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Harbormaster outlines plan to inventory roughly 700 moorings, tighten registration and update ordinance
Summary
Harbormaster Peter Blachley told the committee he is inventorying hundreds of moorings, improving registration and inspection practices, and proposing ordinance updates for safety and fee structure; the review identified many unnumbered or unpaid moorings.
Phippsburg’s newly active harbormaster, Peter Blachley, told committee members he is working to catalog and bring into compliance roughly 700 moorings that appear in the online registry, many of which lack numbers or up-to-date contact information.
Blachley said electronic notices and time-stamped photographs are already increasing payments, but large gaps remain: some mooring coordinates on the online system point offshore and many mooring markers lack identifying numbers. He described plans to use time-stamped photos tied to GPS locations, enlist knowledgeable local volunteers and improve inspection frequency. He also said the ordinance lacks technical mooring specifications, minimum lettering-size requirements and explicit inspection intervals; he plans to propose measured updates while emphasizing a light-touch approach to avoid antagonizing longtime users.
Blachley highlighted safety risks: instances of rope moorings failing and heavy vessels grounding, and examples of mooring gear (chain and concrete block) that may have corroded after years without inspection. The harbormaster noted fee structures and rental-mooring rules that may need clarification and said the harbor can raise more revenue if compliance improves.
Next steps: Blachley will continue the inventory, enforce numbering/registration, consult with regional harbor‑master peers for mooring-spec guidance and return with recommended ordinance edits and a possible expenditures list if equipment purchases or contracted surveys are required.
