By William E. Taylor

...Say Manufacturers, Dealers And Event Organizers.

Annual APRA Forum set for 2006 at the Miami Boat Show

During the recent Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, the American Poker Run Association (APRA) attended a meeting convened by some of North America’s leading performance boat manufacturers and dealers. They were discussing the content of an article written by Ron Polli and appearing in a recent edition of Extreme Boats magazine. The article focused on the apparent lack of safety standards at Poker Run events, and left the clear impression that these events are both unregulated and dangerous. To make his point, the author tries to convince the reader that Poker Run events are no different than offshore racing. He then suggests that while offshore racing is heavily regulated, Poker Run events are unregulated “free-for-alls.” Everyone was disturbed by this detrimental article which could create a negative impact on the sport of poker runs and performance boating as a whole, including the boat builders, the dealers, the APRA, the independent organizers, and you, the poker runners. The trouble, is Mr. Polli is wrong on all counts, and that is what had boat manufacturers, dealers and poker run organizers upset in Ft. Lauderdale. Since the launch of Poker Runs America magazine, the sport has grown from a handful of local runs to 80 - 100, involving thousands of participants and spectators every summer. While many organizers joined together to promote safety, it was through the establishment of an overall sanctioning body, and responsible organizers, that the performance boat poker run phenomenon developed into a highly organized gathering of responsible boaters. The APRA was formed under the guidance of boat manufacturers, dealers and poker run organizers for that very purpose. Its chief mandate was and remains the promotion of safety throughout the sport. Let me make one point very clear at the outset, Poker Run events are not offshore races, or any other kind of race. There is no prize for arriving at any destination ahead of any other participant in an APRA-sanctioned event. Winners are determined not by the order of their arrival, or the time it took them to get there, but by the poker hand they hold at the end. In fact, the slowest boat in the event has the same chance of winning as all other participants. (Top)  That is not to say that poker run organizers are oblivious to safety issues. We recognize that the boats participating in these events are high performance, powerful craft capable of running at very high speeds. Indeed, it is the thrill of traveling at high speeds on the open water that attracts many of the participants, as well as the spectators. It is for that very reason that APRA and other organizers have dedicated so much time and energy to safety issues. Contrary to the impression left in the Extreme Boats magazine article, event organizers as well as the APRA, have developed and strictly enforce comprehensive rules to govern their events. But this type of editorial sensationalism in an avid performance magazine should not exist. Leave the detrimental articles to the mass media – bring your ideas forward directly to the organizers. Every APRA event, for example, requires that all captains attend a compulsory pre-event driver’s meeting during which the rules are carefully reviewed. Routes, potential safety hazards to navigation, no wake zones, weather and more are all discussed at those meetings. Local police and Coast Guard units are involved and are on hand. Larger APRA events have up to 80 flagmen and marshal boats stationed at slow zones, corners and low water areas. Safety is very much on the minds of all organizers and participants. While responsible organizations make every effort to minimize the risk of accident, they also recognize that accident is a reality in all sports, no matter how many rules are put in place. Medical personnel are therefore on hand, in the air, on the water and on the ground. At one poker run event medical personnel were called upon to assist a participant suffering appendicitis. At another they attended a participant who suffered a heart attack at the breakfast meeting. At another, they airlifted a woman having a baby. (Top)  We have no doubt that all of this attention to safety is why APRA sanctioned events have enjoyed a perfect safety record for almost 19 years. Perhaps this why insurance companies have no trouble providing coverage for APRA events. APRA, and all other responsible event organizers, welcome any opportunity to discuss safety and improvement to their sport. Each year the APRA safety council meets to discuss the rules and regulations and to consider ways to make the sport safer and more enjoyable for the entire family. For example, the APRA Marketing and Safety Committee is currently working with manufactures to develop a new high impact safety vest. The APRA has a full-time dedicated staff, and is going worldwide in 2006, having recently hired a gentleman named Pierre Savoie, as full-time Executive Director. Pierre speaks multiple languages and is a sanctioning expert with several years experience with on-water events under his belt. Pierre has served as an executive on the international level with jet-ski associations, and worked in conjunction with the government, police, Coast Guard and other related safety councils. He will work year-round with the APRA and with poker run organizers who wish to join the team. Poker runs are all about having fun. A scare tactic approach, based upon misinformation, is not helpful. We feel the some of the suggestions offered in the Extreme Boats article (putting helmets on participants, confining boats to a closed circuit) would actually convert the event to a race format and thereby bring with it the very risks that the article seeks to avoid. Our marketing and safety committees are working to develop a series of high performance driver education safety schools. The annual APRA Safety Forum for 2006 will be held once again at the Miami Boat Show. In the meantime, our events are endorsed by boat manufacturers, dealers and recognized by policing agencies throughout the USA and Canada. Poker Runs are here to stay. Remember — IT’S NOT A RACE AND NEVER WILL BE. IT’S A GAME OF CHANCE AND THE BEST HAND WINS.

It’s Just Common Sense Poker Runs are about having fun, so speed has never been a criterion to win any prize. It is not a race – THERE IS NO TROPHY FOR BEING FIRST TO ANY CARD STOP at APRA events. Participants do have the chance to win great prizes, but that is based on the cards they receive. Poker runners are not adrenalin junkies, they are entrepreneurs, professionals and business people who enjoy the camaraderie these events provide. (Top)  Most of the rules governing an APRA poker run are simply common sense. • Attendance at the Driver’s Safety Meeting is mandatory • Everyone on board must wear an approved life jacket or PFD at all times. For the past six months the APRA has been working with a major manufacturer of safety equipment to develop a high-impact life vest that would be ideally suited to the poker run requirements • No passing of the pace boat(s) during the prescribed times • No alcohol is to be consumed in or around the boats by anyone until the event is completed, and all boats are secured • Use a VHF radio or other communication to contact a central number to indicate that a participant boat has dropped out of the run • Ignition safety tethers must be worn at all times • Maintain a safety zone of 200 feet clear on all sides of your boat when running • When coming down off plane, look behind you first and have someone (or all) on your boat wave their arms together overhead to signal your intent to come down off plane • When running, pick a lane and stick to it. If changing lanes check first for approaching traffic from behind, working closely with your navigator • New Poker Runners run at the end of the pack to familiarize themselves with the nuances of Poker Run driving techniques • Emergency telephone numbers are included in every driver’s kit including hospitals, police, marshal boats • Charts and GPS points, communication channels, water regulations and fuel stops are also included in all drivers’ kits • Fire Personnel are on hand at each host site. • Every crew member must sign a waiver and not “just pile everyone on board” • Occasionally, events will include sufficient boats to warrant from 1 to 3 starts, to prevent crowding on the water • No sitting on top of a seat or on the sun deck while the boat is on plane • Flag boats are stationed at danger zones and no wake zones in order to pull the boats off plane and have them wait for the pace boat to guide them through the areas. Poker runners not following these rules are disqualified. This is done discretely to avoid embarrassment.

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