My dad and I were affiliated with offshore racing here in NJ since 1980 when my dad decided to become a patrol boat for the Benihana Offshore Grand Prix. Every summer from 1980 into the 1990’s we looked forward to that one evening at Jenkinsons for the racers party and the day that followed which was race day. When race day was over my friends and I would start to count the days toward race day the upcoming year.

In the late 1990’s offshore racing was mired with politics, huge egos, infighting and everyone knew how to build a better “mouse trap.” One night in 1995, I was discussing the whole “offshore racing scene” with my wife Kelly. She turned to me and told me that I should join the Board of Directors of the local race club. I told her that she was nuts! I couldn’t stand most of the people and could not be bothered. She persisted and continued to tell me that I could make a difference. So I finally gave in and said “ok – I’ll give it a shot.”

In 1996 and 1997 I tried my best to change and make things better. Unfortunately I was outnumbered and what was supposed to be fun was nothing but aggravation. In 1998 I decided that I had had enough and decided that if I was not going to be allowed to make the changes I saw necessary I was going to resign and start my own club.

Only because of the support of future NJPPC Planning Committee Members Ray Patnaude, close friends Bob Cleveland and Rick Engstrom did we have the courage to break away and the four of us started the club that we know today as NJ Performance Powerboat Club.

Our first two Poker Runs were actually run under the former club. The first poker run was the “Barnegat Bay Poker Run” hosted out of the Captains Inn in Forked River. Talk about scary! We had 37 boats show up that morning and I gave a captain’s meeting to a complete room of strangers.

We soon pulled out of the Captain’s Inn as we followed the USCG Boat that was to escort our group out of Barnegat Inlet. Funny thing was is that the Coasties were to set our pace but the faster we went the faster they tried to run away from us! We wound up chasing the Coasties through Barnegat Inlet on plane exceeding 60mph all the way through! Fortunately today we are a whole lot smarter than that!

We had so much fun with the Barnegat bay Poker Run that we threw together our first Atlantic City Poker Run that year. We went to Atlantic City overnight with 17 boats and the weather that weekend was picture perfect.

When we started NJPPC we had expected that it would be a local boat club that would cater to local performance boat owners. We thought we might have 30 or 40 members and we would just go about and do our thing. Little did any of us know or foresee that 10 years later we would be one of the largest, safest and most recognized performance powerboat clubs in the United States. We never imagined that we would have 200+ members and 30 local and national sponsors.

NJPPC has produced 26 poker runs, 3 radar shoot outs and 3 Shore Dreams For Kids events since our inception. Since the day we founded the club, we have always followed these principles:

• Quality of the event not the size of the event
  
• No profit motive – always give the best bang for the buck
• No one sponsor or one person will have controlling the say
  
• We will always be financially independent and not dependent on anyone
  
• Solicit both positive and negative feedback
  
• Ensure that all boaters are thought of when planning events (large or small)
  
• The Planning Committee always solicits and acts on group decisions

I have been blessed over the last 9 years. I see myself as one of the wealthiest men alive. That wealth I am referring to is measured in friendships and acquaintances, not money. My wife Kelly and I have had the pleasure of meeting some of the most wonderful people and have made some of the best friends in this sport that we love and enjoy. Without NJPPC, this would have never been possible.

This organization would not be possible if it were not for the dedicated volunteers of the NJPPC Planning Committee who volunteer their time and their enthusiasm for our sport which makes this organization the great club that it is. The last piece of the puzzle are the members. We have a lot of members locally but we also have members that span as far as New York, Florida and Seattle Washington. If it were not for you, we would have no events to produce.

In closing, I would like to thank each and everyone of you for allowing me to have such great memories over the last 9 years and allowing my dream of an incredible boat club to come true beyond my wildest dreams. I look forward to many more years of fond memories to come!

Best Regards,
Dave Patnaude
President
NJ Performance Powerboat Club