Busselton yacht owners are growing increasingly frustrated it is unlikely they will be able to get their keel boats out of the Port Geographe Marina until sometime between mid October and November.
Seagrass wrack has clogged the marina channel making the depth below one metre forcing keel boat owners to call for help from other boat users or marine rescue if they become stuck trying to exit or enter the marina.
The problem has persisted since 2015 when reconfiguration work was completed to fix the wrack issue in and around Port Geographe.
With social sailing and the start of the Geographe Bay Yacht Club season about to start sailors are keen for the wrack to be removed so they can use their boats.
Social sailing organiser Gavin Sorrell said the wrack buildup within the marina channel started in July and ran through until November.
"We are not guaranteed passage, we were getting stuck last year in November, five months is a big proportion of the year that we cannot use our boats for which we are paying registration," he said.
"We can't do so. We are being hit with registration fees for what? We are obliged to pay those registration fees.
"We just want to get out there."
GBYC commodore Barry McLennan said leaseholders at the marina were paying rent to the Department of Transport, which were responsible for the waterway, and it was unusable.
Commodore McLennan said it was a frustrating problem for its keel boat members who would not be able to join the racing fleet for the start of the season.
"It is the start of the sailing season and perfect time of year to use your boat and sail down to Quindalup, but we are stuffed.
"It is an ongoing problem it is not a one off, it happens year in, year out."
Department of Transport maritime executive director Steve Jenkins said they would undertake maintenance dredging to remove the seagrass wrack and restore navigable depths to the entrance channel in October.
"The work schedule is set in advance with the availability of dredging equipment a major consideration along with demands for dredging at other locations," he said.
"There is a Temporary Notice to Mariners advising mariners to navigate with caution in the entrance channel, allowing for changing conditions when traversing the area.
"Vessels with a draught of 1.5 metres or more may be at risk of grounding when navigating through this area.
"The affected area includes the full extent of the entrance channel, with the worst affected area being in the entrance channel directly adjacent to the lagoon rock wall.
"Due to the mobile nature of the seagrass wrack, temporary navigational aids are not suitable."
Vasse MLA Libby Mettam said it was not unreasonable for the State Government to step up and carry out the dredging, as agreed with the City of Busselton.
"The DoT acts as a subcontractor to the City of Busselton to perform coastal maintenance works which includes maintaining the entrance channel," she said.
Transport minister Rita Saffiotti was unable to respond in time for publication.
