While final numbers for boating events can change with the weather, the fifth annual Old Hickory Fun Run July 27-30 outside Nashville, Tenn., is on track to break last year’s 120-registered-boat record. According to organizer Chad Collier, 115 to 120 high-performance boat owners already have signed up for the fun, which is hosted by the Tennessee Powerboat Club.

“We have a big local walk-up registration contingency,” said Collier. “I don’t know if that’s still going to be the case. You never know how that’s going to turn out.”

Massive raft-ups are an Old Hickory Fun Run tradition. Photo courtesy/copyright Devin Williams/Devin Williams Photography

Based out of Blue Turtle Bay Marina, the event’s activities includes a (water-level allowing) cruise for “early bird” registrants from Old Hickory Lake to Nashville—followed by a party in the city that night—on Thursday as well as a lunch run to Awedaddy’s at Gallatin Marina and raft-up on Friday. The actual fun run is set for Saturday and will include a post-run raft-up followed by an awards dinner/celebration at the host venue.

Between a hotel at Nashville International Airport and one in downtown in the Music City, Collier booked a block of 150 rooms for Old Hickory Fun Run participants. All of those rooms are already taken, he said.

“The turnout is looking very, very good,” he said. “We’re going to be awfully busy.”

The Old Hickory Fun has its own distant flair and flavor. Photo courtesy/copyright Devin Williams/Devin Williams Photography

Collier and his wife, Heather, will be running Habitual, their new low-profile Mystic C4400 catamaran with Mercury Racing 1350 engines, in its home-water event debut during the run.

A portion of the proceeds from the Old Hickory Fun Run will go to Operation Stand Down Tennessee, which “provides a wide range of supportive services for veterans and their families throughout Tennessee—all at no cost to them. OSDTN provides transitional housing, VA benefits counseling, employment services, and homelessness prevention to Veterans and their families,” according to the nonprofit organization’s website.

Old Hickory Lake is home water to Chad and Heather Collier’s new C4400 catamaran. Photo courtesy/copyright Mystic Powerboat Sales

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