In early January, I reported on significant changes the Florida Powerboat Club has in store for its 2018 season. Whatever your opinion of FPC founder Stu Jones, he deserves credit for making a living—and making a lot of people happy while driving business in the marine industry—through his events for almost 30 years.

With almost endless choices, you need only ask yourself what kind of game you want to play. Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

As you learned if you read that column, Jones also knows he needs to change up things to keep his poker runs fresh. That’s even more challenging than his organizational duties, and after covering his events since the late 1990s I have to tip my hat to him. Shed no tears for the man—he chose his profession and he loves it—but what he does isn’t easy.

Later in January, I reported on the Offshore Powerboat Association’s first poker run, an invitational event set for Aug. 18 in Traverse City, Mich. To be sure, an invite-only poker run is unusual, though not unheard of, in the performance-boating world. But with no entry fee, the OPA happening is particularly unusual—and intriguing.

Reporting the FPC and OPA poker run stories for the coming season left me in a philosophical mood.

Read More: What Do You Want From A Poker Run?

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