BoatBanter.com - Block Island RI

BoatBanter.com (https://www.boatbanter.com/)

- Cruising (https://www.boatbanter.com/cruising/)

- - Block Island RI - OLD Harbor (https://www.boatbanter.com/cruising/65607-block-island-ri-old-harbor.html)

Block Island RI - OLD Harbor

If they get there way no more rafting in Old Harbor.

Harbormaster presents ambitious management plan for Old Harbor
By Peter Voskamp

Old Harbor's outer basin filled with dozens of rafted yachts last
July 4 weekend. Harbormaster Chris Willi has proposed a plan to remedy
overcrowding and provide better emergency access for the entire Old
Harbor. Photo by Emily Lindquist

Harbormaster Chris Willi impressed the Harbors Committee with a
PowerPoint presentation on Tuesday night, Jan. 17, detailing a
conceptual plan to rearrange and manage Old Harbor.

It included not only a much-discussed infrastructure rehabilitation of
the south and west docks in Old Harbor's inner basin (new bulkheads,
utilities, planking and lighting), but also a new two-story
office/bathroom/shower facility on the south dock. And, perhaps most
ambitiously, the rebuilding of the Mount Hope dock, a 500-foot pier
inside the eastern breakwater, as well as another brand new dock within
the western breakwater.

Willi stressed that though the creation of new dock space was an
integral part of the plan, the reason for it was not to bring more
boaters to the island, but rather to accommodate fewer boats in a safer
manner, spreading them out to allow for better fire and rescue access.
Also, more revenue could result for the town.

Willi said during a busy summer weekend too many boats anchor
haphazardly along the large breakwater and in the outer basin; at times
dozens of vessels raft up to one another. The town cannot regulate the
number of boats in the outer basin, Willi said, and also has little
access to them in the event of an emergency.

The inner basin is similarly plagued by excessive rafting in the
summer, with rows of vessels tied up side-by-side. The rafted vessels
are not only unable to access any utilities such as water and
electricity, but also are in a very precarious position in the event of
fire or other emergency.

Willi went through frame after frame of the presentation, asking the
commissioners for any suggestions they might have. The presentation,
projected on screen, included historic photographs to illustrate
different points. Willi plans to give a similar presentation to the
Town Council next week.

Police Chief Vin Carlone was on hand and supported the changes "100
percent." Although the new arrangement might create more work for the
police force, Carlone said it would prove a vastly more responsible
arrangement than what is currently in place.

And, as Willi has previously said, the entire project could be financed
with an approximately $3-million bond, which the Harbors Department
would shoulder from its own revenue with no expense to taxpayers.

The inner basin

Apart from the two-story bathroom/ shower facility and extensive
rehabilitation of the infrastructure, Willi envisioned decking over
areas along the west dock that are open and without planking currently.
Also, he suggested moving the bait dock to the end of the inner basin
breakwater on the west side.

Vice Chair Hermann "Bo" Gempp said a roof over the bait dock would
be a good idea, and Gary Hall, a commercial fisherman, said that the
small stone jetty out to the current bait dock would need some
attention because stones are coming loose; and perhaps planking could
be extended to connect to it as well.

Willi showed a proposed stern-to docking arrangement in the inner
basin. He said it would be safer, and more boats could be accommodated
than with a recently proposed two-boat rafting limit for the inner
basin.

Once the changes are in place, the town could charge the industry
standard $4-per-foot dockage fee, instead of the $2.50 it currently
does. Also, the electricity could be metered. There was some discussion
if a flat rate should be charged for power, or if metering would be the
best route.

The outer basin

and western breakwater

Willi's plan showed a dock wrapped within the western breakwater
interior, stretching 800 feet, and 8 feet wide. It would accommodate 40
to 45 slips, and would require approximately 20,000 cubic yards of
dredging. It would also tie into a boardwalk, which has been proposed
in the Old Harbor Vision study, and another small Harbors Department
building would be placed there.

If this dock were installed, no more anchoring would be allowed in Old
Harbor's outer basin, though some moorings would be available.

Mount Hope dock

The plan showed a rebuilt Mount Hope dock (the original was destroyed
in the 1938 Hurricane). At 500 feet long and 8 feet wide, it would
provide approximately 20 to 25 slips. Ten thousand cubic yards of sand
would have to be dredged to accommodate the dock.

Costs

Willi provided a breakdown of cost estimates. The numbers came from a
Narragansett-based marine construction firm that was here in the fall
to work on the new eight-slip marina for Ballard's Wharf. Willi said
the numbers are for current material costs, and could rise by 15
percent in just the next six months.

The inner basin south dock construction cost was estimated to be
$896,000 (the two-story building not included); the west dock:
$201,000; the Mount Hope dock: $610,000; the west breakwater site:
$1,595,000. The total comes to $3,302,000 - not far off from
Gempp's original bond estimate a few months ago.

Willi then provided a detailed breakdown of the potential revenue the
expanded dock areas could bring in.

Based on a 90-day season at 50-percent capacity, the changes could
bring in $607,200; at 75-percent capacity: $897,000; and at 100-percent
capacity, $1,212,000.

Gempp said there would be revenue coming in from Great Salt Pond that
was not included in the figures.

Though he is still awaiting concrete bond service costs from town
Finance Director Tom Moon, Willi outlined the attendant expenses he
expects to come with the new infrastructure (garbage, electricity,
water, more employees, and debt service for example), which would
amount to about $560,000 annually.

Willi also said that if any or all of the suggestions were adopted by
the town, he'd recommend the work not be done in a piecemeal fashion,
otherwise it would not pay for itself. Committee member Renwick
"Pete" Tweedy said that when talking to the Town Council, it must
be stressed that "doing nothing is not an option," given the
deteriorated condition of much of the Old Harbor inner basin.

The group applauded Willi's efforts and offered encouragement.

Willi asked for "devil's advocates," so the presentation can be
made as seamless as possible. He also would like to give the
presentation to the Block Island Residents Association, the Block
Island Maritime Institute and the Fire Department and Rescue Squad.

After the meeting, Willi said that Old Harbor is designated a Type 5
body of water, which is primarily for commercial interests, as opposed
to New Harbor, which is Type 3 for mixed use.

Officer re-elections, boat salvage

The leadership of the Harbors Committee was re-elected Tuesday night,
with William Luddy remaining chair, and Gempp remaining vice chair.

Willi said that tentative plans are underway to remove the 80-foot
Aggressor , a trawler that has been up on the rocks near Black Rock
since Thanksgiving. He said the Coast Guard is satisfied there is no
more fuel on board the boat, and a salvage barge will arrive on Jan. 23
or 24 to lift the boat and take it away.

In February, the Harbors Department will refloat the much smaller
Martin boat still on its side off Mosquito Beach, using a recently
acquired patrol boat, if the owner does not do so on his own. New
regulations allow the department to fine the owner for this effort, and
for not addressing the issue sooner.

Block Island RI - OLD Harbor

I like Old Harbor for the comradely. I have gone there with just the
wife also with other couples and with children, never has anyone I've
rafted to has ever been anything but nice. Most boaters back up to the
breakwater right to the drop-off. At low tide you can walk right up to
the swim platform. The kids love wading in the low water.

There are for the most part two breakwaters;
One off of Ballard's Inn and the main one.
Off Ballard's
You have to watch the weather. Winds from North - North East are
tough.
This is the "fun" site. The open ocean is over the breakwater;
Ballard's always have bands or music playing.
If you like people watching, this is the site, especially at low tide.

The main breakwater;
Well protected.
The part near the town will have low water at low tide as the one near
Ballard's, but at the bend the water starts to deepen.

You will also notice lots of Honda generators at these locations.

And best of all you only have to pay a landing fee.

Block Island RI - OLD Harbor

Me and my riding buddy discovered Old Harbor this last summer as a
great destination/break-spot for some of our all-day pwc'ing cruises
starting in Riverhead. I'd been into New Harbor a few times with my
wife and there's that nice restaurant The Oar to stop at and a nice
short walk to a little town area from there for some ice cream, but the
half-hour no-wake trek through the harbor to get to the docks is a
deterrent... We found that around the other side of the island is a
terrific, short extra little ride to make, the water was glassy on the
east side of the island the two times we went, and when you turn into
old Harbor it's just a few seconds to idle over to the beach on the
left where all the other pwc's pull up to hang out for the afternoon
(but they were all just over from Rhode Island, we were the only ones
who had come from across the ocean from Long Island!), and then you're
right there at that beautiful beach and restaurant/bar on the beach
with a hoppin' afternoon party scene, band playing right there, sushi
and seafood at the restaurant just inside to take back out to the
outside bar (my friend and I don't drink when we're riding BTW)...and
then still a short walk into town. From my perspective it was a way
better, easier, cooler destination than New Harbor but I know we have a
different perspective and some different considerations from our
bigger-boat brethren.

richforman

Block Island RI - OLD Harbor

Dave wrote:
On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 17:24:15 -0500, krj said:

Are you too lazy to type two extra letters and type probably instead of
prolly?

No. For those with an ear for regionalisms in the mother tongue, it's
intended to convey a certain air of insouciance. For those without such an
ear, or who are just tight-assed prescriptivists, it's designed to simply
get their goats. Guess I succeeded on the latter score, eh?
No you didn't 'get my goat'. Just wondering if you didn't know how to
use spell check or were just to lazy to type works properly. And what
region uses prolly for probably? I grew up in the south east, lived
several years in the north east, the southwest and the mid-west. I never
heard anyone pronounce probably as prolly.
krj

Block Island RI - OLD Harbor

krj wrote:
Dave wrote:
On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 17:24:15 -0500, krj said:
Are you too lazy to type two extra letters and type probably instead
of prolly?
No. For those with an ear for regionalisms in the mother tongue, it's
intended to convey a certain air of insouciance. For those without
such an
ear, or who are just tight-assed prescriptivists, it's designed to simply
get their goats. Guess I succeeded on the latter score, eh?

No you didn't 'get my goat'. Just wondering if you didn't know how to
use spell check or were just to lazy to type works properly. And what
region uses prolly for probably? I grew up in the south east, lived
several years in the north east, the southwest and the mid-west. I never
heard anyone pronounce probably as prolly.
krj
It is a Brit. affectation, often seen on uk.rec.sailing. I
have to agree that it looks contrived, even to a UK
expatriate like myself. So as I obviously don't have "such
an ear" I must be a "tight-assed prescriptivist" - or should
that be tight-arsed?
BrianH.

Block Island RI - OLD Harbor

Old Harbor is next for destruction
Featured letter

Harbormaster Chris Willi and the Block Island Harbors Department's
proposal to eliminate anchoring in Old Harbor's "Outer Basin" and
fill it with docks is wrong for so many reasons it makes my stomach
sick. Anyone taking the time to read this letter realizes that Block
Island's Old Harbor is completely unique. It's an anomaly in
boating, with nothing else like it in the entire Northeast, and
probably the entire East Coast.

Nowhere else can boaters anchor at will in a perfectly protected
harbor, with such convenient access to shoreline and a picturesque New
England town. Old Harbor, like the rest of Block Island, is a
one-of-a-kind place that truly needs to be preserved.

While everyone is focused on the proposed "land grab"/marina
expansion in New Harbor, the Harbors Department has decided to join the
fray, as one of the greedy developers, permanently taking open space
away from free public access. Why would the Harbors Department want to
become Block Island's latest big marina developer? Is Chris Willi
really the "Burger Meister Meister Burger"?

By severely limiting the boats in Old Harbor, and gobbling up the
ever-decreasing boater dollars for themselves in the form of expensive
slip fees, the Harbors Department will be removing hundreds of tourists
from patronizing New Shoreham's shops and restaurants. And they will
deprive local businesses of thousands of dollars each weekend that will
no longer be spent buying hats, dinners and ice cream. Does the Harbors
Department have a beef with the local shop owners too?

The Harbors Department needs $3.3 million to fund all its development
projects. It is counting on 50-percent occupancy during the entire
90-day boating season. But here's a little refresher from Tourism
101: boaters come to Block Island on Saturday and Sunday.

So while your marina may be full part of the weekend, Sunday night
through Thursday will be nearly empty. This means the expected revenue
from these projects will be a fraction of what the public is being
told. And after the "true" cost for these projects turns out to be
significantly higher than the initial estimates (see Reality 101 for
this fact), it's easy to figure out what residents will ultimately
end up paying, in some form or another.

Add to this the prohibitively high gas prices at the fuel dock and you
may not even fill the slips Friday or Saturday. Anyone in Old Harbor
last Labor Day knows how the $3.50/gallon gas prices already freed up a
lot of room to anchor. And did I mention the proposed $4/foot slip
fees? Councilor Ned Connelly is somehow convinced revenue will
"skyrocket" with these changes. Someone give Ned a pinch, he's
fallen asleep and is late for his shock therapy.

My family owns one of the boats that Chris Willi publicly complains
"anchors haphazardly... in the outer basin." We are the
"riff-raff" that Councilor Ned Connelly wishes would
"disappear," and that Second Warden Sisto wants to "better
control." Hmmm, I didn't realize the Nazis had taken over Old
Harbor.

Yes, we are the evil, loathsome tourists that the Town Council, the
warden and the Harbors Department despise. We are people that raft
together with our friends. During the day we swim in the harbor, dinghy
around and play on the beach. The kids on our raft spend hours catching
crabs using hot dogs as bait. They have a yellow bucket that they hold
the crabs in and when that bucket gets full, they use a red bucket and
sort the crabs by type and size, until I dump them back into the harbor
so the whole process can start all over again.

These are the things my kids talk about even now in the dead of winter.
They are the memories that will be forever lost with Willi's plan for
complete development of Old Harbor.

In public meetings this group of unchecked elites tries to cloak its
desire for control. They play the "safety card," knowing full well
that boaters are willing to accept the additional risk associated with
spending time aboard their boat. They promise huge revenue streams by
exploiting the Northeast's most unique boating destination, with
numbers that clearly don't add up. In the secrecy of the dead of
winter when they think no one is watching, they are trying to sanitize
the very character that makes Block Island so special.

Yes, Old Harbor on the 4th of July is no "Kingdom of Du Lac." There
are lots of boats. There is music, and yes, even people drinking beer.
The whole harbor rafts together in one of the only places this can
still be done. Everyone gets along, and people work out their own
problems without the need for Chris Willi's hired gun. But covering
the surface of Old Harbor with more dock space will eliminate free
access to this resource forever. The Harbors Department's vision is
one of greed and control, and not one that preserves the unique nature
of Old Harbor.

My hope is that everyone reading this understands what's happening
- people with dollar bills in their eyes are transforming Block
Island from "one of the last best places" into one big profit
center. Allowed to continue, Block Island will still be there, but
"Block" will cease to exist.

Dan Farnsworth

North Kingstown, R.I.

Block Island RI - OLD Harbor