Docks Committee
The under docks inspection was fabulous, dahling! I am so proud of the achievement of so many of my fellow members and I believe every one of them discovered just how rewarding it is to have given so much value to the club along with new friends and old ones with whom they’ve grown closer. I’m the ugliest Zsa Zsa you’ve ever seen, but what I saw is fabulous. It got cold out there during the final day, just before the Thanksgiving freeze. If you had not shown up in the numbers you did, some of us would have suffered much worse trying to complete the task. We have a work list that will require at least two years to complete, as it is 51 items in length. The need for these inspections is very real. We’ll be back every year for more, but the plan is to do only a third of the marina each year. The whole inspection in one dose is very overpowering. Special thanks goes to Captains Dick McGrew and Bob Myers who took so much pressure off me and actually made me feel like I could be away from it at some times. Please express your appreciation to all of these devoted members.
The following persons are held in high regard by all: Richard Larsen, Rick Ashleman, Dick McGrew, Kent Soffel, Pete Collins, Dave Svendsen, Arthur Mauldin, Chuck Gould, Ron Stevenson, Mitch Garton, Tim Dies, Dick Dow, R/C Bob Stettner, Dave Tregoning, Dustin Bago, Marv Elbon, Jim McFadden, Richard Thymian, P/C Carl Weiss, Pete Clarke, Rick Sweezy, Bob Myers, Ray McGrew, Commodore George Austin, V/C Don Wilson, Larry Keeler, Rod Hilden, Kendall Hilden, Mark Nance, Dave Armstrong, Bob Collier, Steve Driscoll, Rick Anderson, Ray Huggins, and Bruce Ramon. Thirty-five people in all. Well done!
Cold weather always brings concern about heat in your boats and power on our docks. Balance please. We each need to keep our boats above freezing, but it’s also crucial to keep interiors well above condensation levels. Condensation is terrible on fabrics and finishes, induces mildew and mold, and is murder on electronics. It increases maintenance costs on everything. Yet we have precious little electricity to share. Please be as efficient as possible and carefully monitor your boats in freezing weather. I was present to watch one boat take the sickening plunge to the bottom on Thanksgiving Day. Freezing temps and then the thaw that follows can do that. We had a second potential victim here that had gotten unplugged, probably during the Monday night windstorm. Do monitor your vessels carefully. I’ve asked Captain John Strong to let you know why clamp on type lights cannot be allowed for unattended use. They are a hazard and I was present some years back helping deal with the astonishing results.
Some tasks need your help. Dave Svendsen and Ron Stevenson have led an effort to modify the end of Dock 2. It needs some real dedicated persons to make it complete. Please let Ron know if you can help. There are still some downspouts that need to be reconfigured. Yes, I know about the dock 2 leaks. Dick Dow will be doing something about that. We have the first parts for a lumber storage rack fabricated and on site. After the first of the year, I hope a team will form up to get that project underway. There’s a fair amount to accomplish and it should be done as rapidly as possible to keep the weather out of that area of Dock 3. Chuck Gould and Mitch Garton are now teamed up to start making planking replacements. They could use more hands as the need has grown pretty large. That’s one issue where we just can’t let up.
There is no set schedule with our primary docks contractor as I write this on December 15. We’re still hopeful that work can be underway by around mid January. Several boats will need to be moved. I think your receipt of this Bilge Pump should be fairly timely notice in this regard.
Arthur Mauldin
Docks Chairman
