MARINECO, Inc., a New Buffalo, MI condominium dock management firm was facing the same problem many Lake Michigan marina operators have been facing in the past several years - reduced water levels. "Three years ago we were worried about high water in Lake Michigan. Now, marine operators are trying to find ways to keep channels deep enough for boat owners," observed Gary Gillings, MARINECO President.  "Nobody knows for sure what's caused the water level to fall. Most people attribute it to the widespread drought in the Midwest we've had the past couple of years. What I do know is that where we are, Lake Michigan has dropped three feet in the last two years. Channels designed to be 10 feet deep are now only five to seven feet deep. That's not deep enough."

MARINECO is the management company for the South Cove Association, a residential and dock condominium association in New Buffalo, MI. The South Cove development is located on the South Shore of Lake Michigan, an hour's drive from Chicago, IL. It was the second such condo slip project in the United States and the first in the Midwest. Today, it is said to be the largest private marina on Lake Michigan. As the management company, MARINECO is responsible for the care of all buildings and all docks in South Cove - including keeping the channels open. As early as last summer, Gillings foresaw a problem with falling water levels.

"Last November, we started looking for contractors who could dredge the marina," says Gillings. "We were absolutely shocked at the bids we received. Our owners were going to get socked with big assessments if we didn't come up with another option." That option, it turned out, was the purchase of a Versi-DredgeŽ from IMS (Innovative Material Systems) Co.

We first learned about the Versi-Dredge in Marina/Dock Age," says Gillings. "It looked like it might be a likely candidate to meet our requirements, but we were apprehensive as to whether we wanted to get in the dredging business. So, we investigated further."  Gillings was pleasantly surprised at what he found out and is continuing to find out about the Versi-Dredge since he put it in service in May, 1989.

For instance, the Versi-Dredge is proving itself very cost efficient. Dock owners are paying a more reasonable assessment in comparison with the cost of outside contract dredging.

As important as cost containment was to Gillings, it was only one of the buying criteria he established for a proposed dredge. "We were also impressed with the equipment for several other reasons," he reports. "We wanted a small, yet powerful, dredge. We didn't want one that would be blocking channels for long periods at a time like a bigger dredge might. Plus the compact size of the unit makes for easy maneuverability. We can get into a 700 ft. channel, get slips cleaned out efficiently, and move to another channel quickly with a minimum of inconvenience for owners. The unit's small size makes it easy to move from one site to another, too. We can put it in and out of the water with a carry lift. It's as easy to move around as a boat. And, when we're done dredging for the season, we'll just put it on its trailer and store it in a shed until we need it in the future."

Despite the dredge's compact size, Gillings reports the unit has plenty of power to get the job done. "It's simply amazing how much material this machine can move," he says. "We're pumping 2,000 ft. into a retaining basin with virtually no problems. We're happy with and impressed with those numbers. Trash isn't much of a problem either."

Another of Gillings' early concerns has proved to be unfounded as well. "We were quite concerned about who was going to operate a dredge if we bought one," he says. "If we were going to have to hire additional personnel just to run the dredge, our cost-savings pro-forma for owners wouldn't have looked good. We've been pleased, and to be honest, quite surprised that the equipment is as easy to operate as IMS personnel said it would be. Our maintenance people, who had never stepped on a dredge before, are doing a great job so far. The machine is very operator-friendly and IMS people went out of their way to be sure we knew how to operate it before we started dredging operations."

As the need for dredging becomes more apparent for marinas, many operators may find that owning and operating their own dredges is a cost-saving alternative to contract service.

Source:  Marina/Dock Age

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