Florida Powerboat Club Winter Events Heating Up

Less than a week away, the Florida Powerboat Club Winter Poker Run—the first event of the season for the Pompano Beach, Fla., outfit—reportedly has 21 boats registered. The fleet will travel from Haulover Marine Center in Miami to the Hawk’s Cay Resort. According to FPC president Stu Jones, there are few spots remaining for anyone looking in need of a quick escape from winter.

The first two events of the 2019 Florida Powerboat Club season are just around the corner. Photo from the 2018 FPC Key West Poker Run courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

But for Jones and company, the big news of the early FPC season is the return Miami Boat Show Poker Run (Feb. 21-24). Last year, the happening mostly stayed close to its Miami home-base with day runs to various destinations, which was a departure from its previous traditional trek to Islamorada in the Upper Keys. For Jones, keeping the run in Miami was a stop-gap measure largely forced by Hurricane Irma, which devastated significant portions of the Florida Keys in late 2017.

This year, the event returns to the Keys with two upscale resort destinations.

“We are staying at the newest luxury resorts in Key Largo, the Playa Largo Resort, which is a Marriott Autograph Collection property, and the all-new Bakers Cay Resort, a Hilton Curio Collection Resort property,” Jones wrote in an email sent yesterday to FPC members and sponsors. “Both have amazing accommodations and amenities, and docks for our boats.”

Registration for this year’s Miami Boat Show Poker Run is open. Entry is limited to 60 boats.

“We’ll get things started in Miami, launching from Haulover Marine Center and Grove Harbour Marina,” Jones wrote. “And we’ll continue with plenty of great activities planned for our weekend format.”

Jones will showcase “Project 1040,” his Cigarette Racing Team 38 Top Gun sportboat repowered with Mercury Racing 520 engines, at both events.

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