23/11/2016 initially written – updated 11/12/2016
Hi Everyone,
Lots happening here.
As your are no doubt aware, the quake lifted most of this part of the coast.
Our ramps are currently only usable above half tide, and if you have a deep boat only at high tide.
We are exploring possible options.
We are open to suggestions from anyone with experience in such matters (we don’t just want ideas, we have plenty of those here, what we need is options from people who have used those options successfully in the past).
Below are some photos of the ramps at low tide.
We did a brief survey (man walking out with stick with depths marked on it, dragging rope with marks every 5m) of the South Bay ramp last night – a rough drawing of that is also below.
Our ramps are currently on a 1 in 10 gradient.
We have permission from the harbour master to restore our previous level of service – nothing more.
“1. Private and/or small ramp facilities (CG, Boating club, campsite etc.). These facility owners are authorised by me, as Harbourmaster, to undertake emergency works to return the ramps and facilities to the same access conditions you had prior to the quake. This means you can start whenever you can the only requirements being that you mitigate and negative impacts of the work as much as possible. ”
So we plan to extend existing ramps on existing gradients and cut channels until we have the depth of water we previously had at low tide (about 1.2m).
Exactly how that is done is the big question.
There is some possibility of assistance from the army and navy – and that would be lovely if it happens, and lets not bank on it.
The club has a reserve available for repair work, but at around 70K, may not be up to meeting standard contracting rates for such things.
Any assistance club members can bring would be gratefully received.
We have permission to use a nearby abandoned quarry as both a source of rubble for causeway if required and a storage site for material temporarily.

This is a rough map of what needs doing.
About a meter depth of material to be taken from each of the bars.

Could really do with a team of divers to do a thorough visual survey of any potential issues right out to the next reef.
Or anyone with a multibeam sonar to do one at high tide.
Once we get the readymix plant operating again in Kaikoura (30T crane need to set it back on its feet currently), the easiest thing will probably be to close the ramp for a couple of days, build a coffer dam to allow us to work for a couple of hours either side of low tide, pump it dry, and box up and pour the extended ramp. Keeping to current angle (1 in 10) there is about 12m out by 24m wide of slab that needs pouring, with new poles required both middle and sides.
The North slip is much more difficult.

A big shelf of limestone now lies between us and water.
Exactly how we cut that limestone out is the question.
What might lie beyond it is also an open question right now.
Big digger is probably best, and some of the rock may be particularly tough.
A job for very low tides.
Ted Howard – President – 23 Nov 2016
11/12/2016
Many discussions have been held, some more still to be held.
There is more work to do than our $80K reserves allow for.
We are exploring options, and we will update this page as soon as we have anything firm.
Currently there is about 700mm depth of water at the bottom of the ramp from half tide.
Full tide is around the old half tide level.