As a fundraiser, last night’s Speed On The Water Key West Bash and Charity Auction did not live up to expectations. The final total raised through a live auction, donations and a 50/50 raffle isn’t in, but by my very rough estimate it didn’t reach $50,000. That’s less than half of the funds raised last year, which were matched by the Carver family and raised the total—for the second year in a row—to $200,000.

Auctioneer Michael Hall was a force of nature on the stage. Photos by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos.

Split between two charities, Samuel’s House and AHEC Health Centers Keys, less than $50,000 doesn’t go far. My lofty—make that ludicrous—goal was 10 times that amount.

But on the bright side?

Whatever the final total, it is more than two nonprofits charities had in their coffers before the night began.

The brighter side? It happened because the performance-boating community is absurdly generous. Last night’s party was a celebration of that community. Familiar faces were everywhere.

The scene on Greene Street.

And on that note, there are people to thank, starting with the winning bidders, the folks who donated the auction items and everyone who showed up on Greene Street last night. Long before the Speed On The Water Key West Bash made fundraising its top priority, the annual affair was a celebration of the go-fast boating community, the daily news website’s way of saying thank-you to its readers and advertisers.

To that end, last night was a rousing success. Maybe even brilliant.

As the event evolved during the past 12 years, it became more complicated to organize. It may look like a casual, almost pop-up-style party—and it kind of is. It just takes a few months of focused effort for it to pop up.

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Enjoy more images from last night’s Speed On The Water Key West Bash and Charity Auction.

Volunteer organizers starting with Greg Harris and his girlfriend Yvonne Aleman stepped up early on, as did—more recently—Tim and Cyndee Hill for Fort Myers Offshore. Marine insurance and finance man Devin Wozencraft committed to sponsoring the buffet in the Pickle’s Pub Sandbar host-venue from the start, and he never wavers from that commitment. He’ll start reminding me that he’s in again next month.

Larry Bleil of Race World Offshore didn’t just lend support for the annual affair, he had it built into his contract to produce the annual, early November powerboat races with the city of Key West. Every year thanks to Bleil, the Key West police close Greene Street at 5 p.m. for the affair. Outdoor bars spring up from what seems like nowhere.

Short version? Minus Bleil, the celebration doesn’t happen. At this writing, minus Bleil the Key West Worlds don’t happen.

Organizers Tim and Cyndee Hill dedicated themselves to making the evening a success.

Thanks to AHEC Health Centers Key, auction had a proper stage for the time in its history. Backed by Tim Hill, volunteer auctioneer Michael Hall of Performance Boat Center auctioned his tail off last night. (OK, his tail is still intact and attached to the rest of him, but as he does with everything he touches Hall put his heart into it.) Thanks to GoGPS owner Simon Williams, Hall even had a proper sound system—another first for the Key West Bash.

Cyndee Hill led the 50/50 raffle campaign that hauled in a cool $2,000. Never underestimate the power of a strong woman with tickets to sell.

Competing in Key West this week, extreme sports master Travis Pastrana joined in the fun.

Thanks again to Simon Williams and Rob Lockyer, two beautiful raceboats—GoGPS/Good Boy Vodka and Cortez Cove Fountain Offshore—graced Greene Street.

The money for charity didn’t roll in as it has in years past. That’s just a fact, not a cataclysmic one, but a fact nonetheless. There’s no hiding from it.

But the good times surely did. To that end, the 12th annual Speed On The Water Key West Bash may have been the best one yet.

Thank you for coming.