• Dockside Fuel: Although we don't have hard numbers, calls to our office, visits to marinas, and the documented loss of service marinas suggest concern. We plan to work with the NC Petroleum Marketers Association to assess the extent of the problem and to develop new fueling opportunities for boating.
  
  
• "Big boat" Service: Boat haulout for repair/service or hurricane safety has seen the biggest hit. No one is blaming the property owner, but our counties and the state have to step up and be made aware of the concerns of our 360,000 boater-voters.
  
  
• 10-Slip Rule Issue: One of the here-to-fore reliable coastal permits was the 3-10 slip permit that could usually be obtained in 30 - 90 days. Lately, this permit timeframe has become questionable and the permit itself may be changing. This type of permit has become significant to existing in-state and new-to-the-state yacht repair yards and other businesses that need access to the water but have limited need for slips. They need in-water rigging, up-fit and repair and require a land corridor or water access to these slips.. An "over 10-slip permit" can take years, major costs and involves many unknowns that keep a business owner (and the banks) from investing in new projects. The state currently has a number of companies attempting to acquire waterfront (or water access) for commercial working waterfront businesses such as yacht yards, boat and yacht storage, and deep-draft boat manufacturing.
  
  
  • Recent forums in Wilmington and Washington discussed the 10-Slip issue and those present began good open dialog on issues confronting regulators, developers, boating businesses, and commercial fishing operations. More to follow in next edition.
    
    
• Loss of basic water access such as private ramps: Residential development is not only taking away boating businesses but also private boat ramps that have been a component of small marinas and private property all along the coast.
  
  
  • This problem is well understood by our NC Wildlife folks and in a recent presentation before the NC Department of Transportation Board, they asked for help in looking at expanding under-bridge opportunities for boating access and related parking.

These topics - loss of boating services, deep-draft boating access, and hurricane safety access - will be a top priority for us this coming year and likely well into the future. We cannot stress the importance of keeping existing businesses and finding new sites for this expanding business sector along our coast.

It is important to understand that the loss is not in boat slips - on the contrary, NC will have thousands of new slips for boats throughout its waterways - but the loss is in services available to the in-water boaters.