FPC Key West Poker Run At 180-Plus Boats And Counting

While no one knows exactly how many teams will turn up for the Race World Offshore Key West Championships (Nov, 3-10)—RWO head Larry Bleil has said he’s expecting 40 teams to compete—there’s no question that the Florida Powerboat Club will have a massive poker-run fleet heading down that week. According to Stu Jones, the founder and president of the Pompano Beach, Fla., outfit, more than 180 club members have already registered their boats for the event.

And it’s still more than a month away.

Registration for the 2019 Florida Powerboat Club Key West Poker Run has been moving at a record pace. Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

“I don’t know where we’re going to put all this fiberglass,” he said, then laughed. “It will go beyond 200 boats. I still have a few places to park boats, but Key West Harbor has been full now for over a month and we pretty much ran out of most of our room inventory.”

Though the Key West Poker Run always is the Florida Powerboat Club’s most popular event, this year’s happening could turn out to be a record-setter based on registration so far. It is on pace to do just that.

“This is by far the fastest and the earliest this many club members have registered for Key West,” Jones said.

While the club offers a Wednesday group departure, most club members head down on Thursday.

Related stories
Satellite Organizers In The Florida Powerboat Club’s Future
Florida Powerboat Club’s Emerald Coast Poker Run A Gem