Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave R
No, it's free.
I'd happily pay a fee for maintenance and repairs. I used it for years when it was a commercial enterprise, so paying to launch and park is not a problem for me. I imagine a fee would reduce crowds too. It gets really crowded now and I often launch very early (or very late and spend the night on the boat) to ensure parking and avoid the mayhem. Of course there's plenty of other incentives to spend the night on the boat so that's not a big deal, but the really early starts aren't my wife's favorite thing.
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Thanks.
If you want something, the best way to get it is to PAY for it, not wait for someone to provide it free. Also, free things are often substandard and not maintained.
I am having my boat valeted this year. Part of the cost for that is essentially a "launch fee". People that rent slips are paying for avoiding a launch fee (and the launch itself). People that have lakefront property are effectively paying as part of their property cost and taxes. All these people have solved the launch problem by paying for it.
If a reasonable launch fee were set up ($15/$20 seems to be common, maybe a little less since this is public and also subsidized by registration fees), the work to fix up the launch and maintain it would be paid for over time. As I previously mentioned, for frequent users, you could set up a yearly fee ($150? bulk rate) and pass card system.
Yeah, you would have to pay a high school kid to monitor access and collect money but you could do that June to September and spot check for compliance outside that time. They could also police the grounds, empty trash, and look for problems.
Money collected at the site should be earmarked for use AT the site, not disappeared into the system.
Just a thought.