Pip vol16#2 2016

VOL 16 #2

A MAGAZINE SHOWCASING THE FLORIDA POWERBOAT CLUB LIFESTYLE

MIAMI

TAMPA BAY FUN

BOAT SHOW n u R r e k o

St Petersburg Provides the Perfect Playground For this Annual Spring Fling

P

HORSEPOWER

Mid-Winter Escape to Islamorada!

EUROPE POKER RUN 2016

Fast & Furious Without the Hollywood Cameras.

IN PARADISE

Key West AIR-LAND-SEA Poker Run Highlights!

l Historic aHAVANA FPC Logs an Exciting Journey from Key West To Cuba.

BVI THE BEAUTIFUL

Island Hopping on the Leverick Bay Poker Run

Plus...

SMOKIN’ THE SOUND

A Return to Biloxi on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

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A Magazine Showcasing The Florida Powerboat Club Lifestyle SUMMER EDITION Vol. 16#2

EDITOR/PUBLISHER Stu Jones stu@flpowerboat.com

OFFICE MANAGER

Tracey Gutierrez admin@flpowerboat.com

ART DIRECTOR

Juan Carlos Grisales fpcmag@gmail.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Juan Grisales Sean Bennett

PHOTOGRAPHY

Stu Jones Jerry Wyszatycki

EVENT MANAGEMENT Jackie Jones jackie@flpowerboat.com

TV & VIDEO PRODUCTION Stu Jones David Steel Ryan McCoy Mike Frenden

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

CONTENTS 6 MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN

On the tail of the Miami Boat Show, FPC members and performance manufacturers enjoyed a four day escape to paradise in Islamorada, for the annual Miami Boat Show Poker Run.

40 TAMPA BAY POKER RUN The west coast of Florida proved it’s no longer a chain of sleepy little vacation towns, as Tampa and St. Petersburg dished out a weekend of boating sun and night-time fun for the 6th Annual Tampa Bay Poker Run !

FPC Pompano Beach Headquarters

Traveling? Need to lighten the load? Enjoy the digital version of this issue of Powerboating in Paradise Magazine on...

40

66 EUROPE POKER RUN Fast & Furious without the movie stars and special effects, might best describe FPC’s 1st Annual Europe Poker Run, as a dozen couples drove turbocharged Porsches through five countries, visiting historic cities, quaint villages and amazing attractions along the way!

66

76 KEY WEST AIR, LAND & SEA

TWO if by Sea.. is now THREE. Where it floats, rolls or flies, anything goes when it comes to this once-a-year event format, where enthusiasts come together for a weekend of Horsepower in Paradise.

80 FLORIDA - HAVANA POWERBOAT RALLY CUBA or BUST might be the ideal slogan for this history-making event, as 17 powerboat teams braved eight foot seas to join the list of first-timers to parade through Havana Bay and visit this alluring and astonishing city.

88 BVI LEVERICK BAY POKER RUN

Island hopping in the breath-taking British Virgin Islands is all part of the format for the 15th Annual Leverick Bay Poker Run. Join Mark & Eileen Fischer in their Nor-Tech 527 for what may soon become a bucket list poker run for many enthusiasts!

92 SMOKIN THE SOUND Biloxi Mississippi whipped up a weekend of succulent seafood, blackjack tables and power boating fun, as over thirty teams from all over the south took part in the 7th Annual Smokin the Sound Poker Run. ON THE COVER: Havana’s Morro Castle, made for an impressive backdrop, as Mark & Eileen Fischer make their entrance to Havana Bay, as part of FPC’s history-making adventure.

All copyright laws apply. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the expressed written permission of the publisher

6

FPC LADIES: Brooke and Loryn made a great duo on the Tampa Bay Poker Run, handing out poker cards and greeting guests at the event functions.

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https://www.facebook.com/flpowerboat https://www.youtube.com/user/FLpowerboatClub

SEE THE COMPLETE DIGITAL EDITION OF POWERBOATING IN PARADISE MAGAZINE AT WWW.FLPOWERBOAT.COM

JULY 2016

Letter from the

PRESIDENT

I

t seems like the 2007 film The Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, two terminally-ill hospital room-mates who set out their pursue their wildest “must-do” challenges before they “kick the bucket”, sparked the concept of bucket list for many of us. In my daily routine, seldom does a day pass without a member of FPC or someone in our boating circle referring to a particular event as..”a bucket list poker run.” The funny part is, not a single one of these references are made by anyone that is terminally ill, nor even past mid-life in many cases! It’s just one of those terms that sums up a passionate desire to check off a few “Must-do” items before it’s too late! (however late that may be!)

me, just glance through this issue of the magazine and see illustrated proof of what we’ve logged over that last three months..Florida Keys three times, St.Pete, Tampa, five countries in Europe, Havana Cuba..and the list goes on. But the concept of the list has

eluded me. It seems that every time I check off another adventure that I share with members of the Florida Powerboat Club, I somehow find a way to add two or more items to the bottom of the list. In other words, it’s a self-perpetuating list, and I will never likely use that rubber stamp in the office that says COMPLETED, before the list is filed away. Yes indeed, there are many many more exciting things to be added to that list, and the best part is, all my BL items are designed to be carried out in a group setting, with my FPC friends. No, I’m not dying, just dying to get out more.

I’m one of those people that uses the term almost daily, and I really enjoy using it. More importantly, it has almost become a philosophy in my own life, as I truly believe more than ever, in checking off as many great experiences as I can, particularly where it involves travel, exploring new destinations, and meeting new people from a wide variety of cultures. If you don’t believe

Jackie & Stu Jones, Havana Bay

A

s we now hit the mid-way point of the 2016 calendar year, Jackie and I are heading off with the family on our traditional Summer Poker Run Tour, which is comprised of mostly non-FPC events where we visit our club members, making new boating friends and helping fellow organizers in whatever way we can.

I’ve already enjoyed the Biloxi Smokin the Sound, The Cumberland Thunder Run and Boyne Thunder in Michigan, and made a LOT of new friends!

What I wish to share will all of our members and the performance boating community, is that over the next few years we will be building a global “association” of powerboaters and poker run events, so that we can connect with each other in more ways than ever. The end result, is that a powerboater from anywhere in the U.S., can potentially exchange a poker run weekend with another boater anywhere in the world…From Norway or Sweden, to the Mediterranean coast in Spain, Mallorca or Italy, or as far away as Australia! We already have a global network of thousands of boaters in our FPC family, so its time to make this transition, something I have wanted to explore for many years!

Enjoy your summer, be safe, and we hope to see all of you in the Sunshine State by this fall, for Bimini (Sept) or for our signature 24th Annual Key West Poker Run.

Email me your comments to: stu@flpowerboat.com Sincerely

Stu Jones

President & Founder, FPC

It wasn’t easy for many of the seasoned Miami Boat Show veterans, exhitibors and visitors alike, to adapt to the change-of-venue for 2016.

After all, moving the historic show from the landmark Miami Beach Convention Center in the heart of South Beach, all the way to Virginia Key, was practically like moving to another country!

That said, the show must go on, and so too, did the FPC Miami Boat Show Bash. Ironically, the NEW party location at Monty’s Miami Beach Marina location, wasn’t really new at all to many of us. In fact, so many of our FPC members berth their yachts at this huge marina, it was an easy move for many. Taking place in the usual Friday night time slot, about 300 guests stopped by for food, fun and a festive spirit, as a dozen lovely ladies entertained the visitors in their sexy Valentine’s Day outfits. Sometimes, a little change isn’t so bad after all! SJ 6 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

14

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 7

Power Trip THE MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN CONTINUES TO PROVIDE THE IDEAL ESCAPE FOR POWERBOAT ENTHUSIASTS AND WOULD-BE BUYERS, TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LATEST HIGH-PERFORMANCE HARDWARE IN THE TROPICAL FLORIDA KEYS. STORY: STU JONES l PHOTOS: JERRY WYSZATYCKI

W

hile the major venue change from Miami Beach to Virginia Key for the 2016 edition of the Miami International Boat Show caught many visitors and industry professionals off guard with major logistics challenges, it was comforting for almost four hundred attendees of the Miami Boat Show Poker Run‌.to see little change in the 2016 event program.

With Grove Harbour Marina as the starting point for the four day event which returned to Islamorada in the Florida Keys, powerboats of all descriptions converged on Coconut Grove for the February mid-winter escape. What may have come as a bit of a surprise for some, was that in spite of the growth in popularity of high-performance center consoles, the Thursday fleet of about forty teams, was stacked with colorful highperformance hardware. The docks were lined with big thundering horsepower, through-transom exhaust that roared with slightest throttle input, beefy Mercury Racing stern drives and shiny racing propellers that sell for a whopping $ 10,000-plus per pair.

8 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

So where were the center consoles? No worries, they were sure to make their presence well-known before the weekend was out!

The Wednesday night captains meeting at the Courtyard Marriott Coconut Grove was well attended, and perhaps one of the noticeable highlights for FPC management and for the longtime FPC veterans, was to simply look around the room and discover a wave of new members, many attending their very first poker run with Florida Powerboat Club. Clearly, the new blood has kept the wheels of FPC turning for years, and many of the long-term members were quick to welcome the newcomers, and thank them for coming on board. Soon after, a large group of attendees congregated at Grove Bay Grill for cocktails and socializing, where boats and big horsepower dominated much of the conversation. Outside of the boat buff dialogue, it was apparent that three out of four attendees were from Northern climes, and there was no doubt they were all just happy to be out of the cold, and prepping for a warm sunny escape to the Florida Keys.

Thursday morning got kicked off dockside at Grove Harbour Marina, where a number of performance boats were still lined up on trailers for forklift launches by the big marina staff. There’s just something to be said about the wow-factor one gets to look up and see a massive forty foot fiberglass missile, perched twenty five feet above the ground, with barely half of its hull cradled by the forks, leaving the remaining half extended out far beyond the end of the forks…dangling precariously above the concrete! It’s a perfect segment feature for the once-popular TV show, “How DO They Do That?” But somehow, almost miraculously, these monster machines make it into the water unscathed, and the Grove Harbour marina staff soon had the boats stacked peacefully alongside the floating dock, followed with bags of ice for the coolers and dock carts full of luggage for a handful of very anxious crew members that just arrived on flights from Detroit or New York or St. Louis….a.k.a. COLD CITY, USA.

The fun soon began with the ceremonious poker-card hand off, as the fleet circled in the harbor and made their way to the FPC girls with the long poker card pole…receiving their first of five poker cards for the weekend. If not for the fanfare alone of getting that first card, the photo ops are fantastic, as three cameras including an aerial drone, captured the drill from various vantage points. Yes indeed, it is the time for the ladies to shine, as boat after boat, they pranced proudly in their latest bikini or colorful team apparel, to grab that first card!

The poker run start took place from the outer markers in Biscayne Bay, and in recent years they have been going much more smoothly. For those that have not participated in an FPC poker run, there are three waves of boats at the start, with the faster Hi Performance boats that run triple digit speeds, leading off the pack, followed by the Performance Class (75- 80mph cruise) and then the Sportboat Class (50-60mph), which is dominated by center consoles and a handful of thirtysomething performance boats that prefer the smoother waters. continued on next page POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 9

y a d s r Thu

Albert Grigoryan (CA) Team HOLY SMOKE - 44’ Outerlimits

Thomas & Eliesha Calabro (RI) Team DELUSIONAL - 36’ Spectre

Of course, the smoother water comes soon after the previous wave has paced well ahead, because it typically takes about five minutes for all the wakes to dissipate and return the course to calm bay waters.

A new fourth class was later added to the mix in April, called Sportboat Twin, which is led by the FPC’s new paceboat, a 33 Ocean Hawk center console, powered by twin Mercury Verado 300’s…( See Tampa Poker Run feature this issue for more on that!)

After a lavish lunch in the tropical setting of Gilberts Key Largo, the group carried on to Islamorada’s Postcard Inn & Marina, in the Upper Keys.

Robert / Xavier Nodarse (FL) Team Dolphin Towing & Recovery - 32’ Doug Wright

continued on page 12 Kevin Catron (MD) Team K6AUTOS.COM - 36’ Cigarette

Mark & Eileen Fischer (FL) Team WHERE’S EILEEN - 52’ NorTech

10 POWERBOATING IN PARADISE |

y a d s r u Th Door to door, it’s only about 80 miles one way to this destination, but with Friday and Saturday to explore the Florida Keys, and a great weather forecast ahead, these early birds had plenty to look forward to!

Friday provided a 2nd Miami departure group of equal size, bringing the fleet to approximately 80 boats for the 21st year of the event, which was an ideal size for the Postcard Inn marina venue, a location that has always presented (space) challenges as the powerboats-of-today continue to grow in length and beam.

A Friday dinner party on the beach provided the ideal setting to congregate the 300 guests under the rustic Tiki, as a warm tropical breeze reminded our sun-seekers just how lucky they were, to finally raise their glasses in celebration, and maybe even their middle fingers, with a simple toast…”Screw you Mr. Winter.. We’re in the Florida Keys, its 80 degrees, and you can’t stop us from having fun this weekend!”

Sharon Henley (FL) Team LIQUID ASSET - 38’ Cigarette

Brett & Sheila Baur (UT) Team PANTY DROPPER - 44’ MTI

Richard Gerth (CAN) Team OUTERLIMITS - 42’ Outerlimit

Thomas Anselmi (NJ) Team NECESSARY EVIL - 38’ Donzi

continued on page 18

12 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Christin & Shawn Lather (SC) Team DANGER ZONE - 42’ NorTech

The mangrove waterways in the upper Keys provide a scenic backdrop for poker run teams, to enjoy this tropical paradise. The presence of fishing boats and numerous other forms of small recreational boats makes it paramount for poker run boats to slow down and pass through these waterways safely. Besides, What’s the hurry?

FWC - Safety Managament Boat

Tom Meshinsky (NJ) Team OFFICIAL BUSINESS - 39’ MTI

14 POWERBOATING IN PARADISE |

Wayne Kacher Jr. (MD) Team FULL STICK - 47’ Fountain

Jim Lee (KS) Team FREEDOM 28 - 28’ Skater

y a d s r u Th

Bobby & Tanya Murray (MD) - 36’ Deep Impact

Cass Shewbart (TX) Team LIQUID PROZAC - 38’ Cigarette

Chris & Brandy Humphrey (TX) Team SERVICE ME - 42’ Fountain

David & Jenny Landsman (MD) Team GOLDDIGGER - 50’ Outerlimits

16 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Paul Iser (OK) Team FLY BOY - 50’ Mystic

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

y a d s r Thu

Skip Braver (FL) Team CIGARETTE - 41’ Cigarette AMG

Cliff & Mellissa Anderson (TX) Team PAPER CHASER - 36’ Eliminator

Bill Munyan (FL) Team TWO FACE - 36’ NorTech

After Saturday fun runs to various destinations including Hawks Cay Resort in Duck Key, along with Faro Blanco Resort and Island Fish Co. in Marathon, the poker cards were later played out at PostCard Inn, resulting in three winning teams and a handful of People’s Choice awards in a variety of classes. Congratulations to all the winners, and to all those who enjoyed their mid-winter escape to paradise!

SJ

Team SHOOTING STAR - 44’ MTI

Ken Armstrong (TX) Team PHANTOM - 48’ MTI

18 POWERBOATING IN PARADISE |

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y a d s r u Th Bob & Madelyn Christie (NJ) Team JERSEY STRONG - 42’ Cigarette

Albert and Jill Teramana (OH) Team NASTY HABIT- 42’ Cigarette

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Logan enjoyed her flag duty on paceboat.

20 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Official Sponsor Paceboat: Boatsdirectusa Deep Impact 39’ (Cabin Edition)

y a d s r u Th Marc Longhitano (NY) Team NOR-TECH- 36’ NorTech

Thomas & Lois Tucci (NJ) Team CONFLICTED- 51’ Outerlimits

Bobby Murray (MD) 36’ NorTech Super Cat

22 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Bill Robbins (TX) Team CENTER OF ATTENTION- 39’ Cigarette

LUNCH STOP | Gilberts

5

3

1

6

2

EVENT HEADQUARTERS

Postcard Inn Islamorada

4

1. Logan on her first FPC Model assignment 2. Handing out a poker card to Team PAPER CHASER 3.Tom & Lois Tucci get a card 4. Dave Pease recruited his new First mate Logan for the next leg of the run 5. Logan hands off a lucky card to Jim Lee 6. Rafting up at Gilberts takes a lot of lines and fenders 7. The girls of Team Phantom, as Ken Armstrong takes a photo 8. “Where’s Eileen Now” settled in at Postcard Inn 9. Tom Meshinsky’s crew preps the MTI for docking 10. The inside basin at Postcard Inn 11. Outerlimits reunion!

12. Ken Armstrong with Magic Carl and the Phantom crew at Islamorada.

8

9

11

24 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

7

10

12

Go with the original.

Go with the best.

Making coolers for 25 years. aocoolers.com 800-336-5208

y a d i r F Departing Grove Harbour Marina for the Friday Poker run start

Mike Ciasulli (NJ) Team MAXXON AUTO GROUP - 388 Skater

F

riday provided a 2nd Miami departure group of equal size, bringing the fleet to approximately 80 boats for the 21st year of the event, which was an ideal size for the Postcard Inn marina venue, a location that has always presented (space) challenges as the powerboats-of-today continue to grow in length and beam.

George & Martha Takkula (FIN) Team FINLAND - 42’ Fountain

continued on page 28

26 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Buddy Thomas (MA) Team ALL SET - 46’ Outerlimits

Friday

A Friday dinner party on the beach provided the ideal setting to congregate the 300 guests under the rustic Tiki, as a warm tropical breeze reminded our sun-seekers just how lucky they were, to finally raise their glasses in celebration, and maybe even their middle fingers, with a simple toast…”Screw you Mr. Winter.. We’re in the Florida Keys, its 80 degrees, and you can’t stop us from having fun this weekend!”’

After Saturday fun runs to various destinations including Hawks Cay Resort in Duck Key, along with Faro Blanco Resort and Island Fish Co. in Marathon, the poker cards were later played out at PostCard Inn, resulting in three winning teams and a handful of People’s Choice awards in a variety of classes.

Congratulations to all the winners, and to all those who enjoyed their mid-winter escape to paradise!

SJ

28 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Charles “Skip” & Maggie Barrett (FL) Team TEMPORARY INSANITY - 32’ Skater

David & Lisa Spear (TX) Team THE SLEEPER - 44’ Outerlimits

William & Angela Friedrichs Jr (TX) Team OTHER PEOPLES MONEY - 34’ NorTech

Andree Bakkegaard (NORWAY) Team PREDATOR - 35’ Predator

Curtis Watkins (FL) Team DISRUPTOR - 40’ Skater ( Note: Crew member getting a poker card.)

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y a d i r F

Jean Luc & Seguion (CAN) Team NorTech - 39’ NorTech CC - 100 MPH Speed Record!

Mark Munro (NJ) Team ON YOUR MARK - 39’ Cigarette

Paul Iser (OK) Team FLY BOY - 50’ Mystic

Rick & Ellen Raab (PA) Team SO WELL WORTH IT - 38’ Fountain

30 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

y a d i r F

Larry Hill (FL) Team SCARAB - 34’ Wellcraft Center Console

Joel and Yami Hernandez (FL) Team #ZFG - 39’ Midnight Express

Greg Harrise (FL) Team FAST AT LAST - 37’ Active Thunder

Atle M. Staff (FL) Team HOT STAFF - 35’ Fountain

32 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Tomy & Diann Derouen (FL) Team WORLD CAT - 32’ World Cat

Friday Post Card Inn headquarter marina with Gas Butlers 93 octane fuel truck, servicing boats in their slips.

Hanging out on the new Statement 380.

Center console boats made a good showing on the Miami Boat Show Poker Run. FPC’s new Sport Twin class is designed for outboard boats, with average price of $ 150K or less, and cruise speeds at 50mph.

Enjoying the firepits at Postcard Inn.

Tom Healy’s crew on 388 Skater.

34 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

FPC girl Kimberly handing out poker cards at Grove Harbor Marina.

Friday

Jim Lee (KS) Team FREEDOM 28 - 28’ Skater

Ray Aquit (FL) Team G-SEA - 36’ Deep Impact (Left: Ray’s lady gets the first card.)

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Chris Liva (FL) Team GAS BUTLERS - 46’ Cigarette

36 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN

AWARDS

1st Place: Ken Armstrong- TX Team Phantom - 48’ MTI

2nd Place: David Landsman- MD Team Gold Digger - 50’ Outerlimits

3rd Place: Ron Szolak-Mike Ciasulli Team Maxxon Auto - 38’ Skater

Brett Manire: Best V Bottom 42’ Cigarette X-Merc 1350’s

Mark & Eileen Fischer: Sponsor Award OffleaseOnly / BoatsdirectUSA

Terry Sobo & Chrissy: Sponsor Award Nor-Tech High Performance Boats

Tom Meshinsky: Best Paint & Graphics Team Official Business - 39’MTI

Cass Shewbart: Most Enthusiastic Crew Team Liquid Prozac - 38’ Cigarette

Andre Bakkagaard (Nor) George Takkula (Fin) Farthest Traveled Award

David Pease: Best Center Console Team Deep Impact/BoatsDirect USA

Sheila Baur: Sexiest Crew Award Team Panty Dropper - 44’ MTI

Larry Hill: Sponsor Award Accepting for Team Cigarette

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 37

Saying good-bye on Sunday morning is never easy, especially when the weather is beautiful! There are so many great places to explore in the Florida Keys, and the FPC staff is always there to assist with cruising suggestions and accommodations for any participants that want to extend their poker run weekend! Thanks to all those who joined us on the 21st Annual Miami Boat Show Poker Run, and we hope to see everyone again soon! SJ

Kevin Catron & crew (MD) 36 Cigarette Gladiator

Danger Zone fueling up at Postcard Inn for the ride back to Miami.

Brett & Sheila Baur (UT) Team Panty Dropper, 44 MTI

The 47 Outerlimits GTX Fire & Ice made its return to the poker run circuit.

38 POWERBOATING IN PARADISE |

Cliff & Melissa Anderson(TX) 36 Eliminator Daytona.

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THE FPC TAMPA BAY POKER RUN RETURNED TO THE ST. PETERSBURG WATERFRONT, PROVIDING FIRST CLASS FACILITIES AND CALM BAY WATERS FOR A SPRING SEASON OPENER IN APRIL. Story by Stu Jones

T

here is simply not enough time in any given year for the Florida Powerboat Club to visit and stage poker runs in Florida’s most attractive boating destinations along its amazing 1,350 miles of coastline. This challenge is not lost on the club’s founder and FPC staff, who constantly monitor the boating landscape for new marinas, hotels and exciting locales for great poker runs. With all that in mind, certain poker run venues continue to shine, and the 6th Annual Tampa Bay Poker Run once again delivered a great weekend of fun for over fifty poker run teams from all over the U.S. and Canada.

The combination of excellent hotel accommodations that include the landmark Renaissance Vinoy Resort, St Petersburg Hilton and the upscale Birchwood, a boutique hotel along the vibrant Beach St., along with fabulous area boating on Tampa

40 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Photos by Jerry Wyszatycki Bay, make this the ultimate playground for a weekend of “horsepower in paradise.”

Boats began rolling into town as early as Wednesday, giving the early birds some extra time to explore the local waters, and

by Friday the first event on the weekend agenda launched from the Vinoy Basin, with a scheduled lunch fun run to Bradenton along the Manatee River. Speculation of rough seas in the Gulf of Mexico by a few overly-concerned members created a diversion, which took the bulk of the fleet in an opposite direction to Tampa Harbour Club, where many enjoyed lunch at Hula Bay Grille, a popular eatery located in the northwest pocket of Tampa Bay. Still up for the challenge of possible bumpy seas, about eight teams made their way to the Sunshine Skyway, and managed the short stretch of a choppy sea that was kicked

up by double digit southeast winds, before turning into the calm waters of the scenic Manatee River. Destination…Pier 22 Restaurant at Twin Dolphin Marina, a huge marine a facility with first-class amenities, with a friendly staff that rolled out the redcarpet welcome mat to FPC attendees!

Regardless of which format the Friday fun run revelers had chosen, most agreed that it was a great day on the water and our FPC aerial crew managed to document much of the excitement from the Tampa Bay Aviation Robinson R-44. (Note to fellow poker run organizers: Always fly the chopper on the Friday fun runs whenever possible…you never know what the weather will do on Saturday!)

After a Vinoy Resort happy hour and Captains welcome party, Friday night

FPC 33' Ocean Hawk sponsored by BoatdirectUSA made its 2016 poker run debut as a safety boat.

Poker girls Brooke & Loryn on Nasty Habit found most of the poker runners in the high-energy entertainment district of downtown St. Petersburg, which features abundant boutiques, bars and bistros, and a wide variety of trendy nightclubs for the late night crowd. A large group of FPC clan gathered for dinner at Birch & Vine, a popular restaurant on the ground floor of the Birchwood, with it’s signature openair Canopy Lounge on the top floor of the same property. (If you like this location, it’s worth noting FPC has booked the entire property, including 18 boutique suites and the banquet room for our 2017 edition of the Tampa Bay Poker Run) Saturday morning, the Vinoy Marina was bustling with activity shortly after 8 AM, as teams prepped the boats and gathered crew for fun afloat, but there were clearly some concerns about imminent weather that was moving in. text continues next page...

#107 - Weston Harlow (FL) FEELIN KNOTTY 31' Formula

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 41

#197 - Dan Kurzejewski (PA) RIDE THIS - 38' Cigarette

#077 - Mark Munro (NJ) ON YOUR MARK - 39' Cigarette

#060 - Rich Stone (GA) JUST 1 MORE - 38' Cigarette

Welcome to Florida‌.its part of the landscape and with some careful planning, most would agree that we made the best of a potentially bad-weather day.

With storms stalling and moving slowly towards Tampa Bay, it was evident that a shortened morning poker run course would get the teams to our Jacksons Bistro lunch stop in downtown Tampa, before the bad weather moved in. The plan worked, and with FPC member John Woodruff flying his Bell Long Ranger Windship for the aerial photo mission, an amazingly large number of the fifty-plus fleet were photographed on Tampa Bay, before he was instructed to beeline back to Albert Whitted Airport on the St Pete waterfront. Aboard our FPC 33’ Ocean Hawk center console sponsored

by BoatsdirectUSA, we made a last minute dash through the Port of Tampa as the rain began pelting down, but somehow we all made it to safe harbor at Jacksons Bistro, before the heavy weather engulfed downtown Tampa. Poker Run teams enjoyed great food and the hospitality of the Jacksons Bistro staff, which were prepared for a party, with live music and plenty of staff to tie down the weather curtains and keep the outdoor patio fully operational. text continues on page 44

42 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

#049 - Josh Kirkland (GA) Dirty Duck - 42' Cigarette

#098 - Albert Teramana/Bill Mercer (OH) Nasty Habit - 42' Cigarette

Peir 22 Restaurant at Twin Dolphin Marina in Bradenton was the official Friday lunch stop.

By late afternoon the enormous storm system passed and the fleet returned safely from downtown Tampa, crossing the choppy bay waters to the St. Pete waterfront. The Saturday party poker run party moved to The Station House, a 105 year old building named after it’s original use as the downtown St. Petersburg train station, converted more recently to a four-story restaurant & banquet facility. Sadly, while the building and its architecture was unique in so many ways, most attendees would agree that the catering missed the mark when compared to the owners’ highly rated restaurant downstairs.

The party catering road-block has continued to elude organizers at this particular event in recent years, mostly due to the lack of good restaurants with facilities to accommodate our private parties that generally reach 150+ guests. Fortunately, with accelerated planning for 2017, 2018 and beyond, FPC has locked in a highly-acclaimed venue, “The Birchwood” as our poker run party headquarters, complemented with luxurious boutique hotel suites, a 250-seat banquet hall with first class dining. Many know this location as home to the Canopy Rooftop lounge, a Beach St. hotspot with a trendy vibe, private cabanas, fire pits and scenic views of Tampa Bay.

#151 - Thomas & Lois Tucci (NJ) CONFLICTED - 51' Outerlimits

While aerial videos entertained guests on the big screen at the Station’s main event floor, the FPC girls played out the cards for over fifty teams, and presented a variety of Peoples Choice and Sponsor Appreciation awards throughout the evening.

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to our sponsors and participants for making it a fun weekend, in spite of the Saturday weather hiccups.

We look forward to some big changes to future Tampa Bay events, with a new March 2017 date, a planned addition of new floating docks along the St Petersburg waterfront, expanded parking facilities for trucks and trailers, and a completely new dining and entertainment agenda, which could easily take this event to 80-plus teams next time around!

SJ

Organizers would like to thank FPC Member John Woodruff for his aerial support contribution, flying our photo/video team in his Bell Long Ranger helicopter on Saturday and Sunday

44 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

#057 - Lane Christianson (TX) FAST LANE - 52' Outerlimits

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#116 - Michael Ciasulli (NJ) MAXON AUTO GRP - 38' Skater Inset: Mike receives Best Paint and Graphics from Brooke.

#193 - Sam Singer (NY) COUP DE FOUDRE - 38' Skater

#036 - Beau & Tiffiney Renfroe (GA) Dirty Money - 36' Skater

46 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

#039 - Jorge Arellano (FL) t - 32' Spectre Inset: Jorge receives Best Engines & Rigging for his twin Mercury 400R’s

#131 - Phillip Mahn (FL) 35' TARGET CAT Editors note: unique see-through engine hatches were a big hit!

#149 - Christin & Shawn Lather (SC) DANGER ZONE - 43' Nor-Tech Roadster

#360 - Bill Munyan (FL) TWO FACE - 36' Nor-Tech

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 47

#971 - Jim & Lynne Archambault (GA) STILL KEEPIN' IT REAL - 34' Sunsation

#038 - Michael & Tara Kimbell (GA) TARAIFIED - 38' Donzi

#847 - John Lasky (IL) SATISFACTION GUARANTEED - 36' Apache

48 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: BOATSDIRECTUSA

#001 - Stu Jones (FL) OCEAN HAWK 33' Sponsored by BoatdirectUSA

#053 - Mark & Eileen Fischer (FL) WHERE’S EILEEN NOW? - 52' Nor-Tech

BOATSDIRECT USA (FL) - 36' Deep Impact

#035 - Sean & Channing McArthur (FL) DREAM HUNTER - 36' Blackwater

50 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

#051 - Mark Stoddart (ON) - 48' MTI

#128 - Derek Wachob (OK) BLACK DIAMOND - 52' MTI

#020 - Tom Abraham (NY) NOTORIOUS - 42' MTI

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 51

HULA BAY CLUB - TAMPA HARBOUR YACHT CLUB

52 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

#192 - Rusty & Kelly Luce (FL) TOTALLY LUCE III - 41' Velocity

Tampa Harbour Yacht Club (pictured here) is one of Tampa Bay areas largest dry storage facilities, with over 500 boats in racks and slips. The facility was once a part of the now defunct Yacht Clubs of America, and is now managed by a large marina operator called Florida Marina Clubs, with an estimated 17 premium marinas across Florida, including the Key West Harbour Yacht Club on Stock Island.

To the left is the popular Hula Bay Club, a restaurant that features a Hawaiian surfer theme with a fabulous menu and great sushi offerings. On Friday, as the poker run boats departed for the scheduled lunch run to Pier 22 in Bradenton, a few front-runners headed instead (left) to the north, and as usual most of the pack followed.

But this wasn’t a bad outcome, because on this particular Friday, there was plenty of dockage along the long floating dock bulk-head, and everyone enjoyed the visit. There are many great cruising and waterfront dining destinations throughout the Tampa Bay area, but few that can accommodate 30 to 40 powerboats for a poker run lunch stop.

#048 - John O’Loughlin (NY) JUDGMENT DAY 52' MTI

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 53

Lady Lisa

#800 - Red Reynolds (WI) LADY LISA - 80' Nor-Tech

54 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: STATEMENT MARINE

#199 - Nick Buis (FL) - 38' Statement Inset: Little Owen Buis helps dad Nick at the awards party

#680 - Ron Szolack (MI) 38' Statement Editors note: Owner credit goes to Todd Fountain

56 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: SONIC POWERBOATS

#002 - Bruce Carvalho (NJ) SONIC OCEAN SPIRIT - 36' Center Console Inset: Bruce receives Sponsor Appreciation Award

58 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

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#066 - Rick & Ellen Raab (PA) SO WELL WORTH IT - 38' Fountain

#081 - Mark Headley (OH) MAIDEN AMERICA - 42' Fountain

#156 - Glenn Kennedy (WI) TOO HOT - 42' Fountain

60 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

#007 - Jim Wiley (FL) 39' Outerlimits GT

# 519 - Richard Gerth (ONT) 42' Outerlimits Inset: The team received The Farthest Traveled Award, after arriving from Canada

#320 - Greg Tolson (FL) ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOR - 32' Sunsation

#278 - Joseph Amoroso (NY) BADA BING - 39' Outerlimits

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 61

Sandy’s crew won The Peoples Choice Award for Sexiest Crew

#040 - Sandy Estep (FL) SANDY DOLLAR - 38' Fountain

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BLACK DIAMOND 52' MTI & PLAN B Cigarette 42' Huntress came down from Destin, FL

Sunshine Skyway Friday fun run

#312 - Cass Shewbart (TX) LIQUID PROZAC - 38' Cigarette

Jeff Joyner managed Card Stop #2 from his 31' Cabo

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 63

Saturday Awards Party

64 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Sunday Highlights:

Girls & Cars!

Our photo crew had a little time on

Sunday morning to stick around the Vinoy Marina to get some nice shots of our FPC girls Loryn & Brooke. Then it was off to Vinoy Park for some quick shots of the annual Festivals of Speed event, which features some of the areas finest exotic, import, & classic cars.

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 65

& Fast Furious Story: Stu Jones

8

Photos Courtesy : Fast Lane Travel

Escape To Europe

GERMANY - AUSTRIA - ITALY - SWITZERLAND - FRANCE | EUROPE POKER RUN 2016

FLORIDA POWERBOAT CLUB MEMBERS TOURED EUROPE’S FINEST CITIES AND HISTORIC VILLAGES ALONG SUPER HIGHWAYS AND SCENIC MOUNTAIN PASSES, FOR AN ADRENALINECHARGED DRIVING EVENT THAT HAS SET THE STANDARD FOR MORE ADVENTURES TO COME!

66 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

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1- Scenic mountain lakes in the Alps provided a continuous backdrop of breath-taking scenery. 2- Drivers Dave Postill, Richard Ainsworth & Mike Cisulli with spouses, at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como Italy. 3- With the Porsche’s lined up in a neat row, participants enjoyed their first lunch stop in Austria. 4- Stu, Jackie, Melissa, Eileen & Mark Fischer, enjoying dinner at a historic Stuttgart restaurant.

“stepping out of the box” were the analogy used to describe Florida Powerboat Club’s decision to stage the first-ever Europe Poker Run, then perhaps the phase could be modified just slightly, to “LEAPING... out of the box.” After all, what comparison is there with a powerboating poker run event in Florida, versus a Porsche-driving road rally on steroids, fivethousand miles across the Atlantic along the European countryside? Well, as it turns out, the similarities are far more striking than most of us might imagine.

Clearly there is one common denominator amongst all those who attended…Passion!

What the writer loves about the word passion is that it can apply to virtually everyone, in everything that they do. Passion can relate to motorsports enthusiasts, whether they’re driving a turbo-charged Porsche 911 at 150 mph on Germany’s famous Autobahn, or white knuckling the throttles in a Skater at 150mph on a poker run. continued on page 68

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 67

GERMANY - AUSTRIA| EUROPE POKER RUN 2016 Passion, can relate to foodies who seek the finest dining experience, whether it’s a fresh Mahi sandwich at a Tiki hut in the Florida Keys, or the chef’s signature Osso Buco at a five star restaurant on the shores of Lake Como, Italy.

The Florida Powerboat Club’s first Europe Poker Run was created for, and was enjoyed by, almost two dozen passionate people who had the experience of a lifetime.

Along with Stu & Jackie Jones, participants hailed from South Florida, New Jersey, New York, Michigan and Louisiana, and everyone soon confirmed that along with their hard-core obsession with powerboating, most owned sports cars and nearly everyone had seat time in a race-track environment at some point in their life, confirming there was an overwhelming desire to jump in a very fast Porsche and drive at 150mph!

Stuttgart Germany was our arrival and staging point for the 10 day event, a location that makes sense for so many reasons. Home to Porsche and Mercedes Benz factories, the automobile has played a vital role in the city’s history and economy, and for our event organizer Fast Lane Travel, the city provides a vast palate from which to stage events, acquire brand new Porsches for its tours, and provides its guests with great accommodations, excellent dining, and attractions.

Two days were provided to get visitors over any jet lag and settle into the European culture, all the while twelve brand new, zero miles, identical Porsche’s were being delivered to the rear parking lot of our Graff Zeppelin. All convertibles, all black, and all twin turbo, C4S models with all-wheel drive. A mandatory driver’s meeting established the rules of the road, driving strategies, and provided all drivers with a the comfort in knowing that our experienced staff from Fast Lane Travel, would be communicating with us on hand-held radios, leading the pack to lunch stops, points of interest, and luxurious hotels by the end of each day. Sound familiar?

Yes indeed, it’s a Florida Powerboat Club poker run…only with cars, through five countries in Europe! continued on page 70

Participants enjoyed a sneak peak at their 911 C4S convertibles for the first time in the Graff Zeppelin parking lot, Stuttgart.

68 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

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1- Alpine architecture was the common thread throughout Austria, Switzerland and Germany. 2Jackie Jones presents Mark & Eileen Fischer with their first poker card for daily poker run #1. (One of seven poker run events for each day of driving.).

3- Overlooking Germany’s Lake Constance from this Austrian vantage point. 4- European highways were well-maintained in most countries visited.

3 4

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ITALY - SWITZERLAND| EUROPE POKER RUN 2016

CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN! The fleet stopped for this photo-op before climbing this very challenging mountain pass in Switzerland.

It’s impossible to describe all the highlights that we all experienced in those ten magical days of Touring in Paradise…but let’s using words like, Sublime, Incredible, Awesome, Breathtaking….or as Michigan attendee Bill Robbins expressed, “I’ve done a lot of cool things in my life, but this is probably the best vacation experience I have ever had!”

The only irony is that while most of us checked off the Europe Poker Run #1 as a “bucket list” item that was now conquered, it appears that many of us then added Europe Poker Run 2017, back to the bottom of that very same list. Whaaaaat?

We’d like to thank everyone who attended our inaugural Europe Poker Run, and we’re happy to announce that our 2nd event will be staged in June 2017, with a 7-day, multicountry driving tour, followed by an extended VIP Race Experience at the world famous, 24 Hours of LeMans in France.

SJ 1- Lake Como view from the Grand Hotel Tremezzo ( three day stop in Italy) 2- Stu & Jackie with Bill Robbins & gal Deborah (MI) 3- Outdoor dinner patio at Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como.

70 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

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6 1- Scenic lakeside roadways through Italy and Switzerland provided fantastic photo ops. 2- Narrow European streets through historic villages dealt drivers some interesting maneuvering challenges. 3- One Wide, Ten-Deep through the village marketplace in Bellagio, Italy. 4- Stu & Jackie with Richard & Cynthia Ainsworth (MI) 5- Kelly Sills an Dixie Ball at Octoberfest party. 6- Stuttgart’s spring version of Octoberfest brought thousands to this massive beer tent, where ABBA Performed. 7- More Beer please!

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72 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Negotiating this mountain pass in Switzerland provided some of the most dramatic scenery and hair-raising hair-pin turns!

Arriving in Germany’s Black Forest region on Day 5 of the driving tour, landed the fleet in the middle of this unexpected late April snow storm.

After spending a few glorious spring days in Italy along the colorful shoreline of Lake Como, it was an unusual turn of events to arrive in Germany’s Black Forest in the midst of an all-out snow storm. The worst part was, that while the 4WD Porshes were capable of finding the necessary traction, all twelve cars were equipped only with the standard tires. After slowing to a snails pace of about 20 mph, all teams made it safely to the Hotel Park Adler.

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 73

GERMANY- FRANCE| EUROPE POKER RUN 2016

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7 1- Bugatti Museum entrance, Mulhouse France.

2- Mulhouse street sign. 3- Cite De L’Automobile, aka Bugatti Museum. 4- Worlds largest collection of priceless Bugatti’s. 5- A snowy, but picturesque ride to Mulhouse France. 6- King of the Museum: Bugatti Veyron. 7- “The Group” at Bellagio. 8- Rich & Cynthia Ainsworth(MI) with a winning poker hand!

9- Mike & Elena Ciasulli (NJ). 10- Stu & Jackie with event organizer, Sven Teuber. 11- Festive final night in Stuttgart. 12- Sven Teuber in the Spirit!

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Switzerland and Italy offered countless tunnels along the touring route.

Melissa, Eileen, Laura, Jackie, Dixie.

Mike & Melissa Vilardi with Fast Lane staff Sebastian and Ashley.

“EIN PROSIT” note the 40 ounce mugs!

Lorri & David Postil receive award from Stu & Sven, after winning one leg.

Five-star hotels featured elegant lounges & dining rooms.

Fast Lane Travel specializes in upscale, turn-key, Porsche driving tours throughout Europe. Stay turned for details about FPC’s June 2017 Europe Poker Run, which will feature multiple countries on a 7-day driving tour, plus and extended 3-day VIP Race Package, to the famous 24 Hours of LeMans.

See advertisement in this issue, page 69. www.fastlanetravel.com POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 75

STORY & PHOTOS STU JONES

Grove Harbour Marina in Coconut Grove provided a great launch pad for motorcycle, exotic car, aircraft and powerboat enthusiasts, as Florida Powerboat Club staged its 3rd Annual Key West Air Land & Sea Poker Run in May, which kicked off with a thundering Bike & Boats in the Grove Party.

Over the years FPC had experimented with the Land & Sea poker run format, but it was in 2014 that aircraft were added to the mix, and the first annual Key West Air Land & Sea Poker Run left from Miami, with an eclectic mix of planes, powerboats and motorcycles. Turning the page forward to 2016, the 3rd edition of this unique event format was staged once again from Grove Harbour Marina, with Bikes & Boats in the Grove, sponsored by Petersons Harley of Miami.

76 | Powerboating in Paradise

Grove Bay Grill was the perfect setting, as powerboats were displayed alongside exotic Lamborghini’s, while hundreds of thundering Harley Davidson’s, custom baggers and choppers rolled into the parking lot. The Betty Bangs swimwear models showed their latest fashions alongside a new Harley Street Glide, and spent some time at the FPC display, where the new BoatsdirectUSA Ocean Hawk 33 had been prepped for the upcoming poker run doubleheader to Key West, followed by the Florida-Havana Powerboat Rally.

Powerboating in paradise | 77

Friday morning, about a dozen powerboats headed for Key West, gathering their first poker card at Grove Harbour Marina, before stopping at Gilberts for lunch and a second card.

Drone expert Travis Nellen joined us for the ride, capturing amazing video footage as the boats weaved through the scenic Florida Keys, while Luis Sotero piloted his amphibious Sea Rey aircraft at low altitude, in formation with the boats.

A third poker card was handed off at the fuel stop at Faro Blanco Resort in Marathon, and soon the fleet navigated the last fifty miles in calm offshore waters. In hot pursuit were FPC members Jim & Lynn Archambault in their Piper Saratoga, along with Matt & Gail Rohl, in their all-electric Tesla Model S. With everyone settled in at Key West, many participants enjoyed their first stay at the new Marker Resort, located very conveniently on the Key West Historic Seaport, about 200 yards from our docking headquarters at the Conch Republic Seafood Co. A Saturday fun run to Boca Grande gave participants a chance to enjoy the warm sunny weekend, and on Sunday the group enjoyed a new anchorage near the sandy beaches of Woman Key. The soft sandy bottom made it easy to set anchor and is ideal for raft-ups as the lee side of Woman Key in a north or NW wind situation.

Saturday evening the group enjoyed the warm hospitality of the Conch Republic Seafood Co and its staff, as the poker cards were played out and prizes awarded in three classes‌ Air, Land & Sea. Congratulations to all the winners, and we look forward to moving this event from May to April in 2017, so that more teams can participate on all levels! SJ 78 | Powerboating in paradise

CUBA 2016

HISTORY MADE!

STORY BY STU JONES PHOTOS COURTESY MEMBERS OF FPC

Havana or Bust : Seventeen FPC boats enter Havana Bay.

T he inaugural Flor ida - Havana Power boa t Rally not only gave FPC members a new adventure to enjoy, it also logged an historic occasion for Cuba - American relations as t he f irs t USA f lag power boa t f leet to enter Havana Bay in over 58 years!

With recent and ongoing changes in the USA-Cuba political arena, travel by Americans to the island nation has spiked in the last eighteen months, and it was only natural for FPC management to take a closer look at the prospects of organized boating rallies from Florida. That said, it certainly wasn’t easy to get the ball rolling, as ongoing talks with other boating organizations, US law enforcement agencies, Cuba travel professionals and facility providers on the other side, weren’t yielding enough of the information that allowed FPC to lock and load. It wasn’t until a short 2-day reconnaissance mission was made in early April that I was able to bring all of the pieces of the puzzle together, and the three day May 17-19th excursion was inked to the schedule. Naturally, using Key West as the

Key West launch pad: Conch Republic Seafood Co.

80 | Powerboating in Paradise

launch pad made the most sense, so the Cuba run was tagged onto the Key West Air-Land & Sea Poker Run, as part two of a double-header that launched from Miami a few days earlier.

Among the greatest challenges associated with boating to Cuba, the first wave of obstacles involved solidifying your crew and acquiring the necessary documents from the USCG. A special permit is issued by USCG for travel to and from Cuba waters, and the permit requires specific detailing of “who” is traveling as part of your crew. In addition, an application must be presented by the organizing group to the US Dept of Commerce, to comply with OFAC guidelines, and essentially meet exemption requirements,

Cuba captains meeting at Westin Resort, Key West

Departing Key West Harbor- Mark & Eileen Fischer’s 39 Deep Impact

The Cuba fleet prepares for departure.

to be allowed to travel with no economic restrictions.

Similarly, travel affidavits are issued from the Cuba side, and must be completed by every traveler, thereby committing the US traveler to a certain level of “people-topeople” exchanges while in Cuba. For our FPC group, this translated to “all inclusive” packaging that put bus transfers, hotel rooms at the Melia Cohiba, as well as tours and catered functions…in one simple “per person” rate package.

Finally, each boat owner must also acquire the necessary US Customs User decal, which for many is a standard practice, since this same decal is required for Bahamas cruising. Essentially, the first wave of planning challenges addressed all of the paperwork, permitting, and securing the necessary accommodations and dockag Next challenge, the crossing. Make no mistake about it, at 112 miles from Key West Harbor to our intended destination, Havana Bay (aka Port of Havana);

continued on next page

Team Mystic- John Cosker and Greg Weber close in on the Havana shoreline.

Powerboating in Paradise | 81

Milling at the start of the Havana Bay welcome parade

Havana skyline: Note round Capital building

Ski boat joined the Marina Hemingway welcome party.

Ted McIntyre & crew ( L A) 43 Black Thunder

it seems like a pretty simple and easy ride for an offshore powerboat. Well, not always, and certainly not on this sunny May morning! The volatile nature of the Gulfstream flow, plus the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean meeting all in once place at the same time, creates sizable seas. Mix in a strong doubledigit east wind, and this is a recipe for very rough sea conditions, that might be compared to a giant washing machine. After many Gulf stream crossings to the Bahamas, we simply underestimated the power of mother nature, and our expected two hour crossing, ended up to be more like 3.5 hours, with average speeds dipping as low as 25 mph in portside 6-8 foot quartering beam head seas! Yes indeed, it was a challenging ride for many of us, but no serious incidents were reported, and none of the 17 scheduled boats were forced to turn around. (Although your club president in his 33 foot center console admits it crossed his mind a few times ) Arriving in staggered formation over the course of an hour, all seventeen FPC boats were greeted by two decorated and verycrowded Sea Ray express cruisers, plus a handful of PWC’s, as part of a welcome party for FPC. The plan was the mastermind of Commodore Jose Escrich, from the nearby Hemingway International Yacht Club, which has its headquarters in Marina Hemingway, our intended destination just eight miles to the west. I had first met with Commodore Escrich back in the early 1990’s, soon after I opened FPC at Sunny Isles Marina in Miami…and we had kept in touch through the years. More recently, on my recon visit in early April, the Commodore assured me that this was a big part of his agenda, and having FPC cruise into Havana Bay with permission from Cuban port officials, would be a media sensation and a huge step towards Cuba-USA recreational boating relations. The entire plan almost went off without a hitch, if not for the irresponsible and reckless continued on page 84

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Boostane Skater 40 : Exchanging American for Cuban beer!

Mark & Eileen Fischer- 39 Deep Impact

Jackie & Stu- proud moment after months of planning!

Larry & Amy Luna ( FL) 38’ Statement

Strong military history throughout downtown Havana

behavior of one boat owner, (who shall remain nameless), that chose rather to foolishly blast his powerboat into Havana Bay, unescorted, at a very high rate of speed, alarming port officials instantly. Later, as president of the visiting club, I was forced to answer for these actions in a meeting that was requested by the Commodore and a leading Port of Havana government officer. They were not pleased, and the meeting was not pleasant.

Land-based activities in Havana provided many options for guests. Soon after the arrival and customs clearance at Marina Hemingway, our members were able to exchange US currency for Cuban dollars (CUC’s), since US dollars and US credit cards are not accepted in most establishments. Transportation was provided by modern air-conditioned tour buses, each staffed with an English-speaking tour guide. The other option was to take a classic car ride with drivers that have been reserved for our group ahead of time. Most attendees agreed that our host hotel, the Melia Cohiba, was far beyond their expectations, as many guests enjoyed spacious suites with incredible ocean and Havana city views. Old Havana was less than a mile from the hotel, and several cabs or classic cars were available for easy access right outside the hotel lobby.

Unfortunately for our first adventure, the accommodations were on a limited two-night program, due primarily to the high demand for travel to Havana. If we could have done anything differently, it would be to stay 3-4 days minimum, because there is so much to do in Havana. It would also be nice to look at Varedaro as an alternate destination, which is 100 or more miles further east along the coast.

As the organizer of our first Florida-Havana event, my main observation going forward is that more emphasis will be placed on acquiring a flexible “fair-weather” boating arrangement for the hotel accommodations. With these very changing the rough sea conditions, boaters should have an easy-out, whereby they can hold off a day waiting for calmer seas, and/or make the planned trip another time without losing all of their prepaid hotel deposit money.

84 | Powerboating in Paradise

Apache Star: marooned in Marina Hemingway for several months

Lynn, Jackie, Tobi: Ladies of Team Ocean Hawk

Ocean Hawk 33 making way along Havana shoreline

NEWS photo: taken from high atop Morro CastleHavana Bay entrance.

The famous Malecon seawall

Arriving Marina Hemingway: Cuba customs office

Brian & Michelle Ritchey ( Tx) 38 Fountain

Greg Tolson ( FL) 32 Sunsation

Rich Stone ( FL) 38 Cigarette Top Gun

Team FPC: Boatsdirectusa sponsored Ocean Hawk 33

With these modifications, I think FPC would take another shot at this Cuba adventure in the near future. Of course, the minimum boat size will definitely change also. Plan on a 38-40 foot minimum with triple outboards. If something goes wrong out there, you have NO WAY to get help. Otherwise, for now, just take the plane ride. It’s 29 minutes and tickets are a couple hundred bucks if you buy in advance. Believe me, it’s worth the trip to Havana, and easiest to get there by plane.

In closing, I would like to emphasize how very proud of all the boaters that joined us for our first Cuba event, and equally impressed at how well everyone managed their craft in these rough conditions. For any club members who would like to plan their own Cuba adventure, FPC will be offering reservation and trip planning assistance to members at very reasonable rates. More information will be available on the FPC website in the coming weeks, or feel free to contact me directly with your inquiries.

The National Hotel- Havana landmark

St u Jon e s

Contact: Stu@flpowerboat.com Downtown Havana near the marketplace.

Powerboating in Paradise | 85

Downtown Havana near the marketplace.

Mystic 42 on the final stretch into Havana

Downtown Havana- along the Malecon

Classic 1950’s American cars on every corner.

Melia Cohiba Resort headquarter hotel 1st class!

Amazing architecture throughout old Havana

Bryan & Michelle Ritchey & crew ( Tx) at our group lunch.

Mystic 42 on the final stretch into Havana

Entrance to Morro Castle, fortress built in 1569.

Jim, James, Tobi, Lynn- FPC Ocean Hawk crew.

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Stu Jones with HIYC Commodore Escrich

Press conference publicized arrival of FPC in Havana

1 HP...still very popular in Havana

Mike and Melissa Villarti on scenic tour.

Havana city view from Melia Cohiba hotel

The sights of Havana Team BOOST POWER, Ian Lehn and crew at Wed lunch.

Decisions descisions, taxi or horse carriage?

Hemingway International Yacht Club

Signing of historic “Friendship Agreement� between FPC and HIYC

FPC boat captains on Wedesday tour.

Guest pool at Marina Hemingway

The Theatre district, Havana

Miles of unspoiled coastline on the outskirts of Havana

Powerboating in Paradise | 87

LEVERICK BAY “BVI” POKER RUN – 2 0 16 Story & Photos:

Stu Jones

Overlooking Leverick Bay from the cliffs of Virgin Gorda, Villa Tamar provided a luxurious and peaceful setting to enjoy the British Virgin Islands.

VIlla Tamar at Leverick Bay- a room with a view!

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Nortech presence in BVI included this 36 Supercat

WHILE POKER RUNS BY THE DOZENS NOW DOMINATE THE LAKES, RIVERS AND COASTAL WATERS OF THE USA, THE POKER RUN CRAZE IS ALIVE & WELL IN THE CARIBBEAN, WHERE THE 15TH ANNUAL LEVERICK BAY BVI POKER RUN LEADS THE CHARGE, BOASTING 250+ REGISTERED BOATS AND A PARTY IN PARADISE!

IT

seems that the poker run fever has caught on not only across America, but on a global scale, including the Mediterranean, Northern Europe & Scandinavia, and as far away as the land Down Under, in Australia and New Zealand.

But closer to home, events are popping up in the Caribbean, and none has become more popular than the annual Leverick Bay Poker Run, staged in the tropical setting of Virgin Gorda in the heart of the British Virgin Islands. Although we had never met, the event’s promoter Nick Willis and I had kept

in touch over the years, and as fellow poker run organizers we always had a lot to share via email and phone calls.

As the LB Poker Run event reached it ten year celebration back in 2011, the registration numbers were already soaring to the 200-boat mark, and occasional sightings of celebs like the UK’s Richard Branson were common. Turn the page to 2016, and FPC members Mark & Eileen Fischer had decided it was their turn. continued on next page POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 89

BVI | LEVERICK BAY POKER RUN 2016 After a discussion about poker run logistics with FPC alumni Bob Barnhart, a BVI poker run veteran, they decided to load their Nor-Tech 527 on a freighter in Jacksonville, which landed the boat at St.Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.

Jackie and I were invited for the adventure, along with other FPC friends, Mike & Maggie Sanz, and Nor-Tech’s sales manager Terry Sobo with fiancé Chrissy. As it turns out, Terry had also attended this event in the past, and had keen local knowledge of the Virgin Islands chain.

Flying privately to St. Thomas, it was just minutes to the local marina, and Where’s Eileen Now was loaded and ready, thanks to front man Ron McLean, who had arrived a day earlier to prep the boat for the weekend adventure. It was only Thursday afternoon and the poker run wasn’t scheduled until Sunday, giving us plenty of time to become acclimated to the beautiful waters, lush tropical islands and some of the finest dining in the Caribbean.

Virgin Gorda was less than an hour away, and as we pulled into the calm protected basin at Leverick Bay, it was heart-warming to see Nick Willis, poker run organizer and GM of Leverick Bay Resort, on the docks waiting to greet us. His six-foot-five stature might be intimidating to some, but the bare feet and t-shirt soon make one realize, he’s a true islander, and about as laid back as the guy in a Corona commercial. We docked in our rock-star slip on the main dock, and were provided with a 4x4 pickup rental and directions to our luxurious VILLA TAMAR, located a few hundred feet above the resort, looking down on scenic Leverick Bay. It was the perfect setting for what was about to be logged as one of the most incredible poker run experiences any of us had every enjoyed.

The crew on board Where’s Eileen Now, 527 Nortech

The well decorated docks at Leverick Bay Resort, Poker Run headquarters

Sponsor models from FLOW, a Caribbean cellular carrier.

Tropical coves and beaches, many with courtesy docks, make boating a pleasure in this tropical paradise.

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Team Puerto Rico- One of about 5 Nor-Techs from the Wally Castro Marine family

JOS VAN DYCK- Nor-Tech’s rendezvous before a day of island hopping

Spirited poker run teams came from many islands to attend!

Since the poker run was not until Sunday, this afforded us two full play-days to cruise the local waters and visit the best anchorages, beach bars and popular attractions like the famous “Baths”, during daytime hours. We might have been exhausted by Sunday, but seeing hundreds of boats and thousands of islanders invade Leverick Bay by late Sunday morning, changed the entire backdrop of this otherwise sleepy beach resort, and we soon understood the sheer magnitude of this wildly popular event. We’ll let the pictures tell the story from this point forward, but I would suggest this is a MUST-DO for anyone that wants to explore one of the truly unique events on the worldwide poker run scene. Special thanks to Nick Willis and his staff, along with the many new friends we met, who rolled out the welcome mat and made us feel special!

Leverick Bay Resort & Marina has hosted this event for 15 years!

Sailing catamarans by the thousands are among the most popular craft in BVI

SJ Crew of Where’s Eileen now, hosted Premier of BVI for a high-speed run 105mph!

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 91

PLAN B IN BILOXI FOR SMOKIN THE SOUND ORGANIZERS, IT WASN’T PROMISING WHEN THUNDER STORMS SWEPT ACROSS THE SOUTH JUST DAYS BEFORE THEIR EVENT, AND PLAN B WAS THE ONLY OPTION.

Story and Photos by Stu Jones

IT

#002 - Chris Walker - AGENT PROVACATEUR - 44’ Mystic

Amanda

#018 - Lance Panepinto - FLYING HIGH - 30’ Baja

#013 - Richard Prince - DICTATOR - 44’ MTI

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Morgan

seems that the poker run fever has caIt was a year earlier in 2015 that the organizers of the Smokin the Sound Poker Run made some big changes to the event format, which helped push their registration numbers to an alltime high of about 54 registered poker runt teams. Contributing to that outcome was a combination of moving the date to late Mayearly June, and finding a perfect new event headquarter at the Golden Nugget Casino which offered a one-stop format…with rooms, entertainment and boat docking at a single venue. Of course, a sizable purse had been offered in the previous year, but as poker run teams arrived for the 2016 event, it seemed that few had questions about the prize money, and were more concerned about the weather.

Yes indeed, Mother Nature had reared her ugly scowl with rain and severe storms that had swept the gulf coast regions from Texas to the mid-west over the last several days, and it didn’t look promising for the STS event roster in the days leading up to the event. It wasn’t until the Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours before the scheduled start of the 7-year run that a sizable fleet of high-performance hardware rolled into town. Of course, organizers understood the bad weather would not take them to the 50+ fleet, but by late Friday over thirty

#005 -Dennis Schmid - ES ROJO CALIENTE - 42’ Fountain

teams were committed, the docks behind the Golden Nugget were lined with colorful fiberglass, and the casino cocktail lounge was populated with poker run tees and Tommy Bahama shirts, every guy’s staple for the weekend wardrobe.

Saturday morning, the organizers asked me to join them as we assembled at the Golden Nugget Casino coffee shop, and they expressed the plan to cancel Gulf side checkpoints, and ask participants to re-convene at The Dock at 3PM in the hopes that the storm might have cleared. At that time in the morning, it was not raining anywhere in Biloxi, and your writer expressed that alternatively, we could start the poker run at 11am, video tape and photograph a playful poker card hand-off from the boats at the Golden Nugget, from six pretty ladies that were on stand-by for that very task, then drive the boats to a nearby waterfront restaurant called the Biloxi Lugger, have lunch and get another poker card. During which time, a small photo boat could be utilized to stage high-speed fly-bys in the Sound, so that we’d have some cool photos for the pages of this publication and the www.flpowerboat.com website.

I’m glad we all concurred, because this Plan B, including the lunch stop, was accomplished in about a three hour span, which thankfully provided great content for the pages of this feature, and gave our participants a little bit of time to relax, while waiting for the helicopter to arrive from Louisiana.

During this time, the clouds got thinner, the sun got brighter, and by 1PM we were standing sun-drenched on the docks at the Biloxi Lugger in the Biloxi Boardwalk Marina. Where was the damn rain that was going to ruin the poker run? So far at least, it had held off. When the helicopter finally arrived, we had a very tight window to work with, so kudos to those who waited around long enough, to get some great aerial shots.

#029 - Leo Mediamolle - 38’ Donzi

#128 - Derek Wachob - BLACK DIAMOND - 52’ MTI

The poker run continued for another couple hours until the skies finally unloaded on Biloxi, and it was a bit of a soggy, but very fun night as the cards were played out at the poolside party.

Congratulations to all the winners and let’s hope for great weather next year!

SJ

#069 - Jennifer Roelry - CONTROLLED CHAOS - 40’ MTI

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#006 - Bill Robinson - SHEAUXGON - 35’ Cigarette

#007 - Bill Robbins - CENTER OF ATTENTION - 39’ Cigarette

#001 - Prahnger “Cookie” Draper- TENACIOUS - 26’ Baja

#010 - Kyle Weese - SLPITTIN 10’S - 42’ Fountain

Golden Nugget Resort & Casino - Event Headquarters

Paul Bertucci helped out with some video work at the card stop...

Before falling off the dock with Stu’s brand new 4k camera!

#011 - Richard Milstead - CAT GOTCHA TONGUE - 36’ Nortech

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 95

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

#032 - Gary Atz - FAST CAT - 32’ Sonic

The Dock - Gulfport Lake check point

#014 - Bent Marine - Greg Bent - BOOBIE TRAP - 39’ Nortech

#080 - Jorge Arellano - DCB M 35 - 35’ Phantom

#030 - Will Smith - PHANTOM - 30’ Phantom race Boats

#003 - Paul Reddish - PRO-MED - 44’ MTI

#004 - Randy Richard - PEIR PRESSURE - 31’ Scarab

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Biloxi Lugger - Biloxi Boardwalk Marina. Saturday lunch stop.

#019 - Steve Young - MOVING FR8 - 35’ Fountain

#003 - Dolph Williams - VIPERS & VIXENS - 38’ Donzi

#009 - Scott Favre - NEVER ENOUGH - 42’ Cigarette

#056 - Keith Johnson - FRISKY - 27’ Baja

#064 - Hugh Patroni, Sr. - STA-N-COOL - 35’ Fountain

#042 - Paul Brown - ALG - 33’ Formula 3355

#068 - John Saucier - FLIRTATIOUS - 36’ Baja

#012 - Angelo Phillip - AIN’T MY PROBLEM - 30’ Eliminator

#015 - Wes Bass - CHANGE ORDER - 39’ Cigarette

#016 - Shane Moreau - CATCHIN’ HELL - 38’ Donzi

#039 - Jeffrey Spangler - 45’ Isetta

#088 - Matt Henry - 27’ Baja

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 97

2016 - 2017 FALL / WINTER CALENDAR 2016 SEPT 16 - 19

Petersons Key West Poker Run 2016- Miami to Key West - Motorcycle event.

FPC offering a boat class to ride along. Dockage at Conch Republic, and rooms at the MARKER. FPC offering trailer option if you want us to bring your Harley down to Keys.

SEPT 30-OCT 2 BIMINI Fall Fun Run: Fort Lauderdale to Resorts World Bimini.

Boating daytrips to area attractions, snorkeling, feed the Stingrays!

57th Annual Fort Lauderdale Boat Show: Bahia Mar Resort & Multiple locations Friday Night Nov 4th- FPC BASH planned - stand by for details.

NOV 3 - 7

24th Annual Key West Poker Run Festival

NOV 9 - 14

Limited space - Book Now!

BOAT PARADE SEASON- South Florida.

DEC 2016

Multiple Parades in Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach & Boca Raton

2017 JAN 27 - 29

Winter Poker Run to Marathon: Faro Blanco Resort & Marina

FEB 23 - 26

Miami Boat Show Poker Run: Islamorada - Multiple Hotels

MARCH 16 - 19 APRIL 2017 MAY 2017

7th Annual Tampa Bay Poker Run: Vinoy Resort & The Birchwood, St Pete. (New)

NEW EVENT TBA - Stand-by for details!

Ad Index ACTIVE THUNDER .................................... 23 AMERICAN CUSTOM MARINE .................. 29 AO COOLERS ............................................25 ATLAS INSURANCE ................................. 45 BAM MARINE .......................................... 39 BOATS DIRECT USA ..................................11 FOUNTAIN FOR SALE ................................71 BOOSTANE OCTANE BOOST ....................71 BROWARD TRAILER ................................ 49 CUSTOM MARINE INC. (CMI) ....................31 DOLLER OFFSHORE MARINE ....................19 FAST LANE TRAVEL ................................ 69 GEICO RACE TEAM ...................................21 GROVE HARBOR MARINA .........................13 LIVORSI ....................................................17 MERCURY RACING...................................IFC NORTECH ................................................ 55 OCEAN LED ............................................. 83 OFFLEASE ONLY..................................... IBC OUTERLIMITS ...........................................27 PILINI MARINE TECHNOLOGIES ............... 43 REECE MEMORIAL....................................79 SMART BATTERY ......................................5 SCI SUPERIOR COMMUNICATIONS ...........15 SONIC POWERBOATS .............................. 59 SPEEDWEAR ............................................25 STATEMENT .............................................57 TEAGUE CUSTOM MARINE ..................BACK TOTAL DOLLAR INSURANCE.................... 35 WESTREC MARINAS ................................ 33

ADVERTISING DEADLINES: NEXT ISSUE VOL16 # 3 AD MATERIALS: OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

Proposed CUBA 2017 Event / Exact dates and details forthcoming!

Disclaimer: Please note the the 2016 event planning is a constantly ongoing process, that will most certainly see changes to dates and events along the way. The following calendar includes some (tentative dates) along with new events that are currently in the planning stages with venue hosts and sponsoring organizations. It’s important that you do NOT purchase airplane tickets, book hotels, or make plans to attend, without first confirming with the Florida Powerboat Club office.

Visit www.flpowerboat.com for updated information.

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