Why Don’t THEY Do Something About … ?

We have all said at one time or another comments like, “There should be a law against …” or, perhaps equally, “There should not be a law against …!”, or, “Someone should do something about ….,” and, of course, “Why don’t THEY do something about …?”

Yes, we all like to complain. But when we’re done with the venting, what comes next? Unfortunately, all too often, not that much! When I ask the question, “Why not do something about it?” often I hear things like, “There’s just not enough time,” or “It’s not my thing,” or “I really don’t think I can be effective.”
So we leave it to others. Too often we seem to lose track of the fact that ‘you’ are the ‘they,’ ‘I’ am the ‘they,’ and, perhaps most importantly, ‘we’ working together are the ‘they.’

Our industry tends to be particularly non-cohesive, with most not spending much time working together, or giving of time to work on committees, boards, or within our various associations, communities or similar organizations. It is fascinating that only 10% to 20% of marinas have joined associations and I suspect far fewer are involved in local committees or boards, or have taken an active role on issues. Meanwhile, I think we all would agree that over 99% tend to have some pretty strong views on the issues that affect the industry!

Being Proactive
When I ask those operators and owners who have joined one association or another why they joined, most fall into two categories – networking and/or they were looking for help on a particular problem at their facility. These, of course, are perfectly meaningful reasons and what most associations tend to be most known for, but it is always striking how rarely anyone suggests they were trying to find a way that they could help the overall industry.

In part that might be due to the fact that most associations ultimately are understaffed and without adequate budgets. And since their main sources of income are boat shows or conferences, that is where the largest resources are placed. Next, for those who offer them, would come various educational, training and/or certification programs, which are certainly helpful, both to those being trained and the industry overall. But at the end of the day, when the pie is split up, relatively few resources end up being able to be put into one of the largest problems facing the industry, which is the seemingly never ending stream of misguided laws, regulations and rule-makings that burden this industry beyond that of so many others.

Ours tends to be a reactive industry – something is proposed and when it finally surfaces the industry is reacting, swimming upstream with limited ability to be the most effective. It takes a lot of time to develop relations with legislators, regulators and their staffs to be part of the process from the onset, but it’s much more effective to be part of the process at the beginning. And when you consider that the origins of this problem stem from most every level of government, it really can be a bit mindboggling.

But there is hope and there is an answer. What it requires is for all of us to become involved, in whatever way we can, whether on a local basis or as part of some national campaign. Maybe that means joining an association or taking on a greater role within an association to which you already belong.

Associations ultimately can only become stronger with greater membership and participation. And with most of their shows and conferences having been cancelled due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, most associations need your support now more than ever. And if you can’t afford to join right now, then joining in an effort in some other way to support a cause important to the industry and boating (and by extension yourself) would be another way to be involved at relatively little cost. Indeed, by working with or on local committees or boards, one can be surprised that the results and rewards can be enormous.

Industry Support
Late this spring the sailing and boating world here in New York lost one of its great champions with the passing of Howie McMichael. Not only did Howie run McMichael Yacht Yards, take on innumerable roles at Larchmont Yacht Club (including Commodore and many years helping run Larchmont Race Week), and the Storm Trysail Club (including its Safety-at-Sea program and Intercollegiate Regatta), but he also helped start several regional organizations aimed at helping the industry such as Revitalize Our Waterways. He also served on his town’s Coastal Zone Management Commission for more years than I can remember. He keenly understood the value of this latter role, both in being a voice of reason as someone who had spent his entire life at the waterfront, and in gaining a deep understanding of the rules and the process by which those rules are interpreted and implemented.

As for myself, I’ve been on more boards, panels, committees and commissions than I care to remember. While many of these have been industry based, others have been more along the lines of stakeholder committees or similar groups. As you might imagine, in these types of settings most often the citizen participants are associated with various environmental or similar groups. They often come aboard with little idea that many of the positions they support would greatly hamper, if not end, boating in the area. Some may even have boats themselves, but simply are not aware of the implications that often come along with things like prohibiting dredge material relocation. Without representatives from the marina and boating world taking part in these types of panels, the industry’s interests go unnoticed and the chance to temper the enthusiasm for ever stricter rules is lost. And you might be surprised at the significant amount of common ground that can be built upon in a proactive manner.

Indeed, when the industry does come together, or even parts of it, there have been some meaningful successes at all levels. In the US, these would include elimination of onerous taxes on out of state boats for work done in another state; elimination of various other regressive taxes on the industry; modifications to the federal nonpoint source pollution regulations; and funding for the installation and operation of pumpouts.

Internationally there are groups that are working on proactive approaches to reduce the amount of Value Added Taxes. In Brazil the industry was successful in having the federal government reduce the VAT percentage, which resulted in much more public participation in boating by making it more affordable. The government ultimately saw an increase in the amount of collected taxes by over 100%. Meanwhile, other groups are seeking to ease the burdens associated with the needed periodic dredging and relocation of dredged materials.

The fact is that those who have little to no idea of the industry operations or physical environment are preparing most of the regulations, laws and rules. Work along the waterfront is different than most work farther upland for numerous reasons, whether due to tides, varying lake or river levels, storm potential, or, one of my favorites, high ground water elevations, which wreak havoc with so many stormwater management measures. But regardless of the origin, those individuals faced with the drafting of the rules are usually human and most are at least somewhat reasonable and willing to better understand the issues if educated early on in the process – not after the regulations have been released.

Which points to another success and one I’m particularly familiar with, namely the changes garnered with respect to the Accessibility Requirements for marinas under the Americans with Disabilities Act in the US and the somewhat corresponding Accessibility Guidance internationally. While I am sure there may still be some who complain, when you compare the early drafts from the agencies, which were particularly impractical and cost-burdensome, to what was finally adopted, which are pretty reasonable and with some meaningful cost-benefits, it’s easy to see just how much was achieved by working together within the industry as well as directly with the US Access Board in the US and through PIANC internationally.

Become a Helper
It goes without saying that the tragedies associated with the current pandemic, whether economic, public or personal, are innumerable and will be felt for a long time to come. But within the darkness there has also been a silver lining of sorts that we all should work to carry forward. People have come together to help one another. From simple signs of thanks, to displays of appreciation for caregivers and first responders, to donating masks, supplies and food for those in need, to just staying in touch with others to let them know that they are not alone. The fact that so many have been willing to give of themselves in whatever small and big ways they can to help others is truly amazing and heartwarming.

As Mr. (Fred) Rogers so famously put it:
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.”

So next time you feel like venting or at least after you’ve blown off some steam, instead of thinking, “What can THEY do?” how about, “How can I help?” There are so very many ways that you can.
Happy helping – and then some happy boating too!

Dan Natchez is president of DANIEL S. NATCHEZ and ASSOCIATES Inc., a leading international environmental waterfront design consulting company specializing in the design of marinas and marina resorts throughout the world. He invites your comments and inquiries by phone at 914/698-5678, by fax at 914/698-7321, by e-mail at dan.n@dsnainc.com or on the Web at www.dsnainc.com.