a public company and acquiring several dozen others. At the time Sanders retired, it employed 1,700 people. This was a fortunate and necessary stepping stone for Westpoint Harbor becoming a reality, as the scale and budget of the project grew over time.

Into the Ground

The time and effort put into the permitting process cannot be understated. Sanders spent nearly 15 years gathering federal, state and local permits for his project. Once permits were finally in place the long-awaited development could begin with the basin excavation. As a former storage pond, geotechnical analysis predicted it would take 35 years to completely dry and settle, time he didn't have. Sanders had to find a quicker method. Having traveled extensively in Holland, Sanders learned of a Dutch process called "wicking" to rapidly de-water shoreline areas and reclaim land from the sea. "Sand wells" are installed, which allow water to move rapidly through very dense mud. As soil is built up (a process called surcharging) the water is forced up the wells, and can reduce dewatering time from years to months. Sanders found a company in Colorado Springs (Nilex Corporation) that makes and installs a wicking system, which works like sand wells. To start the process, the bittern was first removed, and then two layers of geotechnical fabric were laid out on the site, hundreds of rolls sewn together with portable sewing machines to make continuous blankets. Between the layers, drain rock and piping was installed, creating a horizontal sandwich through which water moves easily. Through all the layers, more than 50,000 wicks, 40 feet long, were installed. Dirt was spread over the layers to begin the surcharge, which would put pressure on the underlying mud. The moment the surcharge was installed water began to flow up the wicks, into the drain-rock layer and on to a pair of 6,000 gallons/hour pumps. With wicks spaced 6 feet apart, what would have taken 35 years to settle was accomplished in

8 Marina Dock Age April 2019 The docks have rounded finger piers and in-slip pumpout, both newer ideas at the time.

WESTPOINT HARBOR: AT A GLANCE

416 wet slips with in-slip pumpout; 88 dry storage spaces for boats from 15 to 40 feet; Power: 30-amp, duel 50-amp 125/250-volt and 100-amp/240-volt, both single and three phase; Restroom and showers; laundry facility; dock carts; complimentary ice; bike racks; PWC racks; boat and paddleboard launches; Nearly a mile of walking paths with park benches, connects to the Bay Trail; The Club at Westpoint, a sporting and social yacht club; Staff - 3 full-time maintenance; seven part-time (four harbormasters, and three independent contractors for bookkeeping, marketing and general manager of YachtSuites). 60 self-storage lockers, 10- and 20-foot sizes; Community garden with raised beds in wind-protected area; Party barges - movable docks that boaters can use at their slips; On-site yacht broker; Clean Marina - awarded in May 2013, recertified in June 2018.