The Harbor Report: The good, bad and ugly for 2011

   
By Len Bose

December 27, 2011 | 7:17 p.m.

     Christian Rosene, one of Newport Harbor's most interesting people

Watching the news and reading the Daily Pilot this week, I felt I better review my 2011 Harbor Report columns.

This year I wrote 40 columns, and to receive the best presentation of this year's review you must recall the theme song of the Clint Eastwood movie "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly." Then go online to Pilot's webpage and type the keywords "Len Bose" into the Pilot's search bar. Then all my columns will appear.

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The Good

I am going to assume most of you will agree that the best thing that happened this year was the completion of the Rhine Channel. There are far too many people to thank for completing this task, but our Harbor Resources Manager Chris Miller and his crew completed this project well ahead of schedule and did an excellent job. My column about it ran Aug. 5.

The stimulation of the Newport High-Point Series was with this year's winner, John Szalay, aboard his boat, the Pussycat. John received awards from the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club and Balboa Yacht Club, and his boat was also mentioned in my column about this year's 20 most interesting boats.

Newport Harbor's Marina Recycling Center was another one of my silly ideas that I hope becomes a reality in 2012. Those columns ran in February and August.

If you are a history buff like myself, you should check out my three-part story in April about the history of boat-building in Costa Mesa.

My best response always comes from Newport's 20 Most Interesting Boats and our harbor's two most interesting people. Yeah, I placed a Duffy electric boat in the powerboat list.

While reviewing the list with one of our harbor's travel lift operators, he told me he called five of his friends to tell them about the boat he was delivering to the shipyard.

In contrast, he pointed to a new 90-foot yacht and said I did not call anyone when I picked that one up. These stories ran in November and December.

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The Bad

The bad this year is when we lost Dr. Nina Nielsen. Later this year a special award was presented in her name to the first female finisher in the Sabot Nationals.

The Farwell family leaving the Swales Yacht Anchorage and apartments after 52 years was another sad occurrence. The Farwell family have always treated me very kindly and are good people. It was hard to see them have to stop managing the Anchorage.

This one had to be the most embarrassing for me. In my Nov. 29 column regarding our local fishermen, I asked Tom Pearson of Pearson's Port "What type of weather keeps you from fishing?"

He replied: "The wind and swell. I am too old to snorkel anymore." (Which means the waves are coming over the pilothouse and he needs a mask and snorkel just to work on deck)

The line was edited to read: "Yes, it's a good life and it's still exciting," he replied. But, he added, he's now too old to snorkel.

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The Ugly

It was a very good year in our harbor, but I still have issues with our tideland permits. I do not have enough information to comment on this subject, but I still have to wonder if the cost of permits has been spread equally throughout the harbor.

My ugliest mistake has to have been the mass email I sent telling everyone to look for my 20 most interesting boats story. I must have had five spelling mistakes. I learned a big lesson and have to give Chip a shoutout for that one.

Thanks for reading my stories in 2011, go to my blog site at lenboseyachts.blogspot.com for the full year's review, and we will "sea ya!" next year.

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

Photos from My 2011 Harbor Column

This video will go hand in hand with my last story of the year.
Thanks for following my stories of Newport Harbor 2011 If the video is not clear go to http://www.youtube.com/user/lbose1/videos

Happy Holidays Everyone

This is our Christmas Card to everyone this year. Thanks for reading my stories.
Sea ya
Andrew, Jennifer and Len Bose

The Harbor Report: Tips for the Christmas Boat Parade

I felt honored to be part of the crew who delivered the Balboa Yacht Club's new Committee Boat from San Francisco to Marina del Rey. I wanted to make one shout-out to our captain, Richard DeWolf: "I will go to sea with you any time." Without a doubt, Rich is the most qualified and trusted skipper I have sailed with.

Now that I am home safely, let's talk about what is going on in Newport Harbor this week.

                                           

That's the 103rd annual Christmas Boat Parade, which runs from Wednesday through Sunday.

If you are like me, it's kind of a "bah, humbug!" type of thing. Do I really have to go freeze my butt off and fight the traffic?

Then I look at my family and think it's time to start "Feelin' Christmas-Sea in Newport Beach." Life is too short to live like Ebenezer Scrooge. It's time to "Go Big and Go Newport," and we do the Christmas Boat Parade in this town.

I also happened to receive a phone call from this year's parade chairmen, Don Lawrenz and David Beek, whose great-grandfather was one of the founders. At last count there were more than 70 boats entered in this year's parade.

A couple of new features to note this year: For the locals, bleachers have been added in the Balboa Fun Zone, where the parade is expected to pass by around 6:34 p.m.; and if you go down Dover Drive and pull into the parking lot for the Reuben E. Lee, you should have good access to the parade around 7:44 p.m.

I also enjoy walking along South Bayfront on Balboa Island to view all the decorated homes. I find it easiest to bring my bike in the car, drop the family off at the Balboa Island bridge, park in Irvine Terrace, find a place to lock my bike, then walk down South Bayfront.

While onboard a boat if I am not in the parade, I let the parade go by, then wait about 30 minutes before I leave the slip and do a harbor cruise. I try to avoid the parade traffic the best I can. If I have to watch the parade away from my slip, I hang out in the Linda Isle lagoon or between Harbor Island and Linda Isle.

Keep one of your VHFs on Channel 68 for the most updated information, along with following the parade on Facebook and Twitter.

Hey, Don or David, why don't you let me write posts on Facebook and Twitter? Also, make sure you keep a lookout for Peter Barbour and his under 30-foot boat in the parade. I feel Peter has more fun than anyone else on the parade route. Make sure you yell a big "thank you" to Peter this year.

The Ring of Lights awards are for our harbor's waterfront homeowners and were judged Monday night. Phil and Mary Lyons of Harbor Island won the 2011 Sweepstakes award.

Checking out all the waterfront homes is one of my favorite features of the parade. My understanding is that the Balboa Island South Bayfront homes go all out for this event, Lido Isle and the south Peninsula homeowners are getting more into the spirit, and my Ebenezer Scrooge award this year goes to the homeowners on the upper Balboa Peninsula and our local restaurants. I hope these two groups step it up next year!

It should be a perfect Christmas Boat Parade this year. Make sure you start "Feelin' Christmas-Sea in Newport Beach."

Sea ya!

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

The Delivery of BYC New Committee Boat

This weekend I will be part of the crew delivering BYC new boat down the coast from San Francisco.
Rich DeWolf-Skipper
Len Bose - Crew
Dave Beek -Crew
Warren Rosendale-Crew

Follow us on twitter @Boseyachts  from 12-8 to 12-12

                                 Daybreak arrival on 12-12-11  Marina del Rey

The Harbor Report: Top 10 power boats in Newport Harbor

2011Newport Beaches 20 Most Interesting Yachts.

This story is done in fun and to coincide with the 100 largest yachts, the world’s wealthiest people, down to The Daily Pilots 103 list. I spent a couple of days cruising the bay previewing boats that I have seen over this past season. My choices were made by what I feel are interesting and demonstrate the character of our harbor.  Most of the boats I have selected are custom and have been in the harbor for a long time. To be honest with you I am just hoping to get the listing on these boats or at least be invited aboard?

# 10  “Watt R Winery” 22’ Custom Duffy Electric Boat. She was customized by Newport Shipyard with a hard top, teak trim, satellite TV, underwater lighting, heater, windless, wine cooler, head and one very large horn. She can be seen every Thursday afternoon on a harbor cruise and is berthed at the Balboa Bay Club.

# 9 “CHEYENNE”  125’ Morrelli & Melvin design. The boat is being re outfitted for an Five Dives Expedition and will carry a 18’ feet long submarine that is expected to be able to dive well below 36,000 feet deep. She is moored just west of the NHYC.

#8 “TYEE” 75’ Northern Marine Long Range Cruiser and expedition trawler. The interior features rare woods, choice granites and rich fabrics. The owners have a long tradition in yachting in Newport Harbor and have owned many different vessels. She is kept in pristine condition and lives on Lido Peninsula.

#7 FORGER  74' Commissioned in 1988 at the German Bültjer Shipyard in Ditzum to a Beeldsnijder design. It is immediately obvious that she is definitely a different sort of motor yacht. Her "iroko" topside gleam has countless coats of varnish. She came to town five years ago and is berthed on the end of Linda Isle.

# 6 "Royal Buzzard," a 70-foot Power Cat built in 2002 at Knight & Carver to a Morrelli & Melvin design. She has a 24-foot beam and is powered by twin 660HP Caterpillars. She can reach a top speed of 24 knots and caries 2,128 gallons of fuel. She has been seen cruising Mexico and docks at Balboa Island.

#5 “Following Sea” The original owner was a member of Newport Harbor Yacht Club who commissioned Ray Hunt to design a 52’ yacht for extended offshore cruising. Built by Dick Bertram in 1964, the construction was cold molded plywood and was said to be the lightest fastest cruising sport fishing boat on the west coast with a cruise speed of 20 knots. Restored by one of Newport’s biggest boat builders, she can be found in the NHYC mooring field.

#4 DRUMBEAT 49'  She was built to a Kernan yacht design with a type of commuter boat styling. She was finished by a team led by Richard Crow from Orange Coast College and is now owned by one of our harbor's best yachtsmen. Often seen cruising the harbor or returning from weekend runs she seems to move through the water with little effort. Berthed on the end of Lido Isle.

# 3  “Sea Chase” 47’ Lyman Morse built in 1991. Built at Lyman Morse to a Ray Runt design in 1991. This masterpiece catches my eye every time I see her cruising the harbor. Last seen at Basin Shipyard getting a new bottom, she is as pretty out of the water as she is in her slip  just north of BCYC before the bridge.

#2 GALATEA. She is a 53-foot heavy displacement trawler. She was designed by Art DeFever Sr. and built by Paul Lindwall in Santa Barbara for Bill Hanna. You should notice the Hanna name from the cartoons we still watch. She is powered by a single Caterpillar D333 that pushes her 105,000 pounds displacement through the water in expedition fashion. GALATEA was seen cruising the harbor and at Moonstone this year. She is berthed on the Balboa Peninsula.

#1’s That right we have two boats this year as Newport Harbors most interesting Power boats. Both boats are owned by the same owner and have been restored to their original design. The boat on the outside is “CRACKER” a 1956 31’ Rybovich Sportfisher hull

# 24 and re-powered with Cat Disels. The boat on the inside is “FOURBELLS” a 1955 36’ Rybovich hull number # 17 also re-powered with diesels. Both boats where completed this year and will be used for local fishing and cruising to Catalina. Quote from the owner “Project of Love”.

NEWPORT BEACH BENETEAU : SENSE 43 "It's Perfect for Catalina"

The Sense 43. You just have to “check this out” to believe it. This is not only a new boat, it’s a completely new concept in boating. When you review the video please note the size of the cockpit, how easy it is to maneuver the boat in tight situations. Now picture yourself in Catalina picking up your mooring without help from the Harbor Master. Better yet, you in the cockpit at sunset in your favorite cove. THIS IS THE PERFECT BOAT! Come check it out.

                                             (Salon of the Sense 43)

Sailaway Year End Close Out: $389,000.

NEWPORT BEACH Beneteau Sense 50