the early growth period. When the harbor approaches occupancy capacity, the 

 administrative work becomes more routine and although the number of patrons has 

 increased, the files have been established, billing procedures have been systematized, and 

 fewer questions are being asked at the reception desk. The early demands on maintenance 

 personnel are usually of a troubleshooting nature— new equipment is being broken in, minor 

 flaws develop in the berthing or utihty systems and must be corrected, and surface drainage 

 problems arise and must be solved. Most of the landscaping is omitted from the initial 

 construction stage to reduce costs and is left to the maintenance staff, which is not expected 

 to be too heavily burdened until the newness of the facilities begins to wear off. 



b. Administration and Operating Procedures. An important part of the early 

 administrative work is the systematizing of recordkeeping, including preparation of standard 

 forms to be used for this purpose. A separate file should be set up for each slip renter by 

 name, and crossfiles established containing the more important records by boat or slip 

 classifications for statistical and shp-rental billing purposes. A cost-accounting system must 

 be established to keep a complete record of receipts and expenditures for auditing purposes. 

 A personnel and payroll section must be established to keep a permanent record of each 

 employee, prepare paychecks, maintain withholding accounts, and perform all other 

 functions normally assigned to such a section. A system of purchase orders must be 

 established for procuring maintenance items and replacement parts. These are the major 

 administrative considerations, but others may develop and all will require careful scrutiny 

 until they are being handled smoothly and routinely. National Association of Engine and 

 Boat Manufacturers (1967) contains some excellent suggestions for handling administrative 

 details and operating a small-craft harbor; typical examples of forms used in cost accounting 

 and recordkeeping are also shown. 



c. Liability and Insurance. The manager of a small-craft harbor must be aware of all the 

 laws and regulations covering his own operations and the activities of his patrons. If any part 

 of the water area is under State or Federal jurisdiction, the cognizant agency must be 

 consulted on requirements for aids to navigation and other steps to be taken to ensure 

 compliance with applicable laws and regulations. In the navigable waters of the United 

 States, the U.S. Coast Guard is responsible for upholding the estabhshed rules of navigation 

 and the U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers for maintaining channels and removing hazards to 

 navigation. In inland lakes and on intrastate canals and rivers, the State or a Federal agency 

 other than the U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers may exercise control over waters for 

 navigation, fishing, skiing, and other water sports. The relationship between such agencies 

 and the harbor manager or owner should be one of mutual cooperation rather than law 

 enforcement and compliance. The common objective is to increase the enjoyment of 

 boating (or in some instances the benefits of commercial small-craft navigation) with the 

 least hazard to life and property and without damaging the environment or the quality of 

 the water. 



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