Powerboating in Paradise vol17#1 2017

VOL 17 #1

A MAGAZINE SHOWCASING THE FLORIDA POWERBOAT CLUB LIFESTYLE

WINTER POKER RUN RETURN TO PARADISE

MIAMI BOAT

SHOW POKER RUN SETTING COURSE FOR MARATHON

THE DRONE DILEMMA...

AND THE SIMPLE SOLUTION!

D’elegance

POKER RUN

HIGHLIGHTS FROM TAMPA BAY POKER RUN 2017

ISLAND HOPPING FORT MYERS POKER RUN

PLUS ...

BEAUTIFUL FPC GIRLS

WWW.FLPOWERBOAT.COM

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WER AILS O T P E E R D O FOR R ACE T R / E M L O C .

R DEA ACING R U Y O R Y U MERC SEE

A Magazine Showcasing The Florida Powerboat Club Lifestyle SPRING-SUMMER 2017 Vol. 17#1

EDITOR/PUBLISHER Stu Jones stu@flpowerboat.com

OFFICE MANAGER

Tracey Gutierrez admin@flpowerboat.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Lina Montes fpclina@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Jerry Wyszatycki Blain Barden Stu Jones

EVENT MANAGEMENT Jackie Jones jackie@flpowerboat.com

TV & VIDEO PRODUCTION Stu Jones David Steel Ryan McCoy Mike Frenden Travis Nellem Joe Kotrady

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 4 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Stu Jones reflects on the effects, of the constantly growing pressure on the organization by the many resort and marina operators, that will force changes to 2018 event calendars and event models.

6 WINTER POKER RUN 2017

4 6

Twenty teams assembled at the Grove Harbour Marina to safely whisk their crews of weekend warriors to a much warmer place, returning to the tropical paradise of Hawks Cay Resort & Marina near Marathon.

18 25TH ANNUAL MIAMI BOAT SHOW BASH This 25 year tradition returned to South Beach and gave Miami Boat Show visitors and exhibitors a gathering place to relax and enjoy a social drink together.

20 MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN With temperatures that were soon in the high 80’s in the middle of February, it was a winter getaway for 80 plus boats, who came from all over the United States, Canada and Europe to participate in this popular winter event..

52 MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN AWARDS It was one nonstop party bringing all of the poker run teams together for food, fun, People’s Choice Awards, sponsor presentations, videos on the big screen, and great tunes from DJ-Stash.

18 20 52

60 TAMPA BAY POKER RUN For the seventh year in a row FPC members re-united in St. Petersburg for a spring fling that featured great Tampa Bay cruising by day, along with the high energy vibe in the evening hours.

60

78 FORT MYERS POKER RUN Keeping the spring agenda full of surprises, Florida Powerboat Club returned to Fort Myers after a four year absence from this southwest Florida destination, where over 30 poker run teams enjoyed a fun weekend of island hopping adventures!

78

92 LEAVE THE DRONE AT HOME FPC introduces new safety guidelines for the safety and protection of Florida Powerboat club and its members, to avoid personal injury, property damage, and to reduce liability that could arise as a result of a careless drone incident.

92

ON THE COVER: Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Tampa, Florida COVER GIRLS: FPC models Emilia & Kristyna, Whitney & Brandi,

FPC Pompano Beach Headquarters

Tiyada & Shay

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LE T T E R F RO M THE Stu Jones with his sons Tyler and Max

We’ve had an amazing start to 2017, having staged five major events by the time the ink dries on this issue of Powerboating in Paradise, and we hope that you enjoy the editorial features in the next hundred pages. Keeping things new and changing up the event calendar seems to work reasonably well with Florida Powerboat Club over the years, but it’s not always by choice that we change venues and move events around.

It seems there is a constantly growing pressure on our organization by the many resort and marina operators we deal with, to squeeze every last dollar of profit out of their business efforts, and that doesn’t always favor well for FPC. There are many examples of this growing trend…and here are just a few to illustrate my point.

Faro Blanco Resort and Marina, Marathon

More recently, the senior management at the Faro Blanco Resort in Marathon called me personally and announced that the Miami Boat Show Poker Run was not really “good business” because it blocked up their marina for 2-3 days, and therefore prevented other potential “cruising loopers” from stopping in for a similar transient stay. They would not even admit that our weekend generated perhaps the largest grossing weekend in sales …considering our room inventory and huge catered functions..…just a simple

“Sorry, this isn’t working for us.”

Boats leaving SeaIsle Marina in Miami

When the owners of SeaIsle Marina in Miami decided it was time to market this precious piece of waterfront real estate, they estimated the financials for the marina would look much better with steady revenue from annual slip contracts. The new business model excluded special events like transient docking for the Miami Boat Show or Key West Poker Runs …and FPC was essentially forced to find new hotel & marina staging venues. Indeed this put a huge strain on the club’s operations.

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And yet a third incident still remains very much unsettled. In March, after staging the Tampa Bay Poker Run from the Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, the hotel management announced they were planning to collect a $ 23,000 attrition penalty against FPC for not selling enough hotel rooms….all the while the property was fully engulfed in an enormous $50 million construction renovation project, with jack-hammers whaling away and construction equipment lining the roadway in front of the hotel. Did I mention, not even a pool to enjoy on the resort grounds? All this “in your face” construction that was never formally announced to FPC before our arrival, while they collected $ 400 per room-night from our guests!

Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg

It seems to me that some members of our Florida hospitality sector, including resort owners, marina operators and in some cases, actual city-operated marina and parking facilities, are starting to demonstrate signs of entitlement, and dare I say, good old American Greed. There appears to be no credit points for loyalty nor any value associated with long term relationships anymore. Two lessons I am learning after twenty five years at the helm of Florida Powerboat Club are (1) Never ever take anything for granted and (2) A large percentage of the hospitality industry really doesn’t like powerboaters. I really hate to say that, but it seems or appears that we have simply worn out our welcome at many mainstream resort and marina properties around the Sunshine State.

This is all very puzzling to me. I have always represented our organization to the best of my ability, while making it my goal to create the best value and experience for our guests that attend our events. On the opposite side of the table, I feel that I have always conducted business affairs with our Florida event partners in good faith, focusing on a win-win outcome as a top priority.

But sadly, it appears that today’s corporate raiding of the hospitality industry has seen a huge increase of revolving doors of owners and management, each with different styles and constantly changing business models. This has created a modern day game of thrones that is intense and challenging for FPC management.

With the filter down effects, you can all expect to see several changes to our 2018 event calendars and event models, as we struggle to adapt. Above all, while we remain committed to maintaining the integrity of our twenty five year organization, this is a business enterprise and we cannot lose sight of the need to sustain our livelihoods.

Stu Jones

With optimism, good work ethic, and support from our loyal members and industry sponsors, we shall prevail, but there are some rough seas in the forecast.

Stu Jones - President & Founder Comments: stu@flpowerboat.com

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 5

IT WAS IN THE FALL OF 1994 THAT FLORIDA POWERBOAT CLUB MADE ITS FIRST FORMAL VISIT TO HAWKS CAY RESORT IN DUCK KEY, AND MANY ANNUAL EVENTS FOLLOWED OVER THE NEXT TWO DECADES. BUT THREE YEARS HAD PASSED, WHILE THE RESORT UNDERWENT A SERIES OF RENOVATIONS AND UPGRADES, AND JANUARY SEEMED LIKE THE IDEAL CHANCE FOR FPC TO RETURN, FOR THE CLUB’S ANNUAL WINTER POKER RUN IN PARADISE.

WORDS BY STU JONES

A

s twenty teams assembled at Grove Harbour Marina in South Miami for the first 2017 adventure with FPC, the wide variety of performance boats illustrated beyond any doubt that the FPC was going to carry on in 2017 with the most eclectic mix of people and power that this sport has ever seen. On the one hand, the roaring supercharged Sterling engines of Ed Reiskamp’s 47 Fountain, and fellow member Rick Pressley’s big Cobrapower blower motors in his 50 Hustler, reminded us that big power and the big noise that comes with it, are here to stay! On the other hand, at least a half-dozen sexy performance center consoles milled around in

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graceful, noiseless fashion…albeit their 25 speaker stereos are now among the loudest the industry has ever seen. Despite the fleet’s audible and visual differences, these amazing fiberglass and carbon fiber getaway machines provided one common purpose for this mid-January weekend, and that was to safely whisk their crews of weekend warriors to a much warmer place from whence they came…and that place would be the tropical paradise of Hawks Cay Resort & Marina near Marathon. For the many teams that escaped far off places in NJ, PA, NY, GA, IN, and Canada, this would be simply sublime.

Saturday afternoon provided a great opportunity to raft up along side the 97' Hargrave, "The Program" in the bay waters near Duck Key. Special thanks to Bob Berg and his spirited crew for kicking off 2017 with a bang.

PHOTOS BY STU JONES

Ed & Surey Garcia | IN Team APACHE PERFORMANCE - 41'Apache

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 7

With such a small event, there would be no rationale for a full-blown helicopter crew to take chase, but an FPC staff drone joined in for the ride…capturing the first poker card from the docks at Grove Harbour and chasing down a few of our teams as the boats took flight towards Key Largo. The first stop found us at Gilberts Key Largo…our unofficial Florida Keys headquarters, and by late afternoon the fleet was weaving along the perimeter canal at Duck Key…and settling into the main marina basin at Hawks Cay Resort.

It had been six years since January 2011, that Florida Powerboat Club had visited this destination, and it was immediately noticeable how many changes had been made. With newly redone docks in the marina and brand new waterfront restaurant, Angler & Ale, there was plenty for our weekenders to enjoy!

Among the highlights were a Saturday fun run to Faro Blanco Resort, followed by an amazing raft up party courtesy Bob Berg and his crew on the 97’ Hargrave, the Program. Pardon me, would you pour me a little more of that bubbly?

SJ

Ray & Kristine Gremaux | NY Team BIG SHOT - 42Mystic

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Benny D'Angelo | ON Team HOUDINI - 38'Cigarette

Ed Rieskamp | IN Team BLOWN INVESTMENT - 47'Fountain

Robert & Jackie Rauch | FL - 38'Deep Impact

John Wittenberger | NJ Team ON THE ROCKS - 36'Sonic

Robbie Ullah | GA Team DESIDERATA - 30'Glasstream

Jorge & Ann Arellano | FL Team OGP - 36'Sunsation

Michael Ciasulli | NJ Team MAXON AUTO GROUP - 38'Skater

Rick & Pressley | IN Team NEVER ENOUGH - 50'Hustler

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Bill Carroll | NY Team FOUNTAIN - 42'Fountain

Tom Polski | CT Team EFFICIENT LIGHTING - 38'Cigarette

Shane Sherman | MO Team RECOVERY ROOM - 38'Statement 12 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Yaniv Eliyahu | FL Team X-RATED - 46'Skater

AWARD

AWARD NIGHT

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NIGHT 3

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1. SEXIEST CREW AWARD - The Ladies of THE PROGRAM. 2. BEST V BOTTOM AWARD- Rick Pressley Team NEVER ENOUGH 3. 1ST PLACE-BEST POKER HAND-Bob Berg THE PROGRAM. 4. BEST CATAMARAN - Yaniv Eliyahu Team XRATED 5. BEST CENTER CONSOLE - Ron McLean Team DEEP IMPACT

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January conditions were ideal for boating to the Keys and anchoring in the protected bay waters.

Bob Berg | IN Team THE PROGRAM - 97'Hargrave

Team DEEP IMPACT provided rides for FPC members.

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Bob Berg & Stu Jones aboard THE PROGRAM

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t's hard to imagine that this FPC party started 25 years earlier at a South Beach bar, called Mickey Rourke’s Knockout Saloon, and although the locations have changed and the entertainment format altered from time to time, the party has served a few simple purposes year after year….to get powerboaters together for one fun Friday night, to celebrate the Florida powerboating lifestyle in a warm tropical setting, and give Miami Boat Show visitors and exhibitors a gathering place to relax

18 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

and enjoy a social drink together. In the earlier years, the entertainment program may have been anything from a live musical band, a solo saxophone player, Rio Carnivaltheme dancers, girls on stilts, boats on tilts and eye candy to stimulate everyone’s imagination! But one common thread illustrates that above all, the organizer finally settled on a few top priorities. Lots of gals in bikinis for a swimwear fashion show, and the biggest possible video screen playing the latest FPC videos, all night long!

WINNERS:

Whitney, Shay & Amberly

With Monty’s Patio Bar and Miami Beach Marina as the backdrop for its second year in a row, a steady flow of visitors enjoyed a sexy swimwear show that brought some first-class talent to the stage, all the while the Best of 2016 FPC Bluray played in hi-definition on the monster screen. Thanks to everyone who joined us for this memorable celebration, which was co-sponsored by OffleaseOnly, Deep Impact and Blackwater Boats!

SJ

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 19

AFTER A TWENTY-YEAR RUN AT LANDMARK HOLIDAY ISLE RESORT & MARINA, MORE RECENTLY NAMED "POSTCARD INN", IT WAS TIME FOR A CHANGE IN THE FORMAT. FOR THE 22ND ANNUAL MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN, THE FLORIDA POWERBOAT CLUB TRAVELLED PAST ISLAMORADA TO MARATHON, WHERE THE FARO BLANCO RESORT & MARINA WAS READY WITH THE WELCOME MAT!

WORDS BY STU JONES

K

eeping the event calendar new and interesting is among the many priorities we have in mind at the FPC headquarters when planning our event series every year. The biggest challenge being, that it’s often difficult to uproot a successful event at one venue after a twentyyear run! However, sometimes there are no other options.

With some FPC poker run events growing in popularity or at least maintaining strong registration numbers year after year, the squeeze on marine facilities for safe docking can present limitations, and clearly, with 80-plus boats, we had out-grown Islamorada’s Postcard Inn several years

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earlier. Thankfully, the timing of new developments in Marathon resulted in a two-resort home run, with the all new Courtyard Marriott opening its doors adjacent to the Hyatt Place. FPC now had the ideal combo of modern hotel rooms, surrounding Faro Blanco’s first class marina.

With other boaters, present and high season demand, it was a difficult transition for organizers, but the dock staff at Faro Blanco, led by Jose Olivera and his team, rose to the occasion and made the event go smoothly.

As always, the poker run featured a two-departure format, and several boats filtered down from Haulover Marine

Biscayne Bay provided ideal conditions as the Thursday teams prepared for departure

PHOTOS BY JERRY WYSZATYCKI & STU JONES

Center and TNT Marine Center…to get their first poker card at Grove Harbour Marina, before heading south on the protected waterways of Biscayne Bay. Much like the Winter poker run a month earlier, we continued to see a mix of high performance hardware with throaty, roaring horsepower…. Amidst a backdrop of sport center consoles with as many as five quiet Mercury Verado 400R’s lined up on the transom!

On the sponsorship stage, the lineup was stellar. Performance Boat Center from Lake of the Ozarks has taken the Cigarette brand on by storm, having at least three boats on display

at the Miami Boat Show, and two of those…a 39GTS center console owned by Club member Bob Christie, plus a 41 Cigarette GTR powered by quad Verado 400Rs, were registered for the run. Of course Midnight Express, now featured as a 2017 FPC series sponsor, had some new hardware on the table, as Eric Glaser rolled out the new Midnight Express 37 from the Miami Boat show docks to our Thursday morning rally point, along with new member Conrad Peralta, with his quad Verardo 400R Midnight 43.

This of course, was only a tip of the new-toy iceberg, as we had yet to entertain the Friday group, with an entirely new lineup of performance play-toys.

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 21

Thomas & Eliesha Calabro | RI Team DELUSIONAL - 36'Spectre

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Michael & Nicolle Pierce | LA Team Pure Platinum - 38'Skater

As organizer, one of the job perks is getting to ride on all the coolest new boats, as they come straight from the Miami Boat Show, often with single digits on the hourmeters. Thursday, I joined our friends from Nor-Tech High Performance, who partnered with dealer SoFlo Performance Boats, to participate in the poker run.

Our platform was the amazing Nor-Tech 450 Center Console, powered by (5) Mercury Verado 400R outboards, and as paceboat for the Performance Class, we were soon cruising at 75mph!

Roger & Pam Anderson | TX Team EASY MONEY II- 39'Nor-Tech

Rocco & Danielle Rocco | NY Team - NORTECH - 39'Nor-Tech

Trond Schou | FL Team NOR-TECH- 45'Nor-Tech

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George & Martha Takkula | FINLAND Team FINLAND - 44'Predator

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Joseph & Christine Amoroso | NY Team BADA BING - 39'Outerlimits

Sal Olivia | NY Team X-SCAPE FROM NY - 42'Cigarette

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Alan Lima | FL Team CHEERLEADER - 38'Cigarette

Benny D'Angelo | ON Team HOUDINI - 38'Cigarette

Albert Teramana | OH NASTY HABIT - 42'Cigarette

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 27

Conrad Peralta | FL Team MIDNIGHT EXPRESS - 43'Midnight Express

Eric & Maggie Glaser | FL Team MIDNIGHT Express - 43'Midnight Express

Don House | KY Team HOUSE PARTY - 36'Cigarette

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T

he February weather was amazing…with temps that were soon in the high 80’s in the middle of…. February? Who’s complaining, it was like a winter getaway for at least 80 percent of the participants, who came from all over the United States, Canada and Europe. With 40 boats settled in at Gilberts for lunch, manager Rob Lebrun had his team were on guard and ready to feed our spirited weekend warriors. After the incredible buffet lunch, (we’re reminded constantly by participants it’s one of the best lunches you’ll ever get on a poker run), it was time to focus our attention, cameras and smart phones, at the new Girls of FPC, Whitney and Brandi, who were more than happy to smile for the cause.

Only on a Florida Powerboat Club event will you see a State Law enforcement boat hammer-down running with the pack. Thanks to the FWC team for their continuing safety management support.

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Robert & Ali Hooker | FL Team BALI BLU BY U - 43'Nor-Tech

David and Lisa Spear | TX Team THE SLEEPER - 44'Outerlimits

Joseph Gilmore | MA Team JAG - 42'Mystic

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ROOSTER TAIL MONEY SHOT! With Mercury Racing 1350's and racing cleaver propellers carving the waters surface, the result is a magnificent rooster tail with hundreds of gallons of salt water suspended in the air.

MAXON AUTO GROUP Crew

Michael Ciasulli | NJ Team MAXON AUTO GROUP - 38'Skater

EASILY DISTRACTED Crew

Cary & Julie Whitmore | MA Team EASILY DISTRACTED - 36'Nor-Tech

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 33

Ron Szolack | FL Team FLIGHT CLUB - 44'Mystic

Cliff & Mellissa Anderson | TX Team PAPER CHASER - 36'Eliminator Derek Wachob | OK Team BLACK DIAMOND EXPRESS - 34'MTI

Derek Wachob | OK Team BLACK DIAMOND - 52'MTI

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Pierre & Meghan Brousseau | CANADA Team CENTRAL TIME ZONE - 40'Nor-Tech

Jake and Gina Nossaman | OK Team WIRED UP - 48'MTI

Chris & Angela Bradley | TX Team RAINMAKER, SORTA - 44'Skater 36 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Special Thanks to Pierre Brousseau and Ramond Roberts for entertaining our charity guests from the Boys and Girls Club with a spectacular 150 mph ride!

Gino & Renea with Lary Goldman

Gino & Renea Gargiulo | FL Team SUPER VELOCE - 52'MTI

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 37

O

ffering the two-departure format on larger FPC events was the best thing we could have done to provide some travel options for attendees, maintain a higher level of safety management, and reduce the stress at staging locations and poker run checkpoints. The best part for me as organizer, getting to do it all over again and ride on another new super-cool performance boat.

Friday’s decision of where I get a nice test ride while taking a strategic command post, was hands-down, the new (Hull #1) Blackwater 43, powered by quad Mercury Verado 350's, With over 800 gallons of fuel, she’s built for some serious range to the Bahamas, while the sheer weight and beam to

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make her a wave-crushing offshore machine!

Just after the Gilberts lunch, the fleet was making their way across Blackwater Sound, when two brand new Deep Impact 399 Sports flanked the young Blackwater for a photo shoot.

As the speeds picked up, the Deep Impact cousins from the same Opa-Locka factory started to make their move, but Sales Manager Terry Sobo (our driver) had some muscles to flesh. In a few seconds, down went the throttle, up came the trim, and that monster center console jumped to life, spitting out a mammoth rooster tail and leaping ahead of its quad-400 cousins…as if to say, OK kids, this ain’t Grandpa’s fishin’ boat!

Robert Lockyer | FL Team SKATER- 32'Skater

Rudy Trevisan | CANADA Team IT'S ALL GOOD - 38'Statement POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 39

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Terry Sobo | Fl Team BLACKWATER - 43'Blackwater HAMMERTIME Crew

Ray Aquit | LA Team HAMMERTIME - 39'Deep Impact

DEEP IMPACT Crew

Mark & Eileen Fischer | FL Team DEEP IMPACT - 39'Deep Impact 40 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Ron Levy and Cintia, guests on the BLACK WATER

Jenny Landsman and the girls from team Golddigger.

Friday photo shoot with TEAM HYDROSPORTS Custom showing off two 53 Suenos models, each powered by quad 7 Marine 627 HP V8 outboards.

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Mike & Maggie Sanz | FL Team BACK IN BLACK AGAIN - 36'Deep Impact

John & Tracy Wittenberger | NJ Team ON THE ROCKS - 36'Sonic

Chris Ryder | LA Team CRISIS MANAGEMENT - 36'Skater

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 43

David & Jenny Landsman | MD Team GOLDDIGGER - 50'Outerlimits

Octavio Valdivia | GA Team BAD TO THE BONE - 47'Outerlimits

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Bobbie Kieber | FL Team BIG BAD N BLUE - 35'Cigarette

Chris & Quinn LaMorte | NJ Team SKATER - 36'Skater

Rick and Ellen Raab | PA Team SO WELL WORTH IT - 38'Fountain

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O M N I B O AT

W

e’d like to welcome the producers from Boat Movie, LLC to the FPC family. This group is producing of a series of Miami-centric short films that called for a Cigarette

Top Gun as a key character in the story.

But finding the right boat wasn’t easy, so they reached out to Florida Powerboat Club. After an exhaustive search, Brett Manire and Performance Boat Center

found the perfect fit, a fresh water 1998 Cigarette Top Gun named Lay’N Pipe.

Special thanks to the Performance Boat Center team for their warm welcome and professional service.

SJ

Lane & Chris Christianson | TX Team FAST LANE - 52'Outerlimits

Bob & Madelyn Christie | LA Team MAD-WON - 39'Cigarette

Brett Manire | MO Team PERFORMANCE BOAT CENTER - 41'Cigarette GTR

48 POWERBOATING IN PARADISE |

FA R O B L A N C O RESORT AND MARINA

B

ack in the 80’s and 90’s, Faro Blanco Resort was a popular destination that hosted APBA and OPT racing events, along with the once-popular Everglades Poker Run. In 1993, Florida Powerboat Club organized a Sonic owners rally, which brought about two dozen Sonic teams to the resort during the November Key West World Championships. This event was instrumental in launching, what is now FPC’s Key West Offshore Poker Run, now in its 25th year. When the all-new resort and marina re-opened

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in January 2015, FPC was the first boating organization to return to the new venue, with the Winter Poker Run. Sadly, within just two years, property owners Spottswood Group, have announced that hosting large poker runs during high tourism season, (like the Miami Boat Show Poker Run in February) do not work well into their business plan, and 2017 marks the solo occasion this event would be staged at Faro Blanco Resort. FPC is currently in talks with management to determine suitable time-slots for future events.

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 51

F

rom the moment the Friday teams arrived and united with the Thursday group, it was one non-stop party at Faro Blanco Resort, from the docks alongside the landmark white & red lighthouse, to the patio of the Lighthouse Grill where Radio DJ Bill Hoebee joined Stu for a two hour live radio remote broadcast on the Florida Keys top radio stations 99.5 and Sun 103.1. By early evening, poker run festivities continued with a big dinner awards party, bringing all of the poker run teams together for food, fun, People’s Choice Awards, sponsor presentations, videos on the big screen, and great tunes from DJ-Stash, who was a guest on The Program yacht. Special thanks to our feature sponsors for their tremendous support of this event, and we’d like to congratulate the three winning teams who had Lady Luck on their side and pulled the best poker hands!

6 1

7 2

8 3

FEATURED SPONSOR AWARDS 1. CIGARETTE RACING - Bobbie Kieber (Cig.Owner) 2. CHIEF ENGINES - Ben Wiersum 3. PREDATOR BOATS- B. Robertson, G. Takkula, A. Baakkegard 4. PERFORMANCE BOAT CENTER - M. Coil, R. Williams, B. Manire 5. TOTAL DOLLAR INSURANCE - Buzz Fyhrie, Fort Lauderdale 6. FPC GIRL Brandi on her first assignment 7. MIDNIGHT EXPRESS - Crew members Milena, Chris and Gina 8. NOR-TECH POWERBOATS - T. Martin, M. Brannstrom 9. JERSEY STRONG - Bernie Neuhaus accepts for Bob Christie 10. OFFLEASEONLY & DEEP IMPACT - Mark & Eileen Fischer

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AWARD 1

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NIGHT

1. 1ST PLACE-BEST POKER HAND - Robert & Ali Hooker - BALI BLU BY U 2. 2ND PLACE - Ray Aquit - HAMMER TIME 3. 3RD PLACE-Bobby Kieber - BIG BAD N BLUE 4. FARTHEST TRAVELED - George Takkula - FINLAND 5. BEST ENGINES & RIGGING - David Spear - THE SLEEPER 6. BEST PAINT & GRAPHICS - Sal Olivia - X-SCAPE FROM NY 7. BEST DRESSED CREW - Mike Ciasulli - MAXON AUTO GROUP 8. MOST ENTHUSIASTIC CREW- Meghan and Jenny - CENTRAL TIME ZONE 9. MOST OUTRAGEOUS BOAT- David Landsman - GOLDDIGGER 10. SEXIEST CREW - Girls of THE PROGRAM 11. BEST POKER RUN BOAT- Mark & Eileen Fischer - DEEP IMPACT 399 12. BEST CENTER CONSOLE - Trond Schou - 450CC NOR-TECH

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GROUND BREAKING NEWS IN THE GROVE

Grove Harbour Marina is pleased to annnounce exciting expansion plans that include new marine facilities and first class dining on property!

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Cliff Anderson's 36'Eliminator

Nor-Tech 450CC pace boat at Island Fish Co. Marathon for lunch stop.

T

he Saturday weather was beyond perfection, as light winds and sunny skies prevailed, luring virtually every team to load up and hit the high seas. Of course, that’s a figure speech… as the high seas were merely the wakes that we created for our Saturday fun run. With a local Marathon helicopter on our payroll for the morning, our FPC photo & video crew staged a number of spectacular speed runs in the bay waters near the 7 Mile bridge, where the colorful assure waters and backdrop of a brilliant blue sky allowed our aerial team to capture amazing Conrad Peralta - 43'Midnight Express

videos and still photos that our FPC members will enjoy for years. A short romp southbound took us for a scenic ride around Bahia Honda State park, then back northbound to the Vaca Cut, where we settled in for lunch at the Island Fish Company. Rounding out a perfect day, about 30 teams joined in for an amazing raft-up party alongside The Program Yacht, hosted by Bob Berg and his highly-spirited crew members.

Thanks to everyone who joined us, and let’s hope we can find a suitable new venue for this event in 2018!

SJ

Pierre & Meghan Brousseau's 40'Nor-Tech

Mike Ciasulli - Skater 388

Nor-Tech 450CC

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George Takkula - 44'Predator

Joe Amaroso - 39'Outerlimits

Chris LaMorte - 36'Skater

Brett Manire - PBC 41'Cigarette GTR

Don House - 36'Cigarette

Pierre Brousseau - 40'Nor-Tech

Chris Ryder - 36'Skater

Benny D'Angelo - 38'Cigarette

The raft up party on Saturday was one of the best we've had in recent years. On the calm bay waters near the entrance to Faro Blanco Marina. Special thanks to Bob Berg and the girls of THE PROGRAM, for making it a festive afternoon in the middle of paradise.

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 57

The weekend offered many great opportunities for our photographer Jerry to spend some quality time with our newest FPC girls Whitney and Brandi.

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FOR THE SEVENTH YEAR IN A ROW FPC MEMBERS RE-UNITED IN ST. PETERSBURG FOR A SPRING FLING THAT FEATURED GREAT TAMPA BAY CRUISING

BY DAY, ALONG WITH THE HIGH ENERGY VIBE IN THE EVENING ALONG THE DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT. COMBINING ALL THIS WITH FIRST CLASS ACCOMMODATIONS AT THE HISTORIC RENAISSANCE VINOY RESORT AND THE COZY BOUTIQUE-STYLE SUITES AT THE BIRCHWOOD, FLORIDA POWERBOAT CLUB MEMBERS WERE TREATED WITH A TOUCH OF ELEGANCE.

WORDS BY STU JONES

M

oving the event calendar around in 2017 to keep things interesting for FPC members, proved that the annual Tampa Bay Poker Run was capable of pulling a 40boat roster despite its shift from April to March. The logic for the date change was that FPC opted to bring a Fort Myers event back into the mix for spring 2017, and the only way to make that happen, was to push the Tampa Bay run into March. Further rationale on my part, was that by following one-week behind the popular St. Petersburg Grand Prix, FPC might have access to some floating dock facilities that were in place for that event. Of course, it was the organizer’s

60 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

over-zealous optimism that far outweighed actual (cost) of acquiring that floating dock system, and we settled for the limited docks we secured at the Vinoy Marina and the nearby St. Pete City Marina. On the down-side, following the St. Pete Indy-car event (a road course on city streets) resulted in the post-race presence of hundreds of concrete traffic barricades, and many city streets forced members with long truck-trailer combos to take unwanted detours. We adapted, but we will plan accordingly in coming years.

Friday afternoon yielded sizable fleet of anxious poker run teams already in the water, so we headed off for short and

Beautiful weather and light winds made for the perfect setting as the 40 boat fleet throttled up for the first leg of the Tampa Bay Poker Run .

PHOTOS BY BLAINE BARDEN & STU JONES

fun lunch run to the popular Hula Bay Club, just north of the Vinoy in the Tampa Bay waters. FPC had made arrangements for this St. Patty’s day soiree ahead of time, so there was plenty of dockage ready for the group and the restaurant was very well-staffed for the occasion.

Special thanks to all the gang at Hula Bay Club for the warm welcome!

Friday evening followed the usual formality of checking in at the Vinoy Resort lobby and attending a mandatory captains meeting, and it was here that members engaged on how best to get that elusive Sunshine Skyway money shot.

We all agreed to stop about two miles from the bridge, mill around, and then take a parade formation through the spans.

Sounded like a plan, but would they remember?

Saturday morning brought excellent weather, with clear sunny skies and after the first poker card in Vinoy Basin, the group was underway. The entire plan that was mapped out the evening earlier came together like a masterpiece. As Eric Glaser from Midnight Express later said, “I just wish everyone could have seen Stu on the front of our pace boat waving his arms at the boats like an orchestra conductor!”

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 61

FPC GIRLS TIYADA & SHAY After a boat-to-boat poker card #2 at Egmont Key, the run continued north in the bay waters for a quick loop into Hula Bay (card #3), before settling in for lunch at Jackson's Bistro in downtown Tampa‌where the rafted fleet offered an amazing display of high-performance hardware, featuring sponsor entries from Deep Impact, Blackwater, Midnight Express and Nor-Tech Hi-Performance boats.

The Saturday night party brought the crew together for wonderful evening at a luxurious setting in The Birchwood ballroom, a

boutique hotel along the bustling Beach Street corridor. Most members agreed, this event has had its challenges in finding the best Saturday night venue in the past, but The Birchwood Hotel was a hands down winner! Speaking of winners, congratulations to the Andersons from Texas, as Roger & Pam Anderson took First with best poker hand, followed by son Cliff Anderson and wife Melissa, taking second place, proving once again, that the Tampa Bay Poker Run is indeed, family friendly.

SJ

Poker Card #2 at Egmont Key went smoothly with no scratches or dings...just SMILES AND WAVES!

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Neil & Cindy Campbell | TN Team BODACIOUS - 37'Formula

Sandy Estep | FL Team SANDY DOLLAR - 38'Fountain

Bob & Madelyn Christie | NJ Team MAD-WON - 39'Cigarette

SANDY DOLLAR CREW

The Ladies of LADY LISA

Red Reynolds | WI Team LADY LISA - 80'Nor-Tech

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 63

Team PIRATE SPEED Crew Danny Merrell | GA Team PIRATE SPEED - 44'MTI

Team - SPECTRE Crew (St.Patty's Day spirit)

Christopher Stevenson | FL Team SPECTRE - 32'Spectre

Team HOUSE PARTY Crew Don House | KY Team HOUSE PARTY - 36'Cigarette

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July 20 - 22, 2017

www.piratesoflanier.com

Derek Wachob | OK Team BLACK DIAMOND - 52'MTI

Team PLAN B - 42'Cigarette

Team BLACK DIAMOND EXPRESS - 34'MTI

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Egmont Key poker card stop

Tiyada & Shay in their Hula Bay swag.

Mark & Eileen Fischer | LA Team DEEP IMPACT - 36'Deep Impact

John O'Loughlin | NY Team JUDGEMENT DAY - 52'MTI

Sean and Channing McArthur | FL Team DREAM HUNTER - 36'Blackwater

Jim & Lynne Archambault | LA Team KEEPIN' IT REAL - 34'Sunsation

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Brian Hoar | VT Team XRACER - 32'Doug Wright

Mark & Susan Munro | NJ Team ON YOUR MARK - 39'Cigarette

Albert and Jill Teramana | OH Team NASTY HABIT - 42'Cigarette

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 69

Simon & Kathryn Williams | FL Team GOGPS - 42'Cigarette

John & Oksana Evans | FL Team THE NUGGET - 38'Cigarette

Cass Shewbart | TX Team LIQUA PROZAC - 38'Cigarette

70 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

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Greg Tolson | FL Team ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOR - 32'Sunsation

Daniel Munyan | FL Team SPECTRE- 32'Spectre

Bill Munyan | FL Team AFTERMATH- 36'Skater

Mark Stoddart | CANADA Team MTI - 48'MTI

Josh Kirkland | GA Team DIRTY DUCK - 42'Cigarette

Joseph & Christine Amoroso | NY Team BADA BING - 39'Outerlimits

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Eric Glaser | FL Team MIDNIGHT EXPRESS - 43'Midnight Express OFFICIAL PACE BOAT

Gary & Jen Nelson | FL Team 711 - 30'Skater Mark & Spencer Headley | OH Team MAIDEN AMERICA - 42'Fountain

EDITORS NOTE:

One of the most amazing rooster tail photos we've had in a long time.

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 73

Richard Gerth | CANADA Team OUTERLIMITS - 42'Outerlimits

Cliff & Mellissa Anderson| TX Team PAPER CHASER - 36'Eliminator

Will Smith | FL Team PHANTOM - 30'Phantom

Bill Carroll | NY Team FOUNTAIN - 42'Fountain

Jorge Arellano | FL Team PHANTOM - 30'Phantom(Twin Merc 300)

Mattias Brannstrom & Chris Erickson | FL Team NOR-TECH - 34'Nor-Tech

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1. FARTHEST TRAVELED - Spencer Headley - Team MAIDEN AMERICA 2. MOST SPIRITED CREW- Sean & Channing McArthur -Team DREAM HUNTER 3. BEST V BOTTOM - B. Carroll Team FOUNTAIN 42 4. 3RD PLACE WINNER - Richard Gerth Team OUTERLIMITS 5. BEST PAINT & GRAPHICS -Gary Nelson Team 711 6. SPONSOR APPRECIATION AWARD - Eric Glaser -MIDNIGHT EXPRESS 7. 1ST PLACE WINNER - Roger & Pam Anderson Team EASY MONEY 8. BEST CENTER CONSOLE - Mattias Brannstrom - Team NOR-TECH 9. BEST DRESSED CREW - Christopher Stevenson - Team SPECTRE. 10. SPONSOR APPRECIATION AWARD - Mark & Eileen Fischer - DEEP IMPACT BOATS 11. BEST CATAMARAN - John O'Loughlin - Team JUDGEMENT DAY 12. BEST TOW VEHICLE - Ed Rumley - Team BLACK DIAMOND 13. SEXIEST CREW - Sandy Estep - Team SANDY DOLLAR (All girl Poker Run Team!)

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KEEPING THE SPRING AGENDA FULL OF SURPRISES, FLORIDA POWERBOAT CLUB RETURNED TO FORT MYERS AFTER A FOUR YEAR ABSENCE FROM THIS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PLAYGROUND. LOCATED ON SOUTHERN TIP OF ESTERO ISLAND, THE PINK SHELL RESORT & MARINA PROVIDED THE PERFECT HOME-BASE, AS OVER 30 POKER RUN TEAMS BOUNCED FROM SANIBEL ISLAND TO BOCA GRANDE AND USEPPA ISLAND, FOR A FUN WEEKEND OF ISLAND HOPPING ADVENTURES!

Chicago twins Emilia & Kristina made their FPC Poker Run debut for the Fort Myers Poker Run WORDS BY STU JONES

W

hat makes the Fort Myers and Southwest Florida such a popular location for recreational powerboaters, has a lot to do with basic geography 101.

While the Gulf Coast waters from Naples to Sarasota are certainly manageable by most small recreational boats for at least six months of the year, it’s common to see that when any strong winds contain a “west” component, the shallow Gulf can kick up quickly, and create an unpleasant boating experience for many. That’s when the area’s abundance of protected waterways make Fort Myers the gem of the Sunshine State for recreational boaters that call this home. It begins with the Caloosahatchee River that spans upriver to Florida’s interior regions and essentially connects Fort Myers with Florida’s East

78 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Coast, but the big players in this calm-water equation are the spacious bay waters of Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor to the north. Together, these bodies of water yield an easily navigable intracoastal waterway and countless waterfront destinations from rustic little hideaways to luxurious yacht clubs.

The Pink Shell staff rolled out the welcome mat to Florida Powerboat Club with first class marine facilities and a very attentive dock staff, who went the extra distance to accommodate our guests.

Directly adjacent to the marina, luxurious lodging at the resort ranged from kitchen-equipped studios to one and two-bedroom spacious condominium suites, most with

B o ca G rande M arina and its po pular ups cale restaurant calle d The Eagle G rille, provi de d an i deal lunch sto pover for the poker run teams .

PHOTOS BY BLAINE BARDEN & STU JONES

magnificent views of the expansive beach and Gulf of Mexico.

Just two miles away, Salty Sam’s Marina provided launching facilities and trailer parking for the out of town visitors, and by noon on Friday, over twenty teams were ready for a short fun run around Sanibel Island. We later docked at Bootleggers in Fort Myers harbor for a poker run kickoff party‌and gathered later Friday at the Pink Shell for a

more formal event check in and captains meeting.

There were some concerns about weather Saturday morning as the poker run got its start at about 10:30am from the Pink Shell docks, but our northbound course would take us in the opposite direction, making card stops at Tween Waters Resort on Sanibel Island, and a lunch stop at the cozy Boca Grande Marina where the Eagle Grille staff served an amazing lunch.

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 79

Frank & Claudia Scheelen | FL Team TOP FUN - 43'Sunseeker

Continuing the run back through the protected waters in our Nor-Tech 42 Monte Carlo pace-boat, the group settled for a very special rendezvous at the private Useppa Island Club, a privilege we enjoyed courtesy of FPC members George & Shannon Argyros. Still evading the lingering

storms to the south, we made a last dash back to Pink Shell Resort, catching no more than 15 minutes of light showers. We’ll let the photos tell the rest of the story, and we thank everyone who joined us for the FPC return to SJ Southwest Florida.

Mark & Eileen Fischer | FL Team DEEP IMPACT - 36'Deep Impact

Mark & Spencer Headley | OH Team MAIDEN AMERICA - 42'Fountain

80 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

William Forenski | DE Team SMOKING GUN - 38'Cigarette

Join the club.

Join the fun.

Five levels of membership to suit your boating lifestyle.

PLATINUM MEMBERSHIP

• Access to all FPC events and parties.

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

• Powerboating in Paradise Magazine subscription.

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

• Access to all Membership discount programs.

PLUS: • Premium Outer Banks club polo shirt. (Ladies tops available.)

• Premium embroidered club hat.

• Additional Powerboating video.

• Venus Swimwear gift voucher. ($75-$100 value.)

PLUS:

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

• Marina and marine service refferals for your powerboat.

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

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

$479.00/year*

GOLD MEMBERSHIP

COMMERCIAL MEMBERSHIP

Membership Includes all of the Standard Membership benefits, PLUS:

Membership Includes:

• Premium Outer Banks Club Polo Shirt. (Ladies tops avail.)

• Premium embroidered club hat.

• Additional Powerboating Video of your choice: • Venus Swimwear gift voucher. ($75-$100 value.) $369.00/year*

STANDARD MEMBERSHIP Membership Includes: • Access to all FPC events and parties.

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

• Powerboating in Paradise Magazine subscription.

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

• Access to all Membership discount programs. $259.00/year*

• Discounted rates on FPC Magazine ads • Discounted rates on all web advertising/banner programs.

• Access to all FPC events and parties.

• Listing on our website affiliate section.

Commercial Members also have the opportunity to run promotions and discounts through FPC events. $349.00/year*

SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP Membership Includes:

• Club T-shirt in your choice of colors.

• Powerboating Video of your choice (Dozens to choose.)

• Powerboating in Paradise Magazine subscription.

• Access to FPC parties • Discounted Boat Show tickets. $79.00/year*

*Overseas and international memberships will have a slightly higher rate to compensate for mailing/shipping costs.

Mark & Susan Munro | NJ Team ON YOUR MARK - 39'Cigarette

Kristina

Emilia Frank Lovato | NJ Team MY ALIBI - 38'Cigarette

Christopher Stevenson | Fl Team SPECTRE - 32'Spectre Alison & Melizza

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Noel & Gretchen Speranza | FL Team RETAINAGE - 28'Phantom

Frank Sr & Frank Jr Jannucci | NJ Team UNDERDOG - 35'Formula UNDERDOG Crew

Lane & Chris Christianson | TX Team FAST LANE - 52'Outerlimits FAST LANE Crew

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 83

David Burg | TX Team MIDNIGHT EXPRESS - 43'Midnight Express

Roger & Pam Anderson | TX Team EASY MONEY II - 39'Nor-Tech

Tim & Erin Gallagher | MO Team MTI - 42'MTI

Jim Glover | NJ Team MYSTIC - 42'Mystic

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Bill Munyan | FL Team AFTERMATH - 36'Skater

John & Connie Fahmy | GA Team SOUTHERN YANKEE - 42'Outerlimits

Chris Ryder | NY Team CRISIS MANAGEMENT - 36'Skater

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 85

Trond Schou | FL Team NOR-TECH - 42'Nor-Tech Monte Carlo

Mattias Brannstrom | Team NORTECH - 39'Nor-Tech 390CC

Rick & Ellen Raab | PA Team SO WELL WORTH IT - 38'Fountain Joe & Amy Lee Celello | FL Team EL DIABLO - 36'Spectre

86 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

Brian Hoar | VT Team XRACER - 32'Doug Wright

Daniel Munyan | FL Team SPECTRE - 32'Spectre

John Wittenberger | NJ Team ON THE ROCKS - 36'Sonic

JJ Vigorito | NY Team RAD DAD - 30'Skater

Chris & Quinn LaMorte | NJ Team SKATER - 36'Skater

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 87

1

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AWARD 4

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1. 1ST PLACE - BEST POKER HAND- John Lasky - Team SATISFACTION GUARANTEED 2. 2ND PLACE - David & Patrick Berg - Team MIDNIGHT EXPRESS 3. 3RD PLACE - Mark & Eileen Fischer - Team DEEP IMPACT 4. MOST SPIRITED TEAM - Trond Schou - Team NOR-TECH 5. BEST V BOTTOM - Lane & Chris Christianson Team FAST LANE 6. BEST CENTER CONSOLE - David Burg - Team MIDNIGHT EXPRESS 7. BEST DRESSED CREW - William Forenski - Team SMOKING GUN 8. FARTHEST TRAVELED TEAM - Brian Hoar - Team X RACER 9. BEST CATAMARAN - Bill Munyan - Team AFTERMATH 10. SEXIEST CREW - Christopher Stevenson Team SPECTRE Girls - Melizza & Allison

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Kristina

Emilia

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 89

C

ongratulations to Terry Sobo & Chrissy ( Night Jacobson) who tied the knot in a pleasant beachside ceremony on Sanibel Island, April 28th. Terry is well-known in the FPC family, having been a key player in the marine industry for over two decades, working with reputable manufacturers including Black Thunder, Nor-Tech Hi-Performance, and more recently, the Miami-based Deep Impact/ Blackwater organization headed up

by Mark Fischer. That explained the guest list full of boating personalities, many of whom brought their boats for the weekend to the Tween Waters Resort & Marina wedding venue. It was a fabulous weekend that included a Saturday boating fun-run to the landmark Cabbage Key Resort for lunch! Now that’s a perfect match!

R TE

RY & C H R I S S Y

04• 28• 2 017

Several Florida Powerboat Club members and alumni were in attendance for the beach-side wedding.

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Leave the D

rones have offered amazing new opportunities to photographers, videographers, film makers, law enforcement agencies, real estate professionals and the list goes on, with applications that are limited only by one’s imagination. There’s no better example than Florida Powerboat Club’s organizers, who have been utilizing drones on poker run events to capture close-up actionpacked aerial images that would be impossible or unsafe to create even with a highly skilled helicopter pilot.

The benefits of using drones have far outweighed the costs, and there has rarely been a down-side on the drone equation, until now.

Careless misuse of drones in society, by unscrupulous Peeping Toms and less-skilled owners operating near public airports or in crowded parks or events, have led to a public outcry and forced tough FAA restrictions to now be imposed on drone use within five mile perimeters of major airports. FPC has recognized the importance of these restrictions, and has complied by hiring FAA licensed operators and by following the local area restrictions. That said, there have still been an onslaught of recreational flyers that have brought drones on FPC events, and there

have been far too many close calls where personal injury could have proven to be tragic. Here are but a few examples: 2014 - Drone operator launches drone at SeaIsle Marina, crashes within 10 seconds near a crowded dock as participants about 20 feet away, as they prepared for the poker run.

2015 - A non-participant crashes his DJI phantom into the antenna on a Viking sportfish, during a 50-boat raft up party - unit falls 25 feet down and crashes into a Nor-Tech (full of people) then lands in the water.

2016 - Drone pilot hired by FPC on Tampa run, crashes unit into the water at a crowded lunch stop.

Operator had been instructed to not fly over boats, therefore no incidents or collisions occurred.

2017 - A passenger on a registered FPC boat, flew his drone and collided with the antenna on yacht at a poker run raft up party in Marathon. The drone then crashed into a back seat of a Fountain powerboat, with it's sharp rotor blades cutting into the vinyl seating. (Where people had been seated just minutes earlier).

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By Stu Jones

at These incidents are but a few of the many close-calls on FPC events, and we have no choice but to implement strict drone-flying policies on FPC events, effective immediately, as of May 2017.

1. FPC only hires insured, FAA certified drone operators, and only these drones can fly on FPC events. These pilots are given strict safety guidelines that they must follow.

2. FPC and their crew members are not permitted to fly drones on FPC events, unless they meet the same criteria as approved FAA, certified vendors, and have express permission from FPC management and provide access to their footage by the FPC video department.

3. Every FPC member/boat owner is ultimately responsible for the actions, incidents, or damage claims that may have been caused by one of his or her crew members.

4. FPC management will identify and inform event participants who/where/when drones will be operated. If an un-identified drone is spotted, it must be reported to FPC management immediately(we suggest taking photo).

5. Rotor guards around the blades of drones may be required for all approved drone pilots in the future.

These new guidelines are intended solely for the safety and protection of Florida Powerboat Club and its members, to avoid personal injury, property damage, and to reduce exposure and liability that could arise as a result of a careless drone incident.

TYPICAL DRONES USED BY RECREATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL FLYERS

Approximate weight 3lb - 4 rotors

Approximate weight 8lb - 4 rotors

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 93

I

t's no secret that the powerboating lifestyle has become the fabric of our lifestyle for many Floridians, and it’s likely the main attraction that brought some of us here to Florida in the first place‌. or kept native Floridians from ever leaving. With tropical weather that permits year-round boating opportunities, and a performance marine industry that is very much alive, it’s no wonder that world has taken notice, and attracted many like-minded enthusiasts to the Sunshine State for decades.

For these reasons, along with some tireless marketing efforts and the power of social media, Florida Powerboat Club has evolved as an international organization, with membership that expands far beyond international borders.

Our membership roster now span more than 30 states, north to Canada, south to the Central America and across the Atlantic to more than fifteen European countries.

To illustrate this, our recent Key West event fielded teams from more than a dozen countries, confirming that the scope of our reach has achieved an all-time high. The result, is that FPC has built relationships with powerboating

94 | POWERBOATING IN PARADISE

enthusiasts, poker run event organizers, and performance industry colleagues, in no less than five continents.

What this translates to, is that with a strong focus on building an international organization, and by enlisting Ambassadors from every state, every province, and from every country where the powerboating lifestyle has become deeply seeded, the opportunities are endless.

Imagine an organization, where your fellow member can entertain you in the South of Spain, and take you for a cruise to the world class island of Ibiza. Or picture yourself on the Monaco Poker Run, weaving amidst amazing yachts and glancing over at the historic streets that have hosted the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco for decades. These are but a few of the possibilities, that will come by embracing the World Powerboat Club.

I invite you to share your interest, by consider volunteering as a World Powerboat Club Ambassador, and together we will take our powerboating lifestyles to a whole new place.

FUTURE AMBASSADORS / WPC MAY 2017 UPDATE Since we announced the launch of World Powerboat Club back in February at the Miami International Boat Show, we're happy to report amazing feedback from around the globe.

Here's just a quick update with some of our prospective Ambassadors who have pledged their support to World Powerboat Club in recent months, illustrating the fabulous

future this organization will have, with connecting the international powerboating community through our global exchange programs. Stay tuned, and be sure to e-mail us if YOU want to become the World Powerboat Club ambassador for your state, region or country!

SJ

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS (BVI): Nick Willis – Nick@surfbvi.com CANADA : MEGHAN BROUSSEAU- meghan.brousseau@gmail.com FINLAND: George Takkula - takkula@lincolnwood.ch HOLLAND/NETHERLANDS: Helmich Hillen – Hhillen@gmail.com MALLORCA, SPAIN: Rolf Hoellger - rhoellger@vipo-deutschland.de NORWAY: Andree Bakkegaard- andree@predatorboats.no PUERTO RICO: Wally Castro – Wally@wallycastromarine.com

UNITED STATES: COLORADO: Mario Funes Mariofunes10@gmail.com FLORIDA: Stu Jones stu@flpowerboat.com KENTUCKY: Justin Lucas j.aquaholic@gmail.com NEW JERSEY: David Kramer davekramer08087@gmail.com TEXAS: Paul Robinson – Rtechperformance@verizon.net

ST. THOMAS USVI: Guilderoy Sprauve - jixterdistribution@yahoo.com TURKS & CAICOS: Ron Williams - touchcommtci@gmail.com

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 95

MOM ALWAYS TOLD YOU

AFFORDING THE PLEASURE OF LUXURY HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER THAN WITH FPC’S FRACTIONAL OWNERSHIP CLUB.

T

he concept of fractional ownersh ip for yachts and aircraft is certainly not new, but Florida Fractional Club puts a new spin on the concept, by adding a center console powerboat and a Class A motorhome to spice up the f leet. Consider the benefits of owning a boat, yacht or RV, with no maintenance or management worries, and only one quarter of the cost to go it

alone. Besides, with your work agenda, family commitments and busy travel schedule, you can’t possibly have enough TIME to justify sole ownership!

It’s time to take a closer look at the Florida Fractional Club program. So lessen the financial burden, eliminate management worries, and share the toys with your friends. Mom would be very pleased!

CONTACT: STU JONES | STU@FLPOWERBOAT.COM PH: 954.684.9333

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MOTORYACHT: $ 375,000 quarter share/ $ 3,750 monthly (Includes: full time crew, storage, docking, maintenance, insurance) Image of proposed 70' Azimut is for illustration purposes only. Actual yacht used for Fractional Program may differ.

• 2011 70’ Azimut Flybridge Motoryacht • Twin MAN Turbo Diesel 1360HP • 1,300 hours- all maintenance current • Cabins + Crew quarters • Twin SeaKeeper stabilizers (very desirable)

• Homeport: Fort Lauderdale & Bahamas (summer) • Follows FPC Poker Run events • 10 weeks guaranteed/ charter rev-share • Full time captain / part time stew •Three year program/ sell or trade up

POWERBOAT: $ 45,000/quarter share / $400-monthly –S&M (Storage + Maintenance + Insurance + launching) • 2016 33’ Ocean Hawk Center Console • Twin Mercury 350HP Verado – color match • Top of the line electronics, stereo, Color change Ocean LED • Custom trailer with two scooters • Brand new boat, not yet titled • Full time dry storage by FPC included in program • Poker Run event fees and launches included • Sportboat class- 60mph cruise/ 70mph+ top speed • Florida- Bahamas – occasional out of state events

CLASS A MOTORHOME: $ 40,000/quarter share / $ 250 S&M (storage + maintenance + insurance) • 2008 GulfStream Tourmaster – 63,000 mi.

• Freightliner Chassis/ 425HP Cummins Turbo Diesel (Pusher) • 43’ Long – triple slide • 3 HD TV’s in cabin including 50” ent. Outdoor ent .center • Sleeps (5) comfortably – 3 Rooftop A/C unites • Master bedroom Queen/ with walkin closet, washer dryer • 10,000 lb. tow capacity for boat and/or tow vehicle • Access to Matching tow fleet: 12’ Horton motorcycle trailer • 28’ enclosed car trailer, 2013 Kia Soul 6-Speed with rally graphics.

Also available to compliment RV use(rental program) 12' motorcycle trailer | 28' toy trailer | 2013 Kia Soul with towbar

POWERBOATING IN PARADISE | 97

2017 EVENTS AD INDEX MAY

2nd ANNUAL FLORIDA-HAVANA POWERBOAT RALLY

MAY

16th ANNUAL LEVERICK BAY BVI POKER RUN

18-22

25-28

Fort Lauderdale to Resorts World Bimini Hilton( Friday dep- return Sunday) Features cruising to Bimini attractions including Sapona ship wreck & sting ray feeding at Honey Moon Harbour.

ACTIVE THUNDER........................................................... 53 AMERICAN CUSTOM MARINE......................................... 25 AO COOLERS................................................................... 67 APACHE 41..................................................................... 59 BLACK WATER.................................................................. 9 BIG THUNDER MARINE.................................................... 47 BOOST POWER ENGINES ...............................................IBC BRAND X......................................................................... 71 DEEP IMPACT...................................................................13 DOLLER OFFSHORE MARINE............................................17 EMERALD COAST POKER RUN........................................ 49 FLORIDA FRACTIONAL CLUB ......................................... 96 FPC MEMBERSHIP.......................................................... 81 FPC PICTURE ORDER...................................................... 91 GROVE HARBOR MARINA................................................ 55 MERCURY RACING......................................................... IFC MIDNIGHT EXPRESS....................................................... 29 NOR-TECH........................................................................ 23 OCEAN LED..................................................................... 35 OFFLEASE ONLY...............................................................11 OUTERLIMITS.................................................................. 45 PERFORMANCE BOAT CENTER.........................................15 PIRATES OF LANIER........................................................ 65 SCI SUPERIOR COMMUNICATIONS.................................. 75 TEXAS OUTLAW CHALLENGE.......................................... 41 SPEEDWEAR................................................................... 67 TEAGUE CUSTOM MARINE..........................................BACK TNT................................................................................. 65 TOTAL DOLLAR INSURANCE........................................... 77 WESTREC MARINAS....................................................... 31 WORLD POWERBOAT CLUB............................................. 94 WOZENCRAFT INSURANCE............................................. 71

FPC 25th ANNUAL KEY WEST OFFSHORE POKER RUN

ADVERTISING

Key West to Havana Cuba. 38’ Hull requirement due to gulf stream seas.

Registration due 90 days prior event. Depart Key West on Thursday 18th - 4 nights in Cuba - Return to Key West, Monday the 22nd.

Puerto Rico to Virgin Gorda, BVI. Round 1 of 3-Event Caribbean Triple Crown Series. (FPC Coordinating all logistics & boat shipping with ro/ro vessels via Port of Jacksonville to Puerto Rico.)

JUN

8th ANNUAL SMOKIN' THE SOUND

JUN

2nd ANNUAL EUROPEAN POKER RUN

JUN-JUL

26th ANNUAL BAHAMAS POKER RUN

2-3

9-16

29-2

AUG 8-13

SEP-OCT

29-1

NOV 7-13

Biloxi, Mississippi Gulf Coast. Hosted by the Golden Nugget Casino Resort & Marina

Stuttgart Germany to Italy with optional 24hr LeMans Extended trip.

Drive brand new Porsches across the European countryside and join the Autobahn 150mph club!

Bimini (Thurs - Sun) Resorts World Bimini Hilton and extended trip to Abacos (July 2nd through Wed July 5th), luxurious villas available.

Extended trip includes stops in Berry Islands & Abacos.

25th ANNUAL EMERALD COAST POKER RUN Destin & Fort Walton Beach FL - Boat Week activities begin Tues Aug 8th! This is FPC’s top Charity fund-raising event, partnering with Emerald Coast Foundation to raise almost $150K annually!

FPC FALL BIMINI BLAST

Two departures Wed/Thurs from North Miami and Coconut Grove Celebrate FPC’s 25th Silver Anniversary for this Signature Poker Run Event! Plenty of entertainment at the Poker Run Village!

Disclaimer: Please note the event planning is a constantly ongoing process, that will most certainly see changes to dates and events along the way. The above 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.

DEADLINE: NEXT ISSUE VOL17#2

JULY 14

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