CommunitySailingCenter.org

For two seasons between August, 2003, and September 29, 2005, the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center (CSC) had a dock array that exceeded 10,000 sf. A 200' dock built with assistance under a federal Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) administered by Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife, provided six to ten spaces for transient boat dockage and a "safe harbor" for boaters and CSC's programs in its lee.

On September 29, 2005, the 200' floating "breakwater/dock" broke at its center and sank in high winds and waves from the west. Wooden docks that had been protected by the "breakwater/dock" was also damaged during the storm.

CSC salvaged the "breakwater/dock" on December 31, 2005, and a large crane placed it on land near the shore north of the Moran property. At that point, CSC's engineers evaluated the suitability of the damaged assembly to perform its intended function. They determined that, in view of its history and construction, restoring it for use as a wave attenuator would not be cost-effective. However, they did agree that it should be repaired with suitable modifications to serve as a dock if protected by a new, purpose-built, heavy-duty floating wave attenuator to enable its continuing to fulfill the requirements of the 2003 B.I.G.. Repairs are underway, and launch date will be in June, 2008.

To protect CSC's docks, a second round of three B.I.G.'s will assist the Center in funding a new 335' floating wave attenuator to be located to the west of the docks. The new attenuator, will consist of five sections, each 12' wide and 7' deep with a center-mounted 30'-long stabilizing finger float to keep the structure from rolling in waves. The attenuator will be marked and lighted at night to warn boaters of its presence.

All of the docks will be secured to the lake's bottom with the latest resilient anchor systems.