The Poker Run consists of two card stops, first in Pittsburgh, California, Stockton Plaza for lunch, then back to Discovery Bay. A particular favorite on the run for me is Windmill Cove. I have memories there dating back to a toddler. And while not an official card stop for the poker run, it is a favorite for locals to gather and watch the. Bill Klipp all galleries Discovery Bay & California Delta Photos Big Cat Poker Run - Discovery Bay Big Cat Poker Run - Discovery Bay 2019 Big Cat Poker Run 70 previous next 2019.

Don Bliss from Oregon is the proud owner of an MTI 340X, which he loves taking out on Poker Runs across the country. Whether he’s chatting with other MTI owners, exploring new shorelines, or simply seeing how fast he can take his MTI 340X, Bliss says he loves the camaraderie of Big Cat Poker Runs. In this article below, originally published on SpeedontheWater.com, we hear how Bliss’ MTI 340X fared at California’s Big Cat Poker Run this weekend, and how other MTI owners joined in on the party.

The usual suspects who make the Big Cat Poker Run one of the coolest events on the West Coast were on hand in Discovery Bay, Calif., once again this year. Folks like Karl Koster in his Cigarette Racing Team center console, Gary Colledge in his unique closed canopy Skater Powerboats catamaran, Ed Stewart in his MTI catamaran and the legendary Bob Teague of the event’s title sponsor, Teague Custom Marine, in his beautiful Skater catamaran.

Of course dozens of other loyal local participants—not to mention longtime organizer Glenn Hoffman, who participated in his Outerlimits Offshore Powerboats V-bottom—played a significant role in the positive atmosphere that was apparent during Thursday’s Sponsor VIP party, Friday’s lunch run and welcome party, and Saturday’s poker run and dinner/awards party that followed once participants returned to Discovery Bay Yacht Club that evening.

Discovery Bay Poker Run 2019

The familiar faces help make the poker run what it is today, but this year’s event also had a lot to do with the newcomers who had an amazing time at the event. Of the first-time attendees who had a great time and are likely to return, the Nordic Boats crew brought both an outboard-powered 28 SS sport cat and its latest 35 SS with twin Mercury Racing Verado 400R engines, as well as the Lake Havasu City, Ariz., company’s stunning 43-foot catamaran, and Randy and Cherell Scism of MTI made the trek from Missouri to California to show off the company’s demo 340X model powered by a pair of the all-new Mercury Racing 450R engines.

The team from Eliminator Boats also went all-in this year as the face of the new ownership group behind the iconic Southern California—Jake Fraleigh—attended the run for the first time in nearly a decade to support the dozens of Eliminator customers who made the trek to Discovery Bay. Fraleigh told me he had a great time and was impressed by the number of Eliminators in attendance.

On hand for Saturday’s festivities, I met first-time Big Cat Poker Run participant Don Bliss, who owns a gorgeous new MTI 340X catamaran. Bliss, who is from Oregon, said he enjoyed the camaraderie amongst the different boat owners as well the opportunities to really drive his 34-foot sport cat around the meandering California Delta waterways.

“You really get a chance to see how your boat turns when you come to Big Cat,” Bliss said with a laugh after rafting off at the stop in Pittsburgh Marina. “We’re having a great time. It’s cool to see so many different types of boats here.”

Complete and original article published on speedonthewater.com.

Northern California’s biggest speedboat event of the year is undeniably the Big Cat Poker Run, and the 2019 edition was an incredible experience. Participants embark on a boating adventure that takes them through the unique waterfront community of Discovery Bay, to Pittsburg and Stockton, CA, and all through the California Delta, before returning to Discovery Bay (located about 60 miles from San Francisco).

Presented by Teague Custom Marine and Colledgewood Inc., Big Cat is so named for the Discovery Bay Lion’s Club, which produces the event. Its president is Glenn Hoffman (owner of a 2006 38′ Eliminator Eagle with TCM 1020 power), and he is justifiably proud of how well the event comes off every year, the money that is raised for charity, and the positive vibes elicited from the participants.

“Every year we try to improve upon the previous year and just make it better,” he says. “We’re not necessarily trying to make it grow—we’re just looking to make it better.”

Discovery Bay Big Cat Poker Run 2019

The overall concept remains the same: the cost is $150 to participate; there was a VIP dinner on Thursday at the Discovery Bay Yacht Club, with the official start on Friday that took the fleet on a lunch run to Smith’s Landing Seafood Grill in Antioch. Historically, the Friday lunch run rotates between three or four different restaurants. This year, the group dined at the new Smith’s Landing waterfront eatery, and it was a major hit. “The owners and proprietors are friends of mine,” Hoffman says. “They put together a really nice event. For $20 a head, they gave our people an all-you-can-eat seafood lunch. The facility is beautiful, with great docking. We had 190 people there for lunch, and everyone was very, very pleased.” A welcoming party and registration follows on Friday evening. Saturday is the poker run, with the poker draw and party afterwards.

Another lunch was served at Hoffman’s own restaurant, where up-and-coming celebrity chef Roberto Rose, originally from Italy, whipped up a delightful meal. “With any luck, he will be famous in years to come,” Hoffman says.

Saturday’s poker run featured two routes, a shorter run for slower boats and a longer run for larger and fast boats. The short run started at Discovery Bay, then to Sugar Barge Resort, Tower Park for lunch and back to Discovery Bay. The longer run kicked off at “Disco,” then to Pittsburg Marina, the Stockton Hotel for lunch and then back.

“The poker run would not be successful without the support of our many sponsors,” Hoffman says. There are 43 sponsors total, with the major ones being Teague Custom Marine, Colledgewood, DCB Performance Boats, Eliminator Boats and Labor Unlimited.

Among the participants: Dave Magoo in his new DCB M44 Bananas XL, Bill Lyons in his Skater 40SS Mass Disruption,Gary Colledge in his 40’ Skater Colledgewood and Bob Teague in his 44’ Skater (with Speedboat Magazine co-publisher Ray Lee on board for the ride). Also attending was MTI President Randy Scism, who drove a 340X cat.

Discovery Bay Poker Run 2020

Hoffman gives special acknowledgement to the city of Pittsburg for their generous accommodations at the Pittsburg Marina, which provided tents, refreshments and food, free of charge.

“The most important thing is that we had a safe run,” Hoffman says. “Aside from Dave Magoo losing a prop and a couple of outboards losing power heads, the event was incident free. And that’s phenomenal.”

Next year, the Big Cat Poker Run will celebrate its 20th anniversary, and Hoffman promises that it will truly be an affair to remember.

Check out the gallery below from the 2019 Big Cat Poker Run!

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