Economic Turmoil Not Reflected In Annual Boat Count

By Steve Hansen, Boat Count Director

The national economic upheaval did not result in any remarkable change in the number or types of boats using Lake Charlevoix, the 2009 boat count by the Lake Charlevoix Association shows. The count, done August 1st, showed totals essentially stable over the past several years.

The total was 5,023, up from 4,722 last year but essentially the same as the number counted in 2006. The number of larger power boats, 26 feet and longer, continued the rise it has shown consistently for the last five years, reaching 681, or 45 more than were tallied in 2004. Smaller power boats, the largest category in the count, totaled 1,875, down a bit from last year’s 1,959. The total of 725 personal water craft was similarly virtually the same as that recorded for the previous five years, as was the 656 sailboats of all sizes.

The number of volunteers taking part in the annual count, however, did set a record. A total of 18 counters went along the shoreline in small boats and walked marina docks early Saturday morning and drove around launching ramps and campgrounds in the afternoon.

The data from the annual boat count is shared with the local Coast Guard station, the Marine Division of the Charlevoix County Sheriff’s office and with state and local officials to help them understand how the lake is being used.

The complete figures for this year and the preceding 11 years along with an explanation of the methodology of the study are provided below.

Totals and methods

This is the tabulation of the boat count of Lake Charlevoix and Round Lake accomplished on 8-01-09. Corresponding figures for the previous 11 years are also shown.

Included in the totals, but broken out for display, are launching ramp, and camp-ground boats. The approximate percentage distribution of boats at the launching ramps and camp-grounds is 75% power under 26’, 10% power over 26” and 10% PWC. This distribution is roughly the same, year after year. Dinghies/tenders accompanying larger boats are broken out for display but have been included in the power, 26 ft. and under, or oars/paddle categories.

Method: Boats on moorings, lifts, at slips, at anchor, on the beach, and dinghies on board or along side larger craft were counted by volunteers aboard small boats early in the morning before there was traffic on the Lakes. Boats in the larger marinas were counted by walking the docks. Launching ramps and campgrounds were surveyed sequentially that same afternoon between 1PM and 4PM. At the ramps, boats seen launching, being retrieved, and empty trailers were all counted. The general principle was to count every boat that could be/is used on the Lake Charlevoix that day.

Year	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002	2001	2000	1999	1998
Type of boat
Oars/paddle	1086	780	938	857	894	863	879	597	778	709	655	648
Sail, all sizes	656	663	597	660	611	603	605	566	706	664	693	692
Power, <26'	1875	1959	1865	2175	1921	1995	1945	2102	1916	1733	1851	1824
Power, 26" and up	681	584	619	587	579	636	588	529	568	558	554	454
PWC	725	736	748	724	732	715	684	659	668	583	592	554
Totals	5023	4722	4767	5003	4737	4812	4701	4453	4636	4247	4335	4170
Launching Ramps & Campgrounds	126	179	120	208	139	227	189	271	259	203	148	207
Tenders	79	142	159	205

The count is always done in late July or early August, except 2007, when it was done on the third weekend in August. We think that weekend may not be comparable to the other dates.

The weather has been fine AM and PM for all years except 1999 when it was overcast in AM and threatening to rain in PM, 2003 when forecast was for possible thunderstorms [didn’t happen] in PM, and 2009 when it rained in PM [launching ramps were counted sunny 8-2-09].