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Drought Drying Up Local Yacht Club Business

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Aug 6, 2009 10:59 pm US/Central

Drought Drying Up Local Yacht Club Business

Reporting
Liz Collin
WAYZATA (WCCO) ― The latest drought monitor puts part of the metro in an extreme drought. Minnesota is more than seven inches below average for rainfall this summer.

The Wayzata Yacht Club is worried the drought could force an end to their season a little early this year.

One would think sailors would be talking about wind, but these days it's all about the rain. Thursday nights are race nights and many sailors struggle just to get their boats in the water.

Steve Bren is the manager of Wayzata's Yacht Club. He says some sailors have already had to take their boats elsewhere since it's such a struggle just to get them in the water.

Bren points to the water levels on the lake.

"You can see the marks for our very highest water which is probably two and a half feet from where it is now," said Bren.

Sailboats need a lot more depth than a speed boat would. Most have at least 4-foot keels. Some aren't able to be pulled up.

A couple of weeks ago, Pat Foy hit Minnetonka's floor for the first time. He remembers what was going through his mind at the time.

"It's like I'm damaging the bottom of my boat and it's going to cost me," Foy said.

For Mike Bowers, that cost is measured in man power. He needed a few people just to help him get off the lift and into the water.

"Yeah, we got it off but unless it rains more in the next few weeks that's probably going to be it," Bren said.

Usually, the sailors pull in their boats at the end of October. Bren says if they don't see a good six inches of rain pretty soon, they might have to call it quits a month or so early.

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