POWER POKER
3/29/2007 9:31:15 AM by Yoshi Sanz
Trying your hand at a poker run could be the best decision you ever made — and that’s no bluff.
Photos courtesy of Florida Powerboat Club
So you finally got that go-fast boat you always wanted but now it seems none of your buddies can keep up. What to do? You’d better polish up your poker face and smooth the kinks out of your game.
For those of you who haven’t grasped the concept of a poker run, here’s a quick breakdown: During a poker run, super-fast boats compete against each other by collecting a playing card at each of five stops, each one separated from 
the other by an average of 30 miles; whoever has the best poker hand at the end of the event wins. But the lure of this game isn’t the few thousand dollars you can win; the real fun is in the experience and in meeting people that share your need for speed.
According to Stu Jones, president of the Florida Powerboat Club, creators of some of the most exciting poker runs on the planet, if you have a go-fast vessel, you’d better jump on the nautical bandwagon. “Poker Run fever shows no sign of letting up, and organizers continually strive to improve their events in every way possible,” says Jones, whose organization is affiliated with some of the most powerful brands in the world, including the American Red Cross, Yacht Clubs of America, Wachovia, the Cigarette Racing Team and Aston Martin, and brags members from 31 states as well as foreign countries including Canada, the UK, Norway, Sweden and Germany. “For the most part, it seems most promoters continue to provide good value to their participants including an attractive location, good food, nice marina facilities, colorful event t-shirts and a well-planned itinerary. Whatever that package may end up being, as long as safety takes top priority, and Mother Nature cooperates, the right combination of all these variables usually makes for a successful event.”
According to Jones, whose entry fees for rallies, fun runs and poker runs range from $150-$950, over the last decade, his team has learned that an event’s success is measured by one factor: fun. “You can have beautiful scenery, perfect weather, great boating conditions, and the boat might run like a champ all weekend, but if you and your crew don’t have fun, you might inevitably lose the urge that brought you to an event in the first place,” he says. “It doesn’t always just happen…we all have to make it happen. It starts with having a positive attitude, which sometimes requires a conscious effort to shed some frustrations before jumping on the boat.”
Jones also emphasizes the social aspect of poker runs as attributing to its overall success. “Whether we realize it or not, most of us truly enjoy the experience of meeting other like-minded folks,” he says. “I’m not talking about ‘He seems like a cool guy’ or ‘Oh, he’s the dude with the hot lookin’ wife’ sort of thing. I’m talking about really getting to know people who could become your lifelong friends.”
Still not sold on the idea? Let Jones convince you. “No matter how organizers package an event, many things will remain relatively constant — the waterways, the scenery, the checkpoints, the food and prizes,” says Jones. “But remember that every poker run team consists of one or more unique individuals who share the very same passion as you. If you make an effort to know them a little better, it will enrich your experience above and beyond the tangible benefits of a great boating weekend. So next time you’re on a run and wandering up and down the docks looking at all the paint jobs and superchargers, take a moment to introduce yourself to a fellow poker runner or club member. At a lunch or dinner function, try to sit with someone you don’t really know. And finally, never lose sight of the importance of having fun. It comes easy for some of us, and for others it actually takes a little effort. But when all of that falls into place, the outcome is fantastic.”
