Redneck Yacht Club Mudventure

The lines can be long during major events at the Redneck Yacht Club, as cars and mudding machines are inspected prior to entry. T HERE’S A PUNTA GORDA PLAYGROUND FOR OFF-ROAD groupies to indulge their hunger for mud.

The Redneck Yacht Club opened in February this year on the outskirts of Punta Gorda on County Road 74.

the half mile Step out of your ride after half-drive into the compound, and your blood pressure ood presre in seems to drop considerably. You’re God’s country, with majestic skies and desert d desmed greatness reminiscent of the untamed West — minus the hills.

In God’s country, it doesn’t matter if you’re muddy or clean, so long as you partake in the wonder of the land — the thrill of the ride. And folks who are familiar with the RYC partake with abandon.

Most of those who fully embrace the off-road experience prefer muddy over clean, thank you very much. They arrive, one after the other, with allterrain vehicle(s) in tow, some modest and some monsters. Regardless of the size of their vehicle, they’re committed to a solid weekend’s worth of outrageous outdoor pleasure, which they share happily with kindred spirits.

DANNY KELLY What’s most striking about the scene is the commonality of all who flock to the commune. Some are rich, and some are not so. Some are pup-tented while others are sequestered in air-conditioned, 45-foot RVs. Doesn’t matter.

What they share is an undeniable brotherhood of man that makes the RYC’s 1-mile-by-2-mile expanse an even playing field for all. When you race, you race. When you’re stuck, you’re stuck. Who cares? It’s all in a weekend’s wonder, set in a backdrop of man against terrain.

Honor above all

DANIELLE KELLY The spirit behind the Redneck Yacht Club lies is its owner, Danny Kelly of Fort Myers, who’s had a passion for “mudding” for some 30 years now. He also owns the marine contracting business Kelly Brothers Inc. in Fort Myers. In fact, the name “yacht” in Redneck Yacht Club harkens to his marine business. Most of the bridges and structures at the RYC are made from reclaimed marine wood, much of it still barnacle-ridden.

“I just thought it would be a fun thing to do,” Mr. Kelly said about embarking on the venture some three years ago. It took that long to secure all requirements for zoning and permitting and then to build it.

“I wanted to do it,” he said, “and I wanted to do it right.”

As the plan for the RYC developed, each of Mr. Kelly’s children took a role in it.

In the beginning, it was mostly Mr. Kelly, a self-proclaimed workaholic, and his son, Dane, 27, who dug, leveled, installed and endlessly pursued licenses and permits, dealing with the scads of red tape familiar to most start-ups.

Danny Kelly’s 4-year-old custom buggy affords passengers premium views of the RYC. KATHY GREY/FLORIDA WEEKLY But there was more. The enterprise had to win over the acceptance and the thumbs-up of the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. In the end, CCSO deemed it not only a worthy pursuit, but one that would be an ally in law enforcement, keeping illegal off-roaders from trespassing on unguarded private properties in the surrounding area.

In reality, the RYC could be a lifesaver for some. Uncharted off-roads can be an accident trap for less experienced riders, sometimes resulting in serious injury and even death.

In contrast, RYC’s tamed-yet-wild frontier is supervised from every angle with emergency management and security experts on site every day of every event.

Guests of the park are invested racing, the deafening sounds of massive motors and narrowly missing getting stuck in the mud. Great grounds

In all there are four mud holes in the off-road recreational area, plus a mud track for racing and an ATV area where smaller vehicles and younger riders can enjoy the thrill without behemoth monster vehicles looming overhead.

The buggy wash is a favorite spot for riders to come clean and cool down. Trails throughout the property can give riders a reprieve from the mud and noise. The park features camping areas for all types. More obscure areas render an “outback” feel for people seeking a wilderness experience. The family camping area bustles with the sound of children’s laughter, perfumed with the scent of campfires and food cooking on the grill. Some bring portable fire pits; others dig holes in the ground for fireside infatuation. Single folks and those more prone to party keep unto themselves, too.

Above, an aerial view of the Redneck Yacht Club. COURTESY PHOTO Live entertainment is provided during an event, and it’s included in the price of admission.

Mr. Kelly’s daughter, Danielle, is in charge of ticketing and is the hands-on supervisor during an event. Following the Halloween weekend event, she said, “The band was very good, and that was a big plus. There was trick or treating in the family camping area. Everyone seemed very happy.”

Riding high

Florida Weekly’s experience was an excursion aboard Mr. Kelly’s custombuilt buggy.

For some of us, the term “buggy’ conjures thoughts of a surrey with fringe on the top. Not so in the world of the Redneck Yacht Club. The platform of Mr. Kelly’s 4-year-old buggy is a full 6 feet up off the ground, with elevated seats surrounded by safety bars offering unsurpassed views of the wilds of Punta Gorda and the vast entertainment options RYC has to offer.

Left, the RYC’s buggy wash. Mr. Kelly’s buggy is surely no surrey. Enormous tractor wheels propelled the vehicle through the purposely uneven terrain. Its gargantuan and girthy treads served as a stepladder down to terra firma once the ride was over. As adventurous as the media ride was, it was a clean one. And as much as mud is the substance of the sport, Mr. Kelly said he keeps the grounds “as manicured as a golf course. I won’t have it be overgrown.”

But “media tours” are not what guests of the paid compound hanker for.

Though they all clamor for Danny Kelly’s attention (particularly if his riders are holding a camera), guests of the park are in it for the trails, the deafening sounds of massive motors and the peril of being stuck in the mud — knowing full well that eventually they’ll be excavated by caring comrades.

Joseph Pena’s friends had attended a few events at RYC and urged him to join them for the Halloween weekend. He planned to do what everyone does there — get stuck in the mud. Stopping his ATV for a smoke, he declared, “I’m going to get my bike as messed up as I am.”

Halloween weekend was a small event, a preview to the eagerly-anticipated Nov. 13 weekend event when a “Trucks Gone Wild” film crew will record in the sights and scenes of the RYC. That weekend’s sure to be a hit because, next to mud, being photographed is the mud- ders’ favorite thing.

Oh, baby, it’s hot outside

In the month of May in our fairweather state, it’s usually hot. That’s an understatement. The onslaught of steamy, sweltering weather, however, doesn’t keep a mudder at bay. In fact, the Memorial Day weekend event drew nearly 10,000 people to the park, and they didn’t mind the weather a bit. If they got hot, guests watered down in the buggy wash or took shelter in the shade of trees or tarps.

Later, Mr. Kelly was cajoled by relentless requests for a weekend event for the Fourth of July. It being his first year in the business, and with the entrepreneurial spirit of “what the heck, let’s try it,” he agreed. In fact, he lit the fireworks for a display that rivaled that of surrounding cities and towns.

Jen Johnsky and Colby Howard, both from Sarasota, were taking in their third weekend-long event at RYC. “We like getting muddy. We come out to have a good time without getting in trouble,” Mr. Howard said, laughing. “Plus, with the camping, it’s an awesome value.

“These are good people to hang out with,” he continued. “It’s good old southern hospitality. There’s not much of that around anymore.”

At dusk — when the motors are still and before the band starts up — all is peaceful in the vast acreage of the Redneck Yacht Club, out in the middle of God’s country. 

if you go

>> Redneck Yacht Club 2009/10 schedule
Nov. 13-15 (“Trucks Gone Wild” filming)
Dec. 31-Jan. 3
Jan. 22-24
Feb. 12-14
Feb 26-28
March 19-21
April 9-11
April 30-May 2
May 28-31
July 2-4
• Gates open Friday at noon and close Monday
at 5 pm.
• Cost is $30 per day or $40 for the weekend
• No charge for children younger than 12
• For more information, visit redneckyachtclubfl.
com.