An 8-page report focusing on the mission and goals of the Lake Viking Safety Department has been compiled. This report includes 1-year goals, 3-year goals, and 5-year goals and emphasizes a need to update the lake’s watercraft before the start of the 2021 season. The following are excerpts from over eight pages of documents produced by Safety Director Jason McTheeney for Board of Directors and Finance Committee.

Lake Viking MUST upgrade our boats. Currently, safety has a 1979 Boston Whaler and a 1993 Sunbird for water patrol. The 1993 Sunbird is not operational and repairs would cost more than the boat is worth. The 1979 Boston Whaler is not in good shape but it does run and would be sufficient as a second boat for another year; however, capital will be needed to replace this boat after a year.

Lake Viking has never had a boat that was designed for the work that Safety is tasked with completing. The added weight from the required equipment and the choppiness of our lake destroys fiberglass boats and greatly fatigues our employees. Additionally, our current boats place our employees in unsafe working conditions, especially since they don’t have any shade and they have to constantly work on the deficient boats.

The lake NEEDS a dependable, warrantied boat that is designed to withstand the rigors of enforcement work. We need an all welded aluminum boat with a built in T-top with standard emergency lights, siren and radio capabilities. The boat will also be approximately 3,000 pounds heavier than our current boats, which will reduce employee fatigue and provide them with shade. The aluminum hull will last 25+ years, which is more than 5 times longer than our current fiberglass boats lasted.

After receiving bids from three companies, I propose Lake Viking Association purchase a custom order 21 foot Coastal boat from Rogue Jet Boatworks located in White City, Oregon. The custom build boat will come with all equipment necessary to complete the tasks the handbook charges Safety to complete. The boat will also have a 10-year warranty on the aluminum hull and a 10-year warranty on the trailer. The Mercury motor will have a 3-year warranty from Mercury and the rest of the boat’s components will be covered under a 1-year bumper to bumper warranty. Rogue Jet Boatworks has also agreed to contract all warranty work locally for the lake’s convenience.

Although the boat has a large purchase price of $73,270 it will service our community for decades to come. This boat has the best return on investment as it will increase the total number of hours that the Safety Department can patrol the lake and promote safety. More hours on the lake with better capabilities, creates an avenue to make our vision and mission statements a reality.

Current Watercraft:

  • 1993 Sunbird with a 1990 Yamaha motor – 90 HP
  • 1979 Boston Whaler with a 1999 Mercury – 90 HP

Things You May Not Know:

  • Majority of maintenance work is done by safety officers
  • Lake Viking Marina charges $126/hour
  • Conservative estimates of safety hours spent over 2019-2020 is 325 hours = $40,950
  • True Maintenance Cost: In 2020 alone the lost hours on the lake are equivalent of 2 boats on the water for 10 hours each on two 3-day holiday weekends

Why Now:  Lake is busier than ever with the most deed changes in history. Improvements will show membership the association is serious about safety while taking care of employees (fatigue, shade & morale)

Return on Investment: Utilize this unique opportunity to invest in a watercraft that is designed for enforcement AND will benefit the lake for 25+ years; a dependable, warrantied, depreciable asset

Proposed Watercraft: Three companies submitted bids for a welded aluminum boat with a T-Top (bids attached)

  • Silver Ships – Alabama – 23-foot vessel
  • Metal Shark – Louisiana – 20-foot vessel
  • Rogue Jet Boatworks – Oregon – 21-foot vessel
  • All vessels were basic necessity only equipment

Rogue Jet Boatworks submitted the lowest bid. Their watercraft features a 10-year hull warranty, 3-year motor warranty, with trailer included.

Read this report in its entirety (a .pdf file which may take some time to download) by clicking on:

.

LV Safety Department Goals

.