Marinas need to be run
like a business

As the old saying goes: Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

When the responsibility for Hawaii's recreational boating marinas (officially called small boat harbors) was transferred from the state's Department of Transportation to its Department of Land and Natural Resources in 1992, many boaters hoped it would bring about needed changes.

Now, thirteen years later, it's become clearly evident there have been changes, but with very few exceptions, they've been of the negative variety.

Consider what's become of the Ala Wai marina in the past decade, particularly with its location in Waikiki, one of our state's major economic engines.

The DLNR inherited about 700 public boat slips there from the DOT, and as the years have passed away, so have as many as 140 of those slips -- without replacement.

Some of the slips were condemned on an individual basis, but more often it was found that whole rows were considered unsafe due to their age, lack of maintenance, or poor construction.

For the first time in decades, it appears that a part of the Transpacific Yacht Race's historic "Transpac Row" will be unusable this summer because many of those slips have been condemned.

Another section -- F-dock -- which once filled a large area of the marina in front of the harbor master's office, was to be replaced soon after its removal. But due to bidding irregularities and funding problems, it is still open water.

In fact, that's why, when it recently began its final phase of dock replacement, the Waikiki Yacht Club (a 60-year tenant of the state) offered the DLNR a used, but very usable 24-boat floating dock it would otherwise have to demolish.

The club knew the state had that empty expanse in the marina and a multiyear waiting list for a diminishing supply of slips. It sounded like a win-win situation.

The only thing the club asked for in return was for a few of its boats to be allowed to moor in the state's marina during the approximately 60-day construction time of its new dock.

Perhaps after doing the math -- 24 slips times the average length of boats (40 feet) times the slip fees per foot ($4.25) equals $4,080 per month income -- the state agreed to the offer.

Still, in many respects this win-win agreement just magnified the problems of our state-run marinas.

Take, for instance, the slip fee example above; it's about half of what the WYC had been charging for the same slips.

Privately operated marinas, such as Ko Olina or yacht clubs, understand that mooring fees must be commensurate with the costs of dock maintenance and replacement, as well as their market value.

Until the DLNR decides to run our marinas as a business, or let someone else manage it, the future of the Ala Wai and every other recreational boating facility in the state appears to be very dim indeed.

See the Columnists section for some past articles.

Ray Pendleton is a free-lance writer based in Honolulu. His column runs Saturdays in the Star-Bulletin. He can be reached by e-mail at raypendleton@mac.com.

Marinas need to be run like a business

Marinas need to be run
like a business