Forgetting—or ignoring if you prefer—that I enjoyed the 2025 Battleship Run on Seneca Lake in Kelly O’Hara’s remarkable MTI 40 RP catamaran, the New York happening was my favorite event of the season. A first for me, the Rochester Offshore Powerboat Association-produced affair attracted just 40 boats. The participants were mostly local and the run itself was relatively short.
Which was exactly what I loved about it. Because I prefer small events to large ones. The organized group boating experiences I enjoy most are in the 20- to 50-boat range.
God bless the blockbuster happenings such as the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, the Desert Storm Poker Run and the Florida Powerboat Club Key West affair. They are big and important and wildly popular for good reasons.
But they come with big crowds. And as much as I may adore the individuals within them, big crowds make me itchy.
During the Battleship Run, I had plenty of hang-time with a few people I knew from other events, and a whole lot of people I’d never met until I showed up that weekend. And to a man and woman, they were every bit as passionate about their run as folks who dig the bigger stuff. The community bond and vibe were unforgettable.
So I’ll be back this year.
That’s also why I’m looking forward to returning to the Florida Powerboat Club Naples Spring Rendezvous and Invitational Skater Fun Run happenings this weekend in Southwest Florida. The boating environment for those events is, of course, completely different from that of New York’s Finger Lakes region. But the social atmosphere is delightfully similar.
Come Wednesday I head to Marathon, Fla., to hang out with Deep Impact Custom Boats owners Mark and Eileen Fischer. The following morning, we’ll run a Deep Impact 499 center console from Marathon to Naples, which is a route I’ve never traveled. I’ll spend the night in Naples socializing with the Fischers, a couple of longtime friends I’ve known for 20-something years, and the rest of the 20-something Florida Powerboat Club members and their guests.
The next morning, I’ll head to the Cape Coral for the weekend-long Skater run. Like the Naples happening, the Skater affair has 20-something entries.
Starting with Super Cat Fest West and Desert Storm in Arizona, the big events of the 2026 season are just around the corner—and of course I’ll be on scene to cover a bunch of them. And they will surely have their fine moments.
Small Events Offer Big Returns
Forgetting—or ignoring if you prefer—that I enjoyed the 2025 Battleship Run on Seneca Lake in Kelly O’Hara’s remarkable MTI 40 RP catamaran, the New York happening was my favorite event of the season. A first for me, the Rochester Offshore Powerboat Association-produced affair attracted just 40 boats. The participants were mostly local and the run itself was relatively short.
Which was exactly what I loved about it. Because I prefer small events to large ones. The organized group boating experiences I enjoy most are in the 20- to 50-boat range.
God bless the blockbuster happenings such as the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, the Desert Storm Poker Run and the Florida Powerboat Club Key West affair. They are big and important and wildly popular for good reasons.
But they come with big crowds. And as much as I may adore the individuals within them, big crowds make me itchy.
During the Battleship Run, I had plenty of hang-time with a few people I knew from other events, and a whole lot of people I’d never met until I showed up that weekend. And to a man and woman, they were every bit as passionate about their run as folks who dig the bigger stuff. The community bond and vibe were unforgettable.
So I’ll be back this year.
That’s also why I’m looking forward to returning to the Florida Powerboat Club Naples Spring Rendezvous and Invitational Skater Fun Run happenings this weekend in Southwest Florida. The boating environment for those events is, of course, completely different from that of New York’s Finger Lakes region. But the social atmosphere is delightfully similar.
Come Wednesday I head to Marathon, Fla., to hang out with Deep Impact Custom Boats owners Mark and Eileen Fischer. The following morning, we’ll run a Deep Impact 499 center console from Marathon to Naples, which is a route I’ve never traveled. I’ll spend the night in Naples socializing with the Fischers, a couple of longtime friends I’ve known for 20-something years, and the rest of the 20-something Florida Powerboat Club members and their guests.
The next morning, I’ll head to the Cape Coral for the weekend-long Skater run. Like the Naples happening, the Skater affair has 20-something entries.
Starting with Super Cat Fest West and Desert Storm in Arizona, the big events of the 2026 season are just around the corner—and of course I’ll be on scene to cover a bunch of them. And they will surely have their fine moments.
But I’m looking forward to the smaller stuff. Because for me they offer the greatest returns.