Friday, October 26, 2018

Baja Ha Ha and a lap around the harbor.



Pacific Seacraft 37 For Sale Len Bose Yacht Sales
Now that I have a better understanding of the General Election and have mailed in my ballot, which was no easy task. I am rummaging through closet and dresser to find all my winter sailing gear. 

“You bet I am going back to Sea” which goes alongside my other saying “ I can’t wait until I can afford this shit!” On October 29 starts the 25 annual Baja Ha HA cruisers rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas with stops in Turtle Bay and Santa Maria.  Newport Beach residents Kathi & Chris Killian aboard their Lagoon 41 Derive and David Hahn J/46 Precision are two boats out of 168 boats that are participating in this year’s rally. I sold the Killian’s their Lagoon 41 last year and at the close, Chris looked up at me and said: “You’re going with me on next years Ha Ha right?”  “Sure,” I said and well I am packing my seabag right after I am done writing this column. I have convinced my wife Jennifer that “This is a work trip” and I am fortunate to have just listed a very clean Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37, which you can find on my blog site at lenboseyachts.blogspot.com, to introduce to any perspective cruisers while attending the rally. See what I did there? 

Before I step aboard Derive my mind wonders to the November 17th Special meeting of the Harbor Commission aboard one of the Balboa car ferries, which will be departing at 0845. I suggest you arrive by 0830 if you want a spot, the purpose of this Special Meeting is to build familiarity with the topics, terminology, and geography frequently reviewed by the Harbor Commission, build rapport between the Public and the Commissioners and identify additional areas of concern in the Harbor.  

Similar to preparing for the General Election lets review the topics and prepare our questions for the special meeting. “ The following is my two cents and what I am thinking which will irritate a number of people. One thing I am good at is listening so please express your views with me.
Click on this chart for points of interest.

If you look at the attached chart and notice the route the Special Meeting will be taking the topics will follow in this order.

1. Deep Water Dredging: Always the highest priority topic within our harbor because it never ends. Some of this topic will be blended in with Harbor Vision, the bucket always hits the sand at cost and disposal. Chris Miller of Public Works understands the permit process and my observations are it just comes down to disposal. Miller is the best person to talk on this topic.

2. Derelict Vessels: Our previous Harbor Master Dennis Durgan did an outstanding job on this topic by strongly encouraging code enforcement in our harbor. Yet one question should be asked, why did The City not qualify for grant money from the states Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) in 2019? I understand the answer, the real question is how do we not overlap the funds again and who is working on the grant for 2020?

3. RGP 54: One of the best things to ever happen to our harbor yet it needs constant maintenance. Huge topic, my questions will be who is maintaining these permits, how can we improve the process and is it possible for us to ever have an area where we can dispose of clean sand in the harbor?

4. Nav Marker Replacement: Way overdue we have been discussing this topic since 2014 and these markers were to be replaced this spring. I only count three of these old channel markers in the harbor # 4, Just before the County’s Harbor Department which might be considered a range marker to enter the Harbor. # 10 off Balboa Island near the Ferry crossing and # 12 just before the north side if the Lido Channel. Markers  12 & 10 are no-brainers, just look at # 12 it been run into more than one of the old bumper cars at the fun zone. So after you look at the new marker # 11 glance across the bay and look at # 12 just in front of John Waynes old home. Come on guys lets get this task off the list.

5. Harbor Operations: This is kind of irrelevant until the new Harbor Master takes the helm. My concern now is there is no longer any harbor continuity. The people in the bridge have no understanding of the history of our harbor and are really no different than a sheriff who has just transferred from prison duty. My observations are that the minions in the patrol boats should be clean-cut, uninformed and off their cell phones while on duty. I bet I made a few friends with that comment?

6. Harbor Amenities: Wide open topic, a couple of things come to mind with more dinghy racks for offshore mooring permit holders, Bike racks near the public piers, Heads, and showers for offshore mooring permits holders.

7. Marina Park: You can ask about the marina occupancy over the last three years, why the banquet rooms and facility have overly restrictive rules. Two years ago I tried to hold an Opening Day for the Harbor 20 fleet in February and was turned down. Things might have changed by now, yet who monitors staff and the marinas maintenance? Is UCI meeting their objectives of participation in the sailing classes?

8. Code enforcement: My observation is that the City is on the right track, yet lets not        overdue it. This topic blends into harbor operations and my concern of continuity.

9. Mooring Size: This topic will be overthought and should be a judgment call of the Harbor Master which leads to problems itself.

10. SUP Safety: All harbors users need to understand the navigation rules of the road and safe boating. My thoughts are to “Keep it Simple”

11. Alternative Anchorages:  There were a couple last minute hurdles but the city is almost there off of the west end Lido Anchorage, let us not forget Big Corona.

12. Central Ave Pier: We need to let more people know about it and this ties in with the new Harbor Guide.

13. Charter Fleet: It’s important to the harbor, yet what is enough? Marina operators are making larger slips. There will be larger boats, over 80 feet, in the harbor very soon. There is only so much room in the harbor and from my Harbor 20 and Duffy we are at capacity.

14. Mariners Mile: My keg is half full on the Green Mile, my gut tells me it will become an extension of the Balboa Resort with condos connecting down the mile. We will have a cute walkway that’s about it. Reducing noise levels on the harbor will be on future agendas and harbor accessibility will be reduced to nothing.

15. Title 17 Updates: Huge topic make sure to pay attention of the dates of the public outreach.

16. Rental Concessions: Not much different than the Charter Fleet, with when is enough.

17. Harbor Speed Limits: My sources tell me there is some good news coming, let’s hope for the best.

18. Onshore/offshore Mooring Relocations: This also blends into the Harbor Operations topic. If this topic is what I think it is I am all for bringing your ball and chain home with you if you do not have a boat yet.

19. Balboa Yacht Basin: Have to assume this topic will be focused on a Marina facility remodel. This will not be taken well but I am for making the whole marina for 25- foot slips only. Rather than affordable housing lets call it affordable boating with strict use rules, in other words you need to use your boat more than four times a month to keep your slip. Yea, dream on Len.

20. Ruby Beach: Not familiar with this topic lets hope it’s focused on cleaning up the shore moorings.

21. Cruising Guide: Is long overdue let us hope it is made digital and we include drone footage of the harbor.

22. Nearshore Dredging: Again, keep it simple.
Upper Bay Needs lights on Channel Markers

23. Harbor vision: Is all good but why don’t we finish what we have started already and remember the tasks we have forgotten. For example the need for smaller slips in the harbor, launch ramps, The Castaways, Marine recycling centers, Upper bay channel marker lights, improved pump-out stations.

It all makes me think of Thanksgiving Dinner somethings smell and look good others will be passed over like turkey necks. Lets just all keep the conversation civilized and pass the wine, please. 



Sea ya 

Thursday, October 25, 2018

FOR SALE: 2003 J 109 LINSTAR ASKING $ 129,000



It is with our deepest sorrow that we must inform you of the listing for sale of our beloved friend LINSTAR.

I have sailed and ran Linstar for the last ten years. We have competed in The Big Boat Series, Southern California One Design, and Club Racing. This is the best all around boat I have ever sailed on. She can do windward/leeward races, point to point and take the family cruising.

When viewing this boat please notice her like new sail inventory, rebuilt engine, six-year-old sail drive, strengthen mast step, eight-year-old mast and standing rigging.

She is a very clean boat with a huge inventory of equipment, she is located in Newport Beach California and very easy to show. Call for an appointment today! ASKING $ 129,000

OWNER WANTS HER SOLD!  NOW!!!






Accommodations
The J 109 offers one of the best cabin layouts in the performance racer/cruiser market today. Forward is a large guest stateroom that features plenty of storage with good ventilation and privacy door. Next aft is the salon with removable drop leaf table with two straight settees to port and starboard and storage above. Continuing aft is the galley to port with pressure water, stainless sink, two-burner stove and oven and more than enough counter space for preparing large meals for the crew or family. Across and to starboard is the navigation station that features plenty of room for books, laptop, electronics, and charts. Just aft is the head with access to the aft settee. Aft of the galley is the owner's stateroom with double berth, hanging locker and privacy door.

Sails:

Carbon Ullman Class Sails 2014 (only used 8 times)
Carbon Main
Carbon Class Jib
Class 2A Runner

Other Sails all very fresh:
(1) North 3A (Only used three times)
Code O Ullman
(1) North PHRF 2A Runner
(1) North Never used 135% Genoa
Spinnaker Staysail

Beercan Sails:
(1) North main
  1. Ullman Class Jib

Equipment:

B&G wind instruments with (7) displays.
B&G Auto Pilot
Norstar GPS Plotter
Icom VHF with Remote Mic at Helm
Stereo New in 2014 w (2) Interior and (2) Exterior Speakers
EPRIB
MOM
Horseshoe ring
B&G Remote
(2) Batteries two years old
Whisker Pole
Fenders & Docklines
Stern Cockpit Seat / Locker Included
Harken Roller Furling
Tuff Luff Head Stay for IRC
Backstay fo IRC
H/C Pressure Water
Refrigeration
Transom Shower
Dodger
Danforth anchor with rode
Shorepower cord
Helm cover
Mainsail cover
Jib furler cover
2-burner propane stove and oven
10-lb LPG tank

Deck Hardware
Harken #46 self-tailing primary winches
Harken #40 self-tailing halyard winches
2 winch handles
2 PVC winch pockets
Harken ball bearing blocks and fine tune for mainsheet
Harken traveler with 4:1 purchase
Harken ball bearing tracks with 4:1 jib and genoa tracks
Harken foot blocks for genoa sheets
Harken spinnaker sheet blocks on U-Bolts
Harken block on padeye on the bowsprit
5 halyard/reef turning blocks
4 halyard Spinlock stoppers on either side of the companionway
Tack line lead aft to cockpit
2- bow mooring cleats
2-stern mooring cleats
2-sheet bags on coach roof
P/S handrails on coach roof
Aluminum wheel and S/S pedestal guard
P/S boarding gates

Remarks:

It may be impossible to have both cruising luxury and high-level race performance in the same boat, but the J 109 comes as close as can be achieved in the search for the right blend of compromises. With refrigeration, ample fresh water, and two comfortable staterooms, a couple can cruise for several weeks without needing to visit port. The value is in her performance design and quality construction, which will allow you to sail, offshore, club race and take the family cruising safely. This is the type of yacht you can be proud of in front of the Yacht Club. HARD TO FIND! GREAT VALUE!


















Thursday, October 18, 2018

2018 Harbor 20 Fleet 1 Championships (A must watch for all Harbor Lovers)



Will be watching this video before every Harbor 20 race for a long time to come. So much information in this video it's overwhelming.

Silly ideas:

Advertisers: Homebuilders/ contractors, Realtors, Pool Services, Engine mechanics, Shipyards, Gardeners, Politicians. Picture yourself on the docks of one of Newport Waterfront homes with the drone flying down to just above your head and you give your quick presentation.

These videos will be watched for decades to come! I will be the first to sign up for this spring H20 Class Championships.

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

FOR SALE : 1992 37' Pacific Seacraft ASKING $ 115,000



1992 Pacific Seacraft 37'
ASKING $ 115,000

The Crealock 37 design is a superb high-performance cruising yacht that incorporates all the qualities an experienced sailor looks for in “a proper yacht," such as seaworthiness, premium quality, exceptional performance,
comfort, and beauty. This 1992 Pacific Seacraft 37 features a Roller Furling “Leisurefurl” Boom, Stainless Steel Port Lights, replaced fuel tank.   SOLD SOLD SOLD in less than two months!

More information can be found at yachtworld.com/lenboseyachts/  or email boseyachts@mac.com





Friday, October 12, 2018

On the Harbor: Harbor 20 Fleet 1 results, update on the Harbor Commission and more

2018 Harbor 20 Fleet Championships   Photo Tom Walker
By LEN BOSE
Over this last weekend, the Harbor 20 Fleet 1 held its fleet championships with 35 boats participating. Competitors were greeted with sunny skies, cool temperatures, and a southerly breeze. Traffic in the five-point area of the harbor was minimal so the regatta could not have gone off any better. Don Logan and Tom Walker teamed up to provide drone coverage of the regatta that is spectacular and makes you smile while thinking to yourself, “That’s where I hang out.”
This year’s winners are Cole and Karl Pomeroy in C Fleet. This father-son team, son at the tiller, jumped on the competition as if they were getting on the 405 while heading to the fast lane and never looking back. In B fleet, Anne and Ed Kimball did the same thing; they might have signaled while making a couple lane changes while taking home the big pickle dish. In A fleet, it was a much tighter race between Argyle Campbell, and Perry and Brian Bissel. Going into the last race the two of them were tied for the lead, and when the marine layer lifted, the Bissells became the new fleet champions. One item to notice is that out of the 35 entries, 20 of the participants are couples, providing a type of cohesiveness over the fleet which is unique to our harbor. If you like to see the drone footage and photos and my complete report, head over to my blog site at www.lenboseyachts.blogspot.com.
• • •
Speaking of video footage, I have to assume most of you by now have seen Coldwell Banker realtor Tim Smith’s video “Teach Me How to Duffy,” a parody on Cali Swag District’s, “Teach Me How To Dougie.” You have to check it out. At first, you might ask, “Did Smith really do that?” By the third time you watch it, you will be headed down to your Duffy, copying the dance from the video. This is a promotional video for Smith’s 14,000-square-foot listing on the peninsula which is one of our harbor’s most spectacular. Should any of you find this listing desirable, I will be more than willing to “Teach you how to Duffy,” or better yet – how to Harbor 20. You can search for the video on YouTube or find the link on my blog site.
• • •

Harbor Commissioner Blank during the harbor cruise

I attended this month’s Harbor Commission meeting and it felt good getting back into the mix. I took the summer off to sail with a client on Wednesday nights this summer, so it didn’t take much effort to head down to the meeting. The first change I noticed was that Chris Miller was sitting in the audience rather than behind the staff desk. Miller has been the Harbor Resource Manager for many years and now has moved back to Public Works, I think. He will still be dealing with the dredging, public docks and hands-on around the harbor; he just won’t be working under the new Harbor Master, whoever that turns out to be. My gut tells me this is a huge mistake. Miller brings the continuity to the commission and the council regarding the daily management of the harbor. At this month’s meeting, the commissioners asked five or more questions of the staff, then quickly looked for Miller in the audience for the answers. I am sure it will all work out, but I am getting cranky and don’t always like change. I have little patience for new definitions of the rules. I trust the commissioners and staff took heed to a public comment made by Jim Moser at the end of the meeting, “There are no other committees or commissions in our city that evaluate or encourage code enforcement, so one should be careful.”
This is a good time to review the objectives of the Harbor Commission. I will keep this as simple as I can.
Objective No. 1 – Harbor Dredging. Commissioners Cunningham and Drayton have got this one, which covers everything from Streamline RPG 54, dredging methods and priorities to eelgrass.
Objective No. 2 – Harbor Operations: Work with the Harbor Master office to evaluate mooring management. Commissioners Drayton, Beer, and Yahn have this task.
Objective No. 3 – Harbor Improvements: Mooring fields, Shore Facilities, and Dock. Commissioners Beer and Drayton.
Objective No. 4 – Harbor Policies, Codes: Update Title 17; Regulations: Harbor Permits. Commissioners Kenny, Blank & Yahn.
Objective No. 5 – Commercial, Rec and Ed Activities: Matters pertaining to the use, control, operation, promotion, and regulation of all watercraft and vessels in the harbor. (Making sure everyone gets along in the harbor.) Commissioners Girling and Kenny.
Objective No. 6 - Long-Term Vision of the Harbor. Commissioners Blank and Cunningham.

Harbor users take the cruise

If you are like me and having difficulty making sense of all this, then I strongly recommend you attend the Special Harbor Commission Meeting scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 17. This is a must attend, so mark your calendar, now. This meeting takes place on one of the car ferries and tours the harbor with the different harbor commissioners reviewing their objectives in person. This is when you can go belly to belly and see if anyone is blowing hot air, or really dredging into the concerns of the harbor. Most of the council members attend along with city staff. I will even be attending if you would like me to teach you how to Duffy.
Sea ya
~~~~~~~~
Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for StuNewsNewport.

Monday, October 08, 2018

2018 Harbor 20 Fleet Championships



2018 Harbor 20 Fleet One Championships      Photos courtesy of Tom Walker

October 6 & 7 2018 Newport Beach California. Harbor 20 Fleet One Championships. A cool 9 knots breeze out of the south greeted the 35 Harbor 20 competitors in this year’s Fleet 1 Championships. The air temperature was 70 degrees with a thin marine layer that burned off before 2:00 PM each day, along with a strong ebb tide that added to the blend of the day.
Harbor 20 Fleet 1 is very fortunate to be based in a harbor with enough room to allow for some close course one-design sailing. Time to the racecourse is twenty minutes maximum and because we race inside the harbor the odds of taking a wave in the face is very rare. Time on the water with a five-race day is normally less than four hours maybe that’s why the fleet attracted 20 married couples to this perfect fall day. You might be saying “yea that many couples cannot be very skilled or competitive.” Well with one glance of the results page you might have some second thoughts. Another huge feature that the Harbor 20 fleet provides is time on the water, I like to call it “Tiller Time”. Over this last season I raced in 150 Harbor 20 races, now that is “Tiller Time”!


Back to this year’s Fleet One Championships. If there was an award to be given to race management it would have to be given to Newport Harbor Yacht Club their course management is second to none and this year’s races proved that again this year. With five races on Saturday and the wind staying from the south the left side of the course was paying upwind and downwind. To place, you had to be at the pin and able to cross the fleet and not dragged too far left, that’s all! Nothing like racing in a tight one-design fleet at the first mark rounding and watching your life pass before your eyes as you duck the entire fleet. Yea the first six boats crossed the starboard parade but anyone after that the volume increased 18 times. Most everyone took a number and went to the back of the line, but there always two or three boats that would take the chance and make some new acquaintances. Things are always so much quieter when you are in the top four.


Out of the blokes first in A fleet (17 boats) was Argyle Campbell with 1,3,1 he tripped a little and placed 11th in race four, finishing the day with a 4th and placing their cards on the table. Looking up from under their long brimmed ball caps was Perry & Brian Bissell laying down a better hand with 8,1,3,5,1. With four races scheduled on Sunday at least four other teams were circling from above and waiting for some road kill.
In B fleet( 11 Boats) Anne & Ed Kimball grabbed the fleet by the neck and placed a strong stranglehold on it with a 1,3,1,1,1. Julie & Craig Chamberlain along with Heiko & Eric Jones and Heather Stratman & Matt Campbell all waiting and hoping that Team Kimball would have a shoelace untie and trip over the last hurdle.
C Fleet (7 Boats) Father-son team of Cole and Karl Pomeroy turned it into a day at Disneyland with 1,1,1,1, 4. Another father-son team of Patrick and Part Scruggs asked for an FBI investigation on why Team Pomeroy was not in A fleet, turned out to be inconclusive. Team Scruggs finished the day with a 4,4,4,3,3 and returned to the huddle after picking up their mouthpiece from the dirt.

After a quick cooling off period, most of the competitors returned to NHYC that night for dinner and review of the day. This is a high light of the season and always good to talk with your friends/ competitors over your favorite beverage rather than three boat lengths from the leeward mark.
Day 2 Started off the same way with the tide ebbing out a little stronger and the wind shifting more to the right as the day progressed. Everyone was playing the left upwind and sailed to the right side of the course downwind to avoid the ebb. By race two the wind had shifted, while the tide did the same and to the surprise of many the right paid big. Most had not noticed the change until the last race of the day.
In C fleet Team Pomeroy rinsed and repeated then took home 7 daily first place awards. B fleet had the same with team Kimball sporting a new pair of shoes with velcro ties. In A Fleet Philip Thompson woke up from a dream with a 1,2 then suffered from acid reflex in race 8 and burped up a 15. Fortunately for them, they had some Tum’s aboard and finished the day with a 2nd to take 3rd place for championships. Campbell also suffered in race 8 and threw down a 12th after placing a 2,4 in races six and seven. Then picked himself back up from the dust with a 4th in the last race. After dusting themselves off team Campbell noticed team Bissell raising their heads to look out from under their ball caps again with a one-point win for the fleet championships.
Need to give one HUGE shout out to H20 Fleet 1, Sailing Pro Shop, Novmar Insurance and Just Marine for sponsoring the drone footage of the race. Tom Walker and Dan Logan teamed up with five-time fleet champion Bill Menninger doing the commentary which will be reviewed for decades to come.
That's a wrap to the 2017-18 season another one for the books already looking forward to the 2018-19 season which starts in three weeks. That's “Tiller Time” baby!
Sea ya
Len Bose
# 108 "Only Child"