BY SKIP ALLEN, SR.

You know it must be April when Southern Boating’s swimsuit issue arrives in the mail. Many of our friends in colder climes say it’s just the thing they need to break the chill of a cold winter, and we’re sure this tasteful collection will do the trick. This year, we sent our crew to beautiful Chub Cay in the Bahamas. Our models donned the latest fashions while enjoying all this first-class property has to offer.

If it seems like the next bit is a bit parochial, bear with me. Not only does it seem that most of the yachting community wanders through Fort Lauderdale sooner or later, there’s a lesson in here for anyone who’s concerned about working waterfronts.

The city fathers of Fort Lauderdale recently traveled to St. Maarten to see firsthand how that island has set itself up as a haven for yachting interests and to pitch the virtues of Fort Lauderdale to an assortment of megayacht captains and owners. Led by the mayor, who understands the economic impact of yachting on this fair city, officials are considering a plan for dredging to 14 feet a 6.5-mile stretch of the New River–from the ICW to I-595 (south of SR84). This would be a welcomed project for South Florida’s marine community as the increased depth would enable more megayacht and deep-draft sailboat visits to boatyards along the river bringing money and jobs.

The Florida Inland Navigation District will be asked to conduct a study regarding the feasibility of the project and its environmental and economic impact. The study alone will cost an estimated $600,000 with the city responsible for $150,000 of that. City officials also estimate the high-end price of dredging the New River to be $15.7 million with the city responsible for 25 percent of the cost.

David Roach, executive director of the Florida Inland Navigation District, told us he’s waiting for a signed request/funding agreement from the city. A feasibility study will typically take about eight to nine months, he said. “We have to determine if it’s warranted and possible. We may find out that maintenance dredging to the approved project depth of nine feet is all that is feasible.” The last dredging in the south fork took place in 1999.

Just a few weeks later, however, the officials of the surrounding county government showed that Mr. Right Hand doesn’t always know what Mr. Left Hand is doing. County commissioners voted to ask the Coast Guard to allow the county to close the three draw bridges it owns and operates that cross the New River in (ahem) downtown Fort Lauderdale at Seventh, Third and Andrews Avenues between midnight and 6 a.m. for financial reasons. The closings, which will choke off the river to any vessel with an air draft of more than 16 feet, will save the county a whopping $110,000 a year in bridge tender salaries. Ironically, these hours are often the time larger boats–the same ones the city hopes to attract–navigate the New River because of reduced recreational traffic and/or beneficial tides; to say nothing of impacting property values on the other side of the bridges.

There are safety concerns associated with the nighttime bridge closings. Yachts, sportsfishermen and sailboats encountering a locked bridge as they make their way up the New River may have difficulty turning around in the river’s confines. The closings, on top of weekday lockdowns from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., will prevent many owners from getting out early to cross the Stream.

We hope that city and county officials will learn to work together to enhance, or at least preserve, our working waterfront. It is our duty to make sure our voices are heard loud and clear. Nobody will look after us better than we ourselves.