Not always the fastest boat wins prizes in poker run

By ROBIN BAILEY

What do the King of Hearts, speed and boating have in common? Poker runs.

While poker runs are huge in the United States they were, until a few years ago, almost unheard of in New Zealand. Today these fun events are being staged throughout the country. A few keen enthusiasts have set up the guidelines and the sport is growing fast.

In 1998 Hopper Developments staged their first Pauanui Poker Run, an 80 nautical mile event from Gulf Harbour, Auckland, to Pauanui on the Coromandel Peninsula. Now an annual event, the Pauanui Run became the benchmark and from it have grown a number of regular events.

On February 17, the third NZ Propeller Magazine/Hutchwilco Poker Run will be staged around Auckland Harbour and already entries are set to break last year's record of 63 starters.

Imagine being out on the water with family and friends and eager fellow boaters, on a structured long-distance run. Sounds good? Well add in a game of poker, some big prizes and the chance to make new friends and you have the makings of a fun day on the water for the whole family.

Poker run rules are simple. The entrant collecting the best five cards wins. The beauty of a poker run is that you don't have to have the fastest boat or be first to finish to win the big prizes. It's just a matter of having the best hand at the end.

Five poker cards are handed out to participants at various stages before, during and after the event. The holder of the best hand at the after-run function is the winner.

For the Propeller/Hutchwilco 2001 run, the first card is mailed with the information pack upon entry. Card two is picked up from a checkpoint at Pakatoa Island and the third at another checkpoint at Kawau Island. Competitors then break for a two-hour lunch stop at the picturesque Pah Farm, before the 18nm sprint back to Auckland. The fourth card pick-up point is at the finish off Rangitoto Lighthouse.

The fifth and final card is retrieved at Swashbucklers Restaurant, the event headquarters and venue for the prizegiving.

Anyone can enter a poker run and, in events held so far, craft have varied from jetskis and inflatables to launches and ski boats.

But the most common type of entrant by far is the family cabin runabout, the sort of average aluminium or grp trailerable production boat in the 5m to 8m range. Power can be anything from single outboards to twin sterndrives and, as speed is not a criteria, just how fast your boat goes doesn't really matter.

There are rules specific to some classes and all craft must carry a minimum of safety equipment. The poker runs are all about having fun and are a great day out on the water with the family.

Barry Thompson, editor of NZ Propeller and one of the founders of poker runs in New Zealand, says that while there are those who will always be looking to go fast on the water, the emphasis is primarily on family boating.

"In our event last year we had virtually every major boat brand represented, including Rayglass, Buccaneer, Tristram, Haines Hunter, Bonito, Haines Signature, Bayliner, Searay, Huntsman, Fi Glass, Marco, Fyran, Ramco, Stabicraft, Zodiac and many more," he says.

Anyone interested in more information on the February run can call Propeller on 09 309 5947 or e-mail: propeller@xtra.co.nz