May 2006
Around the Marina
Spring deliveries are in full swing and April was our second best ever. Good thing because we're trying to increase the pace of improvements not slow down. Both the walk along the bulkhead and the launch ramp widening project are complete except for a small amount of cosmetic work. I have a local electrician lined up to clean a few things up but I can't get him to actually show up! If anyone knows an electrician that has time to perform a couple of small projects I'd sure like to hear from them. We'd like to get the lighting on C and B pier swapped out, clean up a couple of unsightly things, and install a spotlight at the A pier entrance—that's it. So let me know.
The pile jacketing project will continue with B pier starting very soon. These guys want to get done fast, and warm water helps them a lot. Other projects planned for the next 2-3 months are:
- landscape the area by the showroom at the ramp for a picnic area (already contracted),
- reinstall self-closing mechanisms on the bath house bathrooms and climate control them,
- install pet control stations at C pier and A pier,
- install a message board in a central location so that we can all communicate,
- cordon off an area of the north field for used boat display.
The next pier cover improvement will be at slip B14 and hopefully we will also be able to get the demo slip done as well before winter. We have a lot of projects in motion and we appreciate your help and understanding while we transform the marina.
New Year's Resolutions
I'm a little at a loss about one of my resolutions—I would like to provide an opportunity for underprivileged kids to get out on the water. I have 2 volunteers from the marina so that makes at least 3 boats. I don't know who to call, please email me if you have an idea.
Joe's Journal
By the time you read this issue of Joe's Journal spring will have sprung and we'll be almost in the full swing of boating season. This year, 2006, is a seminal year for our Potomac River and as spring always brings out the optimist in me, let me share with you why I'm so happy about the future right now.
First of all, the National Harbor is being built as we speak. There's no question about whether this project will happen—holes are being dug and money spent. It's so certain that this project will complete in the next 2 years that we've already been told there will be an in the water boat show there come September 2008 produced bythe same folks that bring us the Washington Boat Show. Now, I know there are some who wish that Smoot Bay could have remained pristine but it was inevitable that someday it would be developed. And why not with a mix of housing, retail, and hotels?
Secondly, Old Dominion Boat Club was allowed to stay in place in it's spot on the waterfront in Old Towne Alexandria. I am not a member of ODBC but I do remember a day when it was just about the only thing going on with Alexandria's waterfront. It's a historic part now and I'm glad to see it stay.
Third, although the development of Cherry Hill has not been without controversy—and rightly so—there's a good chance that when all is said and done we'll have a resort, marina, and a new Tim's location.
Selling boats back in the 80's, we would lose deals to people who wanted to be on the Bay so that they could do more things. Within three year's time, we'll have Georgetown, Old Towne, James Creek, Gangplank, National Harbor, Fort Washington (and it's restaurant), Mt. Vernon (on non-cruise ship days or by launch), Cherry Hill (with a Tim's), Tim's II, and a totally reworked port of Occoquan that encourages transients. We'll have crab houses, shopping, water sports, hotels, restaurants, tourism, and sweet water that's getting sweeter by the day thanks to aquatic plants and the Anacostia cleanup. And we'll even still have all our anchorages. In three years we'll be able to hold Chaparral rendevous or Sea Ray rendevous on the Potomac—heck, I've already talked about hosting a Cobalt meeting if the hotel is big enough!
Usually we say there must be a downside but there doesn't really have to be one. The reformatory had to be more of a polluter than anyone let on, otherwise how do you account for the increase in aquatic plants? The closing of that reformatory gives us one more way to make the river cleaner in spite of all the development. And as long as we can still have Tim running a restaurant on this river, fun always has a chance!
As we look forward to all of these wonderful things let's not forget some of the things that are gone, not from a sense of mourning but from a sense of remembering so they won't ever be forgotten. The Potomac had a chance to develop like this back in the 50's. J. Carl Hill bought Freestone Point in 1955 and installed swimming pools and amusements intending to build a resort. The main attraction at that time was gambling because Maryland had slot machines. Mr. Hill devised a pier out to a cruise ship from Freestone Point in Virginia that would allow people to gamble in Maryland waters. The government shut that down as well as Mr. Hill's hopes of a resort—I suppose because it was so close to Washington, DC that people started to talk. Mr. Hill also opened the Pilot House Restaurant in 1970. It was a 130 foot ship with a faÇade like a paddlewheel steamer. That restaurant, owned by the Hill family, served Northern Virginia for over 30 years until hurricane Isabel took her. Perhaps his vision came to early. Perhaps you really can tell a pioneer by the arrows in his back, but it's the vision that Mr. Hill and others like him had that are finally coming to fruition now. I'm glad I'm here to see it.
Contact Information
Joe Hoffmaster—Sales Manager, General Manager, Sales Specialist new boats. M, T,W, and F
8am-4pm, Sat 10am-4pm.
Martha Hoffmaster—Chief Financial Officer; M, T, Th and F 8:30am-11am, 12:30pm-3pm.
Judy Chilcot—Accounts Receivables, billing questions, and boat sales; M-F 8:30am-4pm.
Terry Verity—Service Writer
Jeff Atwood—Parts Manager, Parts and service questions, Sales Specialist; M-F; 8am-4pm.
Charles Hedrick—Sales Specialist; M, W, Th, and F 8:30am-4pm; Sat 10am-4pm; Sun Noon-4pm or by appointment.
Tracey Crowell—Parts and Accessories; M-F 9:30am-4:30pm. Weekends by appointment only.
Sam Childress—Lead Tech/Foreman M-F; 8am-4pm.
David Brigante—Delivery Specialist, compliance, ship's sytems M-F; 8am-4pm.
John Louisor—Marine Coatings specialist, lead lift operator, ship's systems M-F; 8am-4pm.
Dave McMillan—Volvo Penta Certified Tech, Fiberglass Repair, ship's systems M-F; 8am-4pm.
Jon Hanner—Volvo Penta Certified Tech, Electronics and Electrical Specialist M-F; 8am-4pm.
For Service and parts orders and follow-up, call Terry or Jeff. On the weekends leave Terry notes. Parts order forms and work order forms are located on the parts counter. Anybody in the store can assist you with this.
To put your boat up on brokerage or to get a value call Chuck.
If you have a question about your bill call Judy.
