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LOTO vs Desert Storm

hallett21

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Do they implement VHF radio announcements to participants? If not that would help a bunch.

Flip side of that would be jackasses filling up the channel with unnecessary chatter.


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Singleton

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I think maybe just more organization. Ease for participants is huge. I think “cluster Fuckin is used a lot when people describe DS. It doesn’t necessarily need to be bigger. It’s pretty big. Maybe just better. And that can happen via better organization and ease for those participating.

IMO, it starts with Delegation!
DS organizers need delegate each activity to someone.
Not only does it hurt those of us participating, but the stress on Christina and Jimmy is huge.
 

Singleton

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Do they implement VHF radio announcements to participants? If not that would help a bunch.

Flip side of that would be jackasses filling up the channel with unnecessary chatter.


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It was never communicated during the Poker Run last year.
My group leader did not even have a radio. I had the channel in my notes from prior years and was communicating for my group to get through the channel and the start. Had a conversation with Christina on that CF during card turn in.
 

C-2

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Sometimes bigger is not better... All I ever hear is "remember when Lake Havasu was like this....or when Parker was like that"... Although I like the street fair...it is kind of cool that it still fits on the main st in Havasu .....if it gets bigger where is it gonna be....Where the boat show is at... When things get bigger I tend to check out... Although it may be good for business to get bigger....... That does not translate what's good for business is good for me... I tend to like small concert venues, small floating dock bars, and just a big enough crowd to have fun..... The bigger the event the less intimate and personal it is and the bigger the cluster fock.

Hah! Nailed it.

I became a staff member after the first Heatwave poker run in 99.

DS hit 200+ boats in Fall 2000, and as Tank said - that was a feat. Other poker runs allowed houseboats, cruisers and PWC's, DS had performance boats.

The street parties were an instant success. Jim S. from the LHMA laid the framework and I promoted the first two street parties, but by that time the city was onboard and everybody wanted in.

DS grew into a monster and I tapped out as a VOLUNTEER staff member in 2007. The run was no longer fun to work; it became a second job.

And there was also more than a handful of other volunteers on this site who busted their tails to make DS great. 👍

Hammer - contact little Jimmy and become a volunteer, DS needs new lifeblood every few years.

I found these just last night while thumbing thru old records...

ahba2.jpg
 

H20 Toie

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The logistics of putting on the event has got to be unbelievable. plus put in the fact that no one knew if it would even happen this year and could have been shutdown at the last second,. the pressure has to be crazy,
I missed the street fair this year but was amazed at how many people were at the lake the whole Weekend, I think it was the busiest I have ever seen it.
Its never going to be LOTO. just like it isn't going to be like the Key west poker run. they are all so different. but that also means that they are all a lot of fun in there own way
The Scope poker runs out of Long Beach use to be such a blast also., ( but there was always someone that was unhappy about something)
its impossible to please everyone,. So just a matter of going and having a good time,.
 

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Do they implement VHF radio announcements to participants? If not that would help a bunch.

Flip side of that would be jackasses filling up the channel with unnecessary chatter.


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Yep there would be women on there talking about what their favorite flavor of White Claw is in about 2 seconds and. I one would be able to hear anything.
 

C-2

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The logistics of putting on the event has got to be unbelievable. plus put in the fact that no one knew if it would even happen this year and could have been shutdown at the last second,. the pressure has to be crazy,
I missed the street fair this year but was amazed at how many people were at the lake the whole Weekend, I think it was the busiest I have ever seen it.
Its never going to be LOTO. just like it isn't going to be like the Key west poker run. they are all so different. but that also means that they are all a lot of fun in there own way
The Scope poker runs out of Long Beach use to be such a blast also., ( but there was always someone that was unhappy about something)
its impossible to please everyone,. So just a matter of going and having a good time,.

H20 Toie, I remember you stepped up before the run became popular and made a sizable contribution for charity, that was awesome. Back then the charity was Havasu for Youth, and I'm sure that money went a long way towards cleats, helmets and pads for the kids who couldn't afford them. 👍 :)

You and Tank are the real deal when it comes to experience at poker runs....have you ever missed one?
 

Tank

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H20 Toie, I remember you stepped up before the run became popular and made a sizable contribution for charity, that was awesome. Back then the charity was Havasu for Youth, and I'm sure that money went a long way towards cleats, helmets and pads for the kids who couldn't afford them. 👍 :)

You and Tank are the real deal when it comes to experience at poker runs....have you ever missed one?

I missed a few DS weekends after we sold our top gun around 2014 and we had young babies. But haven’t missed many since the first I attended in 97 or 98 when it was at the nautical bay through Arizona hot boat assoc. still have an aerial somewhere of all us in the bay in 98, 33 scarab was the biggest boat in the bay / poker run. 😂😂

Thanks for all your work those years. It really was because of people like you that made it work and and be so enjoyable for all the participants. And spectators.
 

hallett21

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Yep there would be women on there talking about what their favorite flavor of White Claw is in about 2 seconds and. I one would be able to hear anything.

You could take 5 mins to have a serious discussion that channel 22 is strictly for drivers and channel 28 and 34 are for passengers? 🤷🏼‍♂️

The problem is I can see how an announcement at the drivers meeting could change due to a million things. And you have no way of hailing the groups effectively once they are on the water.

If I were partaking in a poker run I’d turn on our handheld VHF. Heck pick up 10 from west marine (I know a few can loan their Port Supply account) and sell them to those who don’t have them.


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You could take 5 mins to have a serious discussion that channel 22 is strictly for drivers and channel 28 and 34 are for passengers? 🤷🏼‍♂️

The problem is I can see how an announcement at the drivers meeting could change do to a million things. And you have no way of hailing the groups effectively once they are on the water.

If I were partaking in a poker run I’d turn on our handheld VHF. Heck pick up 10 from west marine (I know a few can loan their Port Supply account) and sell them to those who don’t have them.


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Just do what we do for off-roading. If you don’t have a radio, you can’t participate.

J/K we only do that sometimes :)
 

hallett21

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Just do what we do for off-roading. If you don’t have a radio, you can’t participate.

J/K we only do that sometimes :)

But actually that’s a perfect stance lol


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Hammer

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Hah! Nailed it.

I became a staff member after the first Heatwave poker run in 99.

DS hit 200+ boats in Fall 2000, and as Tank said - that was a feat. Other poker runs allowed houseboats, cruisers and PWC's, DS had performance boats.

The street parties were an instant success. Jim S. from the LHMA laid the framework and I promoted the first two street parties, but by that time the city was onboard and everybody wanted in.

DS grew into a monster and I tapped out as a VOLUNTEER staff member in 2007. The run was no longer fun to work; it became a second job.

And there was also more than a handful of other volunteers on this site who busted their tails to make DS great. 👍

Hammer - contact little Jimmy and become a volunteer, DS needs new lifeblood every few years.

I found these just last night while thumbing thru old records...

View attachment 1043983

I do appreciate and understand all the hard work that goes into putting an event on, especially with the COVID curveball the last two years. However, I have no interest in being a volunteer.
 
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454Rocket

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Long time no talk stranger! Hope everything is going well in your world
Good! Coming back from FL... That place sux. Started a 3rd shop in TX, so bouncing between CA, FL, and TX.

Got rid of the Tuna boat and started collecting cars... So much easier than boats, lol.

Built a mid-travel FJ Cruiser, so hope to get out there again this Winter. When the economy finally collapses figure I'll pick up another DCB with some whackers... Shit's outta control right now.

Had to upgrade the storage situation :) When you're in OC, we have some room to [emoji3060]
PXL_20210822_224413895.jpg
PXL_20210822_224443562.jpg


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ONE-A-DAY

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I think a significant statement was made last year when the big dogs opted to go the other way and run up river because of the rules on the designated course now.
 

gqchris

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Good! Coming back from FL... That place sux. Started a 3rd shop in TX, so bouncing between CA, FL, and TX.

Got rid of the Tuna boat and started collecting cars... So much easier than boats, lol.

Built a mid-travel FJ Cruiser, so hope to get out there again this Winter. When the economy finally collapses figure I'll pick up another DCB with some whackers... Shit's outta control right now.

Had to upgrade the storage situation :) When you're in OC, we have some room to [emoji3060] View attachment 1044085 View attachment 1044086

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Nice! I live in HB now. Wheres the new party spot at!! Looks like it may be close by!
 

SkiDoc

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For comparison sake, consider what has happened with the Lake Cumberland Poker Run since it was bought by one of the Marinas and eliminated the organized start. At one time the lake patrol would clear the whole course and it was really a race for some of the entrants. Like it was at Desert Storm. It became the busiest weekend on the lake and that was after Labor Day. Then quite a few of the Poker Run guys would transport their boats from LOTO to Lake Cumberland and spend Labor Day weekend to the poker run the next weekend. It was in the same league with Desert Storm and Loto at one time. Poker Run entrants came from all over the country, spectators wouldn't miss it. It was huge. The poker run orgnaizer at the drivers meeting one year told us that the lake was full of spectators and give them a good show!

Now after several deaths, the organized start doesn't occur and the Run is not much more than a big party that does not have a lot to do with powerboats. There are quite a few powerboaters who still gather and have a great time, but it isn't near what it was. Now I don't care whether I participate in the "run" or not. It's still fun to see all the powerboats and talk to people about the boats I love.

The organized start and impending race was the central interest for most people and that is gone and so the event is a sleeper now. I went to Desert Storm one year when it was still a race unofficially and it had that same energy that is now gone. I can see why the decision was made, the attorneys and insurance companies won't have it.
 

RiverDave

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For comparison sake, consider what has happened with the Lake Cumberland Poker Run since it was bought by one of the Marinas and eliminated the organized start. At one time the lake patrol would clear the whole course and it was really a race for some of the entrants. Like it was at Desert Storm. It became the busiest weekend on the lake and that was after Labor Day. Then quite a few of the Poker Run guys would transport their boats from LOTO to Lake Cumberland and spend Labor Day weekend to the poker run the next weekend. It was in the same league with Desert Storm and Loto at one time. Poker Run entrants came from all over the country, spectators wouldn't miss it. It was huge. The poker run orgnaizer at the drivers meeting one year told us that the lake was full of spectators and give them a good show!

Now after several deaths, the organized start doesn't occur and the Run is not much more than a big party that does not have a lot to do with powerboats. There are quite a few powerboaters who still gather and have a great time, but it isn't near what it was. Now I don't care whether I participate in the "run" or not. It's still fun to see all the powerboats and talk to people about the boats I love.

The organized start and impending race was the central interest for most people and that is gone and so the event is a sleeper now. I went to Desert Storm one year when it was still a race unofficially and it had that same energy that is now gone. I can see why the decision was made, the attorneys and insurance companies won't have it.

While it was exciting to watch, nobody wants anyone to get hurt or potentially killed.. Desert Storm had an amazing run of luck in that regard.. At some point that kick was gonna run out.

I would be putting more eggs into the shoot out basket.
 

H20 Toie

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H20 Toie, I remember you stepped up before the run became popular and made a sizable contribution for charity, that was awesome. Back then the charity was Havasu for Youth, and I'm sure that money went a long way towards cleats, helmets and pads for the kids who couldn't afford them. 👍 :)

You and Tank are the real deal when it comes to experience at poker runs....have you ever missed one?
I missed one after i sold the Cigarette 6 years ago but have been to them even without a boat since then. Yeah it was fun times back then, its still fun just different.
 
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Tank

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The shoot-out definitely needs attention. It's always struggled it seems. Whether it's from bad weather, miscommunications, details not worked out by organizers, lack of participation....It just needs some attention.


Maybe bring back the lunch run too!! LOL I loved the lunch runs to the springs in the old days. That was fun because it was just a shit ton (like 50-75) boats running down and tying up and chillin for a few hours. It's a cool highlight on the Key West Poker Run as well when they stop for a few hours at Key Largo / Tiki Bar. Jim used to do the Springs run on Friday and then Poker Run Sat before the street party was brought to the table. Maybe do Street party Thursday, Poker Run Friday, Shoot out Saturday, lunch run Sunday, home Monday. That would limit the amount of people going to the lunch run on Sunday too since many leave Sunday. Just a thought. It was always a lot more laid back portion of the poker run.
 

Duramax

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Desert Storm was at it's best when the the King of Havasu was the first boat to the first card stop. It was a race, but not a race. ALL the bad boys would line up in group A, and there would be long threads on here about the raft up, and who was going to beat Gary and Predator to the first card stop.

Those were the days! Such great events. The lunch run was amazing too! Forgot about that.

The year the poker run was, "go on your own" and a shootout was the following day, that was it. Do to the time of year, the chances of getting two days that are not windy is slim and fucking none here in the desert, along with just running a smooth event (keeping the course clear, etc). Desert Storm revolved around that first card stop, period. The street fair and what it has grown into is pretty amazing, but now it has turned into what everything else does, controlled by politics.

LOTO Shootout started as a fund raiser for Lake Rescue, and it has always centered around the shootout. You want to brag about your boat, LOTO is it.

The Monster Bash was really cool at first too. It originally started for boats under 30' if I remember correctly. The first years were awesome.

@Tank has pictures of the best years of DS! Post some up Tank!
 

Tank

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What if they moved the shoot-out location to south end of the lake near the springs. Seems its usually less windy down there frequently and the lake is so much wider it'd be night and day better to control the course. Plus you cold have a HUGE spectator boat area that would be accessible for people to come and go, etc. Would not be so good for land locked spectators but frankly, there are hundreds if not thousands of spectator boats out there for that weekend. If the organizers could bring back the "magic" of running to the first card stop the way it used to be and replace that with a shoot-out that was easily viewed via boat and most importantly done in a timely manner with information passed along (via radio or VHS or whatever) it would be a game changer in my opinion. LOTO shootout is in a different fuckin' stratosphere from the way havasu does theirs and it has a whole hell of lot to do with organization and communication and keeping the spectators engaged. Move the run to the springs and tow out a huge barge (like SCFW towed to pirates) with a large screen to show speeds and info about hows up etc for spectators to see clearly.

I actually think the shoot-out is a pain for the organizers of DS and it's never really "clicked" with all the constant hurdles and issues. It seems (from the outside looking in) that it's always been a second thought event or the little red headed step child of the poker run and street fair. That mentality will always restrict it's success. Gotta be ALL IN to get it to LOTO status which I think it could do with some changes. Just my .02.
 

Tank

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Desert Storm was at it's best when the the King of Havasu was the first boat to the first card stop. It was a race, but not a race. ALL the bad boys would line up in group A, and there would be long threads on here about the raft up, and who was going to beat Gary and Predator to the first card stop.

Those were the days! Such great events. The lunch run was amazing too! Forgot about that.

The year the poker run was, "go on your own" and a shootout was the following day, that was it. Do to the time of year, the chances of getting two days that are not windy is slim and fucking none here in the desert, along with just running a smooth event (keeping the course clear, etc). Desert Storm revolved around that first card stop, period. The street fair and what it has grown into is pretty amazing, but now it has turned into what everything else does, controlled by politics.

LOTO Shootout started as a fund raiser for Lake Rescue, and it has always centered around the shootout. You want to brag about your boat, LOTO is it.

The Monster Bash was really cool at first too. It originally started for boats under 30' if I remember correctly. The first years were awesome.

@Tank has pictures of the best years of DS! Post some up Tank!
oh, you know I have a shit ton of pics from back in the day. LOL Here ya go.
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Duramax

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I LOVED that bad ass Cig that was the kilo boat converted. What a piece of machinery. I drooled over it that year it came.
 

Duramax

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I have a shit ton more pics but this gets the point across. Some GREAT times!

I spy your Skater in a few of those....Before you redid it that is.
Those were great days regardless! We ran it a bunch, ugly or not, haha
 

ONE-A-DAY

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What if they moved the shoot-out location to south end of the lake near the springs. Seems its usually less windy down there frequently and the lake is so much wider it'd be night and day better to control the course. Plus you cold have a HUGE spectator boat area that would be accessible for people to come and go, etc. Would not be so good for land locked spectators but frankly, there are hundreds if not thousands of spectator boats out there for that weekend. If the organizers could bring back the "magic" of running to the first card stop the way it used to be and replace that with a shoot-out that was easily viewed via boat and most importantly done in a timely manner with information passed along (via radio or VHS or whatever) it would be a game changer in my opinion. LOTO shootout is in a different fuckin' stratosphere from the way havasu does theirs and it has a whole hell of lot to do with organization and communication and keeping the spectators engaged. Move the run to the springs and tow out a huge barge (like SCFW towed to pirates) with a large screen to show speeds and info about hows up etc for spectators to see clearly.

I actually think the shoot-out is a pain for the organizers of DS and it's never really "clicked" with all the constant hurdles and issues. It seems (from the outside looking in) that it's always been a second thought event or the little red headed step child of the poker run and street fair. That mentality will always restrict it's success. Gotta be ALL IN to get it to LOTO status which I think it could do with some changes. Just my .02.
I have always wondered the same thing, regardless of the wind conditions, for the most part when you round that last bend by Cattail you can really hammer it, typically a little bit of ripples compared to the rest of the lake being blown to shit.
 

ONE-A-DAY

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There used to be a great youtube video of highlights from an older DS set to the Shoot To Thrill by ACDC, cant find it anymore, watched it a ton of times during the off season along with the infamous shootout run smoking the helo.
 

Tank

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I LOVED that bad ass Cig that was the kilo boat converted. What a piece of machinery. I drooled over it that year it came.
Oh fuck yeah! The Strength & Honor Kilo Cig was INSANE (I actually liked it best in that iteration when it came to DS. The new paint is a bit more subtle and doesn't pop). They were having problem with carbon fiber plugging up the fuel filters. Boat was built light and they used carbon fiber fuel cells.

And see, just to show what an event DS is, that was factory rep from Cigarette that pulled that boat out. Tim Galagher who was running sales (and is now running sales for Perfomance boat center) and Niel Hernandez who was general manager drug it out from Florida with Tom Abraham and his 45' Cig Maxiums from New York just to check out DS. Even Skip Braver from Cig came out that year. Tom actually came back a bunch of times from New York with his 20' Cig one year, his 46 cig one year, his 36 MTI one year etc. There's also a couple pics of an orange Donzi painted lambo pearl orange. Craig Barrie was heading up Donzi / Fountain / Baja at the time and brought that Donzi out to run the even and rep them as well. Big hitters have always rolled out to DS.
 

Tank

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I have always wondered the same thing, regardless of the wind conditions, for the most part when you round that last bend by Cattail you can really hammer it, typically a little bit of ripples compared to the rest of the lake being blown to shit.
That's where the guys always laid it down to get to card stop one. And to me, seems like EVERY time we roll down to the springs it's pretty nice and calm down there.
 

sailtexas186548

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Street parties with manufacturer displays on land suck, they take the show off the water. Loto is suffering a similar decline IMO
 

Bpracing1127

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I think scrap the shootout all together, focus on street party. And poker run but bring back first to the stop one. For sat. Do a lunch run to pirates and let people watch that. Sunday go home
 

Singleton

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I think scrap the shootout all together, focus on street party. And poker run but bring back first to the stop one. For sat. Do a lunch run to pirates and let people watch that. Sunday go home

Insurance will not allow first to stop 1 back.

I like what @ONE-A-DAY said - move the shootout to the southern part of the lake by the Springs. Would turn it into a huge on lake event, which would be killer. Would require Havasu Springs to step up and coordinate.

Then add a lunch run to Topock (insurance pending) on Friday and kill the Poker Run.

Thursday evening = Street Party
Friday = Lunch run to Topock or Pirates
Saturday = Shoot-out @ the Springs
 

Tank

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Insurance will not allow first to stop 1 back.

I like what @ONE-A-DAY said - move the shootout to the southern part of the lake by the Springs. Would turn it into a huge on lake event, which would be killer. Would require Havasu Springs to step up and coordinate.

Then add a lunch run to Topock (insurance pending) on Friday and kill the Poker Run.

Thursday evening = Street Party
Friday = Lunch run to Topock or Pirates
Saturday = Shoot-out @ the Springs
Some might baulk at the thought of actually not having a "poker run" but when you really think about it....Does an actual poker run need to occur? It really doesn't. Most people don't even bother hitting all the stops. We actually just waited and got our cards at the LBR this year. Go big and rent out all of pirates for a private lunch party / wrist bands only to enter. Then organize somewhere in all that a helicopter photo shoot then they can focus on bringing the shoot out aspect to the next level (and maybe focus on cleaning up the street party and the politics as was mentioned earlier in this thread ;) )

I like it. But to me, poker runs have NEVER been about stopping and grabbing cards. It's always been about the social aspect while on land and the boating aspect while on the water. Could probably count on one hand how many times I've actually stopped on the water to grab cards in poker runs from coast to coast for the past 25 years. LOL

The "lunch run" aspect is way more appealing. I pleaded with the SCOPE guys to ad a lunch run to the SCOPE poker run for years. My vision was the way Key West run and DS run were done. My point was always, you have a bunch of people coming to So Cal from all over the western US and they run to Catalina and can't even stay to enjoy it. Kind've silly. They felt it couldn't be done strategically wise. They finally started doing a lunch run the day before the poker run right before they stopped doing runs.

But if you really sit back and do an overview of the way other runs are conducted across the country, you'd see that "poker runs" are kind've falling to the side and fun runs and lunch runs are the big thing. All the PBC events are fun run themed. Powell Challenge, even Stu's florida powerboat club runs are turning more to destination runs over classic poker run themed. People like running to a destination, stopping, eating socializing and then getting back on their boat and running some more.
 
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Duramax

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Oh fuck yeah! The Strength & Honor Kilo Cig was INSANE (I actually liked it best in that iteration when it came to DS. The new paint is a bit more subtle and doesn't pop). They were having problem with carbon fiber plugging up the fuel filters. Boat was built light and they used carbon fiber fuel cells.

And see, just to show what an event DS is, that was factory rep from Cigarette that pulled that boat out. Tim Galagher who was running sales (and is now running sales for Perfomance boat center) and Niel Hernandez who was general manager drug it out from Florida with Tom Abraham and his 45' Cig Maxiums from New York just to check out DS. Even Skip Braver from Cig came out that year. Tom actually came back a bunch of times from New York with his 20' Cig one year, his 46 cig one year, his 36 MTI one year etc. There's also a couple pics of an orange Donzi painted lambo pearl orange. Craig Barrie was heading up Donzi / Fountain / Baja at the time and brought that Donzi out to run the even and rep them as well. Big hitters have always rolled out to DS.
Strength and Honor was so bad ass, my absolute favorite. Yes, all of the heavy hitters! I pulled the Lambo orange ZRC around for Craig and parked it in the cove when he took the other. Such a good dude.
 

Duramax

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Some might baulk at the thought of actually not having a "poker run" but when you really think about it....Does an actual poker run need to occur? It really doesn't. Most people don't even bother hitting all the stops. We actually just waited and got our cards at the LBR this year. Go big and rent out all of pirates for a private lunch party / wrist bands only to enter. Then organize somewhere in all that a helicopter photo shoot then they can focus on bringing the shoot out aspect to the next level (and maybe focus on cleaning up the street party and the politics as was mentioned earlier in this thread ;) )

I like it. But to me, poker runs have NEVER been about stopping and grabbing cards. It's always been about the social aspect while on land and the boating aspect while on the water. Could probably count on one hand how many times I've actually stopped on the water to grab cards. LOL

The "lunch run" aspect is way more appealing. I pleaded with the SCOPE guys to ad a lunch run to the SCOPE poker run for years. My vision was the way Key West run and DS run were done. My point was always, you have a bunch of people coming to So Cal from all over the western US and they run to Catalina and can't even stay to enjoy it. Kind've silly. They felt it couldn't be done strategically wise. They finally started doing a lunch run the day before the poker run right before they stopped doing runs.
Could not agree more. Great post.
 

Tank

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Strength and Honor was so bad ass, my absolute favorite. Yes, all of the heavy hitters! I pulled the Lambo orange ZRC around for Craig and parked it in the cove when he took the other. Such a good dude.
Craig is still doing very well over at Statement. I know a lot of people in the industry and I don't think I've ever met a person that has had such a huge and vast carrier in the performance boating industry. He's worked, owned and ran a lot of big places. Still talk to him regularly. He and Lynda are doing well.
 

Hammer

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Some might baulk at the thought of actually not having a "poker run" but when you really think about it....Does an actual poker run need to occur? It really doesn't. Most people don't even bother hitting all the stops. We actually just waited and got our cards at the LBR this year. Go big and rent out all of pirates for a private lunch party / wrist bands only to enter. Then organize somewhere in all that a helicopter photo shoot then they can focus on bringing the shoot out aspect to the next level (and maybe focus on cleaning up the street party and the politics as was mentioned earlier in this thread ;) )

I like it. But to me, poker runs have NEVER been about stopping and grabbing cards. It's always been about the social aspect while on land and the boating aspect while on the water. Could probably count on one hand how many times I've actually stopped on the water to grab cards in poker runs from coast to coast for the past 25 years. LOL

The "lunch run" aspect is way more appealing. I pleaded with the SCOPE guys to ad a lunch run to the SCOPE poker run for years. My vision was the way Key West run and DS run were done. My point was always, you have a bunch of people coming to So Cal from all over the western US and they run to Catalina and can't even stay to enjoy it. Kind've silly. They felt it couldn't be done strategically wise. They finally started doing a lunch run the day before the poker run right before they stopped doing runs.

But if you really sit back and do an overview of the way other runs are conducted across the country, you'd see that "poker runs" are kind've falling to the side and fun runs and lunch runs are the big thing. All the PBC events are fun run themed. Powell Challenge, even Stu's florida powerboat club runs are turning more to destination runs over classic poker run themed. People like running to a destination, stopping, eating socializing and then getting back on their boat and running some more.

The "lunch run" aspect is way more appealing. I pleaded with the SCOPE guys to ad a lunch run to the SCOPE poker run for years. My vision was the way Key West run and DS run were done. My point was always, you have a bunch of people coming to So Cal from all over the western US and they run to Catalina and can't even stay to enjoy it. Kind've silly. They felt it couldn't be done strategically wise. They finally started doing a lunch run the day before the poker run right before they stopped doing runs.


Unfortunate SCOPE folded. That would have been rad. If you promoted/organized it right, you could get local bars and restaurants involved and do some sort of boat show in a harbor. I have thought about organizing something like that in the past. I just don't know how much LB loves powerboats? Or if that is even the right harbor to do it in? They aren't exactly a fan of the boat races Ross puts on.....🤔
 

hallett21

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Correct me if I’m wrong but “poker runs” were always an unsanctioned race for lack of better term. The moment the insurance companies caught on its not the same.

Lunch runs or bar hoping runs would be more fun. Leave at 10 am from X big boys out front [emoji6][emoji41].

But even if you didn’t do that. 9am breakfast run to the springs, 12pm lunch run to @Tank ‘s private pirates event, 5pm dinner/cocktail hour at London Bridge Hotel.

Spectators get to see the whole fleet move at 3 different times. Could be cool.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Tank

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The "lunch run" aspect is way more appealing. I pleaded with the SCOPE guys to ad a lunch run to the SCOPE poker run for years. My vision was the way Key West run and DS run were done. My point was always, you have a bunch of people coming to So Cal from all over the western US and they run to Catalina and can't even stay to enjoy it. Kind've silly. They felt it couldn't be done strategically wise. They finally started doing a lunch run the day before the poker run right before they stopped doing runs.


Unfortunate SCOPE folded. That would have been rad. If you promoted/organized it right, you could get local bars and restaurants involved and do some sort of boat show in a harbor. I have thought about organizing something like that in the past. I just don't know how much LB loves powerboats? Or if that is even the right harbor to do it in? They aren't exactly a fan of the boat races Ross puts on.....🤔

Not to get too far off topic here but there is definitely politics involved with running an event out of Long Beach. SCOPE, over the years, made great relationships with all those that had the power to make shit happen. As time went on those people retired and moved on and next thing they know, permits aren't getting approved and costs are through the roof, etc. Made it basically impossible to put on the events coupled with a down turn in interest in the area. @steamin rice was involved in a lot of the poker run planning for SCOPE for a few years, he can attest. The issues with lunching in Avalon where the card stop was located was how do you get anchorage for that many boats. Just impossible. So they came up with the plan to do it at two harbors which worekd out well.

@lavey jr and Lavey Craft started doing fun runs that were then turned over to fans of the sport and opened up to all boats but more on the DL to keep it manageable. But from what I've seen it looks incredible and is on our to-do boating list.

SCOPE was absolutely the best boating time of my life in the hey day of the early 2000's. EVERY weekend doing runs. The people, the locations, the events, the boats, all over the top awesome. I really miss those days.
 

ToMorrow44

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Some might baulk at the thought of actually not having a "poker run" but when you really think about it....Does an actual poker run need to occur? It really doesn't. Most people don't even bother hitting all the stops. We actually just waited and got our cards at the LBR this year. Go big and rent out all of pirates for a private lunch party / wrist bands only to enter. Then organize somewhere in all that a helicopter photo shoot then they can focus on bringing the shoot out aspect to the next level (and maybe focus on cleaning up the street party and the politics as was mentioned earlier in this thread ;) )

I like it. But to me, poker runs have NEVER been about stopping and grabbing cards. It's always been about the social aspect while on land and the boating aspect while on the water. Could probably count on one hand how many times I've actually stopped on the water to grab cards in poker runs from coast to coast for the past 25 years. LOL

The "lunch run" aspect is way more appealing. I pleaded with the SCOPE guys to ad a lunch run to the SCOPE poker run for years. My vision was the way Key West run and DS run were done. My point was always, you have a bunch of people coming to So Cal from all over the western US and they run to Catalina and can't even stay to enjoy it. Kind've silly. They felt it couldn't be done strategically wise. They finally started doing a lunch run the day before the poker run right before they stopped doing runs.

But if you really sit back and do an overview of the way other runs are conducted across the country, you'd see that "poker runs" are kind've falling to the side and fun runs and lunch runs are the big thing. All the PBC events are fun run themed. Powell Challenge, even Stu's florida powerboat club runs are turning more to destination runs over classic poker run themed. People like running to a destination, stopping, eating socializing and then getting back on their boat and running some more.
I’ll agree with this. I’ve done a handful of poker runs and it’s kinda anti climatic. I’ve found a group of guys that do a couple of informal events throughout the year. Nothing really organized, more of a group of friends going boating together. Run down the River, raft up or hit lunch, run back. Much more fun.

I think you’re on to something with moving the shootout to the Springs. They’ve got everything on site, launch ramp, good parking, lots of docks, restaurant, gas docks. They would definitely need to get organized though. Maybe take a page from LOTO and have some girls helping tie up boats. You could be on to something there.
 

C-2

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Okay, a couple of old videos prepared for sponsors. They were in mpeg2 format, so the only way I could get them on here was to shoot video of my monitor.

Footage was from the October 2000 run. The lake was not crowded, and any performance boat was welcome. This was before mandatory PFD and no passenger rules were put in place.

Hey look, there's C-YA and Ms. CYA handing out cards! 👍

I think the boat out front was an Awesome (?), Roger B the motorcycle guy from AZ. Then there was Sorceror, an East coast cat (MTI?) that was loud - it rattled the windows at the Nautical. A "new" Outerlimits was also there, "Wild Thing," owned by another motorcycle guy from Chicago(?) Teague/"Woodie" was there as well as a couple of canopied 40' Advantage's.

Obi "Art" Kanobi, lol 😃

Clearly this was before things got crazy...



 

Ace in the Hole

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I’ll agree with this. I’ve done a handful of poker runs and it’s kinda anti climatic. I’ve found a group of guys that do a couple of informal events throughout the year. Nothing really organized, more of a group of friends going boating together. Run down the River, raft up or hit lunch, run back. Much more fun.

I think you’re on to something with moving the shootout to the Springs. They’ve got everything on site, launch ramp, good parking, lots of docks, restaurant, gas docks. They would definitely need to get organized though. Maybe take a page from LOTO and have some girls helping tie up boats. You could be on to something there.

The Docks at the springs suck so that would need to be dealt with... Havasu has always lacked in the dock girls department...honestly that would help many businesses.

Our 2022 will be largely up north..looking to explore new places.
 
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