18 • Jan. 29 - Feb. 11, 2016 • The Log


thelog.com Intrepid Landing first U.S. marina to be flare-free


Marina partners with Sirius Signal to give boaters electron- ic device.


By Parimal M. Rohit


SAN DIEGO — Intrepid Landing Marina in San Diego is officially a no- flares zone as the Shelter Island venue recently partnered with Sirius Signal to provide boaters with the company’s electronic flare. Marina tenants exchanged their old


or expired marine flares for a free Sirius Signal Electronic Flare SOS Distress Light during a launch event on Jan. 21 and throughout the Sunroad Boat Show that ran Jan. 21-24. The Coast Guard-compliant distress light does not have an expiration date, has a lifespan of 10,000 hours, can be seen within a 10-mile radius and remains lit for more than six consecu- tive hours with a fresh set of C batter- ies.


“We are proud to be the first flare-


free marina in the United States. The new Sirius Signal electronic flare is aligned with our mission to enhance boater safety and protect our environ-


one of the tenants to exchange her old pyrotechnic flares for the SOS Distress Light. She said the electronic flare could prove useful for man-overboard situations and is a good alternative in general. “It’d be great for


Boater Nancy Ratner exchanges her pyrotechnic flares for an electronic flare on Jan. 21. Intrepid Landing Marina was the first U.S. boating venue to be flare free.


more people to use this,” said Ratner. “What are you going to do with those flares once they expire?” Marina manager


Max Maher said the partnership between Intrepid


ment,” Kit Sparks, chief operating offi- cer at Intrepid Landing Marina, said in a statement. The marina took the No-Flare


Pledge last year and worked with its tenants to dispose of old or expired pyrotechnic marine flares. Nancy Ratner, who keeps her sail- boat at Intrepid Landing Marina, was


Landing and Sirius Signal took several months to develop. Boaters at Intrepid Landing Marina are slowly but surely coming around to switch out their old pyrotechnic flares for the SOS Distress Light. “I’m hoping everyone jumps on the bandwagon. What convinced me is it’s great for the environment,” Maher


Renovation plans for Shelter Island boat launch ramp inches ahead


months ago. A new boat launch ramp at Shelter


Island will have several benefits for boaters and small craft users, accord- ing to port staff. “The project is intended to provide accessibility for users with disabilities, to provide more navigable water area within the existing breakwater basin to launch and retrieve boats, to improve boat maneuverability, to reduce boat congestion and to improve boat safety and operations,” port staff stated. Port staff added the current boat


A new boat launch ramp at Shelter Island could be open within the next two years. The project is expected to cost $9.35 million to complete.


New boat launch ramp could be operational in late 2017 or early 2018.


By Parimal M. Rohit


SAN DIEGO — Shelter Island is on track to receive a new public boat launch ramp within the next two years thanks to a pair of items approved by the Port of San Diego’s Board of Port Commissioners on Jan. 12. Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the boat launch ramp’s Final Mitigated Negative Declaration and


amend the Port Master Plan to facili- tate the project. The document vali- dates the new Shelter Island boat launch ramp will not have significantly adverse impacts to the environment. Plans to build the new boat launch


ramp at Shelter Island must still be presented in front of the California Coastal Commission. The new boat launch ramp could be operational in late 2017 or early 2018. The project is expected to cost about $9.35 million to complete. The Division of Boating and Waterways (Cal Boating) awarded the port $6.1 million in grant funding about two


launch ramp is deteriorating and dilapidated. “The [boat launch ramp], which was constructed in 1956 and last upgraded in 2005, is in need of renova- tion due to the corrosive and wearing actions of seawater, heavy uses by boaters, increased congestion and delays when launching boats in the limited basin area, and limited boat access during low tide,” port staff stat- ed.


Work on a new boat launch ramp will include necessary repairs and upgrades to the ramp, jetties, public walkways, gangways, floating docks and kayak launching area. The adja- cent parking and restrooms will be updated, as well, according to port staff. Plans specifically call for the existing ramp and floating docks to be demolished and replaced. The new boat launch venue will also include a


comfort station, new landscaping, out- door showers and public art. Adding a kayak launching area would minimize interference with motorboats, port staff stated. Commissioner Dan Malcolm said


an upgraded Shelter Island boat launch ramp would give boaters and other small craft users greater access to San Diego Bay. “This is the launch ramp for boaters to get out into our bay, whether they be commercial boaters, whether they be recreational boaters. It’d be very dif- ficult to find a launch ramp with more volume … in the state of California,” Malcolm said. Malcolm pointed out a new beach


area would be located next to the launch ramp. The new beach area, he added, would promote kayak use in upper San Diego Bay. Construction could start in early 2017 and will require six to 10 months to complete. The current boat launch ramp would be closed to the public during construction; boaters will be redirected to other public launch ramps in Mission Bay. Shelter Island’s boat launch ramp is


free to the public and services about 50,000 boat launches annually. The new boat ramp launch ramp will con- tinue to feature 10 lanes; however the new ramp will be 18,430 square feet, more than 2,300 square feet larger than the current structure.


said. “It’s a no-brainer. I’m a fisher- man. The less the water is polluted, the better it is for everybody.” Sirius Signal debuted the non-


pyrotechnic SOS Distress Light in con- junction with National Safe Boating Week on May 21, 2015. A BoatUS blog stated expired or old


pyrotechnic flares could be damaging to the environment. “There really is a reason for those


expiration dates. These devices use a variety of chemicals, all of which can deteriorate over time, either limiting burn time or altitude, or causing the device to fail altogether,” the blog post read. “We found expired hand- held flares that were very hard to ignite or didn’t seem to burn as brightly as they should, and meteor flares that didn’t fly as high or burn as long as advertised claims. A few failed to fire at all. Expired pyrotechnic devices are good for backup. Just don’t depend on them.” The blog can be viewed at


boatus.com/boattech/articles/pyrote chnics.asp. More information about the elec-


tronic flare is available at siriussignal.com.


Port of San Diego photo


Parimal M. Rohit photo


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