By Jim Bloch
Boaters who trailer their rigs will soon have a new launch at the municipal harbor in St. Clair.
At its regular meeting May 19, the city council voted unanimously to waive the competitive bidding process and award the contract to three companies who will work together to fabricate the launch at a cost of $25,000.
“We want to replace our boat launch and looked at different options for it,” said harbor master Dave Shorkey, as heard on the CTV-Channel 6 recording of the meeting posted on YouTube. Harbor Commission chair Jim Harkins and vice chair Nancy Beaudua joined Shorkey at the meeting.
“The launch that’s there now is a steel launch with lumber on top,” said Shorkey. “No one can tell exactly when it was put in. Keith Winn is our historian on the committee, and he thinks it’s been in since the harbor was built.”
Construction started on the harbor in 1967 as part of the city’s urban renewal overhaul, according to St. Clair, Michigan by Charles Homberg. It was built by Shepard Marine Construction of Mount Clemens at a cost of $645,000, half of which was covered by the Michigan Waterways Division of the Department of Natural Resources. The federal government also contributed funding under through its urban renewal program. The 100-slip marina and boat launch opened in 1970.
“Mechanical Fabricators, Inc. in Marine City will build the frame and have it galvanized,” said Shorkey. “The Pine River Group, which is part of Biewer Lumber, would supply the lumber.”
Biewer Lumber is based in St. Clair.
“I contacted Welcome Home Inspections Company, the parent company that oversaw the young kids that built the dock and they’d be willing to (fasten and the steel and lumber together) for $3,000-$5,000,” said Shorkey.
A Saginaw based company quoted $44,000 for a similarly fixed launch.
Water’s Edge, the company that supplied the city’s floating jet ski and kayak docks, quoted $38,000 for a floating boat launch.
Shorkey said a floating dock may not be able to handle the launch of larger vessels, such as 20,000-pound cabin cruisers and 48-foot yachts with six motors.
Council member Erin Gottler asked about the relative longevity of the two styles of launches. Shorkey gave the nod to fixed launches. A galvanized steel launch “can last for decades even in corrosive environments,” said Shorkey.
Shorkey said the harbor commission voted 9-0 to award the contract to the three companies for a total of $25,000.
“The people that use our launch take ownership and pride in it,” said Shorkey.
The Detroit Area Steelheaders, Inc., for example, holds a small tournament based in the harbor and donated $500 toward the new launch. The money will be used for new bumpers and reflectors, said Shorkey.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
