28 States Receive Grants To Keep Waterways Clean
Story from Kansas City InfoZine
Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced that $14.6 million will be awarded to 28 states under the Clean Vessel Act grant program in 2009.

Washington, D.C. - infoZine - The grants will be used to fund the construction and installation of sewage pump-out facilities and floating restrooms, to purchase pump-out boats and provide educational programs for recreational boaters.

“Clean Vessel Act funds support construction of facilities in communities that depend on recreational boating for their economy, and depend on clean water for their health,” said Salazar. “These grants provide immediate funding for construction of infrastructure that will provide lasting value for recreational boaters, and everyone who relies on clean waters.”

Since the program’s inception in the early 1990s, the program – administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – has awarded more than $163 million to states to install thousands of sewage pump-out stations. In addition, many states now rely upon mobile sewage pump-out boats to make the sewage collection process more efficient and convenient. A number of states also have begun installing floating restrooms and pump-out stations in high use areas of lakes and coastal waters.

Funding for the CVA program comes from the Sport Fishing and Boating Trust Fund, formerly known as the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund, which is supported by excise taxes levied on certain fishing and boating equipment and boat fuels.

"These Clean Vessel Act grants will help the states maintain clean and healthy waters for people and wildlife," said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Acting Director Rowan Gould. "Sewage pump-outs may not be the most glamorous conservation tool, but their presence can have an immediate and clear impact on the well-being of aquatic resources and recreational waterways that provide drinking water to millions of Americans."

A listing of grant awards made today include:

Alabama: $297,188 – The Alabama Department of Environmental Management plans to install ten sewage pump-out stations throughout the state for its inland and coastal waters. In addition, the agency plans to maintain efforts to inform boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal and how it benefits the aquatic environment.

Arkansas: $323,335 – The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission plans to purchase five sewage pump-out boats and install fourteen sewage pump-out stations. The grant will also provide funds for the operations, maintenance, repair and rehabilitation of existing sewage pump-out stations as needed to keep these stations functioning.

Arizona: $150,000 – The Arizona Fish and Game Department plans to install at least five sewage pump-out facilities, eight dump stations, and purchase a sewage pump-out boat for use on inland waters.

California: $3,130,000 – The California Department of Boating and Waterways plans to install eight sewage pump-out stations, purchase two sewage pump-out boats, and install up to ten floating restrooms throughout the state for coastal and inland waters. The agency will also continue its aggressive educational program to inform boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal.

Florida: $1,816,575 – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection plans to install more than 29 dual purpose sewage pump-out-dump station facilities for inland and coastal waters. The agency will continue its education and outreach efforts with boaters to stress the importance of proper sewage disposal.

Georgia: $63,432 – The Georgia Department of Natural Resources will install two sewage pump-out facilities and purchase a sewage pump-out boat for its inland and coastal waters.

Idaho: $95,000 – The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation plans to replace or renovate approximately four sewage pump-out stations.

Illinois: $112,500 – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources plans install up to five sewage pump-out stations throughout the state, dependent upon the needs of the state’s marina operators.

Indiana: $495,482 – The Indiana Department of Environmental Management plans to install eight sewage pump-out stations and one floating restroom and to continue efforts to inform boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal.

Kansas: $32,250 – The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks plans to fund the installation of a sewage pump-out facility at Perry Lake.

Kentucky: $124,469 – The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources plans to install a sewage pump-out facility, purchase one sewage pump-out boat, and renovate one sewage pump-out facility along the Ohio River, Lake Cumberland, and Dale Hollow Lake.

Louisiana: $90,000 – The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries plans to fund the purchase of a sewage pump-out boat and a mobile sewage dump station for use on Lake Pontchartrain and Bayou Castine, as well as continue education efforts throughout the state on proper sewage disposal.

Massachusetts: $1,343,772 – The Division of Marine Fisheries plans to install sewage pump-out facilities, purchase seven pump-out boats, renovate two pump-out boats, and provide operation and maintenance funding for existing sewage pump-out boats and facilities throughout the state’s coastal waters. The agency will also continue its educational efforts on proper sewage disposal.

Michigan: $100,000 – The Michigan Department of Natural Resources plans to fund the installation of four sewage pump-out facilities on coastal waters and boat docks. Michigan DNR officials also plan to continue education and awareness efforts for proper sewage disposal.

Minnesota: $337,500 – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources plans to install five sewage pump-out stations at floating boat docks and marinas throughout the state and to educate boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal and its importance to the environment.

Mississippi: $143,500 – The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources plans to install five sewage pump-out facilities throughout the state at coastal and inland sites.

Missouri: $48,000 – The Missouri Department of Conservation plans to install new or replacement sewage pump-out facilities at three or four marinas in the state’s waters as needed.

New Hampshire: $210,370 – The New Hampshire Department plans to install four sewage pump-out facilities at coastal and inland sites.

New Jersey: $588,888 – The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection plans to install 18 sewage pump-out facilities, purchase one sewage pump-out boat, and educate boaters about proper sewage disposal.

New York: $1,270,007 –The New York Department of Environmental Conservation plans to purchase 31 stationary sewage pump-out units, three sewage pump-out boats, and 31 dump facilities for portable toilets; and to install two floating restrooms throughout the state’s inland and coastal waters. In addition, the state plans to provide operation and maintenance funds for existing facilities to ensure their availability for recreational boaters.

North Carolina: $194,875 – The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources plans to install four new sewage pump-out facilities and twelve dual purpose sewage pump-out-dump facilities throughout the state’s coastal waters and continue efforts to inform boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal.

Ohio: $248,625 – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Watercraft, plans to install sewage pump-out facilities at five locations throughout the state.

Oregon: $1,111,650 – The Oregon State Marine Board plans to purchase and install 22 sewage pump-out stations and 28 dump stations for coastal and inland waters throughout the state and to provide funding for the operation and maintenance of existing facilities. The agency will also continue its efforts to educate boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal and its benefits to aquatic ecosystems.

Rhode Island: $448,000 – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management plans to install ten sewage pump-out stations, replace or renovate five sewage pump-out stations, and purchase a sewage pump-out boat for the proper disposal of boater sewage on coastal waters throughout the state.

Tennessee: $600,000 – The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency plans to install 16 sewage pump-out stations and renovate two sewage pump-out stations throughout the state. The agency will also continue its efforts to educate boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal.

Texas: $375,000 – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department plans to install 25 sewage pump-out stations for inland waters and to continue its educational efforts to inform boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal.

Utah: $350,743 – The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will construct two sewage pump-out facilities to replace older facilities located at Flaming Gorge Reservoir and Bear Lake.

Washington: $530,000 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Department plans to install six new sewage pump-out and dump station facilities and to provide operation and maintenance funding for 36 coastal marinas and 25 inland marinas throughout the State.

Economic Woes Sinking Boating Industry
Story from Star-Tribune

LITTLE FALLS, MINN. -- If Minnesota had a symbolic birthplace for the state's boat-making industry, it might be this city of 8,500 that straddles the upper reaches of the Mississippi River and is home to two of the best-known names in boating: Larson and Crestliner. But a rough economy has battered many sectors of the boating industry, creating ripples that are being felt from the lakeshore to the showroom floor.

At Larson, where layoffs over the past few years have slashed that workforce from a peak of 800 to around 200, only a handful of shrink-wrapped boats were being loaded onto trucks one day last week, waiting for shipment to dealers. Employment at competitor Crestliner, owned by Brunswick Corp., is down 26 percent in the past nine months.

Minnesotans' love affair with boats hasn't ended, but soaring unemployment and plunging home values are swamping an industry that epitomizes sunshine and good times.

New boat registrations, down 20 percent between 2004 and 2008, continued to fall through the first four months of this year. Minneapolis-based boatmaker Genmar Holdings Inc., the parent of Larson and several other lines of boats, filed for protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in St. Paul while it reorganizes.

Textron Financial Corp. filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Nisswa Marine, alleging the dealer is nearly $4 million in default on financing for inventory.

In Hastings, marina owner Bill King of King's Cove says only 270 of the 411 slips he has for lease are occupied this season. At Wayzata Marine on Lake Minnetonka, owner Dave Briggs has a dealership full of new boats that he's having trouble selling.

Little Falls Mayor Cathy Van Risseghem said: "When you start looking at the necessities of life, boats probably will be one of those things you don't really need. It's a sign of the economic times, and we just have to learn to deal with it."

In Hastings, marina owner Bill King of King’s Cove said only 270 of the 411
slips he has for lease are occupied. “It’s a disposable-income issue.”

'It's a Minnesota thing'

With more than 800,000 registered boats, Minnesota has one of the highest boat ownership rates in the country. Judging from the flip flops, swimsuits and berry-brown skin around area boat docks last week, the allure of playing hooky from work on a Friday afternoon for a lazy cruise with a cooler full of beer and pop remains irresistible, especially after a long winter.

"It's a Minnesota thing," said Tamara Duick of Maple Lake. "You don't have to go far to do it. We've got 10,000 lakes."

The owner of Big Dog Fishing Guide said business is holding its own despite the presence of more guides on the lakes.

"We're doing as well as last year, which was a record year," said Gary Klinger, a Howard Lake resident who offers guide services on Lake Minnetonka. On a recent Thursday, Klinger was waiting for two clients -- one from Scotland -- who were in Minneapolis on business and wanted to fish.

But powerboat makers are suffering from a steep drop in demand that began late in 2005 and actually accelerated through the first part of this year.

Brunswick, which makes Bayliner, Mercury and other brands, was forced to close five plants late in 2008, including one in Pipestone. Its sales plunged 64 percent during the first three months of 2009. Recently, the company took a page from automakers and began pledging to cover nine months of payments for any new boat buyers who lose their jobs.

Area boat retailers say they've had to rely heavily on sales of used boats.

"We're selling every used boat we can get," said Briggs of Wayzata Marine. "I don't think folks want their neighbors to see a new boat in the driveway."

Tougher credit policies are one reason Don Mashak, owner of First National Repossession in Albertville, expects the surge in boat repossessions to slow after rising sharply last year.

"People let their boats go before they let their cars go," Mashak said.
'A disposable-income issue'

King, at King's Cove, said boat sales go in cycles but that the current down cycle "is elongated." He said sales of larger boats -- 26 feet or more -- are most affected by the economy and the financing squeeze.

"It's a disposable-income issue," King said. "People are turning to other recreational activities -- motorcycles, RVs, travel, home improvement. It's competition."

Tornado Debris Poses Boating Danger
Story from the Huntsville Times

Tornado deposits items in Waterfront, South Sauty areas

A home security alarm system bleated as the scent of fresh pine wafted across the south shore of South Sauty Creek where a tornado had devastated the area Friday.

The National Weather Service classified it as an F-2 on the Fujita scale with 130-mph winds. Official touchdown was 3:06 p.m. at Waterfront Cove on Alabama 79, where trees were toppled in the aluminum boat dock parking lot and houses were destroyed before it crossed the lake to Langston and South Sauty.

Davey Lance of Huntsville and Tim Gillispie of Fyffe were on the lake practicing for a bass tournament when they decided to tie up at the South Sauty store boat slips. The area is just upriver from Church House Slough.

"We tied up the boat and got inside the store, and the sirens went off," Lance said. "I figured the boat was a goner."

Gillispie said the storm moved quickly.

"They said it was eight minutes away," he said, "but it was nearly on top of us when we heard that."

The boat slips are only covered by a roof. Although homes on one side and an RV camper park on the other were severely damaged, the boat docks and watercraft tied up in them appeared to be fine.

"There wasn't a bit of debris in the boat," Lance said.

But there still is plenty of debris in the water.

The Alabama Marine Police is patrolling the areas 24 hours to provide security. Boaters are advised to stay away during the cleanup and exercise caution in the areas.

In the South Sauty cove, an aluminum V-hull boat was wrapped around a tree and a second boat was tossed several yards inland. Boat docks and boat houses were splintered. Channel marker buoys ripped from their anchors in South Sauty Creek on the main lake floated at the shore.

The jagged end of a 2-by-4 stuck up near the campground, either impaled in the lake bottom or as part of a larger piece of submerged debris. Chunks of wooden boat docks floated along with life jackets, lawn furniture, swimming floats, tree limbs, appliances, mangled sheets of tin and other items.

Fishing guide Mike Gerry is among those picking up the pieces after his home in Waterfront Cove was destroyed.

"It looks like when the tornado hit it just sucked everything from the top down," he said. "The boathouse is all messed up. We spent all day (Saturday) with the adjuster trying to figure out where to start."

Working With FEMA to Restore Marina in Texas
Story from Beaumont Enterprise

When surveying the area where the marina once was on Pleasure Island, someone might be hard pressed to find progress on construction of the boat docks.

But according to Jimmy Dike, Pleasure Island Commission director, renovation efforts are in motion.

It might be awhile before that progress can be seen, however.

"We are working with FEMA," Dike said. "But they have processes that I have to follow. We are probably looking at about a four-year project."

With the amount of damage left in Ike's wake, Dike said more than likely, the commission is looking at a cost anywhere between $9 million to $11 million to make all repairs that are needed.

"FEMA is going to cover 70 percent of that cost, but that leaves us looking at how to acquire the other $3 million or so that we will need to complete construction."

Dike said FEMA requires engineers to survey damages before going out for construction bids, and there's a step or two before that. Dike said they now are at the stage of having all debris identified before going out for bids to have the bottom of the marina sounded, or cleaned out.

"We have a lot of metal coverings, iceboxes and freezers and dock boxes out there," he said. "And once we have all debris removed, we will have to bring in engineers for an assessment phase to see what is still usable. But I think about 90 percent of material will need to be replaced."

Dike said there still are about 30 boats up on the levee that cannot be moved until they can have fuel drained out - an environmental consideration.

Sherri Droddy, Sabine Pass Port Authority manager, said after experiencing Hurricane Rita's windy destruction in 2005, officials were able to get the ball rolling a little sooner after Hurricane Ike.

"We were able to get a consultant and engineer in quicker this time," she said. "We had worked with both of them after Rita, so we learned a little bit. The faster you get them in, the faster you see things get done."

Droddy said debris they can see already has been removed and the marina at the south end of First Avenue in Sabine Pass might be usable again sometime this summer.

"We still have a lot of small and large projects to do, but it will at least be functional."

Droddy said the Sabine Pass marina has 89 slips, or boat stalls, and not being able to dock boats is costing the authority about $100,000 a year. Dike said the Pleasure Island marina, which can dock 350 boats, is losing up to at least $289,000 a year.

Droddy said most of the emergency work by FEMA was at 90 percent coverage, while some of it qualified for full reimbursement.

"I'm not real sure how much we are looking at with all of the smaller projects, but right after Ike came through it was estimated we were looking at paying out about $2.5 million," she said. "So, that is still a good number to start from. We are looking at a two- to three-year project."

Although marina docks are in disarray, boat ramps on Pleasure Island are seeing quite a bit of activity, Dike said.

"When it is good weather, you see a lot of fishing going on out there," he said.

Droddy said the boat ramp at the end of Broadway is operational, but that the one located at Sabine Pass Battleground State Park remains closed.

Free Launches for the Season at Sandusky Boat Dock
Story from Sandusky Register

In a sinking economy that produces bad news on a daily basis, there's a splash of good news for local boaters.

Sandusky will not charge fees this year to launch from the city boat docks, located at Shelby and Water streets.

The decision was not an altruistic one. It was based on the fact that the launch has been a money-losing proposition for the city in recent years, city manager Matt Kline said.

"The last three years we've lost money, and we're not trying to lose money," he said.

According to Kline, the launch lost $16,021 in 2008, $17,832 in 2007 and $24,271 in 2006.

The decision comes with a trade-off for boaters using Ohio boat docks.

The city will no longer staff a bait shop located in close proximity to the launch.The decision to close the bait shop and make the boat launch free was made in December, when the city put together its budget.

In 2008, the city charged $5 per launch, or $50 for a year-long pass. Senior citizens were charged $4.50 a launch or $45 for a year-long pass. The city issued 3,915 daily passes and 78 season passes in 2008, said Michelle Hall, the city's recreation program supervisor.

The city employed two part-time workers during the boating season, which stretches from April through October, Kline said.

Sandusky ex-officio mayor Craig Stahl said the city's recreation department made the decision to stop charging for the public launch and floating docks. As a boater, Stahl is happy he'll no longer have to pay.

"I'm very glad," said Stahl. "It makes sense. Most of the public launches around here do not charge."

Brunswick CEO Sees Reduction In Power Boat Sales
As Originally Posted at CNN Money

CHICAGO -(Dow Jones)- Sales of recreational power boats and floating boat docks in the U.S. may decline by more than 20% this year, as consumers continue to avoid purchases of luxury items in a weak economy, Brunswick Corp. (BC) Chief Executive Dustan McCoy said Tuesday.

McCoy said power boat sales volume may fall below 150,000 units from 196,000 boats in 2008. Brunswick, the world's largest producer of recreational boats, has been aggressively paring back its production in response to the falling demand for power boats and aluminum boat docks.

The Lake Forest, Ill.-based company has eliminated seven boat brands and reduced its roster of manufacturing plants to 14 from 28. The size of the company's marine workforce fell by 50% last year.

The reductions are expected to lower the company's fixed costs by $365 million this year, McCoy said.

And he said the company is prepared to throttle back its operations further to avoid a glut of unsold boats from developing at its dealers.

"We're choking off the new boats going into the pipeline, so the dealers can get rid of the old product," McCoy said during a presentation at a Raymond James institutional investor conference in Florida. "When the economy comes back both the dealer network and we will be a lot more healthy."

McCoy said the aggressive destocking comes at the expense of sales and profit growth for Brunswick as its boat plants and boat docks mostly remain idle.

The company lost $788 million in 2008 as sales plunged 17% from 2007 to $4.7 billion. Brunswick also makes fitness equipment, bowling equipment and billiards tables.

Brunswick's boating business has been weighed down in recent years by soaring fuel prices and more recently by the downturn in the economy that's prompted consumers to eliminate discretionary purchases such as aluminum boat docks.

McCoy said Brunswick will be able to ride out the slump. He said the company is reviewing its boat brands for additional reductions and is conserving cash and avoiding debt.

When orders do return, McCoy predicted the company will be able to ramp up production quickly, even after reducing the company's manufacturing capacity.

"We think we can double production in the footprint we have today," he said.

He said the company is moving ahead with new product introductions, including a new Boston Whaler brand fishing boat.