Calendar of Events

 

August 18 ~ Martin County Primary Election

 

August 26 ~ St. Lucie Job Fair

 

Chapman School of Marine ~ See their website for the latest on their events

St. Lucie County Coastal Resources

 

The subject vessel, a 72.5’ x 25’ former tour barge from Fort Lauderdale, has become available for deployment in your artificial reef program:

 

· Preliminary measurements estimate the hull to be from ¾” to 1” thick. McCulley Marine Services will need to visit the vessel to verify this.

 

· The lower deck and upper deck support framework is 3/16” steel and will not last long in the ocean.

 

· The upper deck and staircase are wood and would be removed prior to deployment.

 

· The engine would have to be removed and the bilges cleaned of oil and grease. MMS might have to get Marine Environmental Transportation to look at cleanup.

 

· The barge can probably be towed close enough to the shoreline to remove heavy materials with a crane.

 

· The barge has some artifacts that may be auctioned to pay for part of the cleanup and deployment.

 

If this vessel is worth reefing it is suggested we deploy it on either the Stan Blum Site or the Lee E. Harris Site as a centerpiece for a Veteran’s Memorial Reef. To add complexity we would need to deploy concrete structures on top of her like those available from Precast Specialties. To date all of our barge/secondary concrete reefs have made exceptional fish habitat.

 

The Causeway Cove Marina would be donating the barge and Monique Guertin would be helping to fundraise for the cleanup and deployment.

MIATC Board of Directors

 

President:  John Yudin of Guy Yudin & Foster 

Vice President: Tom Whittington of Manatee Pocket Yacht Sales

Secretary:  Artie Olson of Vero Marine Center

Director: Sean Collins of Vero Beach City Marina

Director: Chris Dempsey of Sailfish Point Marina

Director:  Dan Dietz of Dietz Enterprises

Director: Don Green of Don Green Electric

Director:  Bruce Grout of Sovereign Yacht Sales

Director:  Gary Guertin of Coastal Angler – Treasure Coast/Bahamas

Director: Rob Mac Keen of Derecktor Ft. Pierce

Director: Jill Marasa of St. Lucie County EDC

Director:  Thomas O’Brien of Chapman Marine Supply

Director:  Butch Olsen  of Pt. Salerno Commercial Fishing Dock Authority

Director: Mark Palazzo of METCo

Director:  Jim Truslow of Boat Owners Warehouse

Director: Scott Watson of Indiantown Marina

Michele Miller

Director of Operations

Amber Novy

Communications Coordinator