Anyone who has participated as an Upper Minnetonka Sailing School student or instructor knows the feeling.   When you arrive at the marina in early June the air is cool and the breeze off the lake smells fresh and alive. Getting the boat ready is a ritual that involves a greeting and then laying out the plan for the day.  Off you shove for a day of sailing.

Unfortunately, by the end of June when the water starts to fall and the weeds begin to grow, the pain of getting the boat to open water takes away much of the fun.  The bottom of the lake at our marina location has slowly filled with muck that has been complicated by aggressive milfoil growth.  Removing two feet of this muck will bring the depth at the end of the dock to six feet at the high water mark of 929.4 feet above sea level that usually is achieved around ice out.  By the end of summer we typically lose a foot of water or more. Dredging two feet would be adequate for most sailboats including the Hunter 23 and Ensigns used by the sailing school.

Dredging the Marina

The process of dredging our marina is not for the faint of heart.  It starts with a permitting process overseen by the Minnehaha Watershed District.  Once the permit is secured the initial dredging around the docks will occur with Bobcats working on the ice and a crane from shore.  It is estimated that over 200 dump truckloads of muck will be leave the property.  This will occur in January and February.  If the winter is not cold enough this phase of the project will be delayed until next year.  

A second phase of dredging occurs in August.  This phase removes the barrier that has developed about thirty feet from the dock on the way to open water.  We will request permission from the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District to mark this as a channel after the dredging.

Replacing the Dock

Next is the dock.  Anyone that has been called in to service to put the dock in or take if out knows the quality of the black steel frame and wood sections.  Most of the dock dates back tot he original acquisition of the property in 1965.  Many used dock suppliers have sold this type of dock for scrap metal.  We use a total of 114 sections of dock.  The ice goes out in April and when it does the wind almost always blows from the southeast, which will bring the ice flow to the marina.  All our dock suppliers have advised against any permanent structure.  A similar removable product will replace the dock. The annual dock in party will continue.

General Landscaping

Finally, when funds are available we intend to continue improvement of the property to offer privacy to our neighbors.  The recent addition of an irrigation system has been very beneficial in improving the lawn.  A more permanent system is planned.  In addition, an amphitheater seating for sailing school lectures will provide an improved learning experience.