When neighborhood activists try to clean up commercial corridors in the District, they typically crack down on liquor stores. But Capitol Hill residents have made a preemptive strike against something else: single sales of catamarans. In July, members of a Capitol Hill advisory neighborhood commission sent recommendations to city planners about the future of H Street. Among other suggestions, they urged city officials to discourage certain types of businesses from locating there, including fast-food restaurants, gas stations, and “boat or other marine sales.” Cody Rice, chair of the commission’s economic-development committee, says that boat yards, like car lots, are inimical to a pedestrian-friendly shopping experience. Bob Stickell, manager of the Washington Marina boat and supply store, says that the commission’s concerns may be moot. “Usually, marine suppliers want to locate on the waterfront,” says Stickell. “It helps to be accessible to people who are interested in boats.” —Felix Gillette