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SunFest: Boaters still prohibited, but can now drop off passengers


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Long-timers here will recall my annual rant against West Palm Beach's big annual event, SunFest (http://www.Sunfest.com) for blocking the nice West Palm Beach Waterfront docks from being used by boaters during the city's biggest event of the year.

Well, I am sad to report that for the third year since the docks were created just for events like SunFest, they again will be off limits to boaters. Sponsors, law enforcement and VIPs with special permission will still be able to use the docks - just not the average Joe who funded them. People will be able to walk on some of them, but boaters will be required to anchor in the Intracoastal, in designated areas, at their peril.

Why? SunFest officials have told me they are concerned about liability should drunk boaters show up at the docks. Hmmm. Are they as concerned about hundreds of thousands of drunk drivers showing up (because there are likely many more drunk drivers than drunk boaters)? If so, maybe they should not allow people to come by car, either. There are surely lots of people on the docks already, coming to and from the beer barges (which on the first night are offering a ticket deal that provides fest-goers with money cards to be used for drinks). There is plenty of security on the docks to handle a drunk boater or two.

Mentions have been made about docks permitting issues. But the Palm Beach International Boat Show, Fourth on Flagler and the now annual Waterfront birthday bash do not seem to have such issues, welcoming boaters. I have heard of no problems with boaters at those events.

Finally, SunFest officials told me it could be a problem to properly screen and ticket incoming boaters in the docks area. But SunFest is already doing that (screening ad ticketing) as people come to the event via water taxi, or special charter boat.

Boaters are going to continue to be shut out of "Florida's largest waterfront music and art festival" until boating interests stand up and make enough noise to the SunFest board, city and media to be taken seriously. Why that does not happen is baffling to me. I wonder if the Marine Industries Association has tried to intervene here.

I might sound rough on SunFest, but I really enjoy the event. I welcome out-of-town friends for it every year and spend at least two days there. The great bands, art, food, people watching, fireworks is fantastic. I love to come by boat, spend a few hours, the maybe hit Peanut Island for a while and return after for a concert of choice. That's the beauty of having a boat and boater access to such a major event.

There is some good boating news this year. SunFest must have listened at least a bit because for the first time, it will set up a boating drop-off point on the southernmost dock. Now "captains" can drop off their passengers and then go out and anchor their boats before paying a water taxi for a short ride back in. In past years, all of the passengers would have to pay $11 to $20 per trip for the taxi ride - sometimes only 10 feet or so.

This year, according to the SunFest Web site, the water taxi fee is $5 round trip. I suppose I can live with that, although I wish they would offer an all-you-can-eat option for those who want to come and go. It appears that TowBoatUS is providing the taxi service.

From the SunFest site:

Water Taxi Hours of Operation:

Wednesday 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Thursday 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Friday 5 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Saturday Noon – 11:30 p.m.

*Sunday Noon – 10 p.m.

Fee: $5.00 Roundtrip. Guest will be provided a ticket that is required for the second leg of the trip. If the guest can not produce the ticket they will be charged another $5.00.

*On Sunday Water Taxi service will be suspended from 8:30 p.m. until the Verizon Wireless Fireworks Show is completed (approximately 9:20 p.m.).

Guest will need to hail Towboat U.S. by either VHF Channel 10.

Vessels will be permitted to drop off and pick up guests Wednesday through Sunday at the designated location only. The loading and un-loading area is located on the South Dock. Vessels will not be permitted to tie up for any other reasons. North and Middle Docks will not be open to any vessels unless previously approved by SunFest.

Ticket Sales

The gate on the South Dock will be operated in the same manner as all other public gates. We will sell tickets and stamp for re-entry.

For More Information Please visit www.towboatuspalmbeach.com.

For those who would like to voice their opinions to SunFest, here is some contact information:

Paul Jamieson, Executive Director – pjamieson@sunfest.com

Dianna Craven, Sales Director – dcraven@sunfest.com

Pam Flanagan, Coconut Ball Coordinator – pflanagan@sunfest.com

Dan Goode, Event Manager – dgoode@sunfest.com

Stacey Halpin, Sponsorship Manager – shalpin@sunfest.com

Sharon Hoffman, Sales Coordinator – shoffman@sunfest.com

Pam Sartory, Business Manager – psartory@sunfest.com

Melissa Sullivan, Marketing Manager – msullivan@sunfest.com

Edited by BMarkey
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Excellent post. You bet I will contact all the people involved. This is an outrage and insult to the boating community. Yea there are drunken boat fools, but the cops can collar them and make it expensive for their childish behavior. Well done. I'll be emailing everyone tomorrow and will post any replies.

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If there is another (new) reason, I am not aware of it. I have been writing letters, calling officials, even grabbing the just-term-limited mayor one day and pleading for boater access. Every time, they give me another excuse.

I believe that if enough boaters write and call and go to the media, the issues will resolve itself. But boaters - at least in Palm Beach County - apparently do not have much political clout. That is why we now have fees on almost every ramp, despite being taxed and charges for those same ramps in other ways.

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Excellent post. You bet I will contact all the people involved. This is an outrage and insult to the boating community. Yea there are drunken boat fools, but the cops can collar them and make it expensive for their childish behavior. Well done. I'll be emailing everyone tomorrow and will post any replies.

Response:

While we certainly understand your position and wish we could have docking

for everyone who would like to enjoy SunFest by boat, doing so simply is not

feasible. Permitting, logistics, safety and cost are all issues. And even if

these could all be resolved, the number of boats that could use the existing

facility would be extremely small.

This year we are making coming to the festival by boat better by

substantially lowering the cost of the water taxi service. We are also

allowing boaters to drop of their passengers at the dock, reducing the

number of people that need to use, and pay for, the water taxi service.

These changes make coming by water quite possibly cheaper than coming by car

and parking. It's the best we can do and seems to many boaters we've spoken

with to be a very reasonable accommodation.

Melissa Sullivan

Public Relations & Marketing Manager

525 Clematis Street

West Palm Beach, Florida 33401

Is it wishful thinking for boaters to back in and tie up with anchor off bow? Would hold many more boats. Oh never mind, this takes skill.

Edited by Limbofish
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While we certainly understand your position and wish we could have docking

for everyone who would like to enjoy SunFest by boat, doing so simply is not

feasible. Permitting, logistics, safety and cost are all issues. And even if

these could all be resolved, the number of boats that could use the existing

facility would be extremely small.

This year we are making coming to the festival by boat better by

substantially lowering the cost of the water taxi service. We are also

allowing boaters to drop of their passengers at the dock, reducing the

number of people that need to use, and pay for, the water taxi service.

These changes make coming by water quite possibly cheaper than coming by car

and parking. It's the best we can do and seems to many boaters we've spoken

with to be a very reasonable accommodation.

What a bunch of ....

Permitting? What permitting? Fourth on Flagler is permitted, the boat show is permitted, every other freaking day of the year is permitted on those docks. This is the same baloney explanation as in years past. Former Mayor Lois Frankel said the "permitting" issues were resolved.

Not feasible? Allowing docking would be as feasible as it is at these other large events. Charter craft and water taxis dock there during SunFest. People are on the docks taking tickets and screening entrants. Police are there. Already. Additional costs would be minimal (maybe a few extra ticket takers and an officer or two).

So what if the number of boats would be "extremely small." The docks were put there for reasons such as this. Who is SunFest to decide that because not all boaters could be accommodated, no one should be accommodated? By that argument, no cars should be able to park at the event either. because, not all people who want to come will find a parking spot on/near site. By that argument, most boat ramps should be shut down because they can't accommodate all boaters who want to use the ramps and parking spaces on a given weekend day.

If 30 or so boats can be accommodated on the docks and they stay for a few hours each, that means maybe 500 boats can be served throughout the event. That's fine. It's the best that can be expected.

It's funny that she says they have spoken to boaters. I have written and called them every year and they didn't ask my opinion. They didn't even respond to my comments on the SunFest Facebook page.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Apparently a lot of boaters skipped the event entirely or came by car (as I did due to an engine issue). I saw fewer boaters out there Sunday than ever before. Maybe the wind and sometimes overcast sky had something to do with it. But it was generally nice and sunny. The bands and fireworks were great and wind kept it comfortable.

I walked over to the city's south dock and talked to the SunFest people handling the boaters. Here's what I learned.

The south dock was set aide just for the dropping off and picking up of people by private boaters and the Town Boat/US water taxis. It seemed to work very well.

But very few private boats used the dock, probably because most boaters don't read forums like this, the news of the positive changes to the boating policy was not publicized well and newspapers, radio ad TV really didn't mention it.

It was a darn shame to see that dock wide open. Useless.

The SunFest official was there with two other ticket takers. Those without tickets could buy them on the spot. Those with tickets had them scanned before entering. Those leaving could be stamped for return later. It worked smoothly and efficiently. None of that would have changed if boaters were allowed to park there. The expenses would have been the same.

The only issue discovered was, some people paid the reasonable $5 round trip charge for the water taxi under the assumption they could just walk into SunFest without a ticket. When they discovered the $34 price, they had to turn around and take the water taxi back to their boats. How could people have assumed admission was free?

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