Rapidly becoming the pinnacle of all poker runs is the infamous raft up. If you’re not familiar with the “Raft up”, it’s pretty simple: It’s the sort of like the planets revolving around the sun or the hive with the queen bee at its center, the heart beat of its surroundings. In this case the center of the event, or host would have to be none other than Kenny Armstrong who had his Ship captain take his beautiful and yet massive 70′ Viking out to be the center of the raft up for all to enjoy.

The raft up is kind of like Disney world for adults or let’s just call it the second happiest amusement park in the world. With well over a hundred thousand horsepower on display and literally well over 100 of the most beautiful women you’ve seen anywhere (Think SI Swim suit edition) and the best music thumping through your soul made for a party like you might find on any weekend in Vegas at the Hard Rock pool.

So sure you’ve read about it and looked at a few pictures but hey at Powerboat Nation we know you want to feel it and the only way were going to make that happen is through video. And the only way you get that is with our participation to bring it to you… So we sent our staff along the treacherous waves to capture just some glimpses of what we can show you and still keep but a shred of integrity.

So whether you enjoy the scenery, the high performance hardware (Yes were talking boats), the lovely ladies, or our friend Bill in Pure Platinum cruising on back from the Raft Up, we just hope you enjoy as much as we enjoy bringing you all that happens in the power boating world.

A group of Long Island Powerboating enthusiasts consisting of Bill Carroll, Chris Ryder, Joe Cibellis, Bill Betz, Joe Sgro and Jeff Cropper, are bringing a great event to the South Shore of Long Island. The event is being co-produced by Billy Frenz and the National Power Boat Association.

Set for Sat, May17th, 2014 the “Stampede” headquarters will be Bracco’s of Freeport. A pre event party will be held Friday night pre-event party displaying some of the boats and event sponsors. The organizers have set up a two classes of boat entries.

Class 1: Boats 28 feet or larger. Class 1 boats must take the above ocean route.
Class 2: 27 feet and smaller. Class 2 boats have the option of the secondary bay side run.

The entry fee is $350 for Class 1 and $200 for Class 2. The organizers are requesting everyone to sign up as soon as possible so they can plan and prepare. Bill Carroll told us he really believes they will have a strong contingent of local boaters who are excited to participate in an event like this. There is a large group of powerboaters in the area and they have never done an event like this. No doubt there will be a strong group of boats given who the committee members are.

Visit the National Power Boat Association for registration and more information.

If the boat business does one thing to you, it’s that it almost pulls you away from the luxury of boating. But for a select few they really know how to mix their business with their pleasure. For those of you in the know you know him by either “Mike” or “Livorsi” but to the rest he’s just the guy that founded the ever popular Livorsi marine brand.

Mike’s a guy that regularly buys the latest year boat model offering and goes to work on either his tan, his fishing, or yes even his product development. With the ever growing center console market Mike is busy integrating products to best serve this market and yes fishing too. His latest endeavor is a new Wellcraft center console and is shown here in the gulf of Mexico undergoing some treacherous testing .

Mike is installing Livorsi Marines Vantage View Gauge System, LED Indicators, Custom Steering wheel and other accessories to show Wellcraft the upgrade appointments their products offer. So if you run across this guy during a testing session as shown here make sure to wave!

Sunsations Powerboats new 29 CCX (Center Cabin X-treme) made a big splash at the Miami Boat Show and reports from the Algonac, Michigan builder are that they have a full production schedule through 2014.

This 29 CCX is based upon the companies 288 Sport Boat model and this performance bred bottom is why the boat has been described as exhilarating to drive. All of the work, education, and understanding that goes into building performance boats that will run fast and stable carries over to the companies Sport Activity Type boats and brings a host of performance and efficiency benefits.

The boat with twin Mercury 150 Verados, runs 59 MPH and gets 3.5 miles per gallon and at a price point of $129,000.00 makes this boat affordable and very attractive compared to other boats in it size.

Talking today with Sunsation partners Joe Schaldenbrand and Kyle Miller they expressed how well this boat runs. The idea of taking a proven sport boat hull to a center console brings a better ride, better handling, and much better fuel economy and efficiency.

This boat will not only bring all the fun for the family but be exciting to drive and be affordable to run for years with all this great efficiency and warranty from Sunsation and Mercury Marine.

Be sure to visit Sunsation PowerBoats new Website and view the 29 CCX video here:http://sunsationboats.com/2014-miami-boat-show/

Congratulations to the Florida Powerboat Clubs, Miami Boat Show Poker Run Winner, Mr Richard Gerth, who along with his wife Ann and son Brock went away from this incredible event as the big winner. The big prize cache included a $2500 in cash, a 5212 Garmin GPS, a free entry to a future club event, and a variety of other cool things to use aboard his boat.

Hailing from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Richard and his family are relatively new but now regular FPC participants running their Mercury Racing 700 SCI Powered 42Outerlimits Legacy. This is their fourth event and they are looking forward to many more.

Richard told us he absolutely loves getting away from the harsh conditions in the north and taking time here in Florida with the club. Richard told us its a great club and really enjoys that all the arrangements are made for you and all you have to do is show up.

Richard and Ann are just one example of a performance powerboat enthusiast family that brings the family along to join in the fun, camaraderie, and wonderful lifestyle of powerboating and the Florida Powerboat Club.

Look to Powerboat Nation to bring you regular Florida Powerboat Club updates and additional member spotlights.

The idea and prospect of the new or even used boat purchase comes with great anticipation and excitement for any boat owner and their family. There are usually great expectations of performance, comfort, exhilaration, and the cost of the new purchase is usually outweighed by all of this enthusiasm. BUT……….. Sometimes all of the greatness is taken away by the fatal flaws embedded into the lack of attention to details.

I am lucky in that I get to run different boats quite a lot. Between the boat school, throttling on poker runs and just helping out my friends I am often at the delivery of the new boat or arrive just after and unfortunately I get to see the deflation of much of the excitement because the new build, new / used purchase or the re-rig, just flat out doesn’t deliver the expectations that were so over stated and obligated and they just don’t measure up.

The cause for this varies and can be the buyers fault to some degree. The rush to finish the build, the economic limitations, but usually it is the simple stuff. Wrong props, wrong drive height, failure to do a complete quality check to verify all that is wired works and works properly, re-rigs that are done forecast outcome variables that require other modifications, such as different transmissions, gear ratios, air to the engine space, and a long list of other things.

During new deliveries,I have run out of fuel with full fuel gauges and have gotten sworn testimony from the dealer that the tanks were full. Interior pieces hitting me in the back of the head at 150 mph, GPS and other electronics falling out of the dash, electrical shocks from trim switches in the throttles, reversed indicators, loose prop nuts, cables linkages, even and yes even the wrong props on the drives, this list could go on and on and I am sure many of you have had similar experiences. The final problem is the training and education, some receive it on delivery, which can range from: “Congratulations here are your boat keys – Go have fun” to “Hold on and let me show you how to break a drive!”

The solution in my mind is to take some very good and credible advice from groups like the Marine Manufactures Association and have a quality assurance program that verifies the boat is the best it can be before delivery. The other key component is to credibly train the dealer sales staff, and not rely on opinions stated on experience but really verify the sales staff knows what they are talking about.

But who knows this is just my opinion and I am a terrible salesman, I just tell it like I see it and also like I know it.

Powerboat Nation is all about options and we continue to bring as many varieties of media options as possible. We’ve done a lot of work building new and exciting video content to bring to our users.

Now you can view all the video content produced by Powerboat Nation directly from our Media Center. This enhanced media center will allow Powerboat Nation to bring to you the latest video coverage from Nationwide Powerboating events and catalog them all in one place.

The benefits don’t stop there! We’ve set up a Members section where PBN Charter Members are allowed to link their own videos to share with the rest of the PBN Community! We appreciate and value your support and remain committed to give you back all we can!

Right after getting back from the Miami Boat Show Brett Manire and the team at Performance Boat Center went to work getting the brand new Outerlimits Powerboats 36 Super Leggera ready for sea trials.

Weighing in at 7500 lbs, with a 9.3 ft beam and 24 degree dead rise the 36 ran 102.8 MPH with Mercury Racing 565’s with a full stagger set up in front of Bravo XR drives and Mercury’s Integrated transom Assembly, turning 32 pitch Maximus props. Brett said “The boat rides on rails at 100 and takes on rough water as good or better than anything else in its class.”

This E-Glass Outerlimits is listed at Performance Boat Center for $389,950.00 with its Performance Custom TrailerTri-Axle trailer and loaded with options in including all touch screen displays and full DTS controls.

Brett told us there is more in this boat, adding spacers and waiting on props from Mercury should give it just a little more. The devil is in the details and Performance Boat Center is taking the time to make this boat just right for you!

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Great attendance, perfect weather, and a wonderful group of people showed why FPC’s Miami Boat Show Poker Run is one not to ever miss.

I have been attending this Poker Run regularly since 2006 and it remains a favorite. This year saw a return of a very large and diverse group of boats as well as many new members. This resurgence is exciting to see and it certainly bolsters the confidence in the performance boat market. We saw many boats that were on display at the Miami Show on the Run, Andre and Leslie’s , new 33 Active Thunder, Michael Ciasulli new 388 Skater, Mark Fisher, new 39 Deep Impact, Albert Haynesworth, new 39 Cigarette GT Center Console, and Brad Benson running his 52 MTI, Pass Blocker

Thursdays run down was absolutely sensational, the Power Boat Nation Cigarette ran flawlessly and we were able to sneak ahead of the group to capture some great pictures an video of the group running south. Friday we returned to Gilberts to meet up with the remainder of the group and had nothing but fun all along the way.

The highlight was Saturday’s sand bar raft up that was the best ever. We shot T-shirts into the crowd and supported Stu and the club as much as we could by assembling a large group of girls on the bow of Kenny Armstrong’s Viking for the best photo shoot ever.

After ruturning to Fort Lauderdale I talked to Stu for a long while and asked some questions about how he saw the event.

PBN
How was this years Miami Boat Show Poker Run?

STU
” I am elated and so very happy about the event. The numbers were huge. We broke records….Record registrations, rooms booked, total amount of people, sold out hotels all around the area. Incredible fleet of boats, MTI had a huge showing with at least 20 registered boats and Cigarette brought along as many or more. Between both brands they must have accounted for 40 percent of the entire fleet.”

PBN
It seems like there are many new members?

STU
Yes! Just like we saw in Key West last November, about 25-30 per cent of the entries were new registrations. I have heard over and over again that many have these two premier events on their Bucket List. Its been a really hard winter and to have the chance to come to South Florida for these premier events is something many boaters look forward to for months or even years. IT is exciting to see these guys come down and run with us.”

PBN
How did the new Safety Management plan work out?

STU
“Well, it worked great, but it really isn’t new. Our relationship with Miami Dade, U S Coast Guard, State of Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has been a long standing and they do a great job. Our management plan is one that has been developed in wonderful cooperation with all these authorities and we know they really appreciate all of the combined efforts. We had a very safe event with only minor infractions from some new poker runners that were easily taken of.”

PBN
What about next year?

STU
“Same plan, same place, and same time. It sure would be cool to have a shootout though. If we can find the right arrangements it may happen. We shall see….”

Big thank you to Stu and Jackie for continuing to provide us with great well organized events that bring together the wonderful people of powerboating!

Andre and Leslie’s

Brad Benson

Michael Ciasulli

Mark Fisher

Additional Photo Credits to Freeze Frame Videohttp://www.freezeframe.us/ and Shoot2Thrill

The Poker Run World is full of pictures and videos, we all have many of them and continue to build a a huge library of our favorite shots. The sheer volume of stuff can actually become hard to manage and catalog. Usually their is one or two shots that we use to really show off. These few pictures get framed, become avatars, and Facebook images.

The idea to take this to the next level of display led us here at PowerBoat Nation to think about the garage, shop, or man cave. What about a personalized banner depicting your favorite shot, with your favorite quote, saying or boat name.

So now Powerboat Nation is offering a service to provide you with your own personalized banner. You give us your image, your text and we give you your own banner. We will create the proof, you approve it, we make it and ship it to you. Simple, fast, effective, cool, and affordable!

GET YOURS HERE!

This years Florida Powerboat Club Miami Boat Show Poker Run was a giant success and brought a noticeable influence from some west coast brands that are not often seen running through the Atlantic waters of South Florida.

Lead by Daves Customs Boat’s with Win Farnsworth beautiful 1350 Mercury Racing powered M41, also from DCB was a M35 with Mercury Racing 700’s.

We also got a glimpse at some Eliminators, Advantage, and a Lavy Craft.

It was great to see this representation and certainly shows these boats are very well suited for some ocean runs on the right coast.

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Extra Photo Credit to Pete Boden of Shoot2Thrill

The Jacksonville River Rally promises to be a great event. This years dates are June 6-9 2014 and all the proceeds will go to CAMP AMIGO This Children’s burn victim camp is something that is very special to Bill Pybrun Sr. who spends his personal time along with fellow firefighters and friends from Tallahassee and Jacksonville to support these children at Camp Amigo.

After taking some time off from direct operational control of the event and handing the reins to the Florida Powerboat Club who continued to keep the event going, supporting the local boaters,and charities the event is now back under the direction of the Pyburns. Last years event raised 22k for Camp Amigo and with some luck and generous support 2014 should eclipse that number.

The event will return to the original format, location, and will include a Friday Boaters Skip Day with a lunch cookout on a sandbar and then to return to Mavericks Friday night for live music at the landing.

The event will also coincide with P1 SUPERSTOCK racing and will feature a spectator raft up on Sunday for everyone who wants to stay over for the races.

In conversation with Bill Pyburn Sr, today he told us he wanted to bring out the fun of boating and raise money for the kids who so desperately need it. Boat entry fee will be $350 per boat and $50 for every additional crew member. Full details and the updated website for the event will be coming out shortly.

I will bet we can count on the typical Pyburn family hospitality being displayed with every aspect of the event. Look for Powerboat Nation to represent from Jacksonville and to bring you up to the minute details and entry list updates as we move along.

JACKSONVILLE RIVER RALLY WEBSITE

JACKSONVILLE RIVER RALLY PAGE