Emailed to Members on May 23, 2023
First, a note of thanks to all 12 slip owners who attended Pier M's annual meeting. What a great turnout! We re-elected Chris Berglund and Rob Sweeney and added Tanja Castor, Denise Gregg, and Darrell Struck to the Pier M Board for a one-year term.
Here is the Annual Meeting Presentation.
During the meeting, we discussed the fact that the pier is showing its age, with boards coming up and the bumpers falling off. As a group, we agreed that we need to perform some quick fixes as soon as possible to ensure a safe boating season this summer. (E.g., fix the hole in the pier, secure board pops & reattach bumpers). A special thanks to David Haught and Chris Berglund who agreed to take this work on for the short-term plan!
Additionally, we have established a Construction subcommittee to develop a long-term strategy that will create a broader plan for the pier. More to come as the team assembles and many thanks to those who agreed to help.
Construction Subcommittee Members:
· Chris Berglund
· Chuck Cavallaro
· Tanja Castor
· Angelo Chiazza
· Darrell Struck
· Rob Sweeney
Action item: Your 2023 annual pier dues are now due. Please send a check for $450 made payable to The Point Boatslip “Pier M: Association, Inc. to Chris Berglund at 268 Milford Circle by June 30th. Here is a link to the optional dues return form you may use for returning the dues. Note that it is fine to just drop off the check, but if you do so, please text Chris at 563-529-0386 to let him know so he’ll be on the lookout.
Friendly Reminders to Keep Us Safe:
Extension Cords
We all need a little power every now and then. However, do not leave an extension cord unattended if it crosses over the main pier walkway -- it’s a trip hazard/safety issue and we want the pier to be a fun and safe place. A long-term solution to getting electrical power to your boat is to have a marine-grade extension cord installed under the main pier walkway.
Boat Lifts
If you have a lift (or plan to install one), please abide by the following to help prevent your lift from damaging your slip. If there is an issue, please have it addressed promptly.
Your lift should be well secured to the pier, in accordance with the lift’s installation instructions, and your lift’s floats must be adjusted such that the air in the lift is the primary force that keeps your boat afloat, not the pier. Keep in mind that there is only one float under each finger of your slip, and if your boat weighs it down, the float will flood (which pretty much destroys the float).
Remember that the heavier the boat or the further back a boat sits on its lift, the more stress it exerts on a slip. Accordingly, when you put your boat into your lift, please make sure that it is centered and pulled fully onto your lift.
It is perfectly fine to keep your lift down while you are out boating. However, do not keep your lift submerged for multiple days at a time as it can damage your slip. Numerous contractors have told us that it is good to keep at least a little air in the lift at all times.
Pier M Website
We are one of the few community piers to have our own website. Check it out (and bookmark it) at https://pier-m.com. To access the pier directory, use the pier owner-only confidential password to access contact information for your fellow slip owners. Please reply to this e-mail letting us know if you need to update your contact information (email, phone number), send an updated picture of your boat, or if you do NOT want your contact information listed. Note that the directory is solely for use in Pier M business (e.g., a boat is sinking in a slip, and you want to notify the owner, you found something left by a slip, and want to contact the likely owner).
Here’s to a fun and safe boating season on beautiful Lake Norman.
Your Pier M Board,
Darrell, Tanja, Chris, Denise & Rob