BLAISDELL
2004 SUMMER EDITION
Vol. 1-04 June 2004
Published Twice Each Year By Your BLPOA Board of
Directors
Find Us On The Internet At “www.blpoa.org”
BIG DAM JOB
HIGHLIGHTS THE OFF-SEASON
You will remember that we voted at the 2002 Annual
Meeting to lower the lake at the end of the 2003 season. Well, it all happened on schedule last fall,
but the heavy August rains caused the water level to drop more slowly than
expected … and more!
The Dam Committee’s fall inspection, supported by a
NHDES representative and by the contractor who had done the work on the western
face 10 years ago, revealed potential problems that were not noticeable when
the lake was full. The heavy rains had
caused a wash-out downstream of the spillway, exposing it to future
damage. There were cracks where the
sluiceway meets the dam and others along the dam face. The committee recommended to the BLPOA board
that even though the situation was not critical, it was advisable to make
repairs then, since we would not normally lower the lake for another five
years. The board approved.
(turn to page 2)
THE BLPOA 2004 SUMMER
CALENDAR
July 4 4:00PM POWER BOAT PARADE
9:30PM FLARE NIGHT
“Happy Birthday
July 9 6-7:00PM Drop Off
Yard Sale Items
July 10 9AM-2PM BLPOA YARD
SALE
July 17 10:00AM BLPOA
ANNUAL MEETING
BLPOA
RAFFLE
You’ll find more
details throughout the Newsletter …
Please support the
BLPOA!
DAM BIG JOB (cont.)
Exploratory jack hammering revealed an un-bonding of
the concrete on the top of the spillway, a 12-inch hole behind the dam face
near the sluiceway, and a deterioration of the old concrete in general … in
addition to the damage found during the visual inspection. The board then authorized the committee to
proceed with the major repairs needed.
Available contractors were sought out and Bedrock
Foundations of Sutton was hired to perform the work. During October and November, the sluiceway
frame was expanded, the spillway was completely re-built and expanded, and the
top of the dam was widened. The rest of
the dam was sandblasted, weak concrete was removed by jack hammering, and a 12-inch
re-facing was applied to the entire surface.
The job was completed in mid-November at a cost of $16,413.
The dam project was planned and supervised by
A comprehensive visual report on the
entire Dam Project will be available
at the BLPOA Annual Meeting on July 17
… You won’t want to miss it!
POWER BOAT PARADE KICKS
OFF THE 2004 SEASON
BLPOA founding member Pud Ellsworth from Spruce Point, will once again
lead the powerboat parade in his 1924 Chris Craft. This year the parade is scheduled at 4:00PM
on Sunday, the 4th of July!
Pud’s boat has been cruising the lake since 1954 and, for long-time
Blaisdell Lakers, it sure sounds like the “Queen Mary” when you hear it coming
round the bend. So when you hear or see
“The Queen” at 4PM, form in line behind it as the parade passes your dock … and
if you don’t have a power boat, please cheer the parade as it passes by and
enjoy the spirit of the day! Sorry, but
the wake caused by so many big boats makes this event a no-no for sail boats
and small crafts. And for those who join
in, please boat safely and be extra vigilant!
FLARE NIGHT … HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Flare Night will take place this year on
Sunday the 4th of July, at 9:30PM.
This will enable most of you to participate in one of our favorite lake
traditions during the long holiday weekend, along with your families and
guests. You can purchase flares from
Bill Hallahan or any BLPOA Director for $3.00 each.
At 9:30, join with your neighbors at the shoreline and celebrate. Enjoy
the fireworks that are sure to appear and take in the day’s second boat parade!
If you have a boat, join the flare
watchers parade … but be sure to observe safe boating rules and keep your
running lights on.
The Bradford fireworks will be held on Saturday night, July 3 … so add
that event to your weekend calendar and enjoy the celebration the
BLPOA YARD SALE FUNDRAISER
Saturday, July 10, 9:00AM-2:00PM, at Estelle Rooney’s
Dog House
(Rain Date: Sunday, July 11, 9-2)
The BLPOA Yard Sale is back by popular demand! It is our major fundraiser for 2004, which
means we need your participation and support. Estelle has graciously given us permission to
use her beach area to have the sale and to use her garage to store items.
We ask all association members and friends to bring items that are
clean and in good condition to the Dog House garage on Friday night, July 9
between 6:00 and 7:00PM. If you have
something that you would like to donate but cannot deliver at that time, please
call Carol Belliveau (938-2358), Cynthia Donovan (938-5306), or Linda Hall
(938-2525). Also, if you would like to
help, please call one of them and volunteer … it’s a great way to see old
friends and meet new neighbors!
We need:
·
Setup help from
7-9AM, sales help from 9AM on, and cleanup help from 1:30-2:30
·
Pop-up tents
·
Folding Tables
·
Home baked goods
(that are individually wrapped for sale)
·
YOU to be there
and find a treasure to buy!
Start looking now for that wonderful item or service that you would
like to donate! Tell your friends about
the sale and urge them not only to come, but to buy, buy, buy! We’ll have plenty of cool stuff at great
prices … so let’s see if we can make the 2004 Yard
BLPOA RAFFLE
$500 to the Winner … $100 to the Runner-Up!
This summer, the BLPOA will have a limited sale Raffle as a supplemental
fundraiser. Only 200 tickets will be
sold at $10 each, with a first prize of $500 and a runner-up prize of $100. We encourage you to support our efforts at
maintaining water quality and the dam.
Both of these, our major reasons for being, are essential to the
protection and maintenance of this outstanding lake which provides us with
beauty, relaxation, and recreation. Tickets may be shared, given as gifts and will
be available to non-members who share our goals and want to support our
efforts. You can purchase tickets at the
lake or by mail (read on) …
RAFFLE TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FROM ALL BLPOA OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS … OR BY ENCLOSING TICKET(S) $WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FORM (ENCLOSED)!
2004 ANNUAL MEETING … July 17
The BLPOA annual meeting will
be held on Saturday, July 17, at
10:00AM in the
WATER
SAFETY
Don Hall, our resident Marine Patrol Auxiliary Officer and water safety director, has some important reminders for all of us and for our guests as well:
· As of 1/1/04, anyone born after 1/1/73 operating a vessel powered by more than 25 HP must have a valid NH Safe Boater Education Certificate (SBEC).
· A person under 16 years of age may not operate a vessel powered by more than 25 HP unless accompanied by a person 18 years of age or older who has a valid SBEC. The accompanying person is responsible for any injury or damage caused during operation of the vessel
· No one under the age of 16 may legally operate a “ski craft”.
·
Adhere to NH Navigational Rules! Of particular concern on Blaisdell is
“Headway Speed” (no wake, max 6 mph). You
must not exceed headway speed when within 150 feet of shoreline, swimmers in
the water, rafts, floats or docks, etc. It is the operator, not the type
of boat, craft, or water toy, who is responsible for accidents and mishaps. Vigilance and common sense are the keys to enjoyment.
·
No more than 2 persons may be towed from a single
vessel at any one time (including tubers).
A spotter/observer, at least 13 years of age, must be on board for
each person being towed. Dogs or other pets do not qualify as spotters!
Safe Boater Education Certificate (SBEC) You must now possess a valid SBEC if you are
between 16 and 31 years old and operate a ski craft or a boat powered by more
than 25 hp. We’ll all have to have one
by January 1, 2008 … and there are several ways to meet requirements.
To Get Your Own SBEC
In a classroom …
Call
1-888-254-2125 or 603-293-2645
Or
visit www.state.nh.us
then click on Mandatory Boating Education for a
schedule of classes
Over the Internet …
Go
to www.boat-ed.com/nh
By instructional video …
Call
1-800-830-2268 for information
Many insurance companies offer a discount on SBEC
completion, so check it out!
At its May meeting, the
board re-appointed Carrie Godkin to supervise board efforts to inspect boats
using the Wright’s Beach ramp. Most of these boats are “traveling” boats that
are launched for a day of fishing and then moved elsewhere. The exotic weeds
found in other lakes are often put there by a traveling boat, and this fact
moves the lake access issue to the top of our weed prevention efforts.
Beginning May 29, and continuing on weekends throughout the summer, the Wright’s Beach ramp will again be staffed by a BLPOA “Host”. The Host will welcome the boater, inspect the boat and trailer with the owner, accept the launch fee, and unlock the gate to the ramp. Carrie and the board are planning to staff each weekend with BLPOA volunteers.
The work is easy, pleasant
(and frankly, relaxing!). Give Carrie
a call at 938-5457 to let her know when you can help out. Remember, “an ounce of (weed)
prevention is worth a pound of (milfoil) cure!” We need your help!
The board also wants to
pass on some important reminders to all of our members who boat on the lake:
·
Clean your boat
and trailer thoroughly before launching it, especially before and after you
transport it to another body of water.
·
Be sure that
boats and trailers from your visitors or renters are inspected and cleaned
before launching them.
·
Keep your eyes
peeled when you are out on the lake and report any suspicious weed growth;
things you haven’t seen before.
·
Take a sample if
you can. Cut the weed with a knife, put
it into a plastic bag or moist towel, keep it damp and cool, and get it to Bill
Hallahan (or one of his Weed Watchers).
They will arrange for DES analysis.
·
Get
involved! Talk with Bill and volunteer
to help out on the weed watch … or talk with Carrie Godkin and volunteer to
help with the boat inspection team at Wright’s Beach. Neither job will take much of your time … but
it will make oh so much difference to our water quality efforts!
IT’S
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL TIME AGAIN!
Your
membership dues notice is included in this mailing, so please take the time to
fill it out, update your personal information (like your e-mail address if you
are willing to share it), and get it back to Betty Blodgett right away … along with your raffle ticket purchases!
LEGISLATIVE
UPDATE
Lead Sinker Bill: This bill bans the sale and use of lead
sinkers and jigs on all inland fresh waters, passed both houses of the NH
Legislature, and is awaiting the Governor’s signature. The effective date is 1/1/2006, but the board
urges you to discard any lead sinkers you may have and to use non-lead
alternatives when you fish. You may
recall that the Blaisdell Loon we lost last fall died from lead poisoning! Let’s all do our part.
Conduct-After-An-Accident
Bill: This
bill became law on June 2 and requires the operator of a vessel involved in an
accident to render assistance (if able to do so) and to provide identification
and information to the occupants of the other vessel. Whoever fails to comply with the requirements
of the bill shall be guilty of a class B felony.
Town of
LOON
CENSUS … AND “ICE OUT”
The
annual Loon census will take place on July 17 from 8-9AM. Please report sightings and
non-sightings to Estelle Rooney. Let her
know if you see or don’t see any
Loons! Stelle has also heard some rumors
of Loon sightings prior to Ice Out this year, which is very unusual. She would like confirmation of this, so
please be sure to let her know if this was the case. By the way, Ice Out 2004 happened on April 17
and our congratulations go out to Veta Hosmer, who is enjoying her raffle
winnings … and the notoriety that comes with them!
That’s the
latest from
’03-’04 Board of Directors Contact List
President: Dave
Donovan 938-5306 Gail Olson 988-2446
Vice President: Chan Blodgett 938-2965 Moe Geoffrion 938-5922
Treasurer:
938-2717
Clerk: Dave Young 938-2066 Leon
Malan 938-2789
Dam:
Membership: Betty Blodgett 938-2965 Norm
Forand 938-5843
Water Quality: Bill Hallahan 938-2339 Peg Demone 938-5484
Water Safety: Don Hall 938-2525 Floyd Mundy 938-2331
Emeritus: Estelle Rooney 938-5362
Carrie Godkin 938-5457
You can write to BLPOA at our business address:
SEE YOU AT THE BLPOA YARD SALE ON JULY 10
AND AT THE ANNUAL MEETING ON JULY 17
HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER
AND ENJOY THE