The Flood’s Impact
While our sailing gear has come in handy to keep us dry and most of our equipment is meant to get wet, sadly the flood managed to have quite an impact on the Sailing Center.
Cancelled Programming
With a spring sailing season that’s usually more than 10 weeks long, the flood dampened our ability to provide countless opportunities for learning and recreation on the lake. Here’s what normally would have been happening this spring:
- Local elementary school students participating in lake-based science education through the Floating Classroom Project
- UVM students connecting with Lake Champlain through a for-credit sailing course
- Disabled athletes charting a course across the harbor with our Adaptive Watersports Program
- Campers ages 6 & 7 arriving at their first day of summer camp as Little Guppies
- Families participating in family lessons and learning to sail together
- Area nonprofits including the Boys and Girls Club, DREAM, and Transitional Services for Youth and Families developing confidence and meaningful life skills in the LeaderSHIP program
- Community members enjoying the first days of spring from the surface of Lake Champlain through our rental program
Facility Damage
With high winds that sent waves battering against the shore for over a month, many areas of our facility are in need of repair, replacement, and serious clean-up:
- Shoreline: High water and strong winds eroded shoreline infrastructure, damaging the Sailing Center’s boat hoist and other infrastructure.
- Office: Over 6 inches of water flooded into the Center’s office and equipment room, ruining drywall and damaging equipment.
- Docks: Severe conditions negatively impacted the dock system, breaking wood and hardware.
- Boatyard: Rain, floodwater, and runoff flooded the yard and parking lot, bringing debris from the Lake and the hills behind the Center.
Photos of the flood damage can be seen here.
Financial Impact
- Total damage to our facility and equipment has been assessed at $25,000.
- Loss of revenue from a cancelled spring season has reached $50,000.
