Gold Anchor Award Program 
Our annual Golden Anchor Award is now in its fifth year, recognizing certified facilities that go above and beyond to protect the environment. We realize that all program participants are doing great work, and remaining a certified marina after your recurring three-year evaluation is a major accomplishment for all participants. However, every summer a facility (marina or boatyard) exceeds the basic implementation of program standards. This year’s award goes to the Rose City Yacht Club, located along the Columbia River in Portland.
This facility received its original certification in 2007 and was the 14th certification awarded during the second year of the program. Being a yacht club, this is more of a community of boaters rather than individuals renting slips at a big marina. There is a large focus on volunteerism at this club (as are most yacht clubs) and deserves to be highlighted by how well this facility is managed by its members, especially since there is no paid staff at this marina. When it comes to meeting the program standards, this facility hit it out of the park last summer! The written rules of the club are comprehensive, and all members are held accountable for following them. New members are required to attend a club orientation training within the first year of membership. They learn the expectations for continued certification in the Clean Marina Program. By late July last summer, registration compliance for moored boats was 100% and at full capacity (150 boat slips!). To adhere to the abandoned and derelict boat prevention standards, all boat owners at this club who cannot obtain (or renew) an insurance policy on their boat are asked to remove their vessel from the marina (this follow-through has been documented recently).
Another requirement of club membership is participating in marina work parties organized four times per year. During these events, facility equipment is evaluated, and maintenance is conducted as needed. One example is the maintenance of the concrete docks and the annual work to clean up floating debris in the facility after the winter storm season. This annual work extends the lifespan of the docks. This marina also maintains a boat sewage pumpout station (only open to club members) and makes sure the sewage holding tank is in good working order. There are two emergency oil spill kits kept at opposite ends of the marina, along with a boat de-watering portable pump cart (emergency response item for a sinking boat) being available for use in the event of an emergency. Both of these items are part of this club’s emergency response plan using the Clean Marina-provided template. Along with these tools and the plan, Rose City Yacht Club has a few permanent residents living on-site in floating homes. These members are part of a team that walks the docks daily and are available to address issues during times when the general membership might not be on-site. Additional practices include an extremely organized garbage and recycling area, along with used oil collection/recycle areas kept under cover and inside a small shed with spill containment supplies. The Rose City Yacht Club is a well-deserving recipient of the 2024 award. A sincere, "Thank you" to the membership for their commitment to protecting the environment. Great job Rose City Yacht Club!
Award recipients are presented with a framed certificate signed by the agency Director.
