Scenes—And A Strong Message—From The 2025 Miami Boat Show Poker Run

Even the dank, subterranean confines of the Courtyard By Marriott Hotel conference room in Coconut Grove, Fla., weren’t enough to smother a Stu Jones eruption during last Wednesday night’s captains meeting ahead of this weekend’s Miami Boat Show Poker Run. A boating fatality during the club’s Key West Poker Run in early November has put Jones on a slow simmer since it happened.

Winding through the mangroves on the way to Key Largo never gets old. Photo by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos.

The incident was enough to inspire him to write an open letter to members of the marine industry, and that letter—a plea for safety and sanity—was published a few days later on speedonthewater.com.

By time he began addressing the Wednesday, the simmer had become a high boil.

Enjoy more Jeff Helmkamp images from the 2025 Miami Boat Show Poker Run.

“The people on that boat when the girl died could see Key West—they could see it,” Jones said, his voice cracking. “And still they didn’t make it.”

“All the rules have been on PFDs and safety lanyards, no alcohol for captains, speed-limits for different vessels have been in the club’s rules for years,” he added. “If you can’t follow them—if you don’t follow them—there is no place for you in the Florida Powerboat Club. You’re not welcome.”

Courtesy of DCB Performance Marine M42R owners Kris and Shelby Hansen, who couldn’t be there for the run, he author (center) enjoyed the ride with friends Yvonne Aleman and Greg Harris and DCB’s Tony Chiaramonte and Parker Darland. Photo by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

On Thursday morning, the bulk of the 52-boat fleet departed Grove Harbour—several boats arrived there for the start but came from different marinas in the Miami area—and headed toward Gilbert’s Resort and Tiki Bar in Key Largo for lunch en route to Hawk’s Cay Resort on Duck Key, their destination for the weekend. Jones was rewarded not only with an incident-free journey, but what appeared to be complete compliance with the club’s rules of PFD and safety lanyards.

And with roughly two-third of a typical Miami Boat Show Poker Run turnout on hand, there was plenty of dockage at the lunch stop.

Enjoy more Pete Boden images from the 2025 Miami Boat Show Poker Run.

For the next two days, the group will explore the area by boat or simply post-up at Hawks Cay and relax. Tonight, the club will hold its traditional dinner celebration, poker-hand play and awards at Hawks Cay. Saturday offers more unstructured time on the water, and various groups will head to dinners of their own as the club offers nothing structured for Saturday night.

But at least for now, everyone involved, from the 52 captains and their guests to Jones and Florida Powerboat Club, staff are winners.