Creating Safer and More Efficient Boat Ramp Experiences by

Staffing Locations with FWC Officers

Business Proposal: Katelyn Watford, Emily Scherr, Lindsey Caldwell

Table of Contents
Introduction 2
Executive Summary 3
Objectives 5
Funding 6
Background Information 7
Conclusion 8
References 9

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Proposed to:
Chris Wynn
FWC North Central Regional Director

Introduction
For many Florida residents, boating is a part of their daily lives. There is nothing like
being on the water, having a great time and making memories. Some people may say that
the joy of boating outweighs the stress of it. However, there is no reason for the most
obvious stress involved with boating to even be an issue. This issue is boat ramp
dysfunction. Too often, we are forced to deal with delays in our boating adventures
because the lack of organization at boat ramps. We have spoken to many locals who
utilize boat ramps in the Middleburg area and they all report the same problems and
concerns. They say that there are a large number of people who have trouble loading and
unloading their vessels and there is a lack of established traffic patterns. Another
common concern was the use of drugs and alcohol when boating, which ultimately
creates an unsafe environment for civilians who may be swimming or picnicking as well
as other boaters. These are the concerns of the locals and although they may seem
unrelated, we have discovered one solution for all three problems at hand.

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Executive Summary
The solution we propose to you, Mr. Chris Wynn and the rest of the Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission, is that we staff the boat ramps with FWC Officers. By having
FWC Officers present at boat ramps, we would eliminate each and every problem that
has been brought to our attention. FWC Officers could assist with loading and unloading
of vessels to help things move quickly while still being safe for everyone involved. They
could create an organized traffic pattern that would bring the traffic chaos to a halt by
providing a clear route that everyone could follow. Lastly, the presence of uniformed
FWC Officers on duty would significantly decrease the amount of drug and/or alcohol
use while boating. Officers could also conduct cooler and luggage searches to ensure safe
boating experiences for everyone.

Having FWC Officers present to help citizens load and unload their vessels will reduce
the amount of time each person needs while on the ramp. Many people go on the water
by themselves, which means that they must go through a series of steps before they can
clear the path for the next person to use the ramp. A solo boater must back his/her vehicle
down the ramp, then get into/onto the vessel, unhook and unload it, tie the vessel off or
beach it, then return to their vehicle, find parking and then return to their boat so that they
can begin their boating day. With some assistance, the individual would be able to back
their vehicle down the ramp and remain in the vehicle while an FWC Officer unloaded
the vessel. While he/she is parking their vehicle, the Officer could store the vessel safely
into a dock slip or beach it until the individual returns. The same would go for loading
vessels just in a reversed order. Not only would this cut back on the amount of time
needed by each person on the ramp and reduce the waiting period for other boaters, it will
also decrease the amount of property damages that occur when inexperienced people
attempt to do these things alone. Mistakes happen so often that you can go

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to the boat ramp any given day and sit and watch people fail while trying to back a trailer
down the ramp, swim after their boats when they float away, drive their boats off of the
trailers onto the cement and even watch vehicles end up in the water with the vessel.
“One of the cheapest entertainment days you can have is to take your lawn chair and your
favorite beverage, spend a sunny summer afternoon just watching the goings on at a busy
boat launch” (Wisner, 2016). We have seen many expensive mistakes happen at boat
ramps that could have been easily avoided if there was a helping hand available.

In addition to loading and unloading assistance, FWC Officers could also solve the traffic
issues involved with boat ramps. The boat ramps we use have similar layouts consisting
of a large cement area with random parking areas and a small path leading down toward a
ramp that goes into the water. There are no cones or directions of any sort, boaters are left
to figure it out for themselves and this creates chaos, confusion and safety concerns. If
FWC Officers would come in and establish a route that everyone could follow, the whole
process would flow more efficiently. There have been many avoidable accidents at boat
ramps in the area involving adults and children. In St. Augustine, a nine-year-old child
died after being struck by a car at the Moultrie Creek Boat Ramp (WOKV News, 2019).
Something as simple as a little organization would go a long way in this situation. Not
only would organized traffic patterns make boat ramps a safer place to be, there would be
less traffic jams, parking would be much easier and there would be less time spent trying
to navigate the boat ramp.

Furthermore, having FWC Officers staff boat ramps would be a great opportunity to
reduce the amount of drug and/or alcohol use while boating. Drugs and alcohol have the
ability to make any activity unsafe and boating is certainly not an exception. While
Florida law prohibits the operation of any water vessel while intoxicated due to alcohol or
drugs, unfortunately it is common for boaters to be under the influence while on the water
(The Florida Boaters Guide, n.d.).

FWC Officers could conduct searches to ensure that boaters do not have drugs or
excessive amounts of alcohol. For example, if there was one man and a child going
fishing for the day, FWC Officers could check to make sure that there was not an
unreasonable amount of alcohol on board and confiscate it if there was. This surely
would not eliminate boating and drinking completely, but it would cut it back
significantly. Having intoxicated people trying to function in an environment that
involves children, heavy machinery and large bodies of water should be a big red flag and
it is time we take steps to make boat ramps a safer place to be.

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OBJECTIVES:
 Employ FWC Officers on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to
overlook boat ramp operations
 Maintain a safe and fun boat ramp experience

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Funding
Funding for this business proposal would come from combined resources. One source for
funding would be to require each vehicle that intends to use the boat ramp a $10.00 fee
(Gardner, n.d.). This is the smallest of the boat ramps we use and we have observed that
on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays all of the paved parking spaces are full and there are
numerous vehicles with trailers utilizing the additional parking areas. This means that
over these three days, a $10.00 fee paid by each user would earn the boat ramp over
$900.00. FWC Officers who staff the boat ramp would do so as an overtime opportunity,
similar to Police Officers who staff events such as concerts and funeral processions. This
will encourage FWC officers and motivate them so that they want to staff boat ramps,
rather than it being a chore to them. The funding needed to cover the wages of the FWC
Officer on duty for the day would come from the fees paid by boaters. We would pay the
FWC officer $25 per hour for a ten hour day, which still leaves $750 to go towards
maintaining the boat ramp or any other fees.

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Background Information
As is says on the FWC website, FWC Officers are responsible for providing a safe
wildlife and recreational experience (“What We Do”, n.d.). We are simply asking for
them to do just that. They are familiar with the waterways and have boating experience.
FWC Officers are more than qualified to be the helping hands we need at boat ramps and
we believe that this will be a great opportunity for them as well as the citizens.

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Conclusion
Boating is without a doubt one of the most popular pastimes in sunny Florida, but also
can be one of the most dangerous. Without proper safety measures, as well as someone
there to enforce and implement them, boaters must suffer the consequences. While we
cannot control the way people act on the water, we hope we can have a little more control
of it. We propose that having an FWC Officer present to enforce rules and bring
awareness to safety will cut the amount of accidents down tremendously. Our number
one goal is to maintain proper safety practices as well as a fun environment for locals and
visitors alike to enjoy.

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Resources
1. Gardner, R. (n.d.). Middleburg (Main Street) Boat Ramp. Retrieved July 12,
2019, from https://www.floridabywater.com/north-east-florida/orange-park/boat-
ramps/327-middleburg-main-street-boat-ramp
2. Wisner, L. (2016, October 16). Retrieved July 12, 2019, from
https://www.leeroysramblings.com/boat_launch_observations.htm
3. Child Dies From Crash at St. Augustine Boat Ramp. (2019, May 24). Retrieved
July 12, 2019, from https://www.wokv.com/news/local/child-hurt-after-traffic-
crash-augustine/7NWrgHJmcoMJq8FhtQza7H/
4. The Florida Boaters Guide: A Handbook of Boating Laws and Responsibilities.
(n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2019, from https://www.boat-
ed.com/florida/handbook/page/31/Alcohol-and-Drugs/
5. What We Do. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2019, from
https://myfwc.com/about/inside-fwc/le/what-we-do/

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