Minutes of Anacortes Small Boat Center General Meeting
Monday, April 2, 2012, Anacortes Yacht Club

Gaining meaningful public access to the waterways of Fidalgo Island by the creation of a multipurpose small-boat center to enable the on-water launch and use of small boats www.anacortessmallboatcenter.com

Board and Individual Members Present: Andy Stewart (vice-president), Jane Billinghurst (secretary), John Pope (past president), Beth Bell (OARS). Carl Frantz (Anacortes Sea Scouts Ship 81), Dale Fowler (Port of Anacortes, ex-officio), Vince Sellen (AYC), Steve Orsini (Lido 14 Fleet 78), Fred Abelman, John Guinn, Mac Madenwald, Don Pinter

Public Present: none

Board Members Absent: Pat Barrett (president), Norm Havercroft (treasurer), Rembrand Smith (Hole in the Wall Paddling Club), David Jackson (Anacortes Sea Venture Scouts Crew 81), Greg Denman (ACMC), Mike Beemer (Skagit Valley College Marine Technology Center, ex-officio), Mark Bunzel (Anacortes Chamber of Commerce, ex-officio), Dustin South (City of Anacortes, Parks & Rec)

I. Call to Order

Vice-president Andy Stewart called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.

II. Approval of Minutes from March Meeting

Moved, John Pope; 2^nd, Dale Fowler. All in favor.

III. Treasurer’s Report

We have $20,415.08 in the bank. Norm is on the trail of a mule for the dry storage yard.

IV Old Business

a) Port/ESD

There was a great turnout at the March 28 NW-ESD Board meeting with good, respectful input from the public. Vice-president Andy Stewart thanked Mac Madenwald and John Pope for the efforts they put into organizing public attendance and comments at the meeting.

The ESD Board meeting was followed the next day by a meeting between Dr. Jerry Jenkins of ESD and Bob Hyde from the Port and their attorneys. Progress was made resolving parking, easement, and fencing issues in a cordial and cooperative manner. There will be a meeting this Thursday (April 5) at 9:30 am at the Seafarers’ Memorial Park building between Dr. Jerry Jenkins and Bob Hyde to address the CC&Rs. There will be no public input at the morning meeting, but it will be followed by a Port Commissioners meeting at the Port office at the Transit Shed at 7:00 pm where the public can speak.

Both the Port and ESD have thanked ASBC for their interest in getting the issues resolved, and the public is encouraged to attend both April 5 meetings to show their continuing support for the process. Beth Bell will send an email to Dr. Jerry Jenkins and Bob Hyde concerning a 2009 precedent for changes to CC&Rs on the property to allow the building of the Marine Tech Center. Secretary Jane Billinghurst will send a notice out to ASBC members encouraging them to attend the Thursday meetings to show their continued support for a collaborative resolution to the issues.

ASBC focus is to get small-boat access to the water recognized as a reasonable use of the park and to move forward with the goal of a small-boat facility somewhere around Cap Sante Marina—a goal small boaters have been pursuing since 1985. ASBC would also like to see the Port recognize the original intent of the building at Seafarers’ as a boat house and center for boating activities by providing small-boat users with reduced or complimentary rates at the building. Concerns remain about what might happen in the future should ESD sell to a private owner. There is an intrinsic tension with having private property so close to a public park, and ASBC can see benefits if the property were to return to Port ownership.

b) P/Q Hoist

The Hoist Design Committee continues to work with the Port on this. A two-speed hoist has been located (20 ft/min and 10 ft/min) and the jib has been redesigned to make it safer for the launch of mast-up boats. The goal for the new hoist is now June. In the meantime, the old hoist is operational.

c) Gin Pole

The pole will be certified by Ed Kennedy, who is being paid for the design. Carl will have the base in place by April 10. The Port will provide concrete blocks for the base. A new boom is needed as the original can no longer be located. Beth Bell and John Pope will talk to Dustin South from City Parks & Rec if the gin pole ends up being located on City property.

d) Dry Storage Yard

As per a prior Board ruling, the yard is for boats whose primary means of propulsion is not power--with a few exceptions, such as safety boats for regattas. The yardmaster currently evaluates the suitability of boats for entry to the yard on a case-by-case basis. We need to get the rack up for kayaks and canoes.

e) Marine Advisory Board

No report for this meeting.

f) Dingy Docks

ASBC will take 80 feet of dock and AYC will take 100 feet. The docks will be modified slightly and moved farther south. The cost to ASBC will be $80/month to the Port. The dock is another fund-raiser for ASBC. AYC has donated Carl’s old trailer to ASBC, and it will be fixed up and sold to benefit ASBC.

g) Web Site

Beth Bell circulated a revised Strategy Statement for the web site. It was agreed we would add the good work done by ASBC to bring together so many diverse elements of the small-boat community and start with Achievements. Beth will revise the statement and get it to Jane so it can go up on the web site before Jane leaves in mid-April.

It was suggested we have better promotion of ASBC at the Quick & Dirty Boat Building Competition at the Waterfront Festival. Dale was thanked for having ASBC brochures at the Port office. Beth suggested we move forward with a logo to help raise our profile.

V Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m.

The next general meeting will be Monday, May 7, 6:30 pm, at the Anacortes Yacht Club. Members and interested members of the public are welcome.

The link below was forwarded by Dr. Jerry Jenkins, Superintendent, Northwest Educational Service District. The link takes you to a Seafarers’ Memorial Park Update page on the ESD web site. On that page, click on the link to the brochure that outlines the NWESD's position on the Seafarers' Memorial Park issue with the Port of Anacortes. Links to supporting documentation are provided on the right-hand side of the page. There is a phone number to call if you have additional questions.

https://www.nwesd.org/port-park-update

Pirate Ship Playhouse Raffle

Sea Venture Crew 4081 is proud to announce a raffle for a Pirate Ship Playhouse. This one of a kind structure was designed by Master Shipwright James McMullen of Emerald Marine Carpentry and built by Quantum Construction and the Crew. Raffle tickets are $5 each and available at Watermark Book Company, Marine Supply and Hardware and Crew 81 members. The Playhouse will be on display at the Skagit Home and Garden Show March 16-18. Proceeds from the raffle will help us host the 2012 Pacific Challenge May 25-27 out of Seafarers Memorial Park in Anacortes Washington.

Minutes of Anacortes Small Boat Center General Meeting
Monday, March 5, 2012, Anacortes Yacht Club

Gaining meaningful public access to the waterways of Fidalgo Island by the creation of a multipurpose small-boat center to enable the on-water launch and use of small boats www.anacortessmallboatcenter.com

Present: Pat Barrett (president), Jane Billinghurst (secretary), John Pope (past president), Carl Frantz (Anacortes Sea Scouts Ship 81), Mark Bunzel (Anacortes Chamber of Commerce, ex-officio), Dale Fowler (Port of Anacortes, ex-officio), Dustin South (City of Anacortes, Parks & Rec), Steve Orsini (Lido 14 Fleet 78), Don Pinter, Mac Madenwald, Keith Ruben, Chris Anderson

Absent: Norm Havercroft (treasurer); Vince Sellen (AYC), Rembrand Smith (Hole in the Wall Paddling Club), David Jackson (Anacortes Sea Venture Scouts Crew 81), Beth Bell (OARS), Greg Denman (ACMC), Mike Beemer (Skagit Valley College Marine Technology Center, ex-officio), Jack Richardson (Anacortes Radio-Controlled Sailors, supporting)

I. Call to Order

President Pat Barrett called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.

II. New Members Attending

None tonight.

III. Approval of Minutes from February Meeting

Moved, Dale Fowler; 2^nd, Steve Orsini. All in favor.

IV Old Business

a) Web Site Status

Jane Billinghurst reported that the web site updates continue. We are awaiting a rewrite of the Goals and Achievements section. There is a calendar of events, and Dale gave Jane the following Port event to be posted there:

“Everyone is invited to the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Port’s new E & F docks on Friday, March 16, at 11:00 am at E & F docks”

It was suggested we add links to supporting and other small-boat organizations, such as the AYC, http://anacortessailingteam.wordpress.com/, and the City’s Parks & Rec page for youth sailing. Jane will pursue this with Art Shotwell.

b) Membership

Jane sent a welcome letter to all members paid for 2012 for whom she has email addresses. There are about half a dozen that she does not have. She will try to get these from other Board members and from the AYC membership list. Jane will also send an invitation to people who have not paid for 2012 but who have expressed an interest in or been a member of ASBC in the past. Again, she may need help locating email addresses.

c) P/Q Hoist

The Hoist Design Committee met with the Port to review Washington Crane’s design. There were a number of issues, including placement of the winch and ensuring that a two-speed motor will be used so there is a slow speed option when getting boats off trailers. The redesigned hoist will not be in place in time for the Tulip Regatta this spring but should be ready for Windermere in the summer. In the meantime, the old hoist is operational.

d) Gin Pole

No progress since the last meeting. Pat will see what can be done to move things along.

e) Dry Storage Yard

Accounts are pretty much up to date. The Yard Committee needs to come up with a policy concerning short-term tenants. Will we accept tenants on a daily or monthly basis? The main issues are liability and controlling access to the yard code.

f) Marine Advisory Board

No report for this meeting.

g) Purpose Statement on Dry Storage Yard

The new sign is in place.

V New Business

a) Dingy Docks

AYC and ASBC have a general agreement to take 180 feet of old dock that used to be at Seafarers. Details of the agreement and rental have yet to be worked out. One issue is that the docks are 12 feet wide and the Lasers and Lidos will hang over the edge unless they are stored diagonally. Water depth is not a big issue and should be fine most of the time.

b) Port and ESD Wrangling at Seafarers Memorial Park

ESD has filed a lawsuit against the Port concerning easements and parking at Seafarers. There is concern about how this dispute will affect youth sailing programs, especially if the space they use for preparing boats for the water is no longer available to them. City Parks & Rec has worked out an interlocal agreement to use the space for the time being. There is also the issue of parking for the Lido Nationals in July. Steve Orsini will write to ESD requesting use of their parking lot for this event and he will contact the Port about use of the building. Community and ASBC members are urged to encourage both the Port and ESD to resolve their disagreements for the good of the small-boat community and the community in general.

VI Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

The next general meeting will be Monday, April 2, 6:30 pm, at the Anacortes Yacht Club. Members and interested members of the public are welcome.

Minutes of Anacortes Small Boat Center General Meeting
Monday, February 6, 2012, Anacortes Yacht Club

Gaining meaningful public access to the waterways of Fidalgo Island by the creation of a usable, multipurpose small-boat center to enable the on-water launch and use of small boats www.anacortessmallboatcenter.com

Present: Andy Stewart (vice-president), Jane Billinghurst (secretary), John Pope (past president), Carl Frantz (Anacortes Sea Scouts Ship 81), Greg Denman (ACMC), David Jackson (Anacortes Sea Venture Scouts Crew 81), Beth Bell (OARS), Mark Bunzel (Anacortes Chamber of Commerce, ex-officio), Dale Fowler (Port of Anacortes, ex-officio), Mike Beemer (Skagit Valley College Marine Technology Center, ex-officio), Jack Richardson (Anacortes Radio-Controlled Sailors, Supporting), Don Pinter, Mac Madenwald

Absent: Pat Barrett (president), Norm Havercroft (treasurer); reps from AYC, Lido 14 Fleet 78, City of Anacortes, Hole in the Wall Paddling Club

1. Call to Order

Vice-President Andy Stewart called the meeting to order at 6:35 pm.

2. Web Site Updates and Signage

Secretary Jane Billinghurst reported that the following promotional information will be posted on a sign at the dry storage yard: “The Anacortes Small Boat Center exists to enhance public access to the waterways of Fidalgo Island through improved launch facilities and the construction of a multipurpose small-boat center for storage, repairs, and instruction. Check out how we are doing at www.anacortesmallboatcenter.com.”

The ASBC website will be updated with new board members, a sidebar that outlines member benefits, who to go to for more information about becoming a member and using the hoist, and where to find meeting minutes on the site.

There was some discussion about how best to update our Strategy Statement on the website. Beth Bell will break it down into Achievements and Goals. The permanent facility will be added as a goal (there is wording in the City of Anacortes’ Comprehensive Plan that could be used for this). The log pocket/Wyman’s will be relegated to last on the list of goals.

It was suggested that a reasonable goal for 2012 would be to have a plan for the building and a sign to mark its proposed location. We might also consider tracking volunteer hours to document the good work being done by the organization. This might help with any future grant applications.

3. Membership Issues

Jane will send out a notice to paid members to thank them for their participation and support. We have no method for people to check if they are members or not--other than to let them know that members receive occasional emails and if they have not been contacted they can check their status with the secretary, whose contact details will be added to the website. Jane will check with Norm to see if there are any membership issues from last year that need to be cleared up. ASBC is especially grateful to AYC for making it so easy for AYC members to express their support for ASBC when renewing their AYC dues.

4. P/Q Hoist

Dale Fowler reported that final engineered drawings are due to the Port from the crane company this week. As soon as they are received, there will be a meeting to go over them in detail. Andy Stewart mentioned that it is getting expensive to put sailboats into the water using the crane at the Cap Sante Boat Yard Hoist, so the P/Q dock hoist is looking attractive for this type of craft as long as the water depth is sufficient and the redesigned hoist can handle the boats. Right now the depth is about four feet at the mid-point of a boat a zero tide. The Port is going through the permitting process for maintenance dredging for M/N/O docks and that section of P dock, which could help with water depth.

5. Gin Pole

In progress. It will take about a week to get the pole together once drawings are received from Ed Kennedy.

5. Dry Storage Yard

There are two new tenants. A couple of tenants who have not yet paid or need to pay for additional space will be notified. We have a donated kayak rack in pieces that could be moved into the area until a decision is made about whether we will expand our available rental space to include the floating docks beside Q dock. Dale confirmed that this space is available if and when we decide we need it.

6. Skagit Valley College Marine Technology Center

Mike Beemer reported that he has approximately 20 high-school students who spent their first semester learning about water-related activities in Anacortes, including small-boat activities. They built four stand-up paddle boards for student use, a cedar-deck canoe that will be raffled off for funds to go back into the program, and did a great job fixing up a damaged Lido for City Parks & Rec. The college is also busy with classes for other groups in the community.

7. Anacortes Radio-Controlled Sailors

Jack Richardson reported that the RC Sailors now have over 30 boats. The sailors use both Cranberry Lake and the new facilities at Seafarer’s Memorial Park, and the group is looking forward to keeping in touch with ASBC.

8. Hole in the Wall

No report for this meeting, but we hope to hear from this group soon.

9. Supporting Summer Concerts at the Port

There was some discussion about ASBC making a financial contribution to the summer concert series at the Port. While ASBC is happy to support Port activities as we have an ongoing partnership, it felt supporting arts organizations that stage events at the Port goes beyond its mandate of enhancing public water access in the community.

7. Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.

The next general meeting will be Monday, March 5, 6:30 pm, at the Anacortes Yacht Club. Members and interested members of the public are welcome.