Post Ike Path Forward Committee
Report #1
Sept. 29, 2008
To all HYC Members and Friends:
Greetings from the Post Ike Path Forward Committee (the "Path
Forward Committee" or "PFC") of the Houston Yacht Club.
The Mission Statement for the PFC was approved by the Board of Trustees
at its meeting on Sept. 27. This Mission Statement reads as follows:
Prepare and propose to the Board of Trustees a comprehensive plan to
rebuild the physical assets of the Houston Yacht Club in support of the
Club's Purpose as stated in the Bylaws.
As stated in the Bylaws, the Purpose of the Houston Yacht Club is to:
* Support and encourage the sport of yachting,
including sailing, racing, power boating and cruising
* Provide good fellowship among our yachting
community
* Encourage good sportsmanship and boating safety
* Introduce youth to the sport of sailing and
boating
* Provide proper facilities for the yachts of our
members, and
* Provide a comfortable home on the bay for the
members and families of this fine Club.
In support of this Mission Statement, the PFC has adopted two initial
Objectives. These Objectives are a Sustainability Objective and a
Harbor Plan Objective.
The Sustainability Objective will focus on generating the following
Strategies. I believe it will take the PFC approximately 45 days to
complete the initial development of all of these Strategies.
* Immediate Strategies (1-6 month life cycles) that
have a high probability of sustaining the Club's membership over the
next 12 months.
* Short-term Strategies (3-12 month life cycles)
that strengthen HYC's likelihood for long-term economic viability.
* Mid-term Strategies (6-18 month life cycles) that
focus on the post-Ike marketplace within the context of HYC's
competitive advantages and which will provide focus and direction for
long-term actions to grow market share.
* Long-term Strategies that are consistent with the
Immediate, Short-term and Mid-term Strategies and which are based
heavily on a combination of what is our concept of the following:
* What will our then-existing members want and pay
for
* What will our then-existing market pay for
* What will the then-existing HYC be the best at
providing at a competitive price point
The Harbor Plan Objective will take input from all
of the Sustainability Strategies on a real time basis and "push
back" to generate a plan for how the harbor should be rebuilt and
reconfigured to sustain and grow our membership to the greatest extent
possible.
The PFC took its initial steps this week and, based on recommendations
from our General Manager, input from knowledgeable members, and
first-hand visits to specific locations in our Harbor, we made harbor
recommendations to the Board of Trustees, all of which were accepted.
These recommendations were based on numerous factors. Most importantly,
we focused on the following considerations:
1. Areas of the harbor where Pre Ike infrastructure remained
mostly intact, therefore allowing us to leverage a minimum amount of
insurance money to repair these areas
2. Areas of the harbor that generate a higher than average
revenue stream on a per slip basis, so as to re-establish the highest
amount of harbor revenue in the shortest time possible.
3. Areas of the harbor where the boats that had been in the
specific slip locations had, for the most part, survived the storm with
little or no damage. These members do not need to get their boats into
yards, and would likely immediately return to the HYC harbor as soon as
there are viable slips to which they could return.
Having said the above, we are doing everything we can to plan for the
restoration of facilities for all stakeholders, while simultaneously
taking into account the harbor dredging project, which will be a key
component of our work. Also, please keep in mind that some of our
initiatives will be affected by forces beyond our control, such as
Corps of Engineers permits, etc. We will keep you informed as to the
progress in each of these areas.
As a footnote, by major fleet, here are preliminary survival
statistics:
* It appears at this time that the vast majority of the large power
boats survived with either no damage or limited damage. As of today
there are only 4 known total losses in this fleet with 2 additional
boats questionable. That constitutes a survival rate of over 80
percent.
* It also appears that more than 50 percent of the large cruising
and racing sail boats survived, though many will require work before
returning to the HYC harbor. This appears to be the hardest hit fleet,
though we have been unable to accurately determine the numbers due to
the diversity of this fleet.
* Kay Snider reports a survival rate of up to 90 percent among the
Ensigns, after taking into consideration boats that will be totaled for
insurance purposes but that likely will be repaired.
* The survival rate among the boats that were in the sling sheds on
Piers 2 and 9 is close to 100 percent.
* The dinghy fleet and Sunfish fleet survived mostly
intact.
* We think that the J22's have an almost 100 percent survival
rate.
* We do not have information on the 420 fleet.
In short, we still have lots of boats and lots of members with boats,
most of whom have already committed to remaining at HYC.
Notwithstanding our harbor damage, we will continue to be a dominant
player in the boating community on upper Galveston Bay.
The Harbor Recommendations are detailed below.
HARBOR RECOMMENDATIONS
Individual boat work in the Harbor:
* Harbor Committee to immediately review Harbor Rules for what
individual boat repair work will be allowed in the Harbor.
* Contractor liability insurance rules to be strictly enforced
* Environmental regulations to be strictly
enforced
Specific recommendations regarding harbor cleanup and rebuilding:
Proceed with planned harbor cleanup, coordinating specific pier demo
with specific area cleanup.
PIER 12:
Pier 12 sheds:
* Test all remaining pilings for soundness. Replace as necessary
* Rebuild sheds to condition immediately prior to Ike and to current
wind code
* Build up to 8 additional covered sheds (to replace the Pier 9 Estates
sheds which will not be rebuilt) toward the outer harbor based on the
following:
* Demand for large covered sheds from former Pier 9 Estates members
* Demand from members on the waiting list for large covered sheds
* Demand from any other Club constituencies
Pier 12 slips inner of the sheds:
* Perform minimal work to make these slips safe for temporary use until
further study determines what should be done with these slips on a
long-term basis
PIER 11:
* Demo all of pier 11 beyond the short stretch with the higher pilings
closest to the lawn
* Aggressively publicize that the demo'd slips will be replaced by
slips as yet to be determined
* Test all remaining pilings for soundness
* Rebuild the stretch with the higher pilings to the condition
immediately prior to Ike.
Pier 9 sling sheds:
* Test all remaining pilings for soundness. Replace as necessary
* Rebuild sheds to condition immediately prior to Ike and to current
wind code
Pier 9 Estates:
Demo and do not replace with sheds.
PIER 2:
Pier 2 sling sheds:
* Test all remaining pilings for soundness. Replace as necessary
* Determine alternative use for 3 inner most slips (the ones closest to
the parking lot)
* Rebuild sheds to condition immediately prior to Ike and to current
wind code
* Build up to 20 additional covered sheds toward the outer harbor based
on the following:
Demand for sling sheds from members currently on the
waiting list
Demand from any other Club constituencies
Demand from the Marketplace
I realize this is a
very detailed report, but the PFC is committed to keeping our members
and friends fully informed as to our decisions and plans as we rebuild
our grand Club.
The PFC will conduct its meetings on a schedule that is consistent with
the current BOT meeting schedule. Therefore, as the BOT is meeting each
Saturday at 10 AM, the PFC will also be meeting weekly.
In addition, over the next several weeks the PFC will conduct at least
one, and likely two, open meetings to allow every member to express
their point of view about the harbor, and how that asset should be
rebuilt. Look for a notice of these meetings in the emails that are
being sent out.
On behalf of the Path Forward Committee,
John
Peter
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