Unedited "Another fantastic race on the water"

( Again, I prefer the unedited copy. Please leave your comments THANKS BRONNY FOR THE PHOTOS!)

While the East Coast was battening the hatches and boarding the windows for Hurricane “Irene” I was busy gathering my storm supplies for the 2011 Balboa & Newport Harbor Yacht Clubs Long Point Invitational. As always, I brought along my Excedrin Migraine, Tums extra 1000, drinking water and 7Up’s for the forecasted rum squalls.

This not being my first rodeo, I seem to be preparing for this event better each year. Over the last two years I have attended both breakfast at Moonstone and Whites. Navigated past the “Tree ring “ toss at Moonstone, stayed dry during the beach landing at Whites and be physically able to attend the party on Saturday Night. I do not get it, three years ago we won this event overall and now with the ability to stay away from the rum squalls we have finished in the lower part of the fleet.

The constant of the event is the people and the scenery. This is what truly makes this event the mother of all sailing events in Southern California. This year we had everything from Dr. Laura Schlessinger newly built “KANTANA” to the return of the Rolex Rangers aboard the 1939 built “CHUBASCO” skippered by Craig Cadwalader. Now blend in Payson Infelise “MILE HIGH CLUB” with John Garrison “CHECMATE” and you have the ingredients of the perfect weekend. Making sure everything stays together throughout the weekend year after year are the two yacht clubs sailing administrators BYC Becky Lenhart & NHYC Jennifer Lancaster. Yea, we all notice the General Managers sticking their noses into the event and telling us “that coffee is for the staff”. But we all know that the Becky & Jennifer are the one that dissever all the credit for making this the best event of the year. Therefore, I would like to propose that the Monday following The Long Point race we have a Sailing Administrators Day and do everything in your power not to call them on this day?

Back to the racecourse, this years event was challenging in many ways with Fridays forecast of no wind turning out to be incorrect and piping up over 20knots by the finish. The fastest way to the finish line was to “Go fast and go straight” and not beat up the Beach. I have to eat a lot of crow on this one because I was using every hand signal I know to convince the boat on our weather hip to tack and head up the beach. “Sorry about that bird signal I used Commodore!”

Saturday started with the breeze up and a couple of boats throwing reefs in their mains. When 10 minutes from the starting gun the wind disappeared and we franticly started shaking the reefs out and changing back to our larger headsails. The racecourse is from Long Point around Bird Rock, at the Isthmus, and return. This race is my favorite races of the year and I have done very well in this race over the years with a big headache. Not this year, the only headache I had this year was that the wind stopped and shifted 180 degrees and I was on the wrong side of the racecourse.

Sundays race was perfect, hot sunny skis with large thunderhead clouds and 15 knots of breeze. We hit the starting line at full speed and right on time. We set our 3A spinnaker and were looking good all the way to the finish line. For most of the race I could read the homeport from Amanate transom until we were about a quarter of a mile from the finish at the Newport Pier when the wind decided to stop. OH well, it was time for a cold beverage and a recap from the weekend.

First lesson learned by a crewmember aboard “ALCHEMY”, never take a close up photo of a Buffalo. They don’t like it and will send you home in a helicopter. My understanding is the crewmember is OK and just took a big hit in the credit card for the taxi service home. Quote of the weekend “ I am just glad we ran out of beer on the way home”, “Hey Len, do you have anymore Excedrin I keep hearing thunder”

Its been another fantastic summer in Newport Harbor and I am already looking forward to next year. Remember to read my blog site at lenboseyachts.blogspot.com to keep updated on the weekly dredging and my unedited stories.

Sea ya

Dredging for August 22-26.

Hi everyone!

This is my weekly update for August 22-26.

·        For the first part of the week, Dutra focused on loading the new piles from trucks at the Rhine Warf onto their pile driving barge.  This was a partial shipment of piles for the project with the rest of the piles being delivered in the near future.

·        For the remaining part of the week, Dutra replaced the piles from the slips on the Lido Peninsula side of the channel. They have one more pile to replace on that side, then on Monday, they’ll switch sides and start replacing piles on the Lafayette side, starting with Schock.  As you can see, this process goes fairly quick, so the direct impact to each property will be relatively short.

·        For this weekend, the pile driving barge will remain on the Lido Peninsula side of the channel therefore allowing plenty of vessel access for the restaurants.

·        At the same time that Dutra was pile driving, they resumed dredging in the Phase II & III center channel to keep the project moving. Remember: every day spent dredging in Phases II & III now will mean less days dredging at the end of the project.

·        Important:  Phase II boats must be removed by Tuesday, September 6 at 7:00 AM.  There will not be a grace period as there was for Phase I. This will help Dutra move the project along, which in turn relates to a shorter project. 

·        Please remember that if vessels are not removed, they may be towed by Vessel Assist at the owner’s expense.   I have been contacting each Phase II property owner individually, so I’m hoping this isn’t a problem. Please call me if you have any questions or concerns.

·        Many Phase I boaters are very anxious to return to their slips.  Rest assured that we are doing everything possible to get you back in your slips as soon as possible, but it’s important that you wait until we give you the final go-ahead.  We need to ensure the construction zone is safe and that the pile and related dock work is complete.  My guess is that we’ll start notifying folks mid to late next week.

·        Please see the attached figure describing this week’s progress.  I’ve also attached a few pictures. Of particular interest is the last picture which shows a stack of old piles (on the left) next to a stack of new piles (on the right).  Notice the difference in length.  We’ve designed the new piles to be effective in the now deeper water.

·        Interesting fact No. 4:  The pile driving barge is 210’ long by 50’ wide.

Once again, thanks for everyone’s patience!

Chris Miller

Harbor Resources Manager

( (949) 644-3043  * cmiller@newportbeachca.gov

Rhine Update - Week 3

Hi everyone!

This is my weekly update for August 15-19.

·        Dutra spent most of the week in the center of the channel in the Phase II & III areas.  As you recall, they are keeping busy in this area while the sediment testing results are analyzed and the concrete piles are “curing” at the concrete plant. Not to worry though, this effort in Phase II & III will benefit the project’s schedule on the back end.  Every cubic yard dredged now will mean one less cubic yard to dredge at the end.

·        The sediment chemistry results revealed that there was still some material left at the end of the Rhine Channel near the wharf. So, Dutra moved back up the channel and will spend about 1 day cleaning up that area. 

·        Saturday plan:  The dredge barge and disposal scow will move out to the mooring area.  Then, the larger pile driving barge (with crane) will be brought in and moved into position ready to start work on Monday morning.  Note:  Dutra will position this barge to the side of the channel as usual so access to the restaurants and shipyard is not impacted as much.  Also, the pile driving barge will not need the disposal scow, so the access channel over the weekend will be greater than normal – a good thing!

·        Monday plan:  The pile driving barge will receive 2 truck-loads of pile which they will pick from the Rhine Wharf (standard practice).

·        Tuesday plan:  The pile driving barge will receive 7 truck-loads of pile, then they will spend the day prepping for the rest of the week.  Also, at this same time, the dredge barge will return half way up the channel and complete the Phase I dredging (still subject to testing afterwards).  After this is completed, the dredge barge will return to the Phase II & III area and resume its efficient production dredging down the center of the channel.

·        Wednesday and further:  Pile removal and replacement will begin.  We’re hoping this process moves quickly.

·        Although it’s too early to make predictions as far as timing, it is our intention to allow vessels to return to their slips after the pile driving is complete and their docks are considered safe.  In other words, vessels should be able to return as the barge leaves their immediate area and makes its way down the channel.  Note:  Vessels are not to return to their slips until receiving direct communication from me.  We need to make sure the construction zone around the marinas is clear and safe before we can allow vessels back.  Rest assured, I’ll do everything possible to make it as speedy as possible.

·        Please remember that this schedule is subject to shift at any moment as variables are constantly changing in the field.  With a complex project like this, we have to be flexible to account for the unforeseen issues that may arise.  For instance, a mechanical problem on the barge, excavator, crane or disposal scows can immediately affect the plans for the day/week.

·        Please see the attached figure that captures this week’s activities.

·        Interesting fact No. 3:  The two smaller disposal scows are 150’ long by 40’ wide, and their maximum capacity is 1,200 cubic yards.  However, Dutra is only filling them half way due to the depths in the Lower Bay.

Once again, thank you for your patience.

Chris Miller

Harbor Resources Manager

( (949) 644-3043  * cmiller@newportbeachca.gov

The Harbor Report: Junior sailors take over at yacht club

I have to assume everyone noticed the 200-plus Naples sabots sailing in front of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club on Aug. 8 to 11. The event was the 2011 Jr. Sabot Nationals, and it could not have gone any better. What a fantastic way to wrap the junior sailing season.

The Jr. Sabot Nationals brings in kids from Marina del Rey to San Diego and blends them all together to come up with one champion for the 2011 season. Although, if you attend the event, there is so much more going on.

( Jack Martin winner of The Jessica Unlack Memorial Trophy for Outstanding Junior Sportsman.)

As a sailor, the road to gold is a difficult one that starts with the dreaded Flight Selection Series. This can be more traumatic to the kids than the Championship Series. Whether you qualify for the Gold, Silver, Bronze or Iron fleet is everything to the kids. I noticed one sailor who made Silver fleet, and the rest of the event was gravy.

For me, going to the event was like a class reunion and a new type of competition. What I am referring to is that the same people who slapped me around the race course when I was a kid are still doing it to me in another way. I find it more difficult now than when I was a kid.

Fortunately my son came up to me, before I got too bunched up, and told me what a great time he was having and that he wants to do the regatta next year.

"Perfect," I thought to myself, "Now let's go down to the dock and see if we can learn a thing our two from these kids."

This is when I first noticed Jack Martin sailing back to the dock to get some advice from his coach. He had a huge smile and was bantering back and forth with his friends on the dock. It was obvious that Jack "got it" and was having a great time on the water.

I came to find out after the event that Jack was the big winner and brought home the Jessica Unlack Memorial Trophy for Outstanding Junior Sportsman. Well done, Jack! That's quite the achievement! For what it's worth, I feel that's better than winning the championship.

It's now time to talk about who brought home the "pickle dishes" for our harbor this year.

In the Iron division it was Hunter Vandertoll in first place, and Jack Martin in second place.

In the Bronze division, Jake Marlo finished fourth and Evan Tingler got second.

In the Silver division, Scott Mais came home with a fourth-place finish and Sean Dahl placed third.

In the Gold division, Jimmy Madigan received the third-place dish, and this year's Jr. Sabot national champion is Joseph Hou. This was a very touching moment at the awards ceremony because Joseph received the first Nina Nielsen Perpetual for winning the event.

There are a couple of other shoutouts that must be given.

Kate Madigan was the top female finisher. I've watched her sail over the last couple of years, and it would not surprise me if Kate wins this event in the future. Also, Reid Wiley won the Peggy Lenhart Perpetual for the most improved.

While watching the juniors sail, I am always looking for that sailor who has a passion for the sport that is contagious. This year, those sailors are Harrison Vandervort, Jimmy Madigan, Joseph Hou and Jeffrey Peterson. I would like to thank all of you for your enthusiasm. You make the sport that much more fun to be a part of.

I need to give one big thank you to Harbor Resources Manager Chris Miller for keeping the line of communication open with the dredging crew. The scows had to be taken through the race course each day, and it all went as planed. No problems, other than the one scow that went aground just off the end of Lido, which is kind of funny, if you think about it.

Sea ya!

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

Rhine Update - Week 2

Hi everyone!

This is my weekly update for August 8-12.

·        Dutra is still ahead of schedule, and on Monday, they moved their dredge barge to the Phase III area in the center of the channel. There’s quite a bit of material out there, so it’s relatively easy production work without impacting any of the Phase III slips on either side.  (If any Phase III slips need more space to move while Dutra is here, please contact Dutra directly on Channel 82 and they’ll be happy to move out of the way with only 30-60 minute’s notice.  Please see the weekly figure for a progress update.

·        The reason why Dutra moved to Phase III was because: (1) we are waiting for the Phase I sediment sampling to return from the lab, and that will tell us whether the remaining material is clean or not, and (2) we are waiting for the concrete piles to “cure” at the plant.

·        So, this means that no equipment will be in the Phase 1 area for this weekend. The restaurant boating customers will have free and clear access to the restaurant slips.

·        The good news about doing some of the Phase III work now, is that for every day they dredge in Phase III, it means one less day they’ll have to dredge at the end of the project.  This therefore puts us ahead of schedule assuming everything else goes smoothly.

·        We should have the chemistry results back early next week, and it is likely (but not yet confirmed) that Dutra will need to go back up into the Phase I area mid week and clean up a few spots.  This shouldn’t take too long.  And again, Dutra will pull their barges to one side of the channel during the evenings to allow vessel passage for the restaurants.

·        Don’t forget that after the dredging is done in each particular phase, the pile driving barge will come up the channel and do its work.  However, the impact to vessel traffic during this stage will be minimal as there will be more room compared to the dredging work.

·        As you may or may not have known, the Sabot Nationals were last week in Newport Harbor, with over 100+ junior racers competing for the gold!  This required careful coordination between Dutra, Anchor QEA and the Race Committees to ensure the races were minimally impacted and everyone was safe.  Things went really well without incident – great job to all those involved!

·        Interesting fact #2:  It takes about 12 hours round trip to deliver the barge to the Port of Long Beach and back.

Once again, thank you for everyone’s patience

Chris Miller

Harbor Resources Manager

( (949) 644-3043  * cmiller@newportbeachca.gov

Fridays Dredging Update From Chris Miller

Hi everyone!

This is my weekly update that I anticipate emailing each Friday or so. 

·        Thank you to all of the Phase I property owners who vacated their marinas by the deadline last week.  This certainly made the job much easier and less complicated.  I really appreciate the community spirit in pulling this off.

·        As you saw this week, Dutra really made some progress with their dredging in that they’re slightly ahead of schedule.  Therefore, they’ve decided to not dredge tomorrow (Saturday).  This means that the full dump scow that is in position now, will be picked up sometime very late tonight.  After that point,only the excavator barge will be occupying the channel until about 6:30 AM Monday morning.  This means that half the channel will be vacant and accessible to all boats for the entire weekend.  I think the restaurants will certainly appreciate this good news.

·        Please see the attached figure that shows the progress to date.  This will be updated each week, and will be posted on our website Monday morning as well as at Anchor QEA’s onsite construction office located just a few offices down and across from Sabatino’s on the Lido Peninsula.  The team at Anchor QEA are the onsite construction managers who are taking care of the day to day oversight as well as the sediment/water quality sampling etc…

·        Next week, Dutra will finish up Phase I dredging.  At the same time, Anchor QEA will be doing sediment sampling to confirm that all of the contaminants were removed.  If that is the case, then Phase I dredging will be complete.  If not, then Dutra will need to come back up the channel for further dredging until the area tests clean.  Let’s hope we got it the first time around!

·        If all goes well with the sediment testing, then Dutra may have a couple days to spare with their dredge rig.  If that happens, they’ll move to the Phase III area and dredge down the center of the channel as “filler” work.  They’ll be careful to not impact the existing boats on either side of the channel, and we’re not requiring those boats to be removed from their slips prematurely. 

·        Then, after a certain period, the dredging barge will leave the channel, and the larger pile driving barge will come up and start at the top of the Rhine.  Even though this barge is much larger, there will not be a dump scow next to it, so vessel passage will be less restricted.

·        As you’ve hopefully seen, Dutra has pushed their equipment to the side of the channel each night, therefore providing a 15’-20’ channel.  Keep in mind that if the dump scow is not present during the dredging phase, it may reappear at anytime throughout the day/night, therefore possibly blocking any larger vessels that may be near the Rhine public dock.  I would ask the restaurants to be cognizant of this and to warn their water based customers.

·        Interesting fact #1:  The bucket on the excavator holds approximately 6 cubic yards of material.

Once again, thank you for your patience.  We’re doing all we can to minimize the impact.

Chris Miller

Harbor Resources Manager

( (949) 644-3043  * cmiller@newportbeachca.gov