I just sent the following email to Derek at the HOA. Of course, I was unable to attend any of the recent lake policy meetings.


Hello Derek,

I have a question regarding boating on the lake in 2010. If you are not the correct person to direct these questions, would you please forward this email to the proper person?

Last year I built a 12' canoe-like boat that my grandchildren and I enjoyed all summer. (This is the boat that was on the cover page of last year's Daybreak calendar)

This year I am building a 12' wooden sailboat. The sailboat will be on a small lightweight trailer that I would use to transport the boat from my house to the current boat launch site using a trailer hitch on my vehicle. Because of the current arrangement of the HOA boating facilities, I anticipate that it would not be wise, nor safe, to back a trailer down the ramp in order to launch the boat. However, my plan is to unhitch the trailer from my vehicle parked on the street and walk the trailer down the ramp in order to launch the boat. The lightweight nature of the boat/trailer would allow this to happen quite easily.

I think it would be good to have policies in place prior to the start of the season. Here's what I think would work:

1) Only allow Daybreak residents to use the lake for boating. (I think this is already part of the new lake policy)
2) Require that the boat owner take the safety course. (Again, part of the new lake policy)
3) Require that the boat owner have the safety certification on their person when the boat is on the lake.
4) Only allow trailered boats that are small enough to "walk" down the launch ramp in order to be launched.
5) Do not allow vehicles with trailers to launch boats on the launch ramp.
6) Permission would be given by the staff of the boat facility prior to launching a boat.

I suppose if we ever get a permanent boating facility that is not situated on the boat ramp, residents would be able to back a vehicle down the ramp to launch a boat...it's a boat ramp, right?


Russ Young
4813 Pine Canyon Lane

One of the problems with the use of the ramp is that there is no parking for the vehicle and trailer once it is launched, Russ. Good suggestions.
Last year, the ramp was opened for a few minutes for maintenance and a guy with a "dually" and a HUGE motor-driven boat backed down until the Harbor Master had to inform him that such craft and launching using the ramp was not allowed.