A Cumberland couple is warning boaters about a potentially hazardous boat launch at Comox Lake, but the publicly-owned launch is deemed to be safe, says the Village.
Last Tuesday, resident Dave Stevens had finished boating and was attempting to back his trailer down the launch in order to pull his boat to shore.
Moments later, his wife Kathy received a phone call.
“He told me the trailer is completely destroyed, and that he didn’t know what to do.”
While he knew the lake level was low, Stevens didn’t realize there was a drop of more than a foot from the end of the cement launch to the lake.
Kathy explained the trailer went into the drop and got “completely torqued when (Dave) pulled the trailer.”
Following a phone call to BCAA, the trailer was removed from the area, but Kathy said it is completely destroyed and would like to see the Village take responsibility to warn boat owners from further incidents.
Trailer
“There’s two tiny little signs that say ‘Use at your own risk.’ Risk is one thing, but danger is another. Why can’t the Village put up a sign … that the ramp is unsafe to let people know? The Village owns the boat ramp and we pay a fee every year to use it, and there’s no responsibility.”
Kathy added she feels as though the Village failed in their duties to warn users.
“To us as boaters, there should be a sign.”
Sundance Topham, the Village’s chief administrative officer said while the launch is owned by the municipality, it is the responsibility of users to check water levels prior to use of the launch and that boaters use the ramp at their own risk.
“The lake level is lower, and people have to be careful. We examined the boat launch and we deemed it to be safe.”
While he noted there is signage near the ramp, Topham acknowledged after an incident, “we can look at improving signage – always.
“As a general rule, there is risk associated with every activity. We are insured and we do safety checks. In conversation with our staff, (this situation) is more an unfortunate series of events.”
While the trailer is no longer functional, Kathy noted she and her husband – who have been recreational boaters for 25 years – will absorb the cost of a new trailer; their bigger concern is for the safety of other boaters.
The pair has drafted a letter to Cumberland Mayor Leslie Baird with their concerns and will continue to advocate for the Village to install sufficient signage.
“It’s not about the money (for the trailer); at the end of the day, it’s concern for other boaters.”
