As most of you are aware, the city of Warren is attempting to enhance an area of the city they are referring to as the “waterfront.”

This is the area at the foot of Liberty Street just past the parking garage. After realizing that they couldn’t put a traditional “boat ramp” into the river at a 90 degree angle they now have come up with a so-called boat launch ramp running parallel to the river.

At face value that may not seem like a bad idea however they have the ramp going upstream into the current, which means anyone attempting to launch or retrieve their boat would be doing so against the current.

So while launching the current would be pushing the boat onto the trailer and at the same time allowing the current to wash up over the transom into the boat. Even worse would be attempting to get the boat onto the trailer. The current would be pushing the boat over the trailer.

A boat doesn’t steer without being under power. The prop or the jetstream drive must be utilized to steer the boat. So now you are coming down stream, with the current pushing the boat, and you have to be in gear to steer so your speed onto the trailer would be very excessive. And if you did get it onto the trailer straight it may even push it over the winch stand into the back of the tow vehicle. If you don’t believe me, ask any boater. And when was the last time you saw a boat launch built heading up stream?

Furthermore, the area there is shallow, as is the entire river. It is not navigable by a boat with a prop drive outboard or Inboard/Outboard. If you did manage to get a prop drive boat into the river there you would be limited to running from the railroad bridge to railroad bridge.

If you are from out of town and don’t know that the river is too shallow for your prop drive boat you are going to tear up the gear case and prop and be drifting down river. Who is going to retrieve your boat and who will pay?

And turning the condos in that area into a centerpiece for a roundabout isn’t fair to the residents there. Those condos are going to be devalued. There goes more tax income.

The area is good for canoes and kayaks. Make the launch area for them only. Save tons of money.

As the owner of Dreamboat Marine I get to talk with most of the boaters in the area. Everyone that I have spoken with are of the same opinions on this as I. As a boater and having used the river I know first hand about launching and retrieving a boat.

I attempted to use the comment site on the City Of Warren website and it won’t work.

Lou Dussia is a Warren resident.