Montauk Pioneer - April 17, 2009 - Marinas Getting Busy

You can hear the sounds of work being done up and down the shores of Montauk at all of the marinas. You can enjoy the sights and sounds, the moans and groans and the call of the sea. Boats are being lifted up, hoisted down and twirled around as all trained eyes are inspecting what has been done and what still needs to be done. There is the smells of paint being applied to the bottoms and of winter oils being drained. There is the sound of motors trying to roar for the first time for this 2009 season, and yes, there is the cursing of boat owners, repairmen, and boatyard owners like Henry Uihlein, as he commands his boatyard. This is Henry's time of action. Between Easter and Memorial Day Henry is not reading the newspaper, but is in fact planning this year's season at Montauk Harbor for the boats he stored, repaired, painted, and tethered.

All of the marina owners have fought wars with the sea and its worst elements on behalf of their clients, the recreational boat owners. They have bad backs and a record of success, not surpassed in many real sea going towns and ports in the world.

At Montauk Marine Basin, Carl Darenberg is all over the grounds, checking diesels, hoists, lifts, engine blocks, fuel delivery, docks, and supervising the ordering of only God knows how many thousands of items for inventory. Usually laughing, making a joke, and quoting his father, the legendary Carl Sr. As one man said it best, "When Carl Sr. was out there, it was serious business."

Carl is often seen joking about with his son Chase or son-in-law Eric. However, at the yard the work gets done.

Henry Uihlein is a Montauk original. His quick wit, thinking out loud style of getting things done matches his fire, passion and love for all things maritime. His Mercury Grand Slam Event is only a few months away and I am sure he has a plan to make it better than ever this 2009 season. Henry tells it like it is in pure Montauk style, but his quiet charity, and good deeds for those in need are known and respected. The men at the boat yards had a tough season in 2008. High prices for fuel, and other financial matters had business not at the needed numbers to skirt through a Montauk summer season. This year has the promise of being different, but no one knows how it's going to be different. Fuel prices are down but the economy is perhaps down even more. Will it all come together somehow or will it become tighter to keep together? No one knows for sure. There are times when the owners of the water front industrial properties are standing knee deep in oil, mud or grime and wonder why they can't just walk away with a nice $30 million plus check and stay home, but that is not who they are. Their families built these marinas and businesses brick by brick, slip by slip, and paid for it with money earned by arduous labors. Times are tough and may get tougher yet these men and their families will see this economic storm through with the same steel they saw through hurricanes and nor'easters throughout the years.

Soon the splashing sound of boats being lowered back into the salt water will be heard hourly. Then engines will purr as the boats glide to their slips to be tied up for the first time of the 2009 season. They will be painted, they will be sea worthy, they will be ready to fulfill a wonderful summers worth of dreams, escapes and moments. The boats will see powerful sunrises and dramatic sunsets. Fish will be caught, released, and lost. Sailboats will catch great breezes and sit out there with no wind, bobbing like corks in a bathtub. But right now the hard work of getting it all ready to to happen is being done. Henry bragged to me how quickly he can get a warehoused boat into the water, and the reason is he made it his responsibility to come up with the best, safest system possible. Safety is what it is all about. Henry and Carl know and preach this to all their customers and clients. It is almost time for me to head down to buy some bottom paint, some new lines and some two-stroke oil. Maybe I will see you out there or slipping out of Montauk Harbor to get out into the open sea off Montauk Point so that you can enjoy so much more easily.