My name is CJ Fischer and I am the manager of the Wharf Marina in Grand Haven, MI. Obviously everyone with a go fast at this port or have visited from another port have been pulled over and harassed about the noise of their boat this summer. I have been catoring to the Ottawa County Sheriffs this summer and have been hauling their boats out for them every Tuesday for cleaning at no charge. Starting this Tuesday I will do no more. I am putting together a bill for every haul out I have done for them since the beginning of summer and will not haul their boats until it's paid in full. I am sure they will not like this and move to another marina but I thought in the back of my mind, by hauling their boats it might be a way for me to get them to lay off my customers and other fellow boaters if I would do them this favor and it did absolutly nothing.

So, what I am asking from all the fellow boaters is if you have been ticketed in some way and have had to make changes to your boats to meet their requirements or had to pay fines,
please post the amount you had to spend this year so that when I give them their bill and they get pissed, I can show them it is nothing near what they have cost us boaters in the community.

Hopefully it might do a little but if not I just want to prove to them how bad they are killing the industry and the city of Grand Haven.

Not an easy step to make, but I'm glad you did.
I hope you can get the other marina's to follow your foot steps so things may return to normal.

Thanks for your efforts
Jon

Sounds like a bunch of BS you're dealing with CJ. Good luck!

Good luck. I love Grand Haven, but after what's gone on up there this year, I'm gonna have to avoid it in the future! Hope you make the impression you want to.

CJ, I think what you're doing is great! You'd think that they could have at least lent a little leniency when dealing with the folks who support the facility providing them free service. If they want to be cocks about it, then I'm in agreement with what you're about to do.

Good luck!

Thanks for the statement. If Sheriff was assistance to boaters (as coast guard does) it would be a nice gesture not to charge. Since their main function seems to be to harass, I would not feel bad about charging. Every business has to make money. (Spring Lake Condo Assoc will gladly pay any fees)

I was planning on having you pull my boat w/ forks & set on outside bunks so I could wax bottom this fall. Now I'm not too excited about going to GH.

Good idea CJ ..... F'em !

Thanks for the tip on the crates BTW !!!!!

Great job man.

How about the cost to the community of not coming because of law enforcement and stict noise laws.

Hotel - $300
Gas - $400
M&E - $200

$900 it just cost the community for an average powerboater not coming to a big poker run.

And the little bit of lost tax revenue, which would go back to the police

Ditto on the above post. So many Lake St. Clair boaters typically take a trip or two across state to hit Grand Haven...not this year!!! Nor in the future if they keep this up!

I have family moving to Grand Haven and I won't even think of dragging the boat there unless things change drastically. Just too many other nice places in MI and without the hassle.

Sorry GH but for now I'd rather than deal with your sheriffs...

Good luck CJ! I don't know what we'd do if we were in the situation that Grand Haven is dealing with.