FINAL Submittal
Prepared For:
City of Redondo Beach
Waterfront & Economic Development
Department
May 5, 2025
REDONDO BEACH
BOAT LAUNCH RAMP
DEMAND STUDY
M&N PROJECT #: 232677
Redondo Beach Boat Launch Ramp
Demand Study
May 5, 2025
Prepared by:
4225 E Conant St
Long Beach, CA 90808
Redondo Beach Boat Launch Ramp Facility
Demand Study
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Table of Contents
1. Existing Regional Boat Launch Market ................................................................................................. 2
1.1 Market Area .................................................................................................................................. 2
1.2 Market Characteristics .................................................................................................................. 3
1.3 Market Size ................................................................................................................................... 3
1.4 Facility Type & Size ........................................................................................................................ 4
1.5 Pricing ............................................................................................................................................ 4
2. Boating Market and Industry Trends .................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Boat Registration Trends............................................................................................................... 5
2.2 Population Trends ....................................................................................................................... 10
3. Market Usage and Demand ................................................................................................................ 11
3.1 Usage ........................................................................................................................................... 11
3.2 Recreational Demand Analysis.................................................................................................... 14
4. Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 16 Redondo Beach Boat Launch Ramp Facility
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2 1. Existing Regional Boat Launch Market
Cataloguing the existing regional boat launch market provides an insight into market capacity and local boating trends. The existing market analysis is used to evaluate the current demand for boat launches and to project future demand in the market region by identifying the types of existing boat launches in the market.
1.1 Market Area
The proposed Redondo Beach Boat Launch Ramp resides in King Harbor. Regionally, King Harbor lies on the California coast, 20 miles from downtown Los Angeles, in Los Angeles County. The harbor is south of Marina del Rey, Los Angeles International Airport and Manhattan Beach and north of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and within the limits of the City of Redondo Beach and Los Angeles County. The Redondo Beach regional market consists of five counties: Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange.
Market area geographic boundaries are generally defined by the distance that local boaters are willing to travel to use a facility. The geographic area helps identify the competing and comparable boat launches within that area.
Studies suggest typical day boaters are willing to travel by car for up to one hour (~30 miles) from home to use their boat. Weekend boaters will travel much farther – up to 5 or 6 hours – spending the night on their boat. Surveys support these limits, confirming the geographic market region centered on Redondo Beach encompasses boaters within Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange County.
Boat launches within this geographic area compete for the regional boating population.
Figure 1-1: Redondo Beach Market Area
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3 1.2 Market Characteristics
Boating season in the Redondo Beach Boat Launch Ramp market is year-round but peaks in the summer months – June, July, and August. Redondo Beach is a prime geographic location in Southern California, with some of the best weather and water conditions in the country and is in close proximity to fishing grounds.
Sailing/cruising and recreational fishing are among the most popular activities in California marine markets. The region also attracts transient boaters from outside the market for sailing races, sportfishing, and general tourism. To better identify boater demographics within the regional market and subsequently define the drivers that generate demand, the market is divided into boat classes defined by length; vessels under 40 ft. are trailerable vessels and generally stored on land, resulting in the need for a boat launch or hoist to get into the water. Vessels above 40 ft. are generally stored in water.
1.3 Market Size
There is currently a Redondo Beach Small Boat Launch Facility with a boat hoist that provides access to the water for the local market, however, this is proposed to be demolished and replaced with the proposed Redondo Beach Boat Launch Ramp. Additionally, the regional market is comprised of 16 other boat launch facilities (BLF) for coastal water access, as shown in Table 1-1. Of these 16 boat launch facilities, 9 are located within 30 miles of the proposed boat launch site.
Table 1-1: Redondo Beach Market Boat Launch Facilities
Facility Distance from
Redondo Beach City County
Marina Del Rey Boat Launch Facility 9.3 Marina Del Rey Los Angeles Cabrillo Beach Launch Ramp 11.5 Los Angeles Los Angeles South Shore Boat Ramp 13 Long Beach Los Angeles
Claremont Boat Launch Ramp 18 Long Beach Los Angeles
Davies Boat Ramp 18 Long Beach Los Angeles
Granada Boat Launch Ramp 18 Long Beach Los Angeles
Marine Stadium Ramp 18 Long Beach Los Angeles
Sunset Aquatic Marina 20.2 Huntington Beach Orange
Huntington Harbor Yacht Club 21 Huntington Beach Orange Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort
& Marina 33.7 Newport Beach Orange
Dana Point Boat Launch Ramp /
Embarcadero Marina 49 Dana Point Orange
Channel Islands Harbor 51 Oxnard Santa Barbara
Ventura Harbor 58 Ventura Beach Ventura
Santa Barbara Launch Ramp 83 Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Goleta Beach County Park 91 Goleta Santa Barbara
Gaviota State Park 112 Goleta Santa Barbara
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4 1.4 Facility Type & Size
A summary of the BLFs in the market broken down by facility name, type, and number of lanes is shown in Table 1-2. Of the 16 facilities in the market area, 12 are boat launch ramps, with number of launch lanes ranging from 1 to 8.
Table 1-2: Market Area Boat Launch Facility Type & Size Facility Number of Launch
Lanes
Marina Del Rey Boat Launch
Facility 8
Cabrillo Beach Launch Ramp 4
South Shore Boat Ramp 2
Claremont Boat Launch Ramp Sand
Davies Boat Ramp 7
Granada Boat Launch Ramp Sand
Marine Stadium Ramp 4
Sunset Aquatic Marina 4
Huntington Harbor Yacht Club 1
Newport Dunes Waterfront
Resort & Marina 6
Dana Point Boat Launch Ramp /
Embarcadero Marina 6
Channel Islands Harbor 3
Ventura Harbor 6
Santa Barbara Launch Ramp 8
Goleta Beach County Park
Gaviota State Park Hoist
1.5 Pricing
Usage rates for boat launch facilities in the regional market vary and are influenced somewhat by location and amenities provided. Table 1-3 shows information on published rates for the different facilities in the market. Most facilities do not charge for the use of the boat launch itself, but rather charge a “per day” parking fee for vehicle and/or trailers. The per day rate for facilities in the market area varies from $7 to $20, with the average being $14 for the market area and $13 for facilities within 30 miles of the proposed project site.
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5 Table 1-3: Market Area Boat Launch Facility Pricing
Facility Fee to Launch
Marina Del Rey Boat Launch
Facility
$15 with trailer, $10
vehicles only
Cabrillo Beach Launch Ramp $15/day
South Shore Boat Ramp $12/day
Claremont Boat Launch Ramp $12/day
Davies Boat Ramp $12/day
Granada Boat Launch Ramp $12/day
Marine Stadium Ramp $12/day
Sunset Aquatic Marina $20/day
Huntington Harbor Yacht Club $7/day
Newport Dunes Waterfront
Resort & Marina
$15/winter,
$20/summer
Dana Point Boat Launch Ramp /
Embarcadero Marina $15/day
Channel Islands Harbor
$13 day use, $19
8pm-4am, $60
overnight occupied
Ventura Harbor $10/day
Santa Barbara Launch Ramp $20 vehicle per day,
$8 trailer per day
Goleta Beach County Park $15/day
Gaviota State Park Annual Hoist Fee
$150
2. Boating Market and Industry Trends
Trends in the U.S. boating market as well as correlations between boat ownership and major economic indicators provide guidance on potential marina and boat launch market growth. Trends include:
• National and State Boat Registration Trends
• Population Trends
These trends are further analyzed in the following sections.
2.1 Boat Registration Trends
Boats in the U.S. are registered and licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard or the state of residence. The number of registered boats directly relates to boat ownership and boat use which affects boat launch facility demand.
Analysis of U.S. boat registration statistics from 2014 to 2023 (Figure 2-1) shows that the total number of registered boats in the U.S. has stayed relatively steady. Figure 2-1 also shows that there has been a slight decrease in registered boats in California but overall has also remained relatively steady.
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6 The U.S. boat registration statistics can be further broken down to observed trends in specific boat sizes.
For boats under 40 ft., the United States Coast Guard (USCG) breaks down the sizing as registered boats less than 16 ft., registered boats greater than 16 ft. and less than 26 ft., and registered boats greater than 26 ft. and less than 40 ft. The registration trends for each of these sizing categories for the U.S. can be seen in Figure 2-2, Figure 2-3, and Figure 2-4, respectively.
While there has been a steady decrease in vessels less than 16 ft. in length, there has been a steady increase in vessels greater than 16 ft. but less than 26 ft., and in vessels greater than 26 ft. but less than 40 ft. The vessels in these 16 ft. to 40 ft. categories are the target audience for a boat launch ramp facility compared to vessels less than 16 ft., as the smaller vessels could use other means for getting into the water like a boat hoist facility that may not have enough tonnage capacity for the larger vessels being trailered.
(Source: USCG)
Figure 2-1: U.S. and CA Total Registered Boats by Year
11.8 11.9 11.9 12.0 11.9 11.9 11.8 12.0 11.8 11.5
1.50 1.50 1.44 1.44 1.38 1.38 1.35 1.35 1.30 1.30
0.00 0.20
0.40 0.60
0.80 1.00
1.20 1.40
1.60 1.80
2.00 2.0
4.0 6.0
8.0 10.0
12.0 14.0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Total Registered Boats in CA (millions)
Total Registered Boat in U.S. (millions)
Year
U.S. and CA Total Registered Boats
U.S. CA
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7 (Source: USCG)
Figure 2-2: U.S. Registered Boats < 16 ft. by Year
(Source: USCG)
Figure 2-3: U.S. Registered Boats > 16 ft. and < 26 ft. by Year 3,000,000
3,500,000
4,000,000
4,500,000
5,000,000
5,500,000
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Number of Boats
Year
Registered Boats < 16 ft. in the U.S.
5,500,000
5,700,000
5,900,000
6,100,000
6,300,000
6,500,000
6,700,000
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Number of Boats
Year
Registered Boats > 16 ft. and < 26 ft. in the U.S.
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8 (Source: USCG)
Figure 2-4: U.S. Registered Boats > 26 ft. and < 40 ft. by Year Trends for registered boats within the market area from 2010 to 2017 can be seen in Figure 2-5. While boat registrations within the market area have had a slight decrease overtime, Los Angeles County, where the proposed boat launch facility is located, continues to hold the largest number of boat registrations within the market area. It is assumed that the boat owners within Los Angeles County will be the typical day boaters using the facility, while boat owners from other counties may travel to the area less frequently or on weekends.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (CA DMV) has not published the total vessel registrations by county since 2017, but vessel registrations for more recent years for the entirety of California can be seen in Figure 2-1. Comparing Figure 2-1 and Figure 2-5, the California, United States, and market area boat registrations all trend similarly. Due to the similar trend lines, it is assumed that the market area boat registration trend has continued to have a slight decrease in recent years, but likely due to a decrease in vessels below 16 ft. in length as seen in the U.S. registration trends. 400,000
420,000
440,000
460,000
480,000
500,000
520,000
540,000
560,000
580,000
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Number of Boats
Year
Registered Boats > 26 ft. and < 40 ft. in the U.S.
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9 (Source: CA DMV, CA DBW)
Figure 2-5: Market Area Boat Registration by Year
Figure 2-6 shows a breakdown of boat sizes in both the Los Angeles Region and the U.S. These percentages confirm that trailerable boat sizes, or those less than 40 ft., account for more than 99% of the registered boats in the market area and the country.
(Source: CA DMV, CA DBW, USCG)
Figure 2-6: Percentage of Boats by Size in Los Angeles Region and U.S. 0 50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
Registered Boats (total)
Year
Market Area Boat Registration Trends (total)
LOS ANGELES VENTURA SAN BERNARDINO
RIVERSIDE ORANGE
38.0%
56.7%
4.5%
0.7%
0.1%
50.2%
43.3%
5.9%
0.4%
0.2%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%
<16 ft.
16-26 ft.
26-40 ft.
40-65 ft.
>65ft.
Percent of Boats within a Size Interval
Boat Length
LA Region US
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10 2.2 Population Trends
Figure 2-7 through Figure 2-10 below shows population growth trends from 2010 to 2022 for the market area, Los Angeles County, the South Bay area, and Redondo Beach, respectively. The “market area” refers to the 5 counties previously mentioned surrounding the project location. The “South Bay” refers to the local market in the Southern portion of Los Angeles County that is anticipated to benefit greatly from the addition of the proposed boat launch ramp; this area includes the following cities: Redondo Beach, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes Peninsula, Carson, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lomita, Torrance, San Pedro, Westchester, Wilmington, and Harbor City.
Population growth in the market area, Los Angeles County, and the South Bay show an overall steady increase in population from 2010 to 2022. Population growth in Redondo Beach had a steady increase from 2010 to 2015, and then increased quicker between 2018 and 2020, showing that the population has the potential to grow at a higher rate in years to follow.
Figure 2-7: Market Area Population Growth by Year
Figure 2-8: Los Angeles County Population by Year
17,500,000
18,000,000
18,500,000
19,000,000
19,500,000
20,000,000
2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Population
Year
Market Area Population Growth
9,600,000
9,800,000
10,000,000
10,200,000
10,400,000
2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Population
Year
Los Angeles County Population Growth
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11 Figure 2-9: South Bay Population Growth by Year
Figure 2-10: Redondo Beach Population Growth by Year
3. Market Usage and Demand
The market capacity is determined by identifying typical boaters projected to use a boat launch facility within the market and associated trends in the populations of boaters. Boat launch facility users in the regional market area include:
- Recreational boaters from the surrounding community who store their boats on land - Transient recreational boaters visiting the region
3.1 Usage
3.1.1. Redondo Beach Boat Hoist
Usage data for the existing Redondo Beach boat hoist can be seen in Table 3-1; note that usage data is unknown from 2000-2011 and 2015-2022. Usage for this boat launch facility has decreased over time, likely due to several causes including: limitations on boat size/weight that can use the hoist, limited hours of operation, reduction in number of hoists at facility, and more expensive launching rates. The current boat hoist is a five-ton hoist and is capable of hoisting boats up to 10,000 lb. and 30 ft. long and is open between 6am and 7pm, depending on the day and time of year. When the hoist facility first opened in the 900,000
950,000
1,000,000
1,050,000
1,100,000
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Population
Year
South Bay Population Growth
62,000
64,000
66,000
68,000
70,000
72,000
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Population
Year
Redondo Beach Population Growth
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12 1960’s, two boat hoists were available for public use. However, nearly 50 years later, between 2012 and 2014 the hoists were displaying operating deficiencies and were in need of repairs. In 2014, the City only repaired one of the two hoists, leaving only one operable hoist at the facility; in recent years, the second hoist was completely demolished from the site. The reduction to one hoist in 2014, and the operational deficiencies leading up to then, is likely a major cause to the decrease in yearly launches between 1999 and 2012.
Table 3-1: Redondo Beach Boat Hoist Launch Data
Year # of Launches
1997 4800
1998 4800
1999 4500
2012 1193
2013 1225
2014 1134
2023 1166
2024 1233
Current rates for the Redondo Beach Boat Hoist, based on boat length, are shown in Table 3-2. Compared to the boat ramp launch rates for the market area shown in Table 1-3, the boat hoist rates are significantly higher. Boats over 18 ft. in length would be paying over double the average boat launch rate ($14) in the area, likely resulting in boaters travelling to a facility that may be further away to save money on launch rates.
Table 3-2: Redondo Beach Boat Hoist Rates
Boat Length Hoist Rate
Under 12’ $18.00
12’ to 17’11” $23.00
18’ to 21’11” $30.00
22’ to 24’11” $35.00
25’ & over $40.00
Usage data for the existing Redondo Beach boat hoist in 2024 can be used to estimate an average number of launches per day for the boat hoist. Per daily usage data provided by the City, during peak usage days, which is estimated to be 90 days of the year, 462 launches were accounted for using the boat hoist, equating to approximately 5.13 launches per day. On the remaining sub-peak usage days, or remaining 275 days of the year, a total of 771 launches were accounted for using the boat hoist, which equates to approximately 2.80 launches per day. Taking both the peak usage days (462 launches) and sub-peak usage days (771 launches) into account, an average of approximately 3.38 launches per day occurred using the boat hoist in 2024.
3.1.2. Market Area Usage
Per the California Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW) 2019 “California Boating Facilities Needs Assessment” (2019 CBFNA) the Long Beach Harbor area is the most frequently visited waterway by Redondo Beach Boat Launch Ramp Facility
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13 motorized boats in the Los Angeles region (15% of boaters). Ten percent of boaters reported that they visit Alamitos Bay most frequently. These percentages correlate to the fact that Long Beach provides the most boat launch ramps of any city in the market area, with 5 of the 12 boat launch ramps.
It was reported that Davies Boat Launch Ramp, the largest boat launching facility in Long Beach, has approximately 40,000 trailered boats launched annually; this number does not account for the additional boats being launched at the other four boat launch sites located in the Long Beach Harbor/Alamitos Bay areas. It is anticipated that by providing a new boat launch ramp outside of the local Long Beach area, demand from those boat ramps will disperse to the new boat launch ramp as well. Additionally, at the north end of the market area, there are approximately 100,000 trailered boats launched annually at the Marina Del Rey boat launching facility. There are likely more launches at Marina Del Rey compared to Davies boat launch ramp due to it being the only launch facility in Marina Del Rey and the surrounding area, compared to Davies being 1 of 5 facilities in Long Beach.
Per a survey conducted in the 2019 CBFNA, 25% of motorized boat owners and said that King Harbor is in need of a launch ramp facility; this reiterates the idea that there is demand for a boat launch facility within the local Redondo Beach waterways. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the proposed boat launch ramp will have much greater demand than the existing boat hoist due to ease of use, larger vessel size capacity, and updated facility conditions.
3.1.3. Market Area Boat and Population Growth
Per the boat registration data in Section 2.1, there has been a steady number of registered boats in the United States between 2014 and 2021, with a steady increase in boats in the 16 ft. to 40 ft. size range. An increase in these size vessels likely indicates that there is also a growth in number of boats being trailered to a boat launch facility for day use.
Per the 2019 CBFNA, there were a total of 79,415 motorized vessels less than 40 ft. registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (CA DMV) between Los Angeles and Ventura Counties in 2016.
Per data in Section 2.2, the approximate population of these two counties is 11 million, with 1 million (9%) of those residing in the South Bay region. It can then be assumed that 9%, or approximately 7,150, of those registered vessels less than 40 ft., will be in close proximity to the proposed boat launch ramp and become the target user. The remaining 72,265 registered vessels less than 40 ft. are still anticipated to use the proposed boat launch ramp, but likely at a less frequent rate. Non-motorized vessels are not considered in this study as a separate hand launch facility is assumed to be located in King Harbor.
It is anticipated that many of these boats in the South Bay region do not currently use the boat hoist located in Redondo Beach due to a combination of the capacity limits of the boat hoist (30 ft. length and 10,000 lb max), the high fees, and the ease of using a newer launch ramp facility versus the hoist. Though, as mentioned in Section 3.1.2, many boat owners have expressed interest in utilizing a launch ramp facility located in King Harbor/Redondo Beach.
The City of Redondo Beach has recognized the increase in boaters in the South Bay region in and local demand for the addition of a boat launch ramp in recent years through an amendment to the Redondo Beach Local Coastal Program (LCP). Among other things, the amendment requires the development of a public boat launch in King Harbor prior to or in conjunction with future development; this requirement has been heavily supported by local boaters for an expansion of public access on the water.
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14 3.2 Recreational Demand Analysis
3.2.1. Anticipated Demand
Using data on the number of registered boats under 40 ft., and population of Redondo Beach and the surrounding market area, an anticipated demand for the proposed boat launch facility was developed.
Per Section 3.1.3, approximately 7,150 registered boats are assumed to be located within the South Bay area and an additional 72,265 in the market area. Per the USCG 2020 “National Recreational Boating Safety Survey” (2020 NRBSS), an average of 63.3% of boats in California are transported/trailered for launch purposes; using this statistic, it can be assumed that 4,525 boats in the South Bay region and an additional 45,745 boats in the market area are transported/trailered to launch each year. Furthermore, the 2020 NRBSS states that, on average, boats are transported/trailered for launch purposes 12 times a year in California; this would equate to 54,300 launches per year for boats in the South Bay area. It is anticipated that boats located outside the South Bay are more likely to visit the proposed boat launch facility on weekends or holidays, or approximately 33% of the time compared to those boats located within the South Bay. With that in mind, it can be assumed that these boats will be transported/trailered for launch purposes 4 times a year, creating an additional 182,980 launches per year.
It is anticipated that the proposed launch ramp facility will attract many of these boat owners due to closer proximity and newer facilities. However, it is also assumed some boat owners will continue to use their current boat launch facility. To be conservative, it is assumed that 25% of boat owners in the South Bay area would transition to using the proposed boat launch facility, which would equate to 13,575 launches per year; this assumption is based on the 25% of motorized boat owners who said that King Harbor needs a launch ramp facility as mentioned in the DBW Facility Needs assessment referenced in Section 3.1.2. In the overall market area outside of the South Bay, it is assumed 3% (approximately 1/8 of the 25% assumed for South Bay region) of boat owners transition to using the proposed boat launch facility, there would be an additional 14,640 launches per year. Taking both the anticipated South Bay boaters (13,575 launches) and remaining Los Angeles/Ventura County (5,718 launches) boat launches per year into account, 19,293 launches per year can be anticipated. This number is likely conservative for the total demand as it does not include boats that may come from the other, further counties in the market area.
Comparing the anticipated demand for the proposed BLF in Redondo Beach to the current demand for facilities in Long Beach Harbor and Marina Del Rey, which capture the boat launch demand to both the south and north of the proposed launch ramp, further justifies that there is a high level of demand in the market area. With 40,000 trailered boats launched annually at Davies seven-lane launch ramp, that equates to approximately 5,714 launches per lane, per year. With Marina Del Rey boat launch ramp having 100,000 trailered boats launched annually for approximately eight launch lanes, that equates to 12,500 launches per lane, per year. The Davies launch ramp facility is likely not used to full capacity due to there being four other boat launch facilities in the Long Beach area and thus boaters dispersing throughout those facilities during the busy season. However, the proposed Redondo Beach facility would be the only boat launch ramp located in the South Bay, with the next closest launching location being the one in Marina Del Rey, which is approximately 9 miles away. Based on boat registration data analyzed above, the proposed BLF is anticipated to have approximately 9,646 launches per lane, per year, with a large portion of users coming directly from the South Bay area; this anticipated demand is comparable to current demand per lane at the neighboring facilities.
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15 3.2.2. Anticipated Capacity
The proposed new Redondo Beach Boat Launch Facility is located in the South Coast region of California in a densely populated urban area in close proximity to prime fishing grounds, which include Catalina Island and Santa Monica Bay. Per DBW’s 2021 “Layout and Design Guidelines for Boat Launching Facilities,” 50 launches per day, per lane is assumed for the proposed boat ramp. During peak usage days, which is estimated to be 90 days of the year, a two-lane launch ramp would account for 9,000 launches per year.
On the remaining sub-peak usage days, less than half of peak usage, or only about 20 launches per day, per lane is estimated for the remaining 275 calendar days. This accounts for an additional 11,000 launches per year given a two-lane launch ramp. Taking both the peak usage days (9,000 launches) and sub-peak usage days (11,000 launches) into account, total capacity for launches per year is estimated at up to 20,000.
Taking the peak and sub-peak usage days and the respective anticipated number of launches per day, per lane into consideration, an average of approximately 27 launches per day, per lane can be anticipated for the proposed boat launch facility. For a two-lane boat launch ramp, this would equate to a cumulative average of approximately 54 launches per day for the facility. This average is found by taking the total capacity for launches per year, which is estimated to be 20,000, and dividing by 365 days in a year to get a per day count of approximately 54 launches; dividing by the number of anticipated lanes, two for the proposed facility, then equates to 27 launches per day, per lane.
3.2.3. Proposed Fees
Per the DBW “Boating Facilities Development and Financing Local Assistance Grant and Loan Application,” there is a $13 fee limitation for Boat Launch Facilities for grantees. This $13 limit is for the combination of entrance, parking, launching, and any day use fees. Per Table 1-3 in Section 1.5, the range of fees for nearby BLF is from $7-$20 for day use of the facilities. The average maximum day use charge for the nearby facilities is $14 per day, and the average maximum day use charge for facilities within 30 miles of the proposed project site is $13 per day.
It is assumed that any boat using the BLF will only be launched once per day, and thus the $13 per day usage fee can be considered for each boat launch anticipated. For the anticipated capacity of 20,000 total launches per year for a two-lane boat launch ramp, $260,000 of revenue from facility usage fees per year would result. It is also likely that additional usage fee income would come from visitors parking at the facility but not launching a boat, whether they are using the facility for other reasons or joining another group on their boat. An assessment of the additional revenue generated from these sources is not included at this time.
3.2.4. Demand vs. Capacity and Recommendations
Given that the anticipated demand of 19,293 launches per year is just slightly lower than the anticipated capacity of 20,000 launches per year for a two-lane boat launch ramp, it is recommended this size and type of launch ramp is adequate for the market serviced, and would be beneficial to boat owners in the local Redondo Beach area as well as the overall market area surrounding the project site. While it is still anticipated that boat users will continue to go to other launch ramps in the area, the addition of a boat launch facility in Redondo Beach can help alleviate overall demand across the market and allow more boat owners to get out on the water.
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16 Furthermore, historical data trends show that boater registrations are fairly consistent or even slightly lower within the market over the last 10 to 15 years. This would suggest that providing the two-lane launch ramp as recommended will still provide adequate user capacity into the future.
3.2.5. Layout Recommendations
A proposed layout for the recommended two-lane Redondo Beach Boat Launch Ramp can be seen in Figure 3-1. Using DBW’s 2021 “Layout and Design Guidelines for Boat Launching Facilities,” and local Measure C guidelines for a two-lane launch ramp it is anticipated a total of 60 vehicle/trailer parking stalls be provided to accommodate anticipated parking at the project site. An attempt has been made to indicate approximate locations of vehicle/trailer parking stalls. Refer to the “Mole D Public Boat Launch Transportation Impact and Parking Study” prepared by STC Traffic, Inc. for further parking discussions.
Figure 3-1: Proposed Alternative Layout for Redondo Beach Boat Launch Ramp (ALT 1)
4. Summary
Based on the findings conveyed in this report, there is demand in the market area for the addition of a two-lane launch ramp in King Harbor/Redondo Beach and by providing this proposed facility, more local boaters would be able to have easy access to the open ocean and nearby fishing waters on a regular basis.
Boat registrations in the South Bay and overall market area show an increase in trailerable boats (those 40 ft and under) in recent years, and those registration numbers are expected to continue to rise. Based on analysis of those boat registration numbers, it is anticipated that South Bay boaters, or those in close proximity to Redondo Beach, would account for +/- 13,500 launches per year at the proposed launch Redondo Beach Boat Launch Ramp Facility
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May 5, 2025
M&N Project No. 232677
17 ramp, and an additional +/- 5,500 launches per year would likely come from boaters across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Though, this anticipated demand is thought to be conservative for multiple reasons; one being it only assumes 25% of trailerable boats in the South Bay would use the proposed facility, assuming some may still prefer to go to their current launch facility, but it is anticipated that many boaters in the South Bay would actually prefer a closer launch ramp to avoid traveling through Southern California traffic. Another reason this demand number is thought to be conservative is that boaters regularly traveling from inland counties (San Bernadino and Riverside) to launch their boats out on the ocean are not accounted for.
While the anticipated demand is significantly higher than the current demand for the Redondo Beach Boat Hoist, there are several reasons why it is believed a new boat launch ramp facility in the same location would produce higher demand. The current launch facility is older and in poor condition and only allows for one boat to be launched at a time, already reducing the efficiency of the existing facility in half from the newly proposed facility. Furthermore, the weight/length limitations of the hoist result in a portion of trailerable vessels being unable to use the facility, which would not be a concern with a launch ramp. The boat hoist also requires an operator to be on site for use of the boat hoist and is not open outside the hours of 6am-7pm, and these hours could likely be expanded for a launch ramp since an onsite operator would not be a requirement. Lastly, the boat hoist launch fees are generally over double the fee that is anticipated for the boat ramp ($30 to $40 for boat hoist and $13 max for boat ramp), resulting in many local boaters currently traveling further away to save money. The City of Redondo Beach’s amendment to their LCP further justifies that there is a need for a boat launch ramp in King Harbor and that it is supported by local boat owners and the City of Redondo Beach to allow for greater public access to the water and help alleviate demand at crowded launch ramps elsewhere in the market area.