There were two main objectives of this year's meeting: to introduce the new set of industry driven rules for this season's events, and to introduce the newly created Advisory Board and Advisory Council of the APRA.

Following events of the 2006 season, several high performance boat manufacturers asked the APRA to establish a standard set of rules that would apply to APRA-sanctioned poker run events for the current season. With these regulations in place, those who attend or who sponsor these events will know in advance that the agreed rules, including event insurance, will be in place. With manufacturers and other industry representatives being asked to attend more and more events, they will be able to pick and choose only those events that provide the rules of safety they demand - those sanctioned by the APRA.

"The APRA spent a considerable amount of time on the road and on conference calls last fall polling virtually every major performance boat manufacturer to obtain their thoughts and ideas on rules necessary to grow the sport and enjoyment of poker running while keeping them safe," said APRA president Bill Taylor. "We have been at it longer than anyone and have produced hundreds of events without a mishap," he added. "We used the rules we developed and utilize in our events as a basis of discussion and tweaked them accordingly with the help of the manufacturers. We now have a comprehensive set of rules for participants and poker run organizers that the industry has agreed to. They will be in place for the 2007 season," said Taylor.

In his opening remarks, Taylor introduced APRA's new Advisory Board for 2007, a group consisting of some of the most high profile people and organizations in the high performance boating industry: Skip Braver, Cigarette Racing Team, representing V-Bottom manufacturers; Peter Hledin, Douglas Marine (Skater), representing catamaran manufacturers; Bob Leach, Eliminator Boats, representing the west coast; Dave Patnaude, New Jersey Performance Powerboat Club, representing poker run organizers; Bill Tweedie, Myco Trailers, representing suppliers; Sonny Hawkins, Tiger Performance Products, representing safety & communications; Bob Christie, Typhoon Performance Marine, representing high performance boat dealers; Virgil Chambers, National Safe Boating Council, representing safety organizations; Tony Esposito, Custom Marine Inc., public relations director; and Attorney William Beccaro, legal advisor.

In addition to the newly formed committee, Taylor introduced the members of APRA's new Advisory Council, which consists of some forty members and organizations, including several most of the major high performance boat manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, poker run organizers, insurance companies and brokers, boat training and education organizations, the high performance boating media, engine manufacturers, and others such as the National Marine Manufacturers' Association (NMMA).

"The APRA will be a communications hub for ideas and recommendations from the board and from the Advisory Council," said APRA Executive Director Pierre Savoie. "We need to have open channels of dialogue with everyone with a vested interest in the long term viability of the high performance and poker run industry," continued Savoie. "We simply have to ensure the safety of these events in order for them to continue," he added.

David Dickerson, Director of State Government Relations for the NMMA spoke briefly at the Summit and pledged the full support and backing of the NMMA to the APRA in its efforts to be pro-active in promoting safety.

Industry veteran, Richard Crowder, acting as moderator of the Summit, and assisted by a panel of industry experts, steered the packed room of enthusiastic participants through a number of hot topics which will require resolution in the very near future. Such topics included the wearing of helmets, the inclusion of canopied boats in poker runs, the need and delivery of driver training, issues of speed and how to control it, treatment of poker run rookies, and controlling of starts, among several others.

The APRA used the meeting to announce it will be going "International" in the very near future with the formation of the IPRA. It has received requests from France, Greece, Italy, Scandinavia, England, Australia, Japan, and Indonesia to help create poker runs in those countries. A delegation of the producers of the forthcoming event in Greece addressed the Summit to promote the event and to solicit attendees.

After a break in the meeting just before 10 AM to allow those in attendance who needed to be at their booths for show opening to leave, a lively and open discussion continued with the remaining mainly poker run organizers and others batting several hot topics back and forth. The energy and the positive suggestions that came forth showed the concern and genuine interest from all those involved in the industry to maintain a healthy industry on an ongoing basis.