Vermont

Vermont’s rainy summer means a tough season for boaters

Published

9 months ago

August 28, 2023

Vermont’s rainy summer means a tough season for boaters

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont marinas, boat rentals and boating clubs have seen a decline in visitors over this soggy summer. Boaters say it’s been a very weird summer in terms of the weather and there wasn’t a lot of opportunity to get out on Lake Champlain.

Sunny days like Monday have been very few and far between.

“No, there hasn’t been a lot of opportunity. We are afternoon boaters. I would hope that next summer is better,” said Jed Dillon of Essex Junction.

Dillon is part of the Champlain Fleet Club and during the summer he likes to get out on the water.

He says it’s always relaxing to enjoy the lake on a sunny day but this summer hasn’t been so relaxing with very few boating days.

“I don’t feel that we have had a normal weather year, as far as summer weather. This is kind of the summer that hasn’t been for some people who rely on good weather to do things,” Dillon said.

It’s been rainy this summer for the state of Vermont, and with the recent flooding, Lake Champlain has received more than four billion gallons of water over the course of two months. With the rain, marinas like Champlain Marina are seeing fewer tourists, people and boats leaving the docks.

“The boating traffic has certainly been a little bit less than normal. It’s more than just the actual weather that’s going on, it’s the weather that’s forecasted. People base their plans on what the weather is actually looking like,” said Peter Farrell of Champlain Marina.

And clubs like the Champlain Fleet Club are seeing fewer of their members taking their 25 boats out for a cruise.

“We have had an increase in membership and probably less usage per boat on average because of weather. Last year was an incredible year, had a lot of good boating days. Probably this year a little less,” said Philip Scott of the Champlain Fleet Club.

Businesses like Sail Vermont are also seeing a decline, but they add that rainy days aren’t as bad for the sails.

“Believe it or not, the sailing is better when you get wet weather. Sunny days tend to bring sort of flat calm water like this. But when we get some rain, we actually get lots of wind too,” said Daniel McGill of Sail Vermont.

For the remainder of the summer, boaters say they will be taking full advantage of the sunny days they have left.

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Related Topics:boaters Boating boats Featured lakes news rain rentals soggy Summer tourism vermont WCAX weather

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Vermont

This website is unavailable in your location. – WPXI

Published

3 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Press Room

This website is unavailable in your location. – WPXI

“With a resounding purr of approval from the faculty, the Board of Trustees of the Vermont State Cat-leges has bestowed upon Max Dow the prestigious title of Doctor of Litter-ature, complete with all the catnip perks, scratching post privileges, and litter box responsibilities that come with it.”

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Vermont

Vermonters gather Eco-Fair in search of ways to make the grass greener this spring

Published

10 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Press Room

Vermonters gather Eco-Fair in search of ways to make the grass greener this spring

WEYBRIDGE, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermonters gathered at an Eco-Fair in Weybridge in search of ways to make the grass greener this spring.

Weybridge Energy Committee hosted the event at Weybridge Elementary School. Visitors browsed booths featuring composting, home energy and heating solutions and lawncare.

Those looking for more energy-efficient ways to trim their lawns tested out lawn mowers through Mow Electric.

“It seems to work just as well as a regular lawnmower if not better, so then why not go electric if you can?” Sylvie Doutriaux of Weybridge said, testing out an electric mower.

And in honor of “No Mow May,” conservation organization Pollinator Pathway handed out native plant seeds, advocating for natural lawns safe for pollinators.

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Vermont

Rice Lumber makes history with Vermont's first outdoor electric forklifts

Published

17 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Press Room

SHELBURNE, Vt. (WCAX) – Rice Lumber makes history with Vermont’s first outdoor electric forklifts.

Chirping birds filled the air at the Shelburne construction company. In the distance, the faint purr of an electric forklift. “It’s peaceful out here in the morning when they’re running them,” Rice Lumber’s Taylor Carroll explained. “You don’t have a bunch of smoke and loud noises.”

This spring, Rice Lumber bought two Toyota 80-volt Electric Pneumatic forklifts. They’re the first outdoor electric forklifts in Vermont. Northern Toyota Lift’s James Jimmo hooked them up. “These guys have stepped up to the plate,” Jimmo said. “I think it’s gonna be really good.”

It took some persuading to get there. Rice Lumber owner Wes Carroll wasn’t too keen on ditching the company’s die-hard diesel forklifts at first. “He took the brochure and threw it in the garbage,” Jimmo laughed. “Then we started talking numbers.”

The price tag: $80,000 a lift, around $10,000 more than their diesel lifts. “At first we’re nervous of, you know, they’re obviously expensive and we have chargers and all that stuff, and it’s new to us,” Carroll shrugged.

Crunching the numbers, Jimmo found each lift would save the company an annual $8,000 on gas and service. With those savings, they’d make up the price difference in less than two years. Rice Lumber was sold and got a $6,000 rebate from Green Mountain Power. “It’s exciting. I never thought I’d be the guy cutting the carbon footprint in the state of Vermont like this,” Jimmo smiled. “Being the pioneer.”

The forklifts run around eight to 10 hours a charge and plug in on-site, cutting out a weekly 20 gallons of diesel. Plus, they can handle thousands more pounds than the old diesel lifts and offer more safety features. Carroll says even their oldest employees prefer the EV lifts over the four remaining diesel lifts. “It’s looking like they’re working out pretty well,” Carroll said.

Jimmo says he hopes Rice Lumber’s success story encourages other construction companies to make the switch. “I think when other people see what a good thing it is, they’ll jump on board,” Jimmo said.

Rice Lumber is waiting to see how the forklifts perform through the winter before replacing their entire diesel fleet.

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