Time Out – Catching up with Performance Boat Club’s Carl McBRIDE

By: Hasan Nasir

Poker Running with a Purpose; Carl McBride leads the charge for change with Performance Boat Club of Canada

In the fast-paced, action-packed world of Poker Runs, few are as committed to safety and advocacy as Carl McBride from Performance Boat Club of Canada. With over 19 years of involvement with the club, McBride has cemented himself as a seasoned pro in the Poker Running scene.

We had the pleasure of joining Carl and the Performance Boat Club members at the 2024 Rice Lake Poker Run blessed with a wonderful sunny day filled with action, as the roaring engines echoed throughout the county, attracting countless spectators all across the lakeside.

Going strong with an impressive total of over $950,000 raised for various charities in southern Ontario since 2007, Carl and his team organize thrilling events that combine excitement with advocacy. In this interview, we delve into Carl’s passion for boating, as well as the impact Performance Boat Club of Canada has had on its members and community.

We would love to hear from you Carl, What is the Performance Boat Club all about?

Carl McBride: We’ve done a lot of boating, cultivated great friendships, created life-long memories, and raised funds for many great charities and families in need, including those fighting critical illnesses, and support programs for underprivileged kids.  Our main focus has been charitable work with a boating component.

Over the years, our club has maintained a strong, intimate community. The generosity of our membership, sponsors, and supporters demonstrated through charitable works is astounding. We aim to make our upcoming events more enjoyable while incorporating education, awareness, and responsibility through technical and skill-building competitions.

Would you consider yourself a boating enthusiast?

Carl McBride: Absolutely. I have photos of me as a baby behind the helm. Boating has been ingrained in my life; I grew up in Southwest Louisiana on the Gulf Coast, surrounded by water. I’ve never experienced a time in my life without boating. As a US Coast Guard Master Captain who ran a charter business in South Florida, I feel at my best when I’m on the water, and that passion is shared by many of our members

So, what can newcomers expect when they join the Performance Boat Club?

Carl McBride: When you join the club, it’s important to assess your boating experience. I’m extremely proud to say that in 19 years of directing this club, we have a zero-loss safety record. Safety is always at the forefront of our minds. 

If a new boater joins and isn’t sure about their experience, we take the time to ensure they feel comfortable in a group setting and welcome. We want to foster a positive experience rather than one that leads to fear and frustration.

As a not-for-profit organization, being a participant in our events requires club membership, which helps us minimize liabilities. We also organize off-season socials during the winter and spring months, such as gatherings at the Toronto, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami Boat Shows for members who migrate down there.

You have been directing this club for around 19 years, I’m sure you have seen many trends come and go. Can you tell us a little about what’s changed now?

Carl McBride: We’ve [definitely] noticed a shift in the boating scene, with high-performance outboards becoming more popular. They are often lighter, faster, and less expensive to maintain than traditional high-powered stern drive boats, which can have significantly higher maintenance costs. This shift is changing the landscape of boating, and we aim to be more inclusive of different classes of boats and welcome all types of boaters to our events. You don’t need a 100+mph boat to participate in our events. We often split the fleet into two groups based on a 55 mph and over group and a 55 mph and under group.

Safe boating seems to be a major focus of the club. What safety precautions do you take in such an exciting sport, and keep people from getting carried away?

Carl McBride: We start off with a full agenda, a route with a timetable…We provide a reference map with route lines on it and notes about particular areas of hazards as well and any special instructions regarding navigation, maneuvers, starts, stops, staging, docking, etc. We cover all of this in our safety briefing and drivers’ meeting on the morning of the event. In addition, we provide safety marshal and pace boats.

It can be challenging to say the least, adhering to our prime directive of promoting safe and responsible boating while giving back and supporting worthwhile causes within our boating communities. “We’re here to have a good time, and we look out for one another.” That’s more the philosophy we try to instill.

Let’s talk a little more about you, how did you get involved with the club and take charge of it?

Carl McBride: I’ve been in the marine industry pretty much my entire life. I started working at a boat dealership at the age of 13, washing boats and rigging small outboards. Over the years, I worked for various companies, including Mercury Marine, Talon Marine, and eventually got involved with Hot Knots in the late ’80s. It was around 2005 when Raymond Roberts from Double R Performance reached out to me about organizing more boating events in central Ontario.

Initially, I had stepped away from the marine industry and had focused on running my IT company. However, as the market changed and competition increased, I realized I wanted to return to my boating roots and share the passion of creating positive on-water experiences. We started organizing runs, which eventually led to incorporating charity efforts into our events. Our commitment to safety has always been paramount. For instance, during this year’s poker run on the river, we had a dedicated safety team comprised of volunteer members from Fast Boats Canada, which resulted in no incidents and positive feedback from participants and spectators alike.

What are the next steps for the club and what direction do you hope to take it in?

Carl McBride: As we look forward, we see that the scene is changing, especially since COVID, and we’re planning to shift our focus to increase awareness and education around safe boating practices.

Between the key stakeholders within the marine industry, manufacturers, marina operators, insurance companies, educators, and trainers—we’re trying to bring them all together and say, “Look, this benefits everyone.” If we can promote awareness, education, environmental and social responsibility to the masses of boaters out there, there are going to be fewer claims, and more people will be actively on the water enjoying boating rather than just sitting on the dock because they’re apprehensive or they have trepidation about not wanting to create calamity just trying to get out of the marina.

The thought of trying to bring everybody together who has a stake in this industry—let them each do what they do best, while we integrate and network that effort into a focus on safe boating objectives, is how we will implement change.