A Weekend of Ocean Racing!

[billy]

One night, as I was a trimming the glim
singing a verse from the evening hymn
I heard a voice cry out an "ahoy!"
and there was my mother sitting on a buoy

Yo ho ho, the wind blows free
oh for the life on the rolling sea!

to be continued.....

[samiam]

It seems all boating events are growing by leaps and bounds.
I plan on attending this one in september


Information:
Craig - 504-430-1368
Or patriotpokerrun@cox.net
7th Annual
Patriot Poker Run
Benefiting : Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation
Save Our Lakeâ€"Save Our Coast
Saturday - September 25, 2010
Mail Entries to:
Patriot Poker Run
8740 Donnaway St
Metairie, LA 70003
Leaving at 10am from Phil’s Marina Café Slidell (Captains meeting 10am)
Party Starts 4pm at The New Orleans Yacht Club at West End
Poker Run $175.00 Donation - pay by Sept 10, discounted to $150
Early mail in registration must be postmarked by September 10, 2010. Early registrants will receive 1DVD and two each of the following:
2 Hands,2 poker run t-shirts, 2 Continental Breakfasts@Phil’s Cafe-Slidell, 2 Lunches@Seabrook Marina, 2 Dinner buffets@the N O Yacht Club
COURSE STOPS
Phil’s Marina Café - Slidell 10am
“the Dock” - Slidell 10am - 11am
Barnacle’sâ€"Venetian Islesâ€"10am-noon
Seabrook Marina - Lunch 11:30am-1pm
Pontchartrain Beach 1pm-3pm
Landry’s @ West End 2pm-4pm
New Orleans Yacht Club 4pm
PRIZES
50% of all donations or up to $1000 paid
out to prize winners. The cash prize awards
shall be 1st thru 3rd place
Extra cards (3 max) may be purchased at the
N. O. Yacht Club for $10.00 each after 4pm
Your envelope(s) can be picked up at the registration parties or the day of the poker run at Phil’s Marina Café between 9am - 9:30am
Late registration will be taken the morning of the poker run at 9am - 9:30 at “Phil’s Marina Café” in Slidell (t-shirts may not be available that morning)
We suggest to all participants to spend some time at each stop to show our appreciation for their support
You may turn in your hand(s) at the New Orleans Yacht Club from 4pm - 5pm All hands must be turned in by 5pm or in line to turn in
REGISTRATION PARTY: 7-9PM
Thursday September 23, 2010 at Phil’s Marina Café - 1194 Harbor Drive - Slidell LA
Friday September 24, 2010 at the New Orleans Yacht Club - 401 N. Roadway St - New Orleans, LA
Saturday September 25, 2009 at Phil’s Marina Café in Slidell 9am - 9:30am (t-shirts may not be available that morning)

[samiam]

Poker runs, regattas, classic boat shows, holiday boat parades or just partying at places like Destin Fl are becoming bigger and bigger and that's great for an old salt like me

[sheclown]

"I gave all my money and my time..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UalHR3FErY4&feature=related

....sailing takes me away....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMkIuKXwmlU&feature=related

[samiam]

Im on a boat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iUjx4_X1qA

[samiam]

Boat party places are popping up everywere. Does Jacksonville have a place yet here are two examples if you have not seen one. They are a blast!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVb-mWOU4fw


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKP7cnRtB9w

[fieldafm]

Boat party places are popping up everywere. Does Jacksonville have a place yet here are two examples if you have not seen one. They are a blast!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVb-mWOU4fw


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKP7cnRtB9w

The two places I know of where boaters congregate on the weekend is a spot way down South on the Ortega River almost near Collins Rd.
There's also a strip of beach land accessible only by boat near the Kingsley/Hugenot area up river.

I did have the pleasure of watching some cigarrete boats meet up and ultimately start going full throttle right at the foot of the 680' Shipyards pier Sunday morning.  Imagine what a vantage point that pier could be for the starting piont of more poker runs?

[billy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKP7cnRtB9w
[/quote]

The two places I know of where boaters congregate on the weekend is a spot way down South on the Ortega River almost near Collins Rd.
There's also a strip of beach land accessible only by boat near the Kingsley/Hugenot area up river.

I did have the pleasure of watching some cigarrete boats meet up and ultimately start going full throttle right at the foot of the 680' Shipyards pier Sunday morning.  Imagine what a vantage point that pier could be for the starting piont of more poker runs?
[/quote]

shouldn't it be down river ?

[fieldafm]

Well, if you want to be all technical with tidal flow and all... then yes 

[samiam]

well I guess some reseach needs to be done to find a spot close to down town and start a boat party area.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSDEcN4dFo

[samiam]

Daytona has bike week why doesn't Jacksonville start Boat week. It is the river city after all.

[samiam]

Jacksonville would not be the first to have a boat week but with its location it could bring a lot of money into Jacksonville. we could do it in conjunction with the annual poker run

http://www.emeraldcoastpokerrun.com/events.shtml

http://www.jaxriverrallypokerrun.com/index.php

[samiam]

Antique and classic boat could also be part of a boat week

http://www.woodboat.biz/

[sheclown]

Charleston  & Key West bring tons of people to their sailboat regattas every year.  Race weeks are great for the local economy.   Small boats could race on the river and larger ones on the ocean.

Fort Pierce started a "Cheap Ass Regatta" two years ago.  Joe and I raced in that.  I don't know if they are doing it anymore.  Sailing Anarchy (a huge sailing forum) sponsored it.

[strider]

Boat weeks - poker runs or regattas, which ever you prefer - are successful due to location, time of year and how well run the events are.  That builds reputation that over time makes the event big and successful. Charleston Race Week (which is actually shorter than a week) has been around many years.  It has only been the last few that it has been considered truly successful, a term that is more based on entry numbers than much else. The Cheap Ass Sportboat Regatta was a good idea and did OK, but Sailing Anarchy decided to put their efforts into a West Coast venue that was more successful first time out of the box rather than take the time and effort to build the Fort Pierce event.

Locally, we have had a very successful Mug Race, though in the past, like many events of this type, it was more successful.  The City once supported the event but has not for quite sometime. Having the local municipality throw in some support helps an event a lot.

Florida yacht Club started a Melges 24 regatta that seemed fairly well received, but they quit doing it, not sure why.  More recently, the local clubs have been promoting the First Coast Offshore Challenge.  They are hoping to make it a large and successful regatta. Held in March, it involves racing from Mayport to St Augustine, a race in St Augustine and then a race from there to Fernandina Beach.  We have yet to do the event but will most likely this year. They are hoping to eventually have over a 100 boats, but are still in the 30 to 40 range. 

One issue with Jacksonville is that it is a long way from the Ocean.  Unlike a place like Charleston which can have races for smaller boats inside the harbor and larger boats on the ocean, Jacksonville will have to do all on the river.  Not a bad thing, just different.

I have been thinking about a large downtown regatta for several years, but the logistics are difficult.  Even picking the dates is not an easy thing as you are competing with lots of other venues for peoples valuable vacation time. And add to that the vast amount of work the race organizers do, mostly all volunteers, to just keep things going and organized.

I do not know anything about Poker runs or the power boat part of the equation.  The idea of an all encompassing Boat Week, involving all facets of boating from the cruising aspects, boat shows, poker runs and sailboat racing, both conventional and match racing, is an intriguing idea. The logistics of the overall organization of the event would not be easy, but it could be broken down into segments or separate events that each local club could manage and coordinate with the overall picture. It certainly would show case the Riverfront in downtown Jacksonville.  Perhaps some future city administration would embrace it and help get it done.