Boyne Thunder 2024 Day 1—A Lunch, A Party, A Dog Named Sally And A Cold Shower

Yesterday, I held a Shih-poo all the way from Bay Harbor to Boyne City in Northern Michigan and I loved every minute of it. Before you read that again, let me explain.

A Shih-poo is a dog, a mix between a Shih Tzu and a toy or miniature poodle. Named Sally the Wonder Pooch, the one in question is the property/only child of Upstate New York’s Julie and Kelly O’Hara. The O’Haras also happen to co-own a DCB Performance Marine M37R Widebody catamaran with Kiran and Jessica Pinisetti of Indiana.

The Cowboy & Indian crew, plus a tagalong reporter, enjoyed Thursday’s fun run in its DCB. Photos by Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix

Both couples—plus Sally the Wonder Pooch—are in town for this weekend’s Boyne Thunder Poker Run. I’m here to cover the 21st annual event. The O’Haras and the Pinisettis are my on-water hosts for the weekend.

So on the return leg from Thursday’s traditional pre-poker run trek from Boyne City to Bay Harbor, Sally sat on my lap for the entire 20-minute ride. So I can cross that one off my bucket list.

“She’s very relaxed with you,” said Julie O’Hara, who doesn’t let just anyone hold Sally during a 90- to 100-mph boat ride.

I laughed. “She must be,” I said. “She’s not heavy, but she’s dead weight on my lap. I think she actually fell asleep.”

The fleet of outboard catamarans that took part in the fun run was impressive.

My ride for this summer’s boating events, the 37-foot DCB catamaran dubbed Cowboy & Indian—was one of 50 to 60 boats in the run. But the happening was more about performance boating friends, many of whom live great distances from one another, reconnecting at the finest event of the season. John and Julie Tokar sat next to fellow Michigander Burton Kirsten, still recovering from recent back surgery, with his wife, Yvette. Straight out of Wisconsin, Jeremy and Kristie Tschida were parked at the next table. Sitting on opposite sides of the bar were Mancelona, Mich., locals and Minnesota/Wisconsin partners in crime Adam Seraphine and Mike Barnes, who was kept in check sort-of-check by his wife, Melinda.

All the way from South Florida, fellow DCB M37R Widebody owners Yvonne Aleman and Greg Harris canoodled with the O’Haras and the Pinisettis.

All of these people and hundreds more in town for the Boyne City happening this weekend know each other.

Said longtime event photographer Pete Boden, “It’s like a big reunion.”

Enjoy more images from Thursday’s fun run in the slideshow above.

That reunion regrouped that evening for the traditional welcome party sponsored by American Custom Marine at the Boyne Mountain Resort. Loaded with Boyne Thunder O.G.s, including Lori and Bill Lemanske and Monica and Bill Reiffer, the turnout was bigger than ever.

“You’ll love this,” Bill Reiffer told, me as the party wound down, and laughed. “I finally got the Checkmate to 100 mph. Actually, I got it to 102 mph.”

A few folks reminisced/groused about the good old days when the bash was a loose gathering atop Boyne Mountain. But what they gave up in intimacy they made up in camaraderie.

A late afternoon boat-ride to East Jordan forced me to alternate my plan to head back to Boden’s home in Gaylord and change before the celebration. So I bought a flowery shirt in Boyne City (see for yourself in the slideshow below) and headed to the resort with the Pinisettis, who hooked me up with a bar of soap and entry to the sauna/space and cold-water shower in their chalet.

Check out the slideshow above for more images from the Thursday’s welcome party hosted by American Custom Marine.

Four buckets of ice water on my head and I was good to go.

Later that evening, I discovered I may have violated the dress code. It seems guests are supposed to wear bathing suits in that part of the chalet spa. (I did wonder about all the windows and lack of curtains, but I needed the shower.)

Day No. 2 of the Boyne Thunder Poker Run is here and I am headed to sleeping Bear Dunes with my hosts.

But this time I brought board shorts.