At Key West Bight, a Slip for When and If Becomes a ‘when, not if’
More than two hours of public comment favored the 1939 Alden schooner, but the Bight Board postpones action until March due to construction constraints.
A long-delayed proposal that has been on hold for nearly a decade to secure a permanent slip at the Key West Historic Seaport for the historic schooner When and If drew overwhelming public support Wednesday night.
The Bight Management Board voted 5-0 to award a slip to the vessel’s owner, pending completion of major dock renovations expected in March.
The agenda item sought authorization for the city manager to negotiate a dockage agreement with Seth Salzmann, owner and operator of When and If, a 1939 Alden schooner built for Gen. George S. Patton and widely regarded as one of the most historically significant sailing vessels operating on the East Coast.
Owner frames request as core to seaport’s mission
Salzmann told the board the request went to the heart of why the Historic Seaport exists, arguing that schooners built Key West’s early maritime economy and that preserving working historic vessels delivers cultural and tourism value beyond dockage revenue.
He read into the record a letter of support from Chris Belland, chairman of Historic Tours of America, operator of the Yankee Freedom Dry Tortugas National Park ferry. In the letter, Belland wrote that attracting vessels like When and If was a central intent behind the seaport’s historic designation and said visitors are “vitally interested” in maritime history.
Belland also cited Historic Tours of America’s former operation of tours aboard the schooner Western Union — a 1939 vessel that once served as the official flagship of the state of Florida — as evidence of the company’s long-standing involvement with heritage vessels and maritime interpretation in Key West.
Mariners, tenants cite heritage — and fairness
Public comment stretched more than two hours, with speaker after speaker urging the board to approve the request.
Capt. Jim Hale, a longtime sailing captain at the Bight, described When and If as both a historic vessel and a work of public art, arguing that communities routinely invest in art because of its civic value — and that historic schooners serve the same role on the waterfront.
Several speakers, including longtime marina tenant Gary Ek, said the Historic Seaport has steadily lost its historic character over the years and warned that failing to accommodate vessels like When and If risks reducing the harbor to a purely commercial marina.
Others, including maritime professionals Don Evan, Bill Malone of the schooner Jolly Rover, and Emil Heding of the schooner Hindu, praised Salzmann’s seamanship and maintenance standards, calling the vessel a net positive for downtown tourism and the seaport’s brand.
Waiting list, legacy-vessel policy under scrutiny
Several speakers and board members focused on the marina’s commercial slip waiting list, questioning whether long-standing policies had been consistently applied.
Salzmann’s attorney, Van Fisher, argued that historic vessels are explicitly exempt from the commercial waiting list under Bight policy and must instead receive board approval. He also cited a 30-day rule requiring vessels offered a slip to begin operating within 30 days or be removed from the list, saying the rule has not been enforced uniformly.
During board discussion, Port Director Steve McAlearny acknowledged that the waiting list had been reconstructed from incomplete records after he took the position and said staff attempted to create the most accurate version possible. He said staff has exercised discretion in allowing established operators additional time to mobilize vessels, particularly when rent is being paid.
McAlearny also said that while historic schooners are charged a discounted rate, only seven “legacy” vessels were contemplated under earlier policy guidance — a point that became a flashpoint during the discussion.
Board members repeatedly asked staff to identify the seven legacy vessels currently operating from the Bight. Staff was unable to name all seven, identifying only four, including “the shrimp boat,” later clarified as the Miss Key West.
Construction limits action — for now
Chairman Michael Knowles said the board’s hands were effectively tied during the ongoing marina improvement project, which involves pile replacement and reconstruction of the schooner dock.
Knowles and several board members said the marina had already promised temporary accommodations to displaced tenants during construction and that reallocating space now would create further disruption.
Board members emphasized that the lack of immediate action should not be read as opposition to Salzmann or the vessel itself.
“We want Seth here. We want When and If here,” multiple members said in various forms, while stressing that the board could not authorize a lease without a confirmed space.
Next steps
Board members voted 5-0 to award the slip to When and If beginning in March, when space availability, revenue impacts, and legacy-vessel policies are expected to be reassessed.