THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, December 17, 1994            TAG: 9412170205
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 
SOURCE: BY LANE DEGREGORY, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: COLINGTON HARBOUR                  LENGTH: Medium:   61 lines

COLINGTON RAMP WILL REOPEN TEMPORARILY BOAT-OWNERS MUST SIGN WAIVERS BEFORE THEY PULL UP THEIR CRAFTS.

The only public boat ramp in this Outer Banks community will open temporarily today so that residents can get their crafts out of the water for winter, officials said Friday.

The sloping concrete slabs - which have been awash in controversy since elected leaders closed the ramp without notice Nov. 15 - will also be opened for a few hours Sunday and Monday.

However, before any owner can pull a boat up the ramp, he or she will have to sign a waiver limiting the Colington Harbour Association from any liability.

``The Colington Harbour Association Board of Directors is committed to completing permanent and proper repairs to the Colington Harbour boat ramp in order to avoid the potential for injuries to our residents who use the ramp,'' said a statement association officials released late Friday.

``The Board . . . has been presented statements of legitimate needs of certain residents whose boats are overboard but need to be retrieved for winter security and repairs,'' the statement said. ``The board is responding to those needs.''

Wednesday night, the seven-member elected board met with Colington Harbour's attorney and insurance agent to discuss the boat ramp during a neighborhood meeting. After the one-hour open session, board members and their lawyer went behind closed doors. Thursday morning, they would not predict if - or when - the ramp might reopen.

``As long as everyone who wants to get their boat out can, I think this temporary solution might help,'' Colington Harbour resident Christina Garey said Friday after hearing that the boat ramp will reopen. ``I'm pleased they were able to open it, at least for a while, so quickly.''

Colington Harbour officials put a chain across the boat ramp because it is damaged, Board Chairman Joe Hardman said Thursday.

Insurance agents - and an engineer they called - recommended shutting down the concrete slope, Hardman said. Eventually, the ramp will need to be replaced. ILLUSTRATION: RAMP ACCESSS

Colington Harbour's only public boat ramp will reopen temporarily

today so that boat owners can get their vessels out of the water for

winter. Anyone using the ramp will have to sign an insurance waiver

form, eliminating Colington Harbour officials from liabilities. The

ramp cannot be used to put boats in the water. The ramp will be

closed again Monday afternoon until repairs can be made - or a

replacement can be built.

Temporary ramp hours are:

TODAY:Noon - 4 p.m.

SUNDAY:Noon - 4 p.m.

MONDAY:9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

For more information, call the Colington Harbour Association,

(919) 441-5886.

by CNB