Sea Isle's Boat Ramp Needs Repairs, Resident Says

By DONALD WITTKOWSKI Sea Isle City’s public boat ramp isn’t exactly shipshape. Donald Sparks, a Sea Isle resident and boater who uses the ramp, complained about its deteriorated condition while showing city officials cellphone photos to prove it. Speaking during a City Council meeting Tuesday, Sparks said a large number of wood boards that are part of the boat ramp’s construction are either broken or rotted and need to be replaced. “There are boats banging against other boats. All it does is create problems,” he told city officials. The boat ramp overlooks the channel at the bay end of 42nd Place, in the shadow of the John F. Kennedy Boulevard bridge entering town. The boat ramp is heavily used in summer. Although the ramp is virtually deserted during winter, it bustles with activity during the summer boating season. It is open to the public. After listening to Sparks describe the boat ramp’s deterioration, city officials pledged that they would inspect the site and make repairs. “We’ll get it done,” City Business Administrator George Savastano said in an interview after the Council meeting. Sparks believes the boat ramp will require extensive repairs. To back up his comments, he showed the Council members and Savastano cellphone photos of the damage. “I told them that it’s no small problem,” Sparks said in an interview. Sea Isle resident Donald Sparks shows cellphone photos of the damaged boat ramp. Overall, Sparks estimated that 25 to 30 boards are missing. He explained that the wood boards serve a critical purpose and should be kept in good condition. Boaters often use the boards to help guide themselves into the ramp when they are getting ready to pull their boats out of the water. The boards also protect boaters at the ramp from the wake created by other boats passing by in the inlet, Sparks said. Sparks also said the city should inspect a walkway at the boat ramp because it may be missing a deck plate and could be a possible tripping hazard. Some of the wood boards that help to guide in boaters at the ramp are missing or rotted. (Photo courtesy of Donald Sparks)