Sunday, June 28, 2015

Local skippers manage their hopes, strategies and fears for the 48th Transpac BY TERENCE LOOSE

Veteran Transpac racer Len Bose of Newport tries his luck this time on a Santa Cruz 50 named Horizon.

On Christmas morning when Dana Point’s Chris Hemans was 6 years old, he ran downstairs to get a look at what Santa had put under the tree. To his amazement, he found an 8-foot Sabot sailboat (how Santa got it down the chimney wasn’t questioned). By Christmas night, Hemans was a sailor for life.
Decades later and now the father of two sailing girls, Hemans is gearing up for his second Transpac Yacht Race this month, crossing more than 2,200 miles of open ocean from San Pedro to Honolulu. Hemans will steer his 46-foot sloop Varuna, joined by six friends he’s sailed with for 30 years. For Hemans, like so many sailors, the Transpac – established in 1906 and one of the world’s oldest races – represents one of a handful of worldwide ocean race must-dos. It’s a race that has a rich history, with such past record-setters as Olympic gold medalist and America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts and iconic sailor Roy Disney. But it’s also a race that has a festive vibe – more than 300 volunteers in Hawaii make sure every boat gets its own mai tai party at the finish. Finally, it’s not easy; sailing across thousands of miles of open ocean will always be an accomplishment of a lifetime.
“I always dreamed of doing it, but work, kids, school always got in the way and I never got to,” Hemans says. That is until the last running of the Transpac, in 2013, when he completed the race in Varuna, a boat he bought specifically for the race less than a year before. In that first run, and after more than nine days at sea, Hemans and his crew took fourth place, a mere four hours out of first place. This time, his float plan includes a win.
But that’ll be tough, since in a race that crosses an ocean, there 
are more unknowns than points on the compass.
For one thing, because the 62 participating yachts range from 30 feet to 105, and include not only monohulls but multihulls that skim across the water at over 20 knots and complete the race in less than five days, times are not only adjusted (i.e., handicapped), start dates are staggered over a week. Slower boats will start on July 13, a Monday; slightly faster/bigger boats start on Thursday, and the big kahunas set sail on Saturday, July 18. So each wave of competitors will get different conditions and wind. Get the short end of the wind stick and you may as well be dragging an anchor.
“True, one of those starts will be more advantageous because of wind, so all you can do is hope,” says Newport Beach native Ross Pearlman, who has the easy smile of a grandfather but the energy of a 10th-grader. He’ll be competing in his seventh consecutive Transpac in one of the more comfortable entries in the race, his Jeanneau 52, Between the Sheets. 
That comfort will be welcome in the notoriously rough first leg of the race, when boats must hammer their way out and into the trade winds.
“The first three or four days are definitely the hardest, when you don’t have your sea legs yet and the boat’s leaning over and bashing into the waves,” says Len Bose. Bose is a Newport Beach yacht broker who carries the quiet confidence – and white hair – of a lifelong sailor with nine Transpacs under his keel.
Santa Cruz 50 Horizon

 This month he’ll do his 10th aboard Horizon, a Santa Cruz 50 that has done well in past races. The bashing and leaning of the first leg is essential, he says, because getting out into “clean air” – wind unaffected by land – and finding the trades is what wins the race.
But it’s not just about pointing the bow toward Hawaii, gritting your teeth and gripping a lifeline. In fact, do that and you’re almost certain to lose. The navigator’s job is about finding the fastest – not necessarily the shortest – route to Hawaii. Almost always that means sailing more than the 2,226 nautical miles that make the great circle route. Specifically, it means sailing well south to avoid getting trapped in the light winds near the center of the summertime Pacific high-pressure system and finding the perfect wind gradient for a fast sleigh ride into Honolulu. 
“It’s that perfect balance between sailing out of your way and finding more wind that makes up for it,” explains Pearlman. That delicate job falls to each boat’s navigator, and as Pearlman says, “You commit to that line pretty early and live or die by 
your decision.”

That’s because if the navigator gets it wrong, his crew’s race is likely over before the midway point, says Bose, who has navigated a few Transpacs. “By day four or five, if you haven’t set yourself up with the lead and a boat gets 50 miles ahead of you, it’s pretty tough to catch them because typically you’ll have winds all the way across from there. It’s not like they’ll hit a dead spot,” he says.
And that’s why he gave up the navigator’s chair long ago. “It’s a difficult moment to come up and tell seven guys that you screwed up and we’re pretty much out of the race,”
he says.
Of course, there are factors other than weather that could get a boat back in the race. One is a competitor breaking something. Which is common, especially since despite the balmy trade winds and the mai tais at the finish, the Transpac is anything but a pleasure cruise. Sailors are driving their boats hard and the sea isn’t exactly known as forgiving.
“We know we’re taking risks when we’re pushing the boat, but that’s why we’re out there,” says Pearlman, who brings backups for as much as he can, including four spinnakers, extra halyards, sheet guides and blocks. But there are still breakages that can really ruin your race. Rudders, for instance.
“You really don’t want the rudder to fall out of the boat,” Rhode Island’s Dan Nowlan, a multi-race veteran and the 2015 Transpac commodore, says with absolutely no irony in his slow and steady ahead voice perfect for calming a bunch of sailors about to cross an ocean. For one, he says, rudders are slightly important, and two, the lack of one leaves a rather big hole in the boat. Other buzzkills include breaking masts, rigging and booms.
Or hitting a coral reef in the dark of night, which a Los Angeles sailor pulled off in 1989 when he drove his 42-foot sloop onto a reef at 12:45 a.m. going 11 knots. He was a mere 200 yards from the finish line. Reef cuts, broken ribs, and, we assume, a fractured ego were the only injuries, so most sailors would call that a win.
Especially these. “The biggest fear by far is someone getting hurt. The race comes second to that,” says Hemans. Bose agrees, and so far, the worst thing that’s befallen him is his hotel room not being ready after 11 days at sea. “I fell asleep on the lawn and got eaten by some ants,” he says. 
At the top of the list of bad, he says, is a crewmember falling overboard. A good rule of thumb is to stay on the boat, or, as Pearlman’s boat name instructs, between the sheets.
Only one time in the history of Transpac has a sailor broken that rule. In the 1951 race, Ted Sierks fell off the 73-foot cutter L’Apache 1,000 miles out of San Pedro when a lifeline gave way. Another crewmember threw him a life ring. The crew dowsed the sails and brought the boat around to search for Sierks, but couldn’t find him – despite it being daylight hours. The crew, and Sierks, held out no hope of rescue; miraculously, 24 hours later a Navy destroyer recovered him.
While accidents like these can always happen, there are several reasons the race is safer now. All boats have GPS tracking technology and sophisticated communication systems, and must pass a pre-race checklist of safety equipment. It has made the boats safer and the navigating easier.
“Before, when you were out there you navigated by the moon, the sun and the stars. And there were boats who missed the islands altogether,” says Nowlan. 
But who knows, perhaps those boats had bananas aboard, or women, or no one wore a lucky T-shirt – all things some sailors believe can sink race chances faster than a broken mast or inconveniently placed coral reef.
Hemans has his own way of thinking. “Bananas will be on the boat. Banana bread will be on the boat. They’ve always brought us luck. So we have zero superstitions,” he says.
Pearlman also doesn’t believe in superstitions, fortunately, since his start date is the 13th. “I didn’t even think about that until you brought it up,” he says, fairly convincingly.
 “I guess if we believed in superstitions we wouldn’t have women on the boat, but my navigator is a woman. So while I don’t want to jinx myself – no, we don’t believe in 
all that.”
Bose, however, is taking a more …  shall we say, traditional stance. 
“We’re very superstitious. There’ll be no banana of any type on the boat. There won’t even be a banana muffin. And you’ll see some lucky T-shirts,” he says. “But I’ll change. After all, 
it’s a long race.”

Let’s hope not too long.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

LOOK AT WHAT I JUST LISTED: 1970 65' Halmatic "Silver Oak" ASKING $ 425,00

This vessel has always been one of my favorite boats in Newport Beach and was one of the original Newport Beaches Most Interesting Yachts.  If you like what you see PLEASE CALL ME at (714) 916-0200


Hit link below for slide show







FOR SALE 59' Perry Performance Cruiser built by Westerly Marine





Designed from the outset as a fast, comfortable, true blue-water cruiser, the Perry design has met the goals perfectly. She is easily handled by a couple, or can be single-handed by an experienced skipper. All sail controls lead to the cockpit, and the main and jib sheet winches (electric) are easily reached by the helmsman, as are the GPS, autopilot, chart-plotter, VHF and engine controls. She is a one-owner yacht, with no repairs or refits needed.

When first approaching this custom 59 foot custom performance cruising sloop, designed by Robert Perry, one might question if she was a race boat at one time. My eyes quickly went towards swept back hard dodger and the thought on how comfortable the cockpit must be for long ocean passages. I glanced at the furling boom system along with the roller furling headsails. This blended in with electric primary winches and state of the art electronics I immediately understood that this boat could be easily sailed by two people. Stepping aboard this performance cruiser, from the stern transom steps, the first item that jumps at you is the large wheel. Placing your hands on the wheel of these boats immediately places an ear-to-ear smile on your face on the FUN you will have with a following sea behind you. Another very important feature to this Perry 59 is the amount of interior luxury you get with grand prix performance. As you step down the companionway, the first thing your senses pick up is a warm and fuzzy feeling vibrating from the interior luxurious. Starting with the large owners stateroom forward that provides a comfortable sleeping arrangement at anchor. Shelves and teak trim run along the hull side. There is a large opening hatch above. Aft and to starboard, there is a large stall shower. Across and to port is the head. The owners stateroom also features a vanity with plenty of storage throughout this luxuries stateroom.

ASKING 1,400,000




















Saturday, June 20, 2015

Hell ya!

I can sell this charter and would through in my commission if I could go, it would be fun to write an episode.



Bravo is gearing up for “Below Deck Mediterranean,” and we are set to sail the Mediterranean seas in September. We would love to have your group of friends along for the ride! This season is scheduled to air this fall, and being one of the first 3 charter groups onboard the yacht is an amazing opportunity to be a part of the marketing promos that Bravo has prior to the show’s airdate!
This season our backdrop will be in the Cyclades in Greece – a famous group of islands in the Aegean Sea. Gorgeous sandy beaches, architecture in white and blue, traditional lifestyle, and barren landscapes are an ideal fit for the exclusive yachting world. With 12 action packed episodes of fun-filled drama, adventures, and high-end living, this tropical paradise will be nothing short of spectacular!
With 5-star service, gourmet meals catered to your every need, secluded beaches only accessible by private yachts, and all the water sports and island fun that you can imagine, Below Deck is the ultimate luxury vacation! Each charter group will have the chance to create their own unique itinerary.
Once you arrive, the activities you can choose from are boundless. From jet skiing to wine tasting to fishing for your evening dinner, everything you desire is right at your


fingertips! For a discounted charter rate you can be a part of this phenomenal show that has become a fan favorite and household name on Bravo!
You will be escaping on a luxury yacht at least 155’ long, with spacious decks and a master suite. This mega yacht sleeps will sleep up to eight guests comfortably. In addition, guests will have access to all of the boat’s water toys, which may include waverunners, seabobs, paddleboards, kayaks, snorkel gear, water skis, wake boards, and assorted inflatable toys. All of these details will be confirmed once your charter group has been locked into a specific charter date!
The charters this season will be 3 days, 2 nights and the charter fee will be $35,000 or groups can go for 4 days, 3 nights and the charter fee will be $40,000. This charter fee covers round trip economy airfare to/from Greece for everybody in the group (we recommend keeping the number of guests between 4-6 people), accommodation the night before and the night after your charter, all food and beverages on the yacht, and a fully planned itinerary and all inclusive boat activities (beach picnics, snorkeling, water sports, boat toys, etc.) There is a $1,000 APA fee that is taken as a deposit before the charter begins and is used in the event that the guest requests any one item over $100 that is not already on the boat (i.e. imported fine caviar, a magnum bottle of champagne, a special offsite scuba trip) and you will be notified ahead of time before this transaction takes place. At the end of the charter whatever amount was not used will be refunded back to the charter guest.


Additionally, the charter group is responsible for a cash gratuity, which is a 15 percent minimum, with most guests last season giving 20 percent and above because they were so happy with the service provided. This gratuity is based on the wholesale cost of a 3-4 day charter, which is $87,500, so the standard tip would be around $15,000. Typically the head charter guest will hand the cash tip to the captain as they disembark the yacht and the gratuity is then divided up among all the crewmembers. Of course, this tip is at your discretion and any special requests or accommodations can be made with proper notice.


Please see specific dates below and let us know which charter works best for your group. This is a lot to digest, so please let us know if you have any additional questions and we will be happy to answer them. We look forward to speaking with you soon!
Available Charter Dates (this does not include your travel days):
Charter 1: 3 days – departs September 9th– returns September 11th ($35K)
Charter 2: 3 days – departs September 13th – returns September 15th ($35K)
Charter 3: 3 days – departs September 18th– returns September 20th ($35K)
Charter 4: 3 days – departs September 22nd – returns September 24th ($35K)
Charter 5: 4 days – departs September 27th – returns September 30th (40K)
Charter 6: 3 days – departs October 4th – returns October 6th ($35K)
Charter 7: 3 days – departs October 8th – returns October 10th ($35K)
Charter 8: 3 days – departs October 12th – returns October 14th ($35K)
Charter 9: 3 days – departs October 15th – returns September 17th ($35K) 



Harbor Report: A good few weeks for our harbor


Newport Beach City Council Special Meeting June 16th
By Len Bose
June 19, 2015 | 9:00 p.m.

We have had another couple of busy weeks concerning the politics of the harbor with the near completion of a revised dredging permit (Regional General Permit 54) and a Newport Beach specific eelgrass plan. We also have the City Council directing staff to provide it with a resolution for mooring fees and transferability.
Back in January 2013 I used a football analogy to describe the state of the harbor in reference to dredging and eelgrass: the harbor was in the red zone, first and goal. The goal was to obtain a new RPG 54 and a Newport-specific eelgrass plan.
Today the pass has been completed and received, with the California Coastal Commission raising its hands to indicate a touchdown. With so many different agencies involved in umpiring this game, it had to be sent upstairs for further review by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Everyone from our harbor's team is quite optimistic that the corps will signal a touchdown within the next 60 days. What does all of this mean to our harbor? A new RPG-54 helps residents and marina owners acquire a dredging permit without going through sediment-testing and agency negotiations.
When passed, this will allow pier permit holders to dredge down to 10 feet -- we are at 7 feet now -- and move up to 8,000 cubic yards of sediment from under their slips; we are now at 1,000 cubic yards.
The real score is with our own eelgrass plan; this will significantly reduce the cost of dredging because pier permit holders will no longer have to plant eelgrass. They will only have to attach eelgrass seed bags to their piers, which will replenish the shallow eelgrass. This is a very good thing and everyone should keep in mind now that eelgrass is our friend.
This has been a very long game and it all circles back to our Harbor Resource team and Manager Chris Miller for producing 10 years of eelgrass surveys. The surveys are completed every other year and provide the information needed to obtain our own plan.
It is my understanding that no other county or city has its own mitigation plan. If this is all completed, Harbor Commissioner Doug West and Miller will be asked: "Now that you have won the Super Bowl, where will you be going next?"
Harbor Commissioner Brad Avery

If you love watching games you will enjoy the political game that occurred at the City Council special meeting on June 16 regarding mooring permits. I would love to watch this meeting as an NFL highlights reel. Should you be interested you can watch the replay on the City Council video stream.
Rather than give you the play by play, though it would be fun to do, I am only going to touch on the highlights. The council unanimously voted to accept the Harbor Commission recommendation with the caveat to lower the annual permit from $55 a foot to $35 — but the Harbor Commission recommend $25.
Mooring permit transfer fees will be 10% of the selling price. A primary permit holder will be listed as a contact along with secondary contact person.
The Harbor Commission recommends allowing permits to be transferred; a person can only hold two mooring permits in their name and can transfer one permit a year. A Web page will be created to show comparable transfers prices. That's it in a nutshell and with that, staff will return with a resolution in a upcoming council meeting.
Back to the game part of the story: At noon the day of the special meeting, the city staff received a letter from the state Lands Commission, which holds the control of our tidelands. I have not seen a copy of the letter although it is my understanding that the lands commission would like to speak with the city about how it came to a fair market value for the mooring permits. Should you watch the stream it is very obvious who contacted the lands commission and pulled in an old favor.
Former City Council Member Mike Henn


I see this letter as a last-ditch effort to keep the council from requesting a new resolution.
Bottom line after all of this is, it has been a good couple of weeks for us harbor users, our Harbor Commission and our city.

LEN BOSE is an experienced boater, yacht broker and boating columnist.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Update from Mooring Association

What if mooring fees rolled back a bit, and transferability returned?
View this email in your browser
Newport Mooring Association

City Council Unanimous Support 2015-06-16

Mostly good news!
A standing room only crowd turned out for the City Council meeting. Commissioner Avery did an expert job presenting the Harbor Commission proposal, Patricia Newton shared an excellent PowerPoint presentation on behalf of the NMA, twenty or thirty speakers presented their thoughts, and the issue then was discussed by the Council.
In the briefest terms, City Council has voted unanimously to support the Harbor Commission proposal, including restoring transferability, with a couple of minor caveats, and one major caveat–the annual fee–which it has agreed to be set at $35/ft/yr. More report to come, but we wanted you to have a quick report, at least. Thank you all for your support!
Cut and pasted from the NMA web site:
I decided I wanted to go sailing last night rather than attend this meeting and will be watching the stream today and will call a couple of my sources and report back my findings.  Len Bose

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Tonight is the mother of all harbor topics!



URGENT!   URGENT!   URGENT!   URGENT!

Council action imminent!  Mooring holders MUST pull together!  Come to City Hall Council Chambers Tuesday, June 16, 2015, 5:00 PM:  If you hold a mooring permit, this is the single most important meeting in the last five yearsPLEASE COME!  Moorings will be heard FIRST!


Civic Center Council Chambers – CITY HALL
100 Civic Center Dr
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(map and directions)
Tuesday, June 16, 2015, 5:00 to ? PM

The City Council will take action on Harbor Commission recommendations.  Mooring holders know about the months of review, study, and dialog the Harbor Commission has devoted to this topic.  NOW, mooring permit holders need to attend and support the Harbor Commission's recommendations, for LOWER FEES that will be more equitable, and the return of TRANSFERABILITY.  Specifiically, we ask for your support that Council ask staff to revise mooring ordinances to reflect Harbor Commission conclusions on fees and transferability.  Your strong support and participation is important.

Visit the NMA web site to catch up on the issues.
Read Harbor Commission recommendations
Compare proposed policy and fees to other area harbors

Harbor Commissioners have made solid recommendations to City Council based on thorough and comprehensive investigation and dialogue in many meetings over a period of months.  That work and effort comes to a head on Tuesday night, when it will be decided in an hour or so.

strong showing and participation is critical.  Please read and give these issues thought, then plan to support us at the meeting on June 16th.  We need you to read up and we need you to voice your support! 


Read the staff report from the City web site.  YES, we really need each and every one of us!  BE THERE!


PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO YOUR MOORING NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS

If you received this directly from the Newport Mooring Association, you are already subscribed to our email list.  If a friend of yours has forwarded this to you, please join the NMA email list.  Please click here to sign up.



Cut and pasted from the NMA web site.

More information from The City of Newport Beaches web site.

CHARGING FAIR MARKET RENT FOR HARBOR USES


A majority of the waterways in Lower Newport Harbor are considered tidelands.  They are owned by the State of California (State) and are assets of the public.  State legislation in 1978 assigned most of the tidelands here to the City of Newport Beach (City) to administer under the State's rules.  Thus, the City is serving as "landlord" on behalf of the State.  One of the rules is to set rents at fair market value.  The Harbor's tenants are those who rent these public assets for a specific private use - like operating a marina, a concession on a pier, or berthing at a mooring.
The City had not reviewed the rent charged for the use of the tidelands until 2011.  Charges for commercial harbor renters had gone up about 24% since 2001, while some marina slip rates had increased between 67% and 152% during that same period.  If the City does not charge an appropriate rent for the use of the tidelands, it can be considered a "gift of public funds", which is prohibited under the California Constitution (Article 16, Section 6). 
To address this issue, in 2011 the City met with the harbor renters to discuss harbor rental rates.  The City then obtained two independent appraisals to provide guidance as to what might be current market value.  Copies of the completed appraisals are available for viewing by clicking on the links below.  Past appraisals are shown below, too. 
Other individuals have asked us how we allocate revenues and expenses associated with Tidelands.  We do this under the guidance of the 1974 legislation, which directs us to take any revenue associated with Tidelands (parking, rent, oil sales, more) and use that to pay Tidelands expenses (dredging, other harbor maintenance, lifeguarding, more).  The Tidelands expenses almost always exceed Tidelands revenues, in part because most of the ocean beaches are Tidelands - and the life-safety calls associated with residents and visitors there are expensive.  All of the City's financial accounts - including the Tidelands Fund - is audited annually as required by law. 
To determine rents, the City Council considered the appraisals and other relevant information, including input from the public. 
Additional Information: 
2015 City Council Review 
January 27, 2015 City Council Study Session – PowerPoint and Minutes
February 10, 2015 City Council Meeting – Staff ReportPowerPointMinutes and Resolution 2015-10 
2013 City Council Review of Public Feedback
Two public meetings were held in August 2013 to facilitate discussion for harbor charges related to commercial pier fees, residential pier fees and mooring fees. At the November 12, 2013 City Council Study Session staff presented feedback for implementation of these harbor charges.
November 12, 2013 City Council Study Session - Meeting Notice
November 12, 2013 - Staff ReportPowerPoint and Minutes
November 26, 2013 City Council Meeting - Staff ReportMinutes and Resolution 2013-88
December 10, 2013 City Council Meeting - Staff ReportMinutes and Ordinance 2013-27
Public Pier Fees Implementation Review Meeting Information
Meeting Notice for August 15, 2013 and August 21, 2013 Workshops.                              
Agenda for August 15, 2013 and August 21, 2013 Workshops.                                                  
Public Comments and Email from the August 15, 2013 Workshop
Public Comments and Email from the August 21, 2013 Workshop         




The Harbor Report: Movement on the moorings front from April of this year.

Alternative Anchorage near Z Mark?


By Len Bose
April 10, 2015 | 1:30 p.m.

By now, "moorings" might start to sound boring to you, but that's still the hot topic around the harbor.
Over the last week, the Newport Beach Harbor Commission held two meetings, during which it completed its recommendations regarding fees for offshore and onshore moorings and discussed anchorage areas and the Cheyenne, or as I like to refer to it, the dome of silence.
Good things happened at the mooring meeting, and I have to give a "well done" to the Harbor Commission and the Newport Mooring Assn. This is how the system is supposed to work, and as a harbor observer and enthusiast, I felt really good witnessing the process
The commissioners recommended the return of transferability to mooring permit holders. This means that holders could sell their permits rather than surrender them to the city after 2020.
Newport Beach Mooring


One suggestion calls for a mooring transfer fee of one year's annual cost. For example, if you have a 40-foot mooring, your annual fee will be $1,000; should you sell your permit, your transfer fee would be $1,000.
Another recommendation is a transfer fee of 5% of the permit selling price. For many reasons, I am in favor of the fixed-rate idea.
And annual mooring fees would be reduced from $50 per foot to $25. All of this is subject to City Council approval.
Under this proposal, the mooring waiting list would be deposited into the outgoing tide. Should the city ever have to take back a permit because the owner did not upgrade equipment or pay fees, it would be auctioned off. A person could only hold two mooring permits at one time and only trade one within a year's time. Proof of insurance would also be requested, and the fine details still need to be worked out.
The feeling around the harbor is that the process is working. Keep in mind that we have been down this road before, and this deal is not done until the council has voted.
For what it is worth, I feel this is a fair-fair recommendation. So now it is up to you, the stakeholder and harbor user, to contact our City Council members and express your views and concerns. If you require more information, please do not hesitate to send me an email.
Let's move forward to the second meeting's items of a secondary anchorage and the Cheyenne. This anchorage area at Z mark, best understood as the turning basin, in front of Lido Village, is proposed to be used this summer on a trial-run basis.

Noise is the main concern of the local residents, and I have to agree with them. This area looked like spring break when the anchorage was placed there during the summer of dredging.
It can get rather busy out there at Z mark
Promises of no raft-ups and a crackdown on noise levels have been made. My understanding is that this area will be opened only when our primary anchorage is full and more room is needed in the Five Points area of the harbor.
I think we should give this a try. The key to its success will come down to how quickly law enforcement can respond to complaints.

Dark clouds approaching the Cheyenne

Next up is the Cheyenne, a 125-foot catamaran that has been moored in our harbor over the last five years. The concept is that this catamaran is the mother ship to a deep-sea submersible that will dive to the deepest parts of the world's oceans.
I am sure dating myself, but every time this topic is placed on the Harbor Commission agenda, I think of the TV series "Get Smart" and the cone of silence. In this case, the cone of silence is a dome that has been under construction for the submersible for well over the last four years.
Tell me if I made you laugh?

If you want a good laugh, go to my blog site, where I have added a link to a YouTube video. My guess is that the Harbor Commission has gotten a lot smarter on the dome of silence and that this chaos will end soon.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1eUIK9CihA



I am off to the Newport Harbor Yacht Club's Baldwin Cup. Hope to sea ya there.

LEN BOSE is an experienced boater, yacht broker and boating columnist.

Saturday, June 06, 2015

The Harbor Report: How about more attention to harbor code enforcement?

The Turning Basin on Labor Day

By Len Bose
June 5, 2015 | 4:38 p.m.

This week I wanted to update you on some of the news concerning our harbor so I placed some calls into my reliable harbor sources for the most opinionated and up-to-date information.
The Newport Beach City Council is expected to approve an agreement with the Orange County Sheriff's Department at its June 9 meeting for six months of mooring management services.
This is a gimme and no one could ever do a better job than Deputy Sean Scoles, but rather than just hand over a check for $158,050 to the county why don't the powers-that-be request closer attention to our harbor codes? I am not going to go into detail on which harbor codes need more attention, I am just suggesting that council members call up their favorite harbor commissioners and get their opinion on harbor code enforcement.
Speaking of the Harbor Commission, there is one seat vacant with two nominees, incumbent Brad Avery and John Drayton. Avery has just completed his first term and is doing a very good job staying on task and communicating with the public. I hope he keeps his seat, nothing against Drayton. He will be a good harbor commissioner in the near future.
In June, the City Council will vote on mooring fees. I would think this would be another gimme but I am not going to write anything on this topic. After the decision to allow jet packs in the turning basin, I am starting to feel like the Harbor Commission. We put in the time, listen to the public, make our recommendation and the council votes in the other direction. I am going to close my eyes and just hope it's not going to be a loud, expensive crash.
Speaking of loud, expensive crashes, the Balboa Island seawalls have been under discussion by the Tide Lands Management Committee for the last couple of years but I missed the last Tidelands meeting and am not sure what the committee of Selich, Dixon and Petros have recommended.
After the last meeting I attended, I was starting to feel like the best idea would be to immediately repair the northwest side of Balboa Island, not a new wall. A new wall will take two years to get started and is very complicated, maybe we should just repair the wall as soon as we can? The council needs to hear your opinion. You can find more information by googling Balboa Island Seawalls Rehabilitation.
Many of my sources were asking the question, why does our beach funding coming from the Tidelands budget? I have heard this question many times over the years. There was one comment that grabbed my attention and that is to give the beaches back to the state like Huntington Beach has done. At first glance it seems like a good outsourcing opportunity and a way for the city to spend more money on the harbor. I am in way over my head on this one but it would be interesting to hear more discussion on this topic.
Next week the Harbor Commission plans to discuss adding temporary anchorages. We already know that the turning basin — or as most of you know it, the area in front of Lido Village will be the first area to be considered.
Let's just hope that when they open this temporary anchorage, they don't bring in a mega yacht at the same time as jet packs are flying. Things would get rather bunched up with the beach rentals and charter boats already there. I have proposed a day-mooring anchorage in front of Big Corona beach, which I feel would be a great way to increase boating activity in our area.
It comes expectedly every season, the sea lions have returned into the harbor and they appear to be in great force. There are good ways and ugly ways to deter the sea lions from camping on your property, vigilance is the best way to start.
Robert Bents

Before I go this week I have to give a big shout out to the Robert Bents family aboard their boat Reel T. They have broken all the records for bringing in the most Mylar balloons out of our local waters this season. If you notice the Luhrs 32 Reel T on the harbor this weekend please give them a big "well done" and thank you for picking up all those balloons.

LEN BOSE is an experienced boater, yacht broker and boating columnist.