BMarkey

Here is a Web site showing the docks and rules: http://www.cityofwpb...Bdock-north.jpg

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.

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: 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

Palm Beach International Bat Show Photos Click Here

I got my tickets from Bennett's Auto Supply and will be there for one or two days. 'Looking forward to it. I assume they still have a dock for people who come by boat?

I got my tickets from Bennett's Auto Supply and will be there for one or two days. 'Looking forward to it.

That Center Console Magazine was excellent. It just disappeared.

The owner wanted to donate them for a reef, but the Coast Guard wanted him to make them seaworthy enough to get out the inlet and to the sinking area. The owner would not pay a dime and instead dumped them on us, the taxpayers. How do people like him get away with this?! As for the media covering it I would have thought the reporters would have done a Google search on the guy and his company, or at least read the message boards on the subject before "reporting" on a story they know so little about.

Yes! They are nasty, disgusting, fouling the beautiful water nearby, a horrible eyesore in an otherwise beautiful, scenic area, illegally moored (sunk), abandoned, etc.! And they inhibit navigation in the western Peanut Island area. I have complained about them for years. On another forum, I wrote about what I discovered about them. Two phone calls got me the following information. It's really to bad the professional WPTV reporter could not do the same, and instead indicated the owner of the barges was not known. the reporter also offered no background on the issue. Poor journalism, but unfortunately, par for the course. May 25, 2010 ... I just spoke to Brock Stanaland, an analyst with the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM). He said the derelict barges near Peanut Island are going to be removed "soon" - probably within months - and offered the following details about the situation: The three barges are, or were owned by a marine contracting company owned by a man called Zapetis. The barges were not part of the Peanut Island restoration and landed where they are when Zapetis effectively abandoned them. For years, Zapetis would go back to them once in a while and try to float them or move them, telling authorities he had plans for them. He would do enough work to make them appear to be seaworthy. Later, he put off enforcement by claiming he was donating the barges to ERM to become an artificial reef. ERM had agreed to take one of the three barges as an offshore reef, but insisted Zapetis first get permission from the U.S. Coast Guard to tow a barge out of the Palm Beach Inlet. The Coast Guard researched said the barge would require a substantial amount of work before towing - to ensure it would not sink in or near the inlet. Zapetis either would not pay the money, or could not afford it. But he continued to tell authorities he was working with ERM. ERM finally wrote letters to other agencies such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), claiming no involvement with the barges. Yet they still sat there, with Zapetis making excuses and the various government agencies doing nothing. ERM used to be responsible for enforcement of derelict vessels. But now only the FWC regulates such craft, and apparently does little if any enforcement, and probably has no budget to remove derelict craft. That means just about anyone can park a boat for months and years - sometimes without even registering it or buying an annual tag - without prosecution. That would explain all the homeless types living on wrecks around Peanut Island and Phil Foster Park. In Palm Beach County, the not-for-profit Reef Keepers has taken the responsibility to remove derelict boats. Before the boats can be removed, the owners must be notified officially and the boats tagged by the Sheriff's Office. After the last hurricane, Palm Beach County used $500,000 in FEMA money to remove damaged and abandoned boats. Only 2 to 3 percent of the money spent was returned from derelict boat owners. Many owners denied responsibility for their craft, or claimed the boats had been sold to someone else. Supposedly, anyone whose boat cost the county money, and did not reciprocate, cannot obtain a tag for another watercraft in Palm Beach County. It would be nice if that regulation could be expanded to include a ban on registration of motor vehicles and boat registrations in any Florida county. ERM has been contacted by a company bidding to remove the three barges. Apparently, one of the large boat companies in Riviera Beach is going to fund the project to mitigate environmental damage that would be done in the dredging of the marinas around the port area. The job is expected to be done within months. ERM realizes the barges are a hazard (at least one boating accident can be attributed to the barges), especially should a hurricane strike this area. Bye-bye Riviera Beach marinas. Zapetis has "left Florida" and will have no part of the barges' demise, acording to the county, nor will he pay for the clean-up project. It sounds like he will get off without financial or criminal penalty.

That means it will be, essentially no wake from Jupiter to North Palm Beach. The more big homes that go in, the more no-wake zones. They blame it on manatees, but it's for the rich people who can't put in lifts for their boats. The area between just south of PGA to the U.S. 1 bridge (was a wide open zone) is kind of strange in that you have that small area to open it up, only to slow down at the bridge near the wide open part of the ICW. The area south of Donald Ross near Jupiter has a lot of homes along it, and a couple of ramps. It's nice to be able to cruise through there. I guess, no more.

Glad you had a good time. Don't you hate it when you get blasted by the law for violating a rule that is not posted? I stayed on land; watched a fantastic fireworks show on Lake Challenger in Royal Palm Beach. The boat won't be running until I can get the VRO fuel-oil pump rebuilt or buy a new one. Here's what I saw Sunday night ... Royal Palm Beach Fireworks Finale

Nice view, and picture. Do you have a water view up here now? 'Hope so.

Maybe he saw this: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=254375&id=100000599126671

I just tested again with the auxiliary tank and new hose and primer bulb. Same thing. The engine runs fine, then the oil alarm sounds, then the engine revs a bit before dying out. So, I removed the VRO pump (man, that was simple - three screws, three hose clamps and one wiring harness plug). Now, I wish there were an easy way to test it for sure. I just found out I can buy two separate kits allowing me to rebuild most of the VRO pump for $109. I have heard good and bad about trying to do this. Advice?

I can't tell on the oil level. I just filled the tank. But if the VRO pump is dead, it would not be getting proper gas mixture and thus the alarm? I ran the engine on a separate tank with a new fuel line. I bypassed the water separator and went right to the engine. The engine ran for a few minutes, then the no oil alarm sounded and then the engine starved out of fuel. The new primer bulb did not collapse, but it went soft. That would eliminate hoses, separator and tank issues, right? The engine runs fine if I pump the primer bulb every few minutes. If there were an obstruction, wouldn't that keep the bulb from drawing fuel? Other than the VRO pump, what else could it be? A friend/mechanic said (hasn't seen it) it is likely 99% a fuel pump issue. Speaking manually mixing oil, I can buy a new pump that does not mix oil, but it is only $50 less expensive than the mixing pump. It's rather pay extra and not have to mix manually. But $400-plus for the part is outrageous.

Here are all the details of the tourney and a sign-up form. Anglers can sign in on site as well. http://www.royalpalmbeach.com/Pages/RoyalPalmBeachFL_WebDocs/4th%20of%20July/FishingTournament-10.pdf

The villages of Royal Palm Beach and Wellington will host their 20th annual Red, White & Blue Family Fishing Tournament at Lakeside Challenger Park on Royal Palm Beach Blvd. near State Road 80 on Sunday, July 4. Organized by the Royal Palm Beach Bassmasters, the tourney is free. Prizes are provided for kids and families. Every participant gets something, thanks to sponsors, no matter what they catch (or fail to catch). Almost any freshwater fish - caught anywhere - can be weighed in. Bass must be kept alive. Registration will begin at 6:30 a.m. and the awards will be distributed just after noon. This is always a great family event for children and adults. Even the refreshments and snacks are free. For more information, call the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Department at 561-790-5124.

I've been pricing a new VRO pump locally and on the 'Net. It's going to cost me $400 to $439, it appears. Also, they are difficult to find in stock. The non-oil mix pumps are almost as expensive.

Update: I just hooked up a 6-gallon tank (premixed oil) directly to the engine, bypassing the fuel-water separator. I pumped the new Quicksilver primer bulb until it was firm and the engine started right up and ran well. After around five minutes, the low-oil alarm sounded for around 10-20 seconds and then stopped. The "no-oil" light was solid on the console. I suppose the engine was getting double oil because I did not disconnect the oil injection tank. A minute or two later, the primer bulb slowly had gone soft (did not collapse) and the engine slowly died from fuel starvation. These are the exact same symptoms experienced when the engine ran from the internal tank. So ... It's not a restriction, tank, or fuel hose (new, rated for E-10) problem, right? What's next? VRO pump? From what I understand, the VRO is a fuel pump and oil injection system in one, located on a bracket between the carbs at the front of the engine. They are reportedly expensive to replace (how much)? If that's my problem, how does the engine run at all? Does this pump just die or does it fade out? Can it be rebuilt? Am I getting the oil alarm because the pump is not properly mixing oil and gas, or is detecting a lower than required flow of gas? How difficult a job is this? Is there a how-to available anywhere? Any advice? Thanks.

VRO pump? How difficult is it to diagnose, replace? I have done carbs and an impeller. The Sierra filter is the newer 2-micron version. Is has the short canister. It is new as of tonight. The engine runs fine as long as the bulb is pumped every few minutes. he engine appears to be getting oil, as it is giving off its typical amount of smoke.

Thanks, much, for the advice. Here's the latest: I replaced the Sierra fuel-water separator filter and the primer bulb. No effect. The engine runs fine for a few minutes until the primer bulb starts to soften, then cuts out. I need to know whether to look into the fuel pump (don't know anything about it, but it's 10 years old), and maybe whether to check for an obstruction in the fuel line or pickup tube in the tank. The fuel hoses appear tight and the fuel-water separator and fitting are tight. The hoses from the separator to engine are new. From the separator to tank, they are 10 years old. I do not notice any fuel leaking. I do not have a fuel vent. The cap is vented. I suppose I could re-hook up the 6-gallon tank and run directly from it. That would eliminate any problem with the boat fuel lines and separator. If all runs well from the small tank, then I must have a problem with the lines (or fuel pump), right? Is there any way I can eliminate the fuel pump as the source of the problem? The low-oil alarm sounds after a couple of minutes and blares for at least 10 seconds, then shuts down. The low-oil light stays on. I would like to know more about checking the gauge and/or float/sensor in the tank. I just replaced the tank oil, so hope I somehow got that float stuck. Isn't it odd that these two issues arose simultaneously? I checked for kinked oil hose and checked the fittings. The tank is nearly full and the cap is tight. I see that there is a wire going to the top of the oil tank.

I think I know what's up, but need some support. My 115 Johnson (year 2000) ran fine three weeks ago. Today, it would stop running as if it were out of gas every few minutes. I noticed the primer bulb was not completely firm and pumped it, then the engine would run fine again. This happened on the trailer and on the water, consistently. No matter what, the primer bulb wold not stay hard. First thing to replace is the bulb, right? It's relatively new, but I do see a slight crack (not all the way through). If it's not that, then am I looking at a fuel pump? If not, what else? I removed and replaced the fuel-water separator (had a small amount of water in it). At first, I feared a water problem again. I am still getting water atop my gas tank after rains and cleaning. But this definitely seems to be a fuel flow issue, right? Simultaneously, my low-oil alarm sounded while on the trailer. I filled the tank with oil. But the alarm still sounds now every time I start the engine. I do not think the alarm sounds after the first time (engine start). I noticed the primer bulb from the oil tank was not firm and pumped it until it was firm. It stayed firm. Also, the engine is making typical smoke and seems to be running fine, despite the oil alarm. I suppose I need to check the oil alarm switch/sensor, wherever they are? Suggestions? Thanks.

They just forgot that they issued wristbands last year? Ugh. I had thought about boating during the day and heading to Flagler in the late afternoon and eventually enjoying the fireworks there. But it would not be fun to fail to get a dock spot.

- People who park their boats in the ramps and then go to get their trailers, when there are other people in other vehicles (whose boats moved away from the ramps so as not to clog them) ready to back down and load up! Trailer first, people! ... And this goes for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission boats, which clogged two Phil Foster Park ramps at the end of Memorial Day for no obvious reason, and whose officers impolitely refused to move their boats even after I politely asked them to do so.

Well, at least they are allowing boats at the docks on the Fourth. Somehow, that doesn't happen for SunFest! BTW, at SunFest the docks were open to hundreds and thousands of revelers, including on the party barges, all while chunks of fireworks and ash were coming down into our hair and cups of beer. Why are the rules so thoroughly enforced at one event and not all events? I am thinking of boating to Fourth on Flagler this time. 'Any idea of how crowded the docks are and when someone would have to get there to get dock space?