Miller Time Turns Heads on Lake Martin

Life at The Lake, A series about the Boaters and the Boats of Lake Martin, Alabama

Miller Time Turns Heads on Lake Martin for Over 20 Years

Ric Miller was just 19 years old in 2004 when he and his father, Richard Miller Sr., drove up to Pier 57 in Counce, Tennessee, to check out a red, white, and yellow Fountain powerboat. Ric’s dad had only one piece of advice: play it cool so they could negotiate. But Ric couldn’t hide his excitement. “Oh my gosh, Dad, can we drive it?” he blurted out. Needless to say, they drove home with the Fountain at full price. Ric remembers his dad giving him some fatherly wisdom on the way back to Lake Martin: “Ric, you don’t ever need to play poker, son. You can’t bluff for shit!”

Naming a Legend: Miller Time

They named the boat Miller Time, and she quickly became a local legend. Sadly, Richard Sr. passed away on June 12, 2012, but his legacy lives on in more ways than one. Ric fondly recalls that his dad never shied away from conflict, he played hard and fast, but he was always safe on the water. Once, a fisherman at the boat ramp asked what kind of racing boat he had, without missing a beat, Richard replied, “It’s a catfishin’ boat.” While Ric’s dad kept things curt, Ric Jr. would happily share every detail about Miller Time with anyone who asked. He knows the boat inside and out.

Family Roots and Lake Martin Memories

Ric’s personality is very different from his father’s, but his love for Lake Martin runs deep. Ric and his partner, Carter, have been together for 13 years and live on Lake Martin full time. His family’s roots in the area go back four generations. Ric’s great-granddad helped build Martin Dam with the mules from their farm, and the Rev. James Arter Smith Highway is named after his great-great-grandfather. The family’s original homestead and farm in Ole Susanna was flooded when Lake Martin was created, but they stayed and have been boating these waters ever since.

The 3 Lakes Law Changes Boating

Back when Ric was growing up, there were dozens of speedboats on Lake Martin. Boats would tie up at Chimney Rock and participate in legendary poker runs, raising big money for local charities. But things changed in 2006 when the “3 Lakes Law” was passed in Alabama, regulating boat sizes on Lakes Martin, Weiss, and Harris. The law banned houseboats, cigarette boats, and other large vessels, capping boat lengths and speeds. Ric’s father, along with a group of boat owners, challenged the law in court, arguing it was arbitrary and discriminatory. While the Alabama Supreme Court upheld the law in 2009, boats already on the lakes were grandfathered in, and speed boats had to be governed under 60 mph. According to a Boating Industry article from 2006, Alabama Power backed the law, citing environmental concerns and crowding.

Fewer Powerboats, but Miller Time Remains

When the law was upheld, many powerboat and houseboat owners left Lake Martin, taking their big boats and their dollars elsewhere. Some grandfathered boats remained, but time and weather have taken their toll. Today, only a handful remain, and Miller Time is the most iconic of them all. She’s seen plenty of cosmetic and engine repairs to stay in top shape for poker runs, but she’s more than just a boat to Ric. Miller Time is a living piece of his father’s legacy and part of the story of his family’s history on Lake Martin. While Ric and Carter use their Sea Ray for most outings, Miller Time still makes a grand appearance a few times each year, especially on poker run days.

Lake Martin Power Boat Association

In 2017, Ric founded the Lake Martin Power Boat Association to connect the remaining powerboat community and welcome new members with boats that fit the 3 Lakes Law. Like anything on social media, Lake Martin Boaters has weathered a share of complaints about all kinds of boats that people don’t like, but Ric’s focus in the Power Boat Association has always been on connection, education, safe navigation, and boater etiquette. He reminds everyone that knowing the right of way is key (Amen to that!). Powerboats can be loud and flashy, but Ric expects his members to stand out for the right reasons being responsible and positive members of the Lake Martin community.

The Lake Martin Power Association has held two charity poker runs, raising over $36,000 for the Alabama Sheriff’s Girls Ranch. Ric and Carter have even camped out off the interstate near Prattville to catch Luke Bryan’s tour bus to get an autograph on a guitar to auction off for charity. They’ve towed Miller Time, decked out in holiday garland, through the Dadeville Christmas parade, throwing candy and Powerboat T-shirts to delighted locals. (Unfortunately, a new parade route means Miller Time can’t quite make the roundabout turn these days.)

Miller Time: A Lake Martin Icon

So next time you’re out boating on Lake Martin and you hear the roar of the iconic Fountain, give Ric and Carter a wave. They’re some of the nicest guys you’ll meet on the water, and they love sharing the story of Miller Time, a true Lake Martin legend and one of the last of the “go fast’’ boats.

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Miller Time Turns Heads on Lake Martin