The Harbor Report: The birth of springtime events

Pacific Yachting Club aboard the Tiara 3100 She's Happy Now. (Len Bose / April 4, 2014)

By Len Bose

April 4, 2014 | 1:11 p.m.

You have to love spring in Newport Harbor, where everything seems to happen all at once.

My first stop this week was at Newport Harbor Yacht Club to check in on the Baldwin Cup Team race, running through Sunday. This event actually started weeks ago with more than 150 volunteers who work on everything from the pit crew to housing the participants.

All of the club members' boats, which are usually berthed in front of the club on moorings, have been removed along with the mooring balls. This provides the event with an almost-stadium effect for spectators. The course brings the boats close to the main dock, where commentators describe the play-by-play. And let's not forget about the 25-cent draft beers.

Of course, I am very interested on how the pilot of the Frisbee-sized drone will perform while streaming the racing over the Internet. This could be a big breakthrough for the sport of sailing, as big as the table camera was in professional poker.

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Come see us at the boat show

I will be following the racing from my Baldwin Cup phone app while working the 41st annual Newport Boat Show at Lido Village, which runs through Sunday. Ralph Rodheim and I will be introducing the Pacific Yachting Club aboard the Tiara 3100, "She's Happy Now."

"Pacific Yachting Club makes luxury yachts available to its members for a fraction of what boat charters or ownership cost," Rodheim explained to the club with a press release this week. "PYC does all the work, which gives members more time to enjoy boating. Members can cruise around the bay, have a dockside meal or go up the coast, or to Catalina Island, for an overnight stay. The Pacific coastline offers a variety of memorable experiences. The new club is being launched with a Tiara 3100 and Deluxe Duffy 21.

"These two popular vessels provide the versatility, comfort and quality PYC will be known for. The fleet will grow in number and size over time. Plans are being made for establishing Pacific Yachting Clubs up and down the Pacific Coast and possibly inland waterways and lakes."

Rodheim contacted me more than a month ago to go over this concept of a power boat club and to ask whether there might be any demand. I felt very strongly that there will be a huge demand for the new boater who is unsure if the boating lifestyle will work for their family.

Please stop by the show and say hello to me and Ralph. Be sure to enter our raffle to use the club's Duffy for a couple of hours.

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A tip on the Ensenada TIP

For those of you who are just getting started in preparation for this year's Ensenada race, I have found the best way to deal with the Mexico Temporary Import Permit, or TIP.

If you are like me, you looked at NOSA web page and noticed that you needed this permit. Then you thought, "Yeah, right, I am just going to pass on this race." Then a couple of days went by and the thought of missing the race started to take effect and you looked at the application again.

Now just pick up the phone and call Joan Irvine at Romero's Mexico Service at (949) 548-8931. She will make this easy for you and keep you on the race course.

Now, take another deep sigh and don't invent reasons not to go on the race.

The TIP permit has been around for a long time. You just need to make sure your boat's hull number/VIN number is fixed in the bilge and matches what's on your documentation certificate or DMV registration.

What I plan on doing is calling Sign Depot at (949) 645-4123 and have them make me an engraved plastic plate, the size of a name badge, and then epoxy it in the bilge. The permit can only be in the name of the owner or a relative of the owner.

If the boat is registered with an LLC, the permit can be issued to anyone. The permit is good 10 years; don't lose it because it cannot be reissued. Next time you are on your boat make sure to check your VIN number and write down the serial number that's on your engine. You can complete your TIP permit process within three days.

This has nothing to do with your TIP permit; just remember not to bring any fishing gear. If you do, you will need more permits. If you have a Single Side Band radio you will need to show your ship station license. The whole process is very simple, and I can feel a windy race in the near future.

Sea ya.

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