Organizers Team Up To Bring Inaugural Rockin The Harbor Poker Run To Baltimore

Veteran performance boater David Landsman of Pikesville, Md., can hardly believe the amount of positive reception the inaugural Rockin The Harbor Poker Run has already received since he, Jimmy Jernigan of the Chesapeake Bay Power Boat Association and Victor DiMarco of the Thunder In The City Poker Run announced they were working together on the Baltimore-based event.

David Landsman said he’s not bringing his 43-foot Midnight Express—pictured above running on Florida’s Tampa Bay—to the Rockin The Harbor event he’s helping organize because he’ll have his new 43-footer there instead. Photo by Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thril Pix.

Taking place June 28-29 at Baltimore’s Harbor East Marina and the adjoining Four Seasons Hotel, Landsman, who knows a thing or two about enjoying poker runs, promises a great time, especially now that he’s seen the enthusiasm.

“There was a run here about 20 years ago; I actually did it in my 31-foot Sonic—that was a big boat back then,” Landsman said and chuckled being that his current boats are a 43-foot Midnight Express with five Mercury Racing Verado 400R outboard engines and a 44-foot Mystic Powerboats catamaran with a pair of Whipple-charged Mercury Racing 700SCi engines. “We have a lot of great runs here in the Northeast like the ones the Chesapeake Bay Powerboat Association host and Victor’s Thunder In The City run. Baltimore is kind of right in the middle of it all so we were thinking 30 or 40 boats for a first-year event would be a good turnout, figuring that we could recruit at least 30 of our friends to come out.

“We just announced it a little more than a week ago and we’re at 48 boats already,” he continued. “We’re capped at 300 people total so I have a feeling we’re going to max out, which is pretty incredible.”

With that overall total in mind because of the capacity at Saturday evening’s dinner and awards banquet venue—Roy’s, which is right next to Four Seasons—Landsman said the run is likely going to sell out at 60 boats, figuring five people per boat. Whether the final boat count ends up more or less than 60 depends on when it is closed once the 300-people maximum is reached.

“The marina, hotel and restaurant are all within 100 yards of each other, and you’ve got all of the Baltimore nightlife right there as well,” Landsman said. “I think this event is going to be a winner. We are planning a bikini contest for Saturday afternoon at our last stop, Tiki Lee’s, which is a brand new place opening at the end of May, and we’re planning to have a raft-up on Sunday.”

Landsman, who is expecting to have a new 43-foot Midnight Express for the event, said the Rockin The Harbor Poker Run also has received good sponsor participation so far. Along with some local companies, a few Florida-based center consoles company are supporting the run and planning to attend, including Concept Boats, Deep Impact and Midnight Express. He added that local photographer Randy Nuzzo would be covering the event and also encouraged anyone who is interested to sign up here as soon as possible.