida. The best part, Key West continued to hold the top spot, and it wasn’t showing any signs of letting up. With over a hundred registered teams on the roster from across the United States and Canada, the fleet was very impressive. Powerboat brands that had strong continued on next page
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showing on the poker run entry list included all the big deep vee builders like Apache, Black Thunder, Cigarette, Donzi, Fountain, Hustler, and Nor-Tech. But there were a few newcomers showing up on the scene. Outerlimits was one of the newest v-bottom arrivals, and a household name in offshore racing catamarans, Skater, was starting to show a strong presence in the poker run world. Clearly, the cats were still not a very dominant force, and were often viewed by the performance boating mainstream (vee-bottom owners) as…”unusual, not-so-practical, and uncomfortable.” The ladies had a common re-action. “What? No cabin? Where do I fix my hair?” And for many of us who can’t sit still, the response was, “What? Get stuck in a seat and can’t move about for hours?!” It just seemed uncivilized. Yet the cats were gaining ground and steadily beginning to appear on the Key West poker run. Retired racing Skaters seemed to be a big hit, cut and re-shaped into big poker run machines, and rigged with poker run friendly power. Indeed, they offered an entirely different look, and a super “cool factor.” By 1999, the Key West Poker Run logistics had evolved and changed with new marina and hotel facilities in Miami and Key West. For a starting venue, the landmark Miami Beach Marina just wasn’t working out well, as more of their slips were rented to monthly tenants, putting a squeeze on the available dockage. The South Beach craze was starting to catch on like wildfire, jacking up rates and making Ocean Drive hotels slightly more difficult to book. We started spending more time at the then Sealine Marina which provided a better lodging situation with the Marriott and Doubletree Grand right there. Poker Run checkpoints throughout the Keys remained similar, but we had finally outgrown the Bahia Honda Park stopover, replacing it with Sunshine Key RV Marine Resort located just a couple miles away. In Key West, with well over three hundred poker run participants on the roster, we completely outgrew the Hilton Key West as our poker run headquarters, trying out the Turtle Kraal continued on page 18 16
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for two years in a row, before landing firmly planted at the all new, Conch Republic Seafood Company in the Historic Seaport. This was Key West’s newest and largest restaurant featuring a massive bar, open air dining, and plenty of space for hundreds of guests to wander freely. I was christened as our official HQ in November of 1999! The year 2000 came. The Y2K threat didn’t crash our computers and the new millennium seemed to get off to a pretty good start for Florida Powerboat Club. We had an aggressive schedule all year long. Our 20th FPC event for the calendar year saw staggering numbers! Equally, the offshore race world was peaking as well, with APBA under Mike Allweiss, working with JC and race-organization de jour, on what was probably one of more memorable Key West Worlds. The race village was well planned, well attended, and a real hotspot. Some of the most memorable Key West World Championships were staged in and around these years. Too bad they couldn’t get along. The 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States occurred less than sixty days before the scheduled November Key West Poker Run. An entire event cancellation or postponement was considered, but for some strange reason, the phone kept ringing. Indeed, the entire nation was in shock, in mourning and feeling numb. But there was something about that terrible incident that made so many say, ”We are not going to stop living our lives. If we do, the terrorists win!” It was a powerful force, and the momentum built to the extent, that a new, all-time record for participation was set for the Key West Poker Run. But that was also a year that presented perhaps the most challenging logistics we can recall. First, the race sanctioning bodies couldn’t get together on dates, so SBI or SBR or SB-whatever, and APBA offered completely alternate schedules. We, the “race-chasers” responded by offering two separate events, each a week apart, to accommodate the competing schedules. Second, it was 2001, the year of Hurricane Michelle. continued on page 20
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Challenges should be seen as a positive factor in the event management world. I am happy to report that some of the best outcomes and many changes in the Key West Poker Run over these twenty years have been the direct result of forces that could not be controlled. We adapted to the circumstances. It is one of the most valuable lessons I have learned as the club’s founder and I will gladly preach it to any poker run organizer from coast to coast. Be flexible and have a Plan B. Year ten for the Key West Poker Run was monumental. FPC had moved its complete operation into what powerboat enthusiasts would consider to be a landmark facility, Everglades Marina on the 17th St Causeway in Fort Lauderdale. For those who recall the history of this location, it was the largest and most popular performance boat dealer throughout the seventies and eighties. Ralph Martin and the late Noval Stahley were revered as the kingpins in a performance boating elite, which celebrated annually with the spring season Everglades Poker Run. The partnership fizzled in the early nineties, and the event was soon taken along with it, but it was an ironic twist that FPC’s big Tenth Annual Key West Poker Run was the last significant poker run event to operate from this truly historic location. The marina was slated for demolition in 2003, becoming the footprint for the all-new Port Marina & Condo project. So this was very nostalgic in many ways, and it will remain a key factoid, in the story that can be told, about the Key West Poker Run. SJ 20
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TEN YEARS
“Formation Flying” By 2003, the Key West Poker Run averaged well over a hundred boats, many of which were evenly matched in speed and performance. It made for some impressive starts, as the teams throttled up across the colorful waters of Biscayne Bay, leaving the Magic City behind.
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LATER STORY: STU JONES l PHOTOS: FPC ARCHIVE
F
rom the Reuters news wire, an article hit the national press on Nov 6, 2003 announcing that the Free Trade of Americas conference would be staged in Miami, just one week before the 11th Annual Key West Poker Run. The news read, “Miami is preparing for protests during the Americas trade talks as if for a ‘human hurricane,’ with federal judges moving trials out of town, cruise ships heading for calmer ports and security guards becoming the hottest date for the prom.” It went on to say, “Florida Powerboat Club is now faced with the challenge of changing its entire Miami poker run departure for the organizations signature poker run, which expects well over 130 powerboat teams to partake in this premiere South Florida powerboating event.” Okay, maybe that second part of the news flash is bullshit, but the first part really happened, and once again forced us to go straight to Plan B. There’s nothing worse than some silly group of protesters at a political event to get in the way of planning our Annual Key West Poker Run! The Miami Coast Guard office and local law enforcement would simply NOT permit us to organize our poker run departure from anywhere near Miami. But apparently Fort Lauderdale was okay, and we settled in at the Bahia Mar Resort, home of the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, for our southbound departure to the Florida Keys. Looking around the docks, it was apparent that there was a constantly changing environment within the poker run world. More cats were arriving, and there were a whole new slew of builders getting into tunnels and sponsons. Nor-Tech had introduced its new 3600 Supercat just a year earlier in ‘02, and it seemed like overnight there were over a dozen of them at the poker run. Hustler col-
laborated with Talon and came out with a popular 37 foot cat model, and all the way from California, Eliminators were starting to pop up on FPC events. Other Florida builders including Motion Marine and Spectre Powerboats, seemed to be plugging along with two or three models that were all go, with not a lot of power. It just seemed that everyone was loving the speed. The sport, quite simply, was getting faster! BIG was also getting mainstream. Fountain had released a new Express Cruiser line, starting with a 38 model, and later a 48, which offered stout beams, huge open cockpit space, full size cabins, and most importantly, respectable speeds that kept them in the poker run game. Nor-Tech was on fire with their monstrous 5000 Supercat, which typically got triple 800’s or 1000’s, although the occasional owner would take a four-pack of V8’s, which came with its own small factory of stainless exhaust when you opened that giant hatch! Even Nor-Tech’s 43 Supervee, now only two years in production, was already becoming a fixture on the poker run scene. This was a company that was truly riding the poker run wave. They, along with a number of other builders, had picked up on the poker run buzz, and made it their business to build the product to suit this growing arena of buyers. Even if it forced them to stay constantly focused on developing new models! Every once in a while, a truly exotic machine would come along a big 60 or 70 foot Magnum or a Baia, or maybe even a turbine powered cat on occasion - but the mainstream was still three vees to one cat. It was a good mix, ensuring a spicy continued on next page
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variety of cool looking hardware every time the boats rumbled up to the dock. However, one thing was certainly starting to present a challenge as we strived to keep the events safe and manage the logistic of this 170 run from Miami to Key West. It seemed like, out of nowhere, the speed differentials just went off the charts. A small group of “sport boaters” were still very content to cruise all day at 50 mph and enjoy the scenery, with the girls laying on the sunpad and the tunes cranked up. But by 2004, well over half the poker run fleet was cruising at 80 mph plus, and a growing number of weekend warriors were looking for triple digit speeds from start to finish. Now, this was about to get interesting. In 2004, after millions were spent in R&D, Mercury Racing had introduced the all new 1075SCi, and soon after the bugs were worked out of the first few sets of motors, it was apparent that anybody willing to write the check, was going to be running well over 100mph on pump fuel. No, these were not racing motors, they were poker run motors, and they would push most of the name brand vee-bottoms well over a hundred. Cats across the board were running 130 plus. FPC was now in a quest for safer events, and the Safety Management Program was beefed up significantly. Safety rules touted the benefits of wearing life jackets, but did not yet make them mandatory. Alcoholic beverages were now officially forbidden for boat drivers, and the driver was no longer just the guy steering. Anyone at the helm, including a throttleman, is considered a driver and fell under the same guidelines. It was all necessary, and while some opposed the apparent tyranny, the majority of participants embraced the tougher stance on safety. The thing about speed is that it is engrained in our very makeup. A recurring memory from my childhood keeps coming back over and again. It is the voice of the ride operator at the county fair where I grew up, asking over the loud speaker, “Do you all wanna go faster!?” to which all the candy floss-sticky kids would scream…Yah!! The only difference now, is that the kids are all grown up, and rather than gripping ride handles, they are squeezing throttles and steering wheels, negociating an obstacle course of lobster pots in the middle Keys, at 120 mph! Who’da thunk it? SJ
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ALL GROWN UP
The 39 Nor-Tech King of Clubs was a huge hit throughout the Poker Run circuit in 2008. FPC had the pleasure of hosting Mercury Racing president, Fred Kiekhaefer, who took the helm for the Key West Poker Run that year.
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STORY: STU JONES l PHOTOS: FPC ARCHIVE
KEY WEST POKER RUN (2008-2012) After fifteen years, the Key West Poker Run was engrained in the minds of the global boating community as the signature powerboating poker run in North America, and beyond. Europeans from Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, the UK and Scandinavia were making it an annual event, transporting their boats on trans-Atlantic freighters so they could attend, or purchasing boats in Florida to engage in the run, before shipping them overseas for the short summers in their homelands. In every instance, year after year, our international visitors have shared their intense passion for the Key West event, touting its scenic run through the Keys and the excitement of the Poker Run Village as the reasons they spend tens of thousands of euros to travel, transport and participate in this very special event. One thing that never gets old is the genuine and sincere gratitude that we’ve received at FPC, year after year, by our club members, industry sponsors, marine journalists and boating peers, for a job well done. When passionate people are engaged in a sport or recreation that they truly enjoy, they are not afraid to share their enthusiasm. It is that very spirit, that intoxication with the Key West Poker Run experience, that has kept this event wildly popular, and nearly perfect in so many ways— even in the presence of flaws. When weather has turned vicious and seas became rough, when hiccups in the logistics created lines for food or fuel, or when equipment fails and boats had to be retired to their trailers in the first hour of the run, people magically find a way to rise above it all, and make their Key West Poker Run a memorable occasion. I can remember having a Key West
newcomer attend in 2010 and he blew a drive in the early stages of the run, near Key Largo. He was getting his trailer and heading home to North Carolina, but I wouldn’t let him leave. We got the FPC shuttle to him, arranged a drive repair with one of our performance marine affi liates, and he was running the next day! Amazed at the handling of the problem that helped him salvage his weeklong plans to attend his first Key West event, this member turned around, bought a new boat, and has become one of our club’s most avid supporters. It’s a great story indeed, and one that many participants find similar to their own experiences. That is the powerful force that keeps the Key West Poker Run alive. THE DREAM BECOMES REALITY: KING OF CLUBS We had some very good years in the marine industry as we approached 2008, and I had always dreamed of owning a powerboat. Of course, I wanted a great boat at the best price, so it was a no-brainer to collaborate with as many of our performance industry partners as we possibly could to build the best boat possible. I had many great relationships with manufacturers, but Trond Schou and Nils Johnsen had become almost family with FPC. Combined with a strong affi liation with the Mercury Racing guys, we had the basic pieces of the puzzle, and King of Clubs was the result, a Nor-tech 3900 Supervee, with a pair of Mercury Racing 700SCi’s. What a beast! What a ride! What a perfect paceboat for the Key West Poker Run! Among some of the most memorable poker runs and family weekends on the King of Clubs, were both Key West 2008 and Key West 2009. In 2008, Mercury Racing President Fred Keikhaefer, who was essentially my “guest driver,” joined me at the helm of the
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King of Clubs on the Tuesday departure of the Key West Poker Run. Even though I had known Fred quite well for years, from our dealings with Mercury Racing as a sponsor, it was the ultimate cool to have the boss man on board, driving our family Nor-Tech. Just one year later, soon after I had sold the boat to Sean Gallivan, the current owner, I hosted a sponsoring group of enthusiastic Norwegians on the Nor-tech for 2009. After running the boat from Miami to Marathon, it was time for me to return to Miami for the next wave of boats so I turned the helm over to Nortech co-owner Trond Schou who finished the run from Marathon to Key West. It was a task he handled well, earning him further respect from his countrymen, who inevitably purchased their very own Nor-Tech which debuts right here, on the Key West Poker Run 2012! By 2009, the national economy was in turmoil, and the performance boating industry was taking a beating on all fronts. Manufacturers cut back, some closed, dealers scrambled to move inventory, and banks refused to lend. It took its toll on the Key West Poker Run as the registration numbers fell in 2009 for their very first time. And again in 2010. Numbers began rebounding to the 150-team mark in 2011. These were tough years for the performance marine industry, but in some mysterious way, while other poker run events were suffering drastically or going away, Key West was showing amazing signs of staying power. What has been truly amazing about these most recent years is gazing around the poker run fleet and seeing the evolution of the equipment. A staggering number of catamarans, Skaters and MTI’s with Mercury Racing power, that cruise close to the 150’s! More variety in vee-bottoms than ever seen before, and a new wave of open-cockpit, center console boats, which are focused on anything but fishing. With so many choices, and such a wide variety in cruising speeds, it certainly has created the most diverse fleets of poker run boats than ever before. From the organizers perspective, FPC management still faces the challenges associated with this ongoing evolution. But adapting to changes is what has kept this event thriving. It’s what we do. SJ 32
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KEY WEST WEEKEND ITINERARY
LOG ON TO WWW.FLPOWERBOAT.COM
Please don’t forget to bring your dinner tickets and play your poker cards! NO EXCEPTIONS will be made for forgotten dinner tickets! New poker hands may be purchased for $100 per hand.
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KEY WEST 2012 TITLE SPONSOR Pier 57 Marine. In early 2012, the top two high-performance powerboat dealerships in the country—Pier 57 Marine and Sjogren Performance Marine, joined forces and became the new Pier 57 Marine.
Mercury Racing enhances the image of Mercury Marine by producing high performance outboards, sterndrives, propellers, parts and accessories using leading edge technology. www.mercuryracing.com
Nor-Tech has set out to build exclusive products that are not available from existing production or custom boat builders. Since inception, each passing year is marked with more improvements, refinements and increased capacity. www.nor-techboats.com
Offleaseonly is the #1 volume used car dealer in South Florida. We have five acres with the capacity to hold over 700 cars for you to choose. We strive to offer the largest selection at the lowest possible prices. www.offleaseonly.com
Old Town Villas is a Carribbean inspired community in the heart of Key West designed to blend the classic Key West Old Town style with a modern, upscale atmosphere. www.jewelconst.com/oldtownvillas
POWERBOATING IN PARADISE
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KEY WEST POKER RUN Tom Abraham Michael Alexander Rich Antonucci Ray Aquit Jorge & Ann Arellano George & Shannon Argyros Ken Armstrong Jeff Asbell Corey Bakken/Chris Walker Joel Begin Greg Bent Bob & Elle Berg Shawn Berger Richard Bergquist Bob & Kari Blanford Jeffrey Bognolo George Boyd Chris & Angela Bradley David Branton Skip Braver Stephan Broeker Gerald Brown Nick Buis Robert Burger Joe Calvanese Randy Carver Julie & Wayne Casey Stephen Cline Greg Connell Scott Conrad Brian Cooper Jeff & Jennifer Corbel Robert DʼAngelo Elias Delatorre Allan & Annie DenBesten Jeff Devolin Chris Dilling Dan Ellis Bob Eppl Mike Fiore Mark & Eileen Fischer Vince Foglia Mike Fountain George Fragedis Diogo Francisco Alex Fruth Buzz Fyhrie Tim Gallagher Jessica Gamarra
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NY NY CT FL FL FL TX MO GA CAN LA FL LA OK FL FL CAN TX LA FL GER GA FL MI CT OH ON IA TX FL KY IL MI FL FL CAN FL CA IN RI FL IL FL NY MD IL FL FL MI
42ʼ MTI 32ʼ Skater 37ʼ Outerlimits 36ʼ Deep Impact 35ʼ Fountain 43ʼ Donzi 48ʼ MTI 40ʼ Skater Sponsor 52ʼ Outerlimits 39ʼ Nor-Tech 50ʼ Nor-Tech 38ʼ Donzi 42ʼ MTI 36ʼ MTI 38ʼ Donzi 42ʼ Statement! 40ʼ Nor-Tech 50ʼ Cigarette 39ʼ Cigarette 27ʼ Eliminator 42ʼ Fountain 37ʼ Statement! 39ʼ Nor-Tech 46ʼ Skater 50ʼ Nor-Tech 39ʼ Cigarette 42ʼ Fountain Sponsor 34ʼ Nor-Tech 40ʼ Skater 32ʼ Fountain 38ʼ Donzi 47ʼ Apache 43ʼ Sea Ray 38 Hustler Sponsor 38ʼ Cigarette 39ʼ Velocity 47ʼ Outerlimits 36ʼ Deep Impact 42ʼ Cigarette 34ʼ Doug Wright 39ʼ Cigarette 36ʼ Nor-Tech 42ʼ Outerlimits Sponsor 36ʼ Deep Impact Sponsor
POWERBOATING IN PARADISE
MTI TJA MOTORSPORTS INCOGNITO BLUE PRINT OGP DONZILLA PHANTOM SKATER SUPERTRUCKS NO STRESS AMNESIA ARTEMIS 2 BAD ATTITUDES PRIORITY BOB GOOD NEIGHBOR STATEMENT RAINMAKER VOODOO CIGARETTE RACING TEAM GERMANY 3 ILLUSION STATEMENT! STRYKE DE CAL NO COMPROMISE UNRULY CREW II BEAK BEAK LEGEND MARINE GROUP NOR-TECH SMOKE THIS FOUNTAIN DAGOFAST SPIRIT OF APACHE ANNIE TIME USUAL SUSPECTS FRISINI MOTORSPORTS PUFF THIS VELOCITY OUTERLIMITS OFFLEASEONLY.COM SAGE DOUG WRIGHT GUN WILD KNOT WASTIN TIME ENOUGH ALREADY TOTAL DOLLAR INSURANCE DEEP IMPACT ILMOR HI PERFORMANCE
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2012 PARTICIPANTS LIST Glen Gerstenslager Eric Glaser Gary Goodell Larry Goldman Matthew Gordon Dr Ino Halegua Carl & Tammy Hansen Pat & Diane Haughey Albert Haynesworth Sharon and Zane Henley Chris Heule Chris & Amy Higgins R.B. & Fran Hixson Peter Hledin Tommy & Kate Hofstetter Anton Holstrom Jeff & Kim Howell Chet & Cindy Huffman Chris & Brandy Humphrey Gabriele Jasper Ken Jensen Richard Jones Glenn Kennedy Randy Kent Jonathan Kish Daren Kittredge David Landsman Todd Larson Michael Lattomus Brandon Lee James E. Lee Kerry & Rhonda Leong Don & Alice Lightfoot Alan Lima Joe LoGuidice John & Mari Lombardi Laszlo Lukacs Larry & Amy Luna Brian Lundy Henrik Margard Jan-Erik Margard Steve & Lisa Marini Greg & Brenda McCauley Steve McEachern Zane & Amanda Mead Karsten Melcher G. Michael Merritt Keith Merritt Craig Mytelka
OH FL FL FL CT FL FL FL FL FL TX FL TN MI FL SC IA CA TX NJ CAN FL WI MO FL MA MD IA DE OK KS BC TX FL NY FL MI TX CAN NOR NOR NY MO NC TX GER OH OH VA
42ʼ Fountain 37ʼ Midnight Express 38ʼ Cigarette 40ʼ Outerlimits SV 37ʼ Hustler 35ʼ Motion 36ʼ Blackwater 37ʼ Active Thunder 39ʼ Cigarette 38ʼ Cigarette 42ʼ Statement! 38 Donzi 42ʼ Fountain 41ʼ Skater 41ʼ Skater 42ʼ Cigarette 42ʼ MTI 43ʼ Nor-Tech 42ʼ Fountain 43ʼ Aronoli 40ʼ Nor-Tech Sponsor 43ʼ Outerlimits 44ʼ MTI 38ʼ Formula 38ʼ Cigarette 39ʼ Outerlimits 48ʼ Outerlimits 44ʼ MTI 38ʼ Cigarette 35ʼ Cigarette 52ʼ Outerlimits 43ʼ Nor-Tech 80ʼ Mangusta 39ʼ Hustler 38ʼ Powerplay 37ʼ Active Thunder 37ʼ Statement! 43ʼ Nor-Tech 80ʼ Sunseeker 47ʼ Nor-Tech 39ʼ Nor-Tech 48ʼ MTI 36ʼ Skater 44ʼ MTI 34ʼ Hustler 45ʼ Cigarette 48ʼ Fountain 43ʼ Sunsation
AWESOME MIDNIGHT MADNESS MISS GEICO XTREMEPOWERBOATS.COM HUSTLER GREECED LIGHTNING BOATSDIRECTUSA.COM ACTIVE THUNDER THE GOOD LIFE LIQUID ASSET INVITATION ONLY SOLID INVESTMENT FRANTASTIC SKATER POWERBOATS CHIEF PERFORMANCE COUNTRY GIRL WEIGH FASTER WAY NUTZ SERVICE ME PAIN KILLER DISTURBING BEHAVIOUR OLD TOWN VILLAS HOLY SMOKE MARINE CONCEPTS PAY TO PLAY SILVERBACK KING OF CARS BURNINʼ GREEN OUT OF DENARO GENERAL LEE FREEDOM US1 HOLY $#?! FOOT LOOSE GROVE HARBOUR MARINA HUSTLER/SPONSOR CANʼT TOUCH THIS ENERGY CRISES CHAMPAGNE STATEMENT CATASTROPHE POKERRUNEVENTS.NO POKERRUNEVENTS.NO OPEN HOUSE MTI ROOSTERTAILS&COCKTAILS OVERKILL GERMANY I MERRITTORIOUS MERRITTROPOLIS SUNSATION continued next page
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♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣ KEY WEST POKER RUN 2012 PARTICIPANTS LIST continued from previous page John OʼLoughlin Mark Palanchian Gary Patterson Marco Pennesi James Porter Scott Price Benoit Primeau Kevin Primmer Bill Pyburn JR. Dennis Raia Jeff & Linda Raley Mat C. & Ann Marie Raymond Anthony & Tammy Reece Leighton & Katie Reese Red Reynolds Manny & Christina Roman John Rosatti Chris Ryder Joe Sabo David Sacher Glenn Salyer Martin Sanborn Mike & Maggie Sanz Randy Scism Frank (Shorty) Schultz Frank Schultz Jr. Scott Sjogren Sebastian Skallist Gary Smith Terry Sobo Steve Soffa Chuck & Shannon Stark Mark Stockwell Kevin Skiba Ron Szolack John Teague Leonard “Buddy” Thomas David Tievy David Tievy David & Darah Vanlerberg Curt & Juju Vinson Shawn Vinson Michael & Veronica Voudouris Derek Wachob Mark & Rachel Waddington Allen Waddle Dallas Wharton Jeff Whitlock Jim Wiley Kort & Jessica Wittich John Woodruff 42
NY FL FL IT IL FL QU ON FL NY TN NC KY MN WI FL FL NY NJ FL KY NC FL MO PA CO IL NOR AZ FL CA SC MI WI MI FL MA MD MD KS FL MO TX OK NE TN FL AL FL LA GA
48ʼ MTI TERMINATOR 85ʼ Yacht - MIA NEXTERAPOWERMARKETING Sponsor LIBERTY COACH 48ʼ Metamarine METAMARINE 34ʼ Phantom PIPEDREAM Sponsor HARDIN MARINE 47ʼ Fountain EL TAURʼEAU 35ʼ Fountain PERFECT STORM 38ʼ Skater PURE PLATINUM 48ʼ MTI OUTRAIAGIOUS 38ʼ Frisini/Sonic EXIT STRATEGY 38ʼ Fountain MISS GRACE 42ʼ Statement! SADDLE UP 32ʼ Sunsation LEIGHTONʼS 80ʼ Nor-Tech LADY LISA 43ʼ GT 430 Motion Cat MOTION 50ʼ Cigarette REMEMBER WHEN 32ʼ Skater MR. O 38ʼ Cigarette MORNINʼ SMOKE 36ʼ Deep Impact LEO IV 47ʼ Outerlimits RED RIVER RANCH 28ʼ P1 USA SUPER STOCK 33ʼ Renegade CIQALA 48ʼ MTI MTI V 39ʼ Nor-Tech NOR-TECH 46ʼ Cigarette AMERICAN MUSCLE III 39ʼ Cigarette PIER 57 34ʼ Nor-Tech SPEEDBOATS.NO 40ʼ Skater PREDATOR 39ʼ Nor-Tech NOR-TECH Poker Run Village HARDCORE WATCH COMPANY 33ʼ Scarab BLOWN ACCUZATIONS 50ʼ Nor-Tech GOT CHICKS? Title Sponsor MERCURY RACING 44ʼ MTI FLIGHT CLUB 42ʼ Huntress HUNTRESS 50ʼ Outerlimits GOLD DIGGER 48ʼ Fountain SPEC-OPS IV 48ʼ Fountain SPEC-OPS III 40ʼ Formula FORMULA 39ʼ Nor-Tech HIGH HEELIN 44ʼ MTI BAT BOAT 42ʼ Fountain CLEAN SWEEP 48ʼ MTI ZR48 MTI 47ʼ Fountain 21 GUNS 35ʼ Fountain FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 45ʼ Sonic DISTRESSED AQUASITIONS 42ʼ MTI DO IT 44ʼ Nor-Tech XXX 43ʼ Sunsation NO CEILINGS 48ʼ MTI WINDSHIP
POWERBOATING IN PARADISE
Pokerrrunevents.no is a Norwegian based company that organizes motorsporting events and provides first class concierge service across the globe. This group began attending Key West in 2007 riding aboard King Of Clubs.
Steve Soffa is a master artisan and awardwinning designer who wraps his extraordinary vision of perfectly-crafted timepieces around your wrist. Open up your mind and experience a world that defines creation.
Powerboat Nation is your source for all things powerboating. We are committed to promoting all aspects of powerboating through a vast network of vendors, partners and the entire spectrum of power boaters. www.powerboatnation.com
The Powerboating In Paradise TV series showcases the adventure and excitement of Florida Powerboat Club’s poker run events from around the Sunshine State. www.powerboatinginparadise.tv
Superior Communications Incorporated has developed a national reputation for quality. SCI has engineered, programmed, installed, inspected, and maintained projects from wireless solutions and cellular services to paging systems, GPS applications, and web solutions for over 35 years. www.scicommo.com
Skater Nation is the official factory certified dealership and warranty service center for Skater Powerboats of Douglas Marine. www.skaternation.net
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KEY WEST POK NOV 8 - 11
FREE TO THE PUBLIC - RACE FANS WELCOME
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POWERBOATING IN PARADISE
KER RUN VILLAGE 2012 HOURS: THURSDAY 12 NOON TO 10:00 PM FRIDAY & SAT 10:00 TO 10:00 PM SUNDAY 10:00 TO 4:00 PM
KEY WEST PRIZES
WWW.FLPOWERBOAT.COM: LOG ON FOR VIDEOS, PHOTOGRAPHY & UPCOMING EVENTS
FIRST PLACE $22,750 IN PRIZES
2012 Ford Mustang Convertible
Suicide King
by OffLeaseOnly.com
Designer Watch by Steve Soffa
Prize Value $18,000
Prize Value $4,250
Florida Powerboat Club Voucher, $500
SECOND PLACE $6,850 IN PRIZES
THIRD PLACE
Ace of Pain
$2,790 IN PRIZES
Designer Watch by Steve Soffa
Joker
Designer Watch by Steve Soffa
Prize Value $2,750
Prize Value $1,100
Garmin 5208 Chart Plotter and
Icom M92D Handheld Radio by Superior Communications. Prize Value $3,300 $300 Gift Certificate by Custom Marine
PEOPLE CHOICE AWARDS Provided by: American Outdoor Coolers
$500 $500 Voucher $500 & Gift Basket by Doller Offshore Marine FPC $300 Voucher
Super Lights
by Ocean LED
Prize Value $1,000
Handheld Radio One Big Fat Towel! Prize Value $90
FPC voucher
FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS Legend Marine Group — T shirts Hustler Powerboats — Sunglasses Custom Marine — T shirts Hats, Shirts, Coozies & Stickers for all of the teams! Check your Goody Bag!
MORE PRIZES FROM:
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POWERBOATING IN PARADISE
Icom M92D
Statement Marine has created the most innovative performance boats on the market. We incorporate hydrodynamics, aerodynamics and ergonomics into topquality performance boat design. www.statementmarine.com
Total Dollar offers exclusive “full throttle,” high-performance, offshore powerboat coverage for fast Vee hulls to 130 mph and even faster Catamaran hulls to 160 mph. www.totaldollarflorida.com
POWERBOATING IN PARADISE
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Boca Grande 2011 48
POWERBOATING IN PARADISE
2012/2013 CALENDAR NOV. 6-12, 2012
20TH ANNUAL KEY WEST POKER RUN Miami to Key West
Multiple departures! Wednesday - Friday s FPC’s Signature Event!
JANUARY 25-27, 2013
WINTER RALLY- FLORIDA KEYS Destination TBA
FEBRUARY 14-18, 2013
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW Miami Beach Convention Center.
Ad Index BAM MARINE ......................................... 19 CIGARETTE RACING TEAM..................... 11 EXTREME MARINE ................................. 35 ILMOR HIGH PERFORMANCE.................. 09 KEY WEST POKER RUN 2012 ............ BACK MERCURY RACING ...................................2 PERFORMANCE MARINE TRADING ......... 33 OFFLEASEONLY.COM ............................. 13 OLD TOWN VILLAS ................................ 05 PIER 57.................................................. 21 SUPERIOR COMMUNICATIONS INC ......... 25 THE ART OF DESIGN ( TAOD )...................27 TEAGUE CUSTOM MARINE .................. ... 49 TOTAL DOLLAR INSURANCE .................. 17
FEBRUARY 15, 2013
FPC MIAMI BOAT SHOW BASH s 2ALEIGH (OTEL 3OUTH "EACH &,
/Fl CIAL +ICKOFF FOR THE -IAMI "OAT 3HOW 0OKER 2UN -ISS -IAMI "OAT 3HOW 0OKER 2UN #ONTEST FEBRUARY 21-24, 2013
MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN
-IAMI TO )SLAMORADA s 0OSTCARD )NN !T (OLIDAY )SLE 0ELICAN #OVE 2ESORT s &EATURES 0OKER 2UN 6ILLAGE MARCH 2013
NEW EVENT TBA / FL WEST COAST APRIL 12-14, 2013
TAMPA BAY POKER RUN
7ITH &ESTIVALS OF 3PEED FEATURING 0OKER 2UN 6ILLAGE s s 2ENAISSANCE 6INOY 2ESORT 3T 0ETERSBERG MAY 17-19, 2013
JACKSONVILLE POKER RUN
$OWNTOWN *ACKSONVILLE 3T *OHNS 2IVER
POWERBOATING IN PARADISE TV 2012 SERIES SCHEDULE
JULY 2013
BAHAMAS POKER RUN Dates & Destination island TBA AUGUST 17, 2013
21ST ANNUAL EMERALD COAST POKER RUN
$ESTIN &T 7ALTON "EACH "OAT 7EEK ACTIVITIES BEGIN !UGUST th) NOVEMBER 5-11, 2013
21ST ANNUAL KEY WEST POKER RUN FESTIVAL
-IAMI TO +EY 7EST &EATURING +EY 7EST 0OKER 2UN 6ILLAGE -ULTIPLE DEPARTURES 7EDNESDAY &RIDAY s &0# S 3IGNATURE %VENT Please confirm with FPC office before making travel plans. Dates subject to change. Visit our website www.flpowerboat.com for updated information.
CONTACT US: 954-545-1414
WWW.FLPOWERBOAT.COM
s &0#%6%.43 '-!), #/- s
ADVERTISING DEADLINES: WINTER 2013 ISSUE AD MATERIALS: JAN 15, 2013