Chill Is The Word For Day-One Of Orange Beach Powerboat Week
As of 6 p.m. this evening, much of the 55-boat Orange Beach Powerboat Week Poker Run fleet was still out on the water, though mostly in the vicinity of Pirate’s Cove Marina and Restaurant. Among those in the group were Florida Powerboat Club owners Stu and Jackie Jones, who enjoyed today’s Alabama happening—the fifth event of the club’s 2022 season—with their longtime friends Mark and Eileen Fisher in a 39-foot Deep Impact Custom Boats center console.
A Florida Powerboat Club veteran, Texan Kenny Armstrong (far right) was all smiles today with friends in his well-known 48-foot MTI catamaran called Phantom. Photos by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.t
“The weather has been fantastic,” said Jones via text message shortly before he left the water to get ready for tonight’s cocktail reception at The Wharf, the host venue for the event. “It’s been going smoothly. Of course, there are the little hiccups that nobody sees, but it’s all been typical stuff.”
In addition to the FPC members, participants today included several event sponsors such as Greg Bent of Bent Marine, a Louisiana-based Nor-Tech dealer, and Eric Avila, the vice-president of Concept Boats.
Jones said Scott Favre, the owner of The Wharf, also enjoyed the day on the water with the club.
Today’s Florida Powerboat Club fleet encountered mostly excellent water conditions with a few sporty moments.
Set up in a two-day format, the poker run took participants East today and included several stops. Tomorrow, the course turns West.
Speedonthewater.com chief photographer Pete Boden captured today’s action via helicopter. He described the water conditions as one- to two-foot seas with an occasional three-footer in the mix. Boden will be in the air shooting again tomorrow.
Alabama’s famed Orange Beach area was picture-perfect for today’s Florida Powerboat Club event—and there’s more poker-run action on tap tomorrow.
“I’m sure it was pretty exciting for about 18 miles out there, but otherwise it was a chill day for sure,” Jones said. “We had great food at our lunch stops, awesome weather and a nice ride on the Intracoastal Waterway back to Pirate’s Cove. I’d say it was a pretty darn good outcome for everyone involved.”
Look for coverage of the second day of the Orange Beach Powerboat Week Poker Run this weekend on speedonthewater.com.
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