We are perhaps five hundred metres from the West Garda Marina when we realise that we don't have any fenders on board. "Never mind," says Wolfgang, "I'll be fine, I want to get going now." Ole nods, Sven - another newcomer to boating - somehow moves his head too, the evening yesterday was apparently a bit longer.
"Why don't you turn on the music," says Ole to Wolfgang, who now flips the switch that somehow turns a powerboat into a powerboat in the first place. It says "Exhaust thru prop": the exhaust flaps are open and we check the map to the roar of the 8.2-litre Mercury's 400 hp.
If you weren't already awake in the neighbourhood, you are now at the latest. From Padenghe we have to go to Sirmione to Nautica Bisoli, a small private harbour where the second Performance Poker Run is due to start today.
As in West Garda Marina, it feels like every second boat in Sirmione is a Performance. And today, only models from the German-Italian brand are registered; while eight boats were registered last year, there are now 14.
The procedure of the run is as follows: Five different petrol stations are called at in the southern half of Lake Garda, where the crews each draw a poker card and then compare the hands at the finish - the best hand wins!
Theoretically, the speed on the 51-kilometre-long and 17-kilometre-wide water is therefore of secondary importance, as it's ultimately the hand that decides who wins. But if you listen to the conversations at Nautica Bisoli, you realise that many owners - now, at the start of the season - want to take their boats out again.
After all, this and the next two days are dubbed "The fastest weekend in the world"; and it's not for nothing that the performance slogan is "Life begins at 40 knots".
I have no idea that there will be a lot more for us and ask an owner how many litres of fuel he has calculated for the day. "No idea," he says. "If you're worried about that, you'll have to buy another boat."
It's getting off to a slow start. Eckhard Spoerr welcomes the crews - unfortunately three have cancelled at short notice - and urges them to set off. He acquired the brand two years ago with Wolfgang Gehrlicher after it had stumbled. The former Freenet owner Spoerr was already connected to Performance through his own boat and now climbs aboard his 1107 with his family and guests.
Wolfgang, Ole, Sven and I have moored alongside him in our bright orange 801 - Spoerr has fenders on board, of course - and are also casting off. The eleven boats are gathered in front of the marina, from the 701, which costs around 100,000 euros, to the 1401, which is worth almost a million.
Wolfgang turns the cap on his head 180 degrees. Which Stallone film did you remember this from? That's right: "Over the Top".
Seconds later, the lead boat with the pokerrun flag sets off and the fleet, bristling with horsepower, begins to move. "Hold on," yells Wolfgang as he dashes through the stern of the others. Photography is only possible for a brief moment, then it's time to barricade your own body so that it doesn't hit anything.
Sven, our newcomer to the boat, looks a little strained and Ole, who is standing in the front seat, whoops with enthusiasm. He is a long-time companion of Spoerr and now manages the business of Performance Marine, among other things; our driver Wolfgang even owns 50 per cent of the company.
On these few square metres of boat, however, neither status nor wallet count today, somehow the silent agreement is that we four men will have a cool day. And that seems to be what a performance is at least half built for...
We draw the next card in Porto Bruno Manfredi and then in Nautica Roccavela, where a stopover with a lunch break is planned. Here we even borrow two fenders from another participant, which suddenly makes mooring much more relaxed. The adrenaline level has not yet reached a really critical level due to the two stages, but the Marlboros are glowing and the first Proseccos are sparkling.
"I'm about to really step on the gas," says Wolfgang, looking determined. In Stallone style, he's still got his cap on backwards. I don't dare ask what he's done so far, but spontaneously decide to have a Prosecco as well. It has a calming effect. If you don't powerboat every day, today has already been a rollercoaster ride to the power of two.
"Stow everything well," Wolfgang now advises as we slowly manoeuvre our way through the performance field and even lay down in front of the so-called "pace boat". As the famous levers are pressed against the dashboard, Wolfgang shouts "Watch out" and seems to press as hard as he can. It almost looks as if he wants to sink the 30-centimetre-long steel rod into the GRP. In any case, our orange-coloured performance racer makes a loud and powerful rumble under the engine flap, then catapults us to the top.
"50 knots," Ole shouts against the wind, which is slowly making the skin on my face flutter. "52", I hear, then the tunnel vision begins: Wave - bend your knees, turn - balance your body, otherwise the main thing is to hold on, hold on, hold on.
We draw the third card in the Marina di Bogliaco and are the first there. Ole smiles: "Man, that was a ride." I add dryly and Hanseatically: "Well, it certainly wasn't a cruise," and the adrenaline that has probably shot into our veins by the shot glass along the way makes us burst out laughing. Wolfgang seems satisfied, we have reached our destination.
Via the Porto di Monniga, the fourth stopover, the fleet then heads for West Garda Marina in the early afternoon. It's a short last leg, which everyone seems to know. While everyone at the other petrol stations was still waiting dutifully for all the participants, everyone now sets off immediately after the ticket draw. "Quick, quick," says Wolfgang when it's our turn.
As soon as the envelope is in the slip cabin, it mobilises every last line of the American Mercury engines for the last few miles. The hull cuts through the northern Italian waters as smooth as butter - as it has done all day - as the marina appears in front of us after just a few minutes.
Wolfgang takes another tour of the choppy bay, where an elderly gentleman sits calmly in his dinghy and enjoys the sun. This is also a water sport, and we do the same.
Tachometer at zero, crown caps off - "A manoeuvre beer first," says Ole. It later turns out that we almost drew the worst hand - a flush wins. "Next year," says Wolfgang, "we'll all pull out." Whether it's on the water or at the poker table is somehow an open question...
You can read the full report in the September issue 2018 from BOOTE. Or you can download the PDF below.
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