" No More Boat Launching at Des Moines ???????

Some time this fall Des Moines Marina plans to stop all boat launching at the public sling. the information I am giving is from the Comprehensive Marina Master plan Update as of 2007.
The Marina was constructed in 1970 and now is in the state of massive repairs and updates. during the early construction many homes were knocked down to provide the necessary acreage for the facility. It has served the public well until recent years. The total cost of the project to be completed in 11 phases will cost us over 23 million dollars.
The primary goal in this planning was to focus on the Marinas core business activities and develop the facilities and services in high demand with recreational boaters. The second goal was a long range plan for improving facilities used by non boater visitors. I question as to why a marina should not strive to provide more services for boaters. Is not this the purpose of a marina?
The public boat lift is in great need for replacement for the many users of the lift. Instead the marina is going to eliminate all public boat launching. Their launching of boats were cut dramatically when the launching of boats not on trailers that provided a easy way to put the straps used to pick up the boat would not be launched. My boat, being a aluminum boat ride on bunks and could not be launched the past several years. If I were to raise my bunks with a slot for the straps to go thru I would have to back my boat much deeper to get the boat off at back up ramps. Yes they did loose my launch fees as they did the fees of several other boaters. One of their problems is the complaint of fewer launches.
They do in their report state that the largest user group of their overnight mooring comes from boats of 25 feet and smaller. Are not these boats needing to be launched from trailers?
In looking at their numbers of boat increases by lengths from the Department of Licensing from 1990 to 2004 shows in boats from 0 to 20 feet a increase of almost 6,000 boats licensed. A annual increase of .6%. As the boats get larger for example the 41 to 50 feet boats have a increase of about 400 in that 15 year period. This is a annual increase of 3.1% . While the percentage of increase is much greater in larger boats just look at the number increase of 5600 users. The Des Moines Marina chooses the number of small boaters to show favoritism to the wealthy few with the bigger boats. Their plan is to provide for moorage for more larger boats.
The Des Moines marina group justifies the investment for the improvements at the Redondo Boat ramp for a better facility to close the lift at Des Moines. I have seen and heard from a great number of people trying to use the Redondo ramp and to quote the majority, as to " What A Joke " that ramp is and what a waste of tax payers money. I have used it and before the improvement and do agree. The original ramp had a floating dock along side of the ramp. The new dock on the left side of the ramp was put over the ramp and narrows the already ramp by another 5 feet. Now when both sides are with boats sides being used you cannot get by either to put your boat on the trailer. The new dock has a poor design and has caused much damage to boats. The floating breakwater flat does not work. The high curbed road thru the lot with sharp curves has caused many tire to pop and trailers to hang up. The staging of boats after you cross the street presents major problems. With the curbing installed to keep the trailer and towing rig off the street most trailers jump the curbing and many have popped tires, bent rims and cracked differentials. In the mean time you are trying to dodge foot traffic. There is not enough parking during peak time so many of the people parking on the street do not pay for the launch. Lost revenue.
Now the plan calls for another Anthony's resturant on the north end of the parking lot to be built. There is already a Anthony's resturant on the south end of the lot. This resturant is planned in the area that now is where the trailers and tow rigs are parked.

This whole plan is designed to eliminate the use of the facility for the smaller boaters use and bring on the wealthy. So much for the large numbers of small boaters.

Contact: Mayor of Des Moines bsheckler@desmoineswa.gov
Des Moines city council citycouncil@desmoineswa.gov

Tom Pollack
Auburn Sports and Marine
253 833 1440