Many festivities to be enjoyed

There is a lot going on around the harbor this week, so let's jump aboard the "Showboat" and take a harbor cruise.

Everyone, please remember to stay seated and keep your hands in the boat, and if you remember the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland, the headhunters and man-eating piranha do not show up until the end.

The Balboa Yacht Club and the Glass Slipper Guild plans to host the 11th annual CHOC Regatta benefiting Children's Hospital of Orange County's Children's Neuroscience Institute on Saturday and Sunday at the Balboa Yacht Club.

There are some great raffle prizes this year. Whether you're a Lakers or Ducks fan, they have tickets for you. Maybe a round of golf or a Duffy rental for an afternoon is more of what you have in mind. For a special person (or yourself), we have a beautiful pearl necklace.

The raffle is open to all racers and members, and there are no limits on the number of tickets purchased. So please come by and see us on the deck that weekend and buy your tickets. Winners will be chosen on Sunday afternoon, but it's not mandatory that they be present to win. Proceeds from the raffle will go directly to CHOC.

As we continue our bay cruise on Sunday, you will first notice the spectators lined up around the harbor dressed as if they are attending an alumni football game. At 7 a.m., remember the time change is this Saturday night, the Newport Aquatic center will be hosting the Newport Autumn Rowing Festival.

Expect more than 2,000 competitors — and nearly as many spectators — from high school, college, open and master's rowers from the West Coast. The Festival will feature In-N-Out burgers, rowing vendors and four hours of exciting racing, followed by an awards ceremony.

The Newport Aquatic Center began hosting the Newport Autumn Rowing Festival in 1987 as a small, intercollegiate and club teams race. Twenty-three years later, the festival has evolved into a highly anticipated event in both the rowing community and in Orange County.

Each year, the roster boasts teams from Cal, Stanford, UCLA and USC. This is a fantastic event and it's fun to watch all the people on the Coast Highway bridge rooting for their school.

This is the part of the cruise the headhunters and man-eating piranha appear. On Tuesday, the Newport City Council will have a mooring proposal brought it that features these suggestions:

• Offshore moorings should be set at 14% of an average of slip rates in the harbor, up from (6%.

•Onshore moorings should be half of that.

•Increases should be implemented over five periods. When "caught up" should catch up to 14% of slip rates in 2015.

•Allow one transfer from current permit holders to another person; five-year window.

• Allow persons who purchase a boat on a mooring to stay there up to six months to allow time to relocate.

•Allow one family transfer (where mooring permit holder is deceased) in a five-year period.

That wraps up our harbor cruise this week. Andd for all of the crews I have taken out, you guys are the best. I really mean it every time I say it.

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