BIAC Celebrates 20 years

BIAC is celebrating 20 years of operation in 2020. We left off with this BIAC history with the opening of the South Lot.
The years 2019-2020 have been like no others, and we hope you’ve noticed the many ways in which BIAC has grown. BIAC remains financially sound with yearly income and expenses each between $350K and $400K. For more information see our Members https://gobair.org/club-announcements/ section. Annual Meeting presentations are also available.

Adding Staff:

While BIAC has always had a volunteer culture, we’ve always desired to be able to pay someone to be our Aquatic or Operations Director to handle boatyard, programs, and volunteer coordination. BIAC traditionally has only paid for accounting and cleaning services. Along came Alice Henderson in 2015 to start an Adaptive program. Alice is now our Operations Director and a driving force behind new programs and keeping current programs well run.

Giving Back to Service:

Alice’s Adaptive Rowing program has expanded to include some fantastic veterans and has now served over 100 grateful champions. Accordingly, BIAC has received funds, nearly 10 shells, and a dock (!) from US Rowing and Freedom Rows.

Cleaner Waters:

Speaking of service: BIAC participated in 2019 and 2020 in the CA Coastal Cleanup. Dozens of BIAC members scoured our shorelines and retrieved hundreds of pounds of debris ranging from cigarette butts to mattresses. Thank you Sue Rowinski (BIAC’s 2^nd President) for organizing BIAC’s participation in protecting our aquatic home.

Coastal Rowing:

“BIAC is two years ahead of us,” said USRowing when asked about Coastal Rowing programs. BIAC is leading the US in Coastal Rowing events. Several members raced at the Coastal World Championships in 2018 and again 2019; we hosted the first US Coastal Regatta in Fall of 2019, and in 2020 we hosted the first U19 Beach Sprints camp in the US – with an eye toward competing at the Junior Worlds event in 2021. Our volunteers and coaches provided a fun and safe ignition to a new US rowing category. Many thanks to Sharon Weinbar for her leadership in coastal rowing. In 2020, we also added more coastal boats to our fleet and began offering coastal rowing classes, scrimmages and clinics.

South Lot Evolution:

BIAC got final sign-off on the South Dock a week before Halloween in 2019. The ramp and new floats have increased our dock space by 75%. Other South Lot improvements followed: grading and gravel, cleanup, scenic benches, railing, water lines, lighting, and new boat racks. The line between the South and North lots had earlier received new custom-built oar lockers (thank you John Hunter and Greg Wilson with credit to Tom Taylor and Amanda Hawkins for the adorning mural).

Enter 2020:

It’s not all good news. On New Year’s Day 2020 we lost former BIAC President and Treasurer Doug Karlson. We miss Doug dearly but his legacy in reasonable yet upbeat leadership lives on. In August, BIAC also lost its last live-aboard tenant when Octavio’s boat capsized and sank.

Going Solo in 2020:

We all have a common and many unique 2020 stories. BIAC’s challenge was to stay open and safe. County guidelines had no clear category for us – somewhere between a restaurant and a gym – and so our Board pivoted, improvised, and anticipated needs. We closed the boathouse and modulars to common access, yet sanitizer stations and masks allowed members to be safe outdoors. Unfortunately, team crews had to turn to single sculls in order to properly socially distance on the water. We were all solo in shells in 2020.

Adapting to a New Normal:

BIAC had purchased dozens of SUPs and kayaks starting in 2015 to support public access. While that program hit pause, in 2020 it prepared us for classes and bringing in new paddlers this year. Rapidly purchasing many new and used Kayaks, Surfskis, and single sculls repositioned our yards for continued use this year. BIAC was even able to borrow a handful of Aeros from one of our most loyal talents – Mike Sullivan. And we added a large tent between the modulars for outdoor on-land training.

New and current members alike have found a healthy escape to the water while our team boats best serve as sheltered bird nests. While team rows are out this year, Learn to SUP, Kayak, SurfSki, and Scull are booming under our coaches’ and Alice’s leadership.

Third Decade:

BIAC is well positioned for a strong third decade. While we have patiently searched for a permanent home since our inception, the public access and programs we offer to Redwood City and its neighbors give us a favorable hold on a third decade of aquatic service in our current gem of a location. We have every problem a boathouse wants to have.

2008-2018

BIAC is celebrating 20 years of operation in 2020.We left off with this BIAC history last month after the 2007 Rebuilding Day.BIAC became compliant enough to merit President Doug Karlson completing BIAC’s Use Permit and having Redwood City approve it in the fall of 2008.

Also in the spring of 2008 the Los Gatos Rowing Club approached us due to the Zebra Mussel closure and draining of the Lexington Reservoir for nearly a year.LGRC masters became regular, non-voting members for a monthly fee and in return built the racks and oar lockers on our northern end.

Our membership rates were still $400 a year and our landlord was the international Cemex Corp.Then in the spring of 2009 Redwood City purchased the Cemex 14 acres, which included BIAC and all the way to the corner of Maple and Blomquist. BIAC still occupied only the thin northern peninsula of this property. 

A handful of BIAC’s regents saw the opportunity to expand our connection with the Redwood City community and potentially make appropriate use of what is now our South Lot.  Our new landlord knew little about BIAC except from Rebuilding Day.

Early in the summer of 2010 during a cordial meeting with Redwood City, Jeff Birdwell planted the idea of the Planning Commission racing the Council in the first upcoming Port Fest in October.The challenge was made to race in two eights;  Best of three 500 meter sprints in front of wharves 4&5 to open the festival.

Advised in August 2010 that one does not simply “race an eight” without some coaching and practice, the Planning Commission agreed to have Doug Karlson be their mentor, and Peter Allen did the same for the Council. For three years (2010-2012) the challenge continued, with a final record of: Council 2, Planning 1.But the real winners were all of the friends and awareness BIAC had created, and some new local members.

Beginning in March 2011 Jerry Pierce drafted the first concept of how BIAC could expand operations to nearby unused property.  For a year we leased part of the lot occupied by the car dealers across Maple from BIAC.  But that was a Band-Aid on BIAC’s growing pains, and so efforts soon began to explore leasing what is currently our the South Lot. 

Many iterations later, plans were approved in June 2012.In Oct-Dec of 2012 BIAC moved in two modulars to be used as an erg palace for the junior programs and a meeting facility apart from the equipment-filled boathouse.Electrical and fencing were completed in December of 2012 and suddenly BIAC had twice the space for programs, shells, and trailers. Everything came together nicely except for the South Dock, which needed more permit time.

BIAC has always had a volunteer culture, and many things happen in the background that most of us never notice.Our office, facility maintenance, regatta organizers, fun events, our web site, and even this newsletter are all volunteer run.BIAC traditionally has only paid for accounting and cleaning services. 

In the winter of 2012-2013 a team was assembled to off-load our then solo web master at BIAC.A goal was also to enable easier membership billing and coordination online.  After analyzing offerings, BIAC’s web team chose the Wild Apricot platform to host a revamped BIAC web site, which re-launched in March of 2013.  Many thanks to the core web team comprised of Susan Adams, Amanda Hawkins, Vicky Bialas, Jerry Pierce, and President Jon Carlson.

While expansion to the South Lot was taking place, another major change was happening on Bair Island in 2012.  The Middle Bair levees where being prepared to be breached and receive tidal flow for the first time in 80 years.  This restoration also meant constructing two Flow Restrictors – one in Smith Slough and the other midway along Corkscrew Slough.  These restrictors work to prevent debris and silt from the restored island tidal action causing the Port of Redwood City millions more in dredging fees.New flow would be sent northwards to Steinberger Slough which would scourge out the muddy bottom and deepen the waters passing by the San Carlos Airport and Redwood Shores.  

The final levee breach to restore Bair Island happened in December of 2015, making two cuts near the Smith Restrictor to open up Inner Bair.All sections of Bair Island are now open to new tidal flow and are a protected wildlife sanctuary. 

In March of 2013 the BIAC Board announced our first fee increase since 2000: from $400/year to $450.  Today’s $700/year rates have been in place since 2017.These rates are in line with the lower half of other Bay Area aquatic facilities. 

A new collaboration for BIAC had begun with Redwood City’s Parks & Recreation group, and hopes of offering community benefits – largely through paddling - were kindled.We even purchased used docks in 2014 from Oracle’s Americas Cup 2013 victory effort, hoping to use them in a South Lot dock extension.Getting a permit for rehabilitating the South dock pilings and platform took until 2019, when the plans and patient persistence paid off.

Next month’s BIAC history edition will explore big changes in 2019 and how BIAC has responded to Covid-19 in 2020. 

Rebuilding Day 2007

BIAC is celebrating 20 years of operation during 2020. Some big improvements happened in 2007.

For Valentine’s Day in 2007, BIAC received word that we had been awarded that year’s “Rebuilding Day” gift (formerly “Christmas in April”) by Webcor – a large construction company with a history of giving back to Bay Area communities. This was also done in cooperation with Rebuilding Together. Our submission to Webcor was brokered by BIAC member Jeff Birdwell. Peter Allen, then serving on the Board, became the BIAC Program Manager for this significant miracle. Every board member, past Presidents, and “Future Foundation” members made great contributions to the design and logistics of getting this done. And every BIAC member volunteered at some point. This was BIAC’s chance to get an “extreme makeover” and we pounced on it.

BIAC from its onset in 2000 had inspection issues (mechanical, electrical, etc.) with Redwood City. Our aging facility that we had taken over from South Bay Boat Works in late 1999 needed some love. BIAC was especially cash-strapped during the early years, so addressing compliance issues with the city was challenging. Our use permit with the city had never really been accepted either, leaving us vulnerable. While insistent and persistent, Redwood City was kind enough early on to give us a little slack, as our use of the property was much kinder than the former boat repair yard.

When asking Webcor about the possible scope of work, they responded “What do you need?” We made a big request in four major areas:

• Docks – Remove and replace all docks, build a new ramp, and create an Aero float and Observation Deck.
• Boathouse – Gut and rebuild with a mezzanine and proper ADA compliant bathroom
• Boatyard – Replace all boat racks and oar lockers.  Hopes to span the yard with a Coverall were not possible due to proximity to the water and the potential impact of breaking the surface of the former boat repair yard.
• Parking – Create paved parking and plant landscaping.

Our ideas were generously accepted by Webcor and planning began immediately to transform BIAC. The work would require a lot more than a few days in April. Here are the general before and after plans: