Time to Head North

Next week will be my fourth trip up to see Boyne Thunder, one of America’s premiere poker runs. The first couple of years I traveled up to Michigan, I had hoped to at least bring my Formula 242 up as a marshal boat, but ongoing trailer issues nixed that. Later, having sold my boat, my wife and I still enjoyed heading up to see the boats and check out all the activities, like the street show in Boyne City and the art fair in Charlevoix, which always seems to be held on the same weekend. There’s no doubt that the region includes some of the most scenic areas the Midwest has to offer.

The Street Party in Boyne City on Friday night is one you don't want to miss.

This year, my wife has declined to go, and being freed up, I decided to inquire about the possibility of volunteering at the event, which raises money for children with cancer and individuals with disabilities. Having secured a couple of opportunities to pitch in, I started to make plans.

I had thought about going about a month or more before, but we were invited to travel with some friends to Florida in the Fall, so I held off. When it later became clear that my wife’s job would not allow us to travel south in November, I looked again at coming up to BT, but by that time, no reasonable accommodations were available, and she was balking at making another trip north.

That meant going by myself, and since my needs are pretty modest (I just need a place to rest my head at night and take a shower) I figured I could find a convenient camping spot in the area. Finding campgrounds was not an issue; the only problem is that most non-electric tent sites can’t be reserved in advance, so it’s first-come-first served just about everywhere. I’m pretty confident that I won’t have any problems, and though I am not a big recreational camper, I think this will be a nice little adventure.

The continued popularity of this event is a real testament to the people who work so hard to put it on every year. When I first ventured up here in 2008, I think there were about 40 boats running; this year I believe the number of registrants is up to 120—and there are lots of people who are still on the waiting list. Since that more performance boaters are discovering this great Poker Run, it’s become a “must do”—not only for boaters, but for manufacturers who like to premiere their new boats. One I am especially looking forward to see is Catnip, a new classic wooden runabout from Van Dam Custom Boats, which is actually located in Boyne City. See you at the street show next Friday Night!


Catnip under construction at Van Dam Custom Boats

Boyne Thunder: The Great Northern Poker Run

Everybody knows about big powerboat poker runs like Desert Storm and Key West, but switch out the sand and palm trees for the clean, cool waters of Northwest Michigan and the rich smell of pine trees, and you've got the great Northern poker run...Boyne Thunder. We headed up there after work on Friday night and jumped off I-75 at Gaylord for a solid night's sleep before heading over to Boyne City bright and early Saturday to watch the 40+ boats head out across Lake Charlevoix.

The municipal marina at Boyne City is a great venue for this event; there's plenty of room for even the largest boats, and the point on the western end is a great spot for spectators to gather. This year's event has been described by many as the best ever - and the collection of boats found at the docks backed that up, with a great selection of Skaters, Nor-Techs, Outerlimits, Apaches, Fountains, Formulas and Cigarettes on hand. It was an incredible scene -- especially when they all started the engines and headed out onto the lake.

As a tradition, the boats (in two groups) circle around the lake on a high-speed parade lap before heading west toward Charlevoix -- and the hundreds of spectators gathered on the point roared their approval as each boat gunned its engines on the pass-by.

The boats then head down the lake, through Round Lake at Charelvoix, then out the channel to Lake Michigan and the other card stops. The weather was just about perfect; warm and sunny, with little wind--which made the big lake manageable for some high speed runs and lots of fun. We drove up to Charlevoix for a few beers, caught a few more nice boats heading up the channel, then gradually worked our way back toward Boyne City right after noon. We even had a chance to grab a bite at the Horton Bay General Store, which any Ernest Hemingway fan would recognize from his Nick Adams stories.

The final card stop was at the marina at Somerset Pointe, featuring a very nice reception which offered visitors a chance to catch the boat crews coming in for some snacks and ice cold refreshments. We weren't sure how they were going to fit everyone in, but they managed to get the crews off the boats and into the bar with a high level of organization. Clearly, this run benefits greatly from a wonderful team of volunteers, who managed it all superbly. Hats off to them.

We wanted to stay longer for the Thunder Feast that evening, but the wife and I had another stop to make on that day's itinerary, and over a 100 miles to travel before nightfall. Suffice to say that as before, we had a short but albeit wonderful time at Boyne Thunder, and look forward to coming back again. If you're an offshore powerboater who loves great poker runs and is looking for something a little different, this is one run you will want to add to your calendar next year.

2011 Oneida Lake Swamp Run - Good Fun for a Good Cause

Lots of Poker Runs are run to benefit a worthy non-profit cause, and few are more worthy than the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Once again, New York State Power Boat Inc. is organizing another great Swamp Run on New York's beautiful Lake Oneida. Set for Saturday, July 30th, the run is known for its excellent water, fun destinations and top-notch organization.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sharkey Images.

This year the Swamp Run will follow the same course as last year, starting and ending in Brewerton at The WaterFront. From there, the group will run to Sylvan, have lunch and relax for about an hour and a half at Harpoon Eddie's. Afterwards, everyone will line up in front of the beach (South Side) and run in line across the front of the beach for everyone to watch.

Following this will be a run to ChMarker 117 for a card stop, then to ChMarker 135 for another card stop, then to 3 Mile Bay for a raft off with some fun and Bikinis. At 5pm, the whole group will run back to the Waterfront for dinner at 7pm with banquet and plenty of refreshments.

Last year, the event was able to raise over $10,000.00 for Make-A-Wish, and organizer Nolan Ferris has set an even more ambition goal of 21,500.00 for this year. If you've ever wondered how big a difference a contribution can make for an event like this, check out the touching story that Nolan has posted on Offshore Only.com.

To find out more and reserve your spot, contact Nolan at NysPowerBoat@yahoo.com.

No Shortage of Boat Drink Ideas with Voodoo Tiki Margarita Book

As always, it's great to relax at the end of a long day of boating with a nice cool drink--and if you're doing your own bartending, it's a good idea to have some solid cocktail recipes on hand. Smart mixologists know that one of the favorites among the ladies is the Margarita, and a free recipe book, now available from Voodoo Tiki Tequila, can help fill in any gaps in your Margarita know-how.

If you haven't come across it yet, Voodoo Tiki is a relatively new brand of tequila that takes the fun factor to a whole new level. Voodoo Tiki is made from 100 percent blue agave and comes in three main styles: Platinum Silver, Reposado and Anejo. It's a super-premium brand, featuring a unique and creative package. The result--which is something of a collector’s piece--is a hand-blown, numbered and signed glass bottle with a hand-crafted tiki statuette inside.

PHOTO CREDIT: Voodootiki.com.

“The taste is clean, not harsh, hot or woody,” says company head Donna DeCunzo-Taddeo, who expects sales of $1.2 million in 2009, up from about $240,000 in her first year. The Margarita Guide, available as a free PDF download, includes over 100 creative Margarita recipes. Get your copy HERE, and give the Voodoo a try.

Formula Owners - Make Plans for Birds on The Bay 2011

Boats are in the water in New Jersey, and East Coast Formula owners may want to mark their calendars now for the 2nd Annual Birds on the Bay Formula Rendezvous, scheduled for Saturday, July 16th. The event is scheduled to kick off at 11:00AM, with the boats meeting up at Tices Shoal on the Barnegat Bay (Latitude: 39.8398415, Longitude: -74.1087476).

The event is strictly casual; participants are encouraged to bring their own supplies (beer, drinks, ice and food) and raft up with the other Formula boat owners in the area. Whether you're a Formula, Thunderbird, or even a Falcon owner, you are more the welcome to join us for what will truly be an epic day.

To RSVP, simply email FormulaOwnersOfNJ@gmail.com so organizers can can get an idea of the turnout expected. They will also be more than happy to provide any information about marinas, ramps, transient slips, or the area in general. Check it out!

How to Catch the Action at Havasu...Even if You're Not There

Desert Storm 2011 is in full swing at Lake Havasu, AZ -- as hundreds of high performance boats have descended on LHC for one of the country's biggest, baddest poker runs and high speed shoot-outs. We told you about the action earlier this month, but if you weren't able to make it to the lake (like us) you can still check out what's going on this weekend at a couple of great places on the Internet.

PHOTO CREDIT: OSO member Rivergirl.

First, I'd stop by Offshore Only forum...take a minute to register (it's free) and take a look at The Official 2011 Desert Storm Poker Run Picture Thread. There are lots of great photos from the lake, the street party and more...including some of the hottest boats around.

PHOTO CREDITS: River Dave's Place.

Alternatively, you can surf over to River Dave's Place, another popular West Coast forum, and watch their livestream, which will be available during the weekend. Be sure to take a look, and check out the forums, too; I'm sure plenty of boaters who are on site at Desert Storm will be posting. Crack a Corona and imagine you are there!

Make Plans Now for Jacksonville River Rally Poker Run

The Poker Run season is well underway, and you may want to start planning for one of the best. It happens June 9th-11th, as the Florida Powerboat Club returns to to the River City, Jacksonville, FL, for its 2011 run. Known for incredible parties on and off the water, this year's Jacksonville River Rally promises to be a memorable time, and is highly recommended. Jacksonville Landing once again provides the perfect backdrop for dining, entertainment, poker run displays and awesome party action.

PHOTO CREDITS: Allen Chester.

The event's Headquarter Hotel will be the Jacksonville Hyatt Regency Riverfront. To book now, you can call the FPC office, at 954-545-1414 or DOWNLOAD the registration form. You can also contact Jackie Jones for alternate accommodations choices at: fpcevents@gmail.com. For general information, call Bill Pyburn at (904) 388-6637.

PHOTO CREDIT: OSO Member Swede.

Proceeds will benefit Camp Amigo - the Children's Burn Camp of North Florida. Here's a brief rundown of the schedule:

Thursday, June 9, 2011
12:00pm Docking will be available (Jax Landing Docks & Metro Docks) Shuttle bus available (Carey) 904-349-1217
11am—7pm Check in and Registration (The Hyatt Hotel)
9pm —?? Join us at the Ivy Bar for our Meet & Greet Party

Friday, June 10, 2011
8:30am-6:30pm Check in and Registration (The Hyatt Hotel)
9:30am Mandatory Captain’s Meeting at Hyatt Hotel
7am-9pm Shuttle bus available (Carey) 904-349-1217
11am Depart dock and enjoy the fun run and lunch, at the Sand Bar - South of the Shands Bridge on the St. Johns River
7pm-9pm Wings, beer, and refreshments at the Jacksonville Landing
7pm—2am Live entertainment center stage at the Jacksonville Landing

Saturday, June 11, 2011
7am–9:30am Late Registration (The Hyatt Hotel)
8:30am Mandatory Captain’s Meeting at Hyatt Hotel (FOR CAPTAINS WHO DID NOT ATTEND FRIDAY’S CAPTAIN’S MEETING)
7am—10:30am Shuttle bus available (Carey) 904-349-1217
9:30am Depart dock for start of the Poker Run
10am/approx Fast Track Start (for boats 100+MPH)
10:10am Start of Poker Run (for all other boats)
12pm—3pm Lunch at Outback Crab Shack
3pm— 6:30 pm Shuttle bus available (Carey) 904-349-1217
5:30pm Return to Docks
6pm-7:30pm Enjoy cocktails and card playing at Mavericks upstairs at the Jacksonville Landing followed by:
7:30pm Dinner

Hudson River Spring Fun Run - May 7th & 8th

Want to have some fast fun without blowing a huge wad of cash? Then you can join a group of NY powerboaters for this family-style fun run that's FREE and open to anyone. The fun starts on Saturday, May 7th, when boats will be leaving Cannonball Marina in Stony Point, NY at 11am, heading south to see the NYC skyline and Statue of Liberty. Later, the plan is to return to the marina, where boats can be loaded back on the trailers and everyone can grab a late lunch / early dinner at a local restaurant.

PHOTO CREDITS: OSO member Nordic95.

On Sunday, May 8th, the plan is to start the morning at about 11am, where boats will be heading North to the Steel House restaurant in Roundout Creek for a raft up and lunch. As noted previously, it's planned to be a family style event - wives and kids are welcome and boats of all sizes and speeds are encouraged to join in the fun; in fact, stopping points will be set up along the way so everyone can wait for the slower boats.

To find out more, check out THIS THREAD on Offshore Only - contact member Nordic95 so he can get a headcount for the event as soon as possible.

Tiki 101: Great Introduction to Tiki Drinks & Culture

If you like boats and enjoy spending a lot of time near the water--whether it's under a palm tree at a warm ocean beach or sitting at a dockside bar on a cool Northern lake--you can probably appreciate Tiki culture. The exotic island imagery, and certainly the cocktails it has inspired are a great compliment to life on the water. After all there's nothing quite like a good MaiTai or Zombie after a fun day on the boat.

But where did the idea of "Tiki" come from? There are lots of books and articles on the subject, which has been covered here before. But I came across a great video on the New York Times website that provides a brief and effective summary of what it's all about...

While it's inspired by island culture so very far away, the essence of Tiki is uniquely American, in the same way that Jazz music is. So, next time you've tied the boat up at the end of the day and are ready to cool off, try something a little more exotic and see where Tiki can take you...

West Coasters and the Country's Big Guns Head Out to Havasu for Desert Storm 2011

It's that time again - Spring is here and so is Desert Storm. Once again, Lakeracer LLC and Teague Custom Marine have joined together to bring together a collection of many of the most significant performance boats across the nation to Lake Havasu, Arizona. The action takes place from April 27 -30...here's a brief run-down of the week's events:

Wednesday begins when the Arizona Chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Havasu For Youth Organization, LakeRacer and the Platinum Powerboat Club present the second annual Desert Storm “Putin on the Wish”! Owners will provide rides in high performance powerboats and help raise funds to help these charities continue their work! Wednesday night, there's an open house party at the newest Lake Havasu Boat dealership, Oregon Custom Marine.

PHOTO CREDITS: younewstv.com.

Thursday the excitement continues with a down town Street Party, opening at noon. All participants and Sponsors are invited to display their boats on McCulloch Boulevard; display and vendor booth areas will be open to the public. Last years Street Party was spectacular and over 14,000 people turned out , and registration / check in for the poker run and shootout will be available at the time.

PHOTO CREDITS: The Nautical Inn.

Friday morning the Poker Run takes off from The Nautical Resort, with registration, drivers meeting and a parade through the London Bridge Channel beginning the run. With 3 card stations in the morning, Lunch catered at the Nautical Inn, 2 card stations and a helicopter photo station in the afternoon, there is lots of fun boating action! There's also a huge Pool Party at The Nautical that night, where the cards will be opened and the winners recorded.

Saturday morning begins with registration and check in for the Desert Storm Shootout. The Shootout Course starts off in Thompson Bay and runs two miles south on the Arizona side. Set to run all day with a break for lunch, it's where the fastest boats in the west will make their mark. Spectators have a great view from Rotary Park Beach. Saturday night awards are handed out for top speeds in each class and the new King of the Desert will be crowned! Dinner will be served and loads of prizes given out including the winning hands of the Poker Run, at a huge outdoor party at the Nautical Resort. Here is a video covering some of the sights and sounds of Desert Storm 2010 - courtesy YouTube user havasupowerboats.

If you've never been to Desert Storm, this is an opportunity you won't want to miss. For more information on the event, head over to the official website HERE.

OSS Starts 2011 Rolling with Smokin' The Sound at Biloxi

The folks living on America's Gulf Coast are working hard to make last year's oil spill a distant memory - and what better way than to kick off the start of the 2011 Offshore Super Series (OSS) season. The waters off Biloxi, MS are clean and clear now - and the beaches are ready for action, starting with the 2011 “Smokin’ the Sound” (STS) from May 12 – 15. The popular race will once again kick off this year’s OSS racing schedule.

This Biloxi event has become a favorite site for racers and fans alike, with exciting boat racing by day and all the casino action nightlife you can handle. The race brings out thousands of fans, and along with a Poker Run put on in conjunction with the Florida Powerboat Club, promises to be a real premier event. A kickoff Sponsor Appreciation Party is set to be hosted at the Beau Rivage, and other evening events are planned at the Hard Rock, the Imperial Palace (IP) and the Isle of Capri.

PHOTO CREDITS: Smokinthesound.com.

OSS Racing will be featured on both Saturday and Sunday; the big OSS cats are expected to clock in at 150 mph down the straight-a-way, with other classes consistently hitting the mark at over 100 mph. One of the great things about Smokin' The Sound is that you don't need binoculars to follow the action...you can see all of the excitement up-close by accessing any of the premium or VIP viewing areas. See the race course map below.


For more information, head over to the OSS website, or the official Smokin' The Sound website, HERE.

PRA Cape Coral Season Opener

Poker Runs America [PRA] kicked off another spectacular season of poker runs with their opener over the weekend of March 11-12. Cape Coral, FL proved to be a great site for the event, as the weather was warm and sunny, and winds were light - at around 11 knots.

PHOTO CREDITS: Poker Runs America.

To see more shots from the event, check out the PRA website HERE. There are also some nice photos of the event to be found on this Serious Ofshore thread - courtesy of member Frank Fasulo. Take a look - it's probably the next best think to being there.

Boat Air Conditioning...Revisited

With snow blowing in the air, summer cooling may be the last thing on your mind. But that doesn't stop us from searching for useful items that will make next year's boating more enjoyable.

A while back, we took a brief look at some DIY ideas for turning regular beer coolers into reasonably functional air conditioners that would help make those summer overnights on the boat a little more bearable. Turns out the folks at KoolerAire have developed the idea a little more fully, providing a ready-to-go unit that provides reliable 12-Volt cooling for almost any boat.

The KoolerAire fits securely within the top portion of your cooler trapping the cold air inside. Once the unit is turned on the powerful, 100 cfm, brush-less fan draws hot air in through the large opening directly into and through the ice. The air is instantly cooled to about 50 degrees before being released through the smaller vent. The air conditioning unit is designed for their exclusive foam ice chest or fits the Igloo Marine & Family 25 quart brands.

To find out more - check out the KoolerAire website.

Piranha 3D Film Takes a Big Bite Out of Lake Havasu

Anyone familiar with the performance boating scene at Lake Havasu AZ knows that's it's truly one of the more unique locations in the USA. "Have-a-Zoo" - as many have come to call it, offers a wide array of outstanding go-fast performance boats, plenty of eye-candy, fun places to go and some truly memorable scenery.

No doubt that is why the producers of the current summer movie hit, Piranha 3D, selected Lake Havasu as their primary location for filming; I mean where else can you have this many obnoxious college students, clueless locals and dozens of tanned hotties fall victim to a roving pack of prehistoric, flesh-eating Piranhas? While the premise and the plot may have some holes, the fact remains that anyone familiar with this locale (renamed Lake Victoria, to protect the innocent) will probably get a kick out of this movie.

Early reviews say that for the horror genre, the movie's not bad - and it does have a good cast, featuring Adam Scott, Elisabeth Shue, Kelly Brook, Richard Dreyfuss, Jerry O'Connell, Christopher Lloyd, and Ving Rhames. If you're stuck with a rainy day and you can't go boating - be sure to check it out.

PRA 1000 Islands Run: Another Year of Success

The 1000 Islands Poker Run roared into life again on Saturday August 7th, luring hundreds of admirers to watch the mighty engines ply the St. Lawrence -and to get a close-up look at the cigarette boats moored temporarily in Tunnel Bay.

There were more people (spectators) this year than in recent years," said city Councillor Larry Journal, one of the event's organizers. "We were really, really pleasantly surprised."

PHOTO CREDITS: Kingston This Week

For many local people, standing amid the thunder of these powerful engines seeing the kind of toys they will never be able to afford themselves is becoming a tradition. This year, the poker run boats made card stops in Brockville, Prescott and Kingston.

This year's event drew about 65 boats, but included some impressive examples of offshore power, including AquaMania, a 50-foot carbon fibre Mystic, that's equipped with two turbine helicopter engines.

"(It's) currently the fastest boat on the St. Lawrence River in history," said Merola, adding the vessel went over 205 m.p.h. last year. "We came to try and beat our record. I have been attending for 25 years. I have been to every single 1000 Islands Poker Run since the beginning."

While a handful of locals have criticized the poker run as an unnecessary waste of energy -not to mention a source of pollutants -in an age of global warming, most local residents support the event, and the economic boost it provides every year. Oh well--So much for the party-poopers ... congratulations to Poker Runs America for putting on another superb event!

4th of July Hot Spot: The Torch Lake Sandbar

If you've ever listened to Kid Rock's All Summer Long, you've probably heard him reference to "splashing through the Sandbar." Well, here it is: the famous Torch Lake sandbar, that sits at the south end of this crystal clear lake, near the mouth of the Torch River. Beloved by northern Michigan vacationers everywhere, it's one of the best places you can be...surrounded by sand, sun and crystal-blue water unlike anything else in the Midwest. Here is an 2009 arial photo of the area, courtesy of DeWitt's Marina.

PHOTO CREDIT: DeWitt's Marina.

In past years, they even used to have floating stages and organized concerts, but it grew a little too rowdy and loud for the neighbors. The place is still rocking on the 4th, however, with hundreds of boats and people making their own music and taking in the scenery. Just a few miles north of Traverse City, Torch is a place you don't want to miss...and once you've been there for a 4th of July, you'll doubtless be back again.

Sunny Isles Beach Offshore Challenge Brings Old School Powerboat Racing to Life

The City of Sunny Isles Beach and Offshore Events, LLC hosts the third annual “Sunny Isles Beach Offshore Powerboat Challenge,” this weekend, celebrating Miami as the birthplace of open ocean racing and high performance boat manufacturing. June 10-13th will see professional offshore race teams and fans from all over come to Sunny Isles Beach for an action packed weekend of racing.


What makes this event unique is that both enthusiastic amateurs and a number of seasoned professionals will be competing in this Miami-to-Bimini Ocean Challenge, a grueling test that demonstrate each participant's endurance and navigational skills. The overwhelming success of last year’s event has performance boaters expecting this year to be bigger and better...and bringing back even more memories of how wide-open, "big water" racing used to be.

The weekend kicks off Thursday, June 10th at Haulover Park Racers’ Village for the Bimini Ocean Challenge Race registration. Friday’s “Putting on a Wish” boat rides for kids and auction benefits the families of the Make a Wish Foundation of Southern Florida, and Saturday, June 12th features the Bimini Ocean Challenge in a demanding 106 mile round trip of wide open ocean racing. Afterward, the evening will feature a meet-and-greet event titled "The Legends of Racing Reunion and Night of Mayhem,'' where fans can get autographs from professional racers at the Fairmont Turnberry Isle resort.


On Sunday, June 13th Race 2 of the OPA/GEICO Offshore Racing Series will take place, along with a closing OPA award ceremony. For the full Offshore Events schedule visit: www.offshoreevents.net or text RACE to #32075. All race events are open to the public; admission into the Racer's Village, where you can see the race boats and meet the racers, is just $5; children 13 and under are free.

STORY PHOTO CREDITS: Offshore Events.net and Daton O. Fullard/ Pepper Offshore

Get Your Party on with Six Great Beach Cocktails - Courtesy of TikiTender

After your day of boating is over - or even if you're relaxing on the dock watching the boats go by - nothing sets off a nice sunset like a cool, island-style cocktail. There's always the obvious choices...like Mai Tais, Margueritas or Pina Coladas...but we want to offer you something a little more original and creative.

Thankfully, we can turn to out old Twitter pal, Mark Woods, aka "TikiTender" who lives and works steps away from the Atlantic Ocean in Flagler Beach, Florida. Since 2005 he has made his work home at The Golden Lion Cafe, one of the area's most awarded restaurants. Mark's welcoming personality and creative drink mixing have earned him 3-time honors as Florida's Favorite Bartender, selected by the readers of Backstage Pass magazine.

So, next time you're up for something cool and crisp, set yourself or your friends up with one of these delicious drinks:

Aquatini
2 oz Absolut Citron vodka
1 oz blue curacao
1 splash sweet and sour mix
Shake with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon slice.

Bikini Line
1 oz coconut rum
3/4 oz vodka
dash of grenadine
1 oz pineapple juice
Shake the liquors and pineapple juice with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Drop in a dash of grenadine. Garnish with an orange wheel.

Bonecrusher
"A group of customers requested this recipe two summers ago. They still like to order it when they are feeling frisky. They claim I am the only one in the area who knows how to make it."
1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz triple sec
1/2 oz rum
1/4 oz grenadine syrup
1/4 lime juice
2 oz sweet and sour mix
1 oz Champagne
Combine all ingredients (except Champagne) in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Pour into a tall glass, preferably a pint glass or large brandy snifter with ice, and float the champagne on top with a squeeze of lemon. Serve.

Jamaican Me Crazy
1 oz silver rum
1 oz coconut rum
1 oz creme de banane
equal parts pineapple & cranberry juices
In a tall glass combine all ingredients, balancing with the fruit juices. Garnish with a cherry & orange slice. Enjoy!

Pirate's Treasure
2 oz Captain Morgan spiced rum
1 1/2 oz Crown Royal Canadian whiskey
Coca-Cola to balance
Build over ice in a Collins glass.

Surfer On Acid
"I used to have a red-haired friend that loved 'em on ice with a little bit more pineapple."
3/4 oz Jagermeister herbal liqueur
1/2 oz Malibu coconut rum
1/2 oz pineapple juice
Shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass, and serve as a shot.

For more great recipies, and to find out more about TikiTender's incredible skills, head over to www.tikitender.com - or follow him on Twitter here.

Loaded? Or Just Overloaded? Scarab Sinks at Havasu

Memorial Day weekend always brings out the best and worst in boating, and at popular venues like Lake Havasu, it's more evident than ever. Check out this YouTube video that shows a nice 29' Scarab going down in the middle of the channel.

Though there are lots of boats around, no one else seemed to have the presence of mind to throw these guys a line and haul ass to shore. In their defense, this boat does go down very fast, and with all the boat traffic in the area, trying to jump in and save the big Scarab might have caused even more problems. In any case, it seems other boats quickly moved in to pull the Scarab's passengers out of the water after its sinking was inevitable.

How did it happen? Another YouTube video, purportedly posted by the boat's owner, offers this explanation: "Long story short, our boat sank. One of the girls puked and as they were cleaning up too many people shifted weight to the back and down she went. None of us got hurt, thank God. Never gonna forget it that's for sure."

No Vacation? Live Vicariously with Bob The Builder as he Crosses the Caribbean.

Having recently started a new job, I'm not sure I will be able to get any time off this summer. But I don't feel so bad after checking out this thread on Offshore Only - courtesy of well-known performance boater Bob the Builder and his crew, who have been keeping us all up-to-date as he undertakes a wonderful adventure that's seen him cavorting across the Caribbean to enjoy friendship, fun, beautiful scenery and plenty of good times.

PHOTO CREDITS: naplesimage.com

It will take you some time, but check out the whole thread, where you'll read about Bob's superlative piloting skills (managing seas and dock areas with no steering - only throttles and trim tabs for control), swimming with pigs (really) awesome sights, and plenty of hot boat action.


From Bimini to the Bahamas - to Turks and Caicos and the Dominican Republic, San Juan and then on to British Virgin Islands for a poker run, Bob and his intrepid crew members including his (damn lucky) photographer Jay - put you right in the passenger seat for what has to be one of the best trips ever.


Not only will you see some great locations, hot women and unforgettable sights, you'll also see some very nice boats...a classic Monza, a nicely-restored Midnight Express, and plenty of others, including Bob's very own 2009 Diesel-powered NorTech 5000, Predator.

If you haven't registered for Offshore Only yet, be sure to do it so you can check out this wonderful photo-packed story that almost reads like a travelogue. The photos are incredible, with most demonstrating the considerable skills of Jay at naplesimage.com