On the Harbor: During these challenging times

By LEN BOSE

The harbor has taken on a new flavor with most harbor users not taking anything for granted by feeling and expressing our Newport Luv’n. I have never seen so many smiles, waves and thumbs up across the harbor. The weather has been cool with a slight feel of summer approaching by mid-afternoon. Yet not only the fear of the virus looms overhead, it is the fear of the harbor being shut down similar to what happened in San Diego last week. For those of you who have not heard, the San Diego County Health Officer closed its harbor to boating for recreational purposes. Fortunately, our local authorities feel that boating with those living in their domestic unit and otherwise practicing social distancing is the current recommended approach to keep boating on our harbor.

Our harbor users must remember that no raft-ups are acceptable and keeping your distance on the water. Remember, no guests on your boat! This includes family members not in your immediate household or your closest boating friends. Go right from your house to the boat and back. Outdoor activities can improve your well-being. Nature-based recreation has a strong potential to improve mental health outcomes in areas of general well-being, resilience, restoration and cognition, with some potential for decreasing symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression. Just remember, keep your six-foot distance from others.

Our harbor offers the perfect opportunity, in so many ways, for people to get outdoors. SUP, fishing, sailing and harbor cruises. Of course, my favorite way that I use the harbor today with my wife and son is on our Harbor 20. In one way, the lockdown has allowed our 20-year-old son to join us again. In the first couple of weeks of lockdown, he still preferred to have the house to himself. Now he is like a dog excited to go for a walk and is the first person in the car to go to the boat.

You can’t help but notice all the couples out in their Duffy electric boats enjoying the harbor. The boats are perfect in all conditions, but there is no better time than now to get them on the water. You can feel the day’s stress drain away while experiencing a sunset cruise with your partner by your side, blended in with a delectable choice of your favorite antipasto sides and savory beverages. While heading into the brilliant red and orange sky with a waft of soft music (yes, I am a baby boomer) in the background, you can return to your slip and feel completely recharged for the next sunrise.

Like many businesses around the harbor, we will have to adapt to the new normal and practice social distancing. When meeting a prospect, I keep my six feet and prefer a bow rather than an elbow bump. When showing a Duffy, I ask  prospects to wait in front of the boat until I have taken the covers off and open a window, quite often I do this before their arrival. I then exit the boat from the other side, if possible, and let the prospects step aboard. Pointing out features and answering questions from the dock. After the showing, I wipe down the interior and I have already received permission from the seller to show the boat and have updated the seller after the showing. This is where more testing for the virus will allow us to get back to work sooner. I have not sold a boat since February, yet the test drive will be the most difficult by allowing only one prospect to attend the test drive and sit on opposite ends of the boat. In a Duffy sale, I normally take the boat to the shipyard myself for inspection and return the vessel back to its slip. The closing process is very easy with DocuSign paperwork, wire transfer and express mail to transfer the title. Please note again, I have not sold a boat for a couple of months. Now I am just thinking the process through for when we can re-engage.

I do have several good Duffy listings at this time and invite you to review what I have listed at http://boseyachts.blogspot.com/. If I have offended you for this commercial, I apologize. I intend to start thinking on how I will re-engage into the market once the stay at home order is lifted.    

Sea ya!


Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for Stu News Newport.