Local News in Brief : New Facility for Sailboats

In an effort to attract beachgoers to an infrequently visited stretch of Dockweiler State Beach, Los Angeles County has set up a surf-side storage program for catamaran sailboats near the oceanfront runways at Los Angeles International Airport.

About 10 sailboats have been stored at the beach for a month, and officials expect about 40 to 50 more within the next few weeks. The program was formally approved this week by the City of Los Angeles, which leases the beach from the state and contracts with the county to manage it.

The storage program is modeled after one at Topanga Beach, where the county has allowed owners of several dozen catamarans--twin-hulled craft connected by a trampoline--to keep their boats for the last two years. County officials said there is a long waiting list for Topanga Beach sites, which prompted them to search for a second location.

The storage is available only for catamarans, and boat owners must agree to a six-month contract with Action Sailing and Water Sport Centers of Marina del Rey, which is running the program for the county. The company charges a $20 monthly fee for each boat, with $4 of it going to the county.