On the Harbor: Experiencing the end of summer sailing

By LEN BOSE

Have you ever noticed the professional athlete after losing the big game? They are sitting on the bench looking into the crowd in disbelief that their season is over. That’s the feeling that rushed over me this week while on the harbor and noticing the signs of summer dissipating over the horizon. Time to step up, brush the dirt off and get ready for the fall season.

One of the first sounds of fall I picked up on was the barking of the sea lions, yes...“Who let the dogs out?” They have returned as they always do this time of year. My annual reminder is mostly focused on the boat owners who are new to the offshore moorings. Sea lions barking is the only notice of the upcoming wave, and yes, if proper deterrence is not put in place, they will invade and conquer. I would encourage you to plan ahead and spend the extra money on the proper tools to detour them. One such piece of equipment is produced by Seal Stop, 

www.sealstop.com/products.html. It’s clean, effective and acceptable by all the seal huggers. This with a layer of canvas covering your cockpit and swim step should do the trick, rather than receiving notice from the harbor department informing you that you will be fined unless you solve the problem. Reacting to such an urgent manner usually leads to a panic run to Home Depot for large orange buckets and plastic fencing which makes the harbor look like it’s trash pick-up day. Not to forget about all the repair bills and the day of a high-pressure wash you will have to complete before returning to your mooring. While you are out on your boats, remember to check your mooring gear; the Santa Ana winds normally return by mid-October.

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This is when I normally step over the line and try to give you a fishing report. The only one I can give you is that the selection at Santa Monica Seafood has been discouraging since the virus outbreak. What I have noticed is the fishermen that do know what they are talking about seem rather excited over the last month and a half. The Balboa Angling Club Facebook page is full of members holding their catches high, or better yet having their catch on the crane. Balboa Angling Club has the Master Angler Billfish Tournament coming up on September 11-12. For those of you that are not familiar with the Balboa Angling Club and have a kid that is showing an interest in fishing, send them that way. Visit www.balboaanglingclub.org. Like I say every year, Balboa Angling Club is the best value in town with a long history in our harbor.

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Just when you think you are headed out to the last of the Twilight Series, word comes down that the Newport Harbor Yacht Club is extending the Thursday night races through the end of September. The race will have an earlier start time of 5:30 p.m., but hey, I have four more races before calling it a Summer. BCYC wrapped up their Taco Tuesday this week with 37 entries in the Harbor 20 fleet and 23 PHRF boats. The top overall PHRF boats in C Fleet were Bob Kafka sailing his Catalina 30 Halcyon in third place, Caleb Everett aboard Tortuga in second and Scott Jones, who entered the BCYC Club-owned J-22, with many of the club’s best sailors onboard. In B fleet, we had Steve Fink sailing his beautiful Capri 30 Shadow in third, Joe Degenhardt’s Catalina 38 Lickity Split placed second, while Roger Gooding sailing his Evelyn 32 Rhythm was the boat to beat this year. In A fleet it was all about Jim Try Hard Bailey in first with Amante sailed by Tim Richley in second. This was the most competitive Harbor 20 fleet I have ever seen with nine competitors having a perfect attendance over 13 weeks. Participating in A fleet this year were four Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Famers: Jim Buckingham, Ann & Kurt Wiese and Argyle Campbell. Campbell took home the pickle dish this year in first place, followed closely by Team Rastello/Curtiss in second with team Conzelman/Thompson in third. In Harbor 20 B fleet, it was Chris Hill’s year with perfect attendance. C fleet Matt Hurlimann sailing Whatever to third place and a close battle for first with Debra Haynes sailing Spirit to second and John Bubb aboard Tiger ringing the bell in first place.

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Word on the street is that there will soon be a Marine Recycling Station located at Veterans Memorial Park. I need to check in with Harbormaster Borsting before committing and can only hope it is more than an oil and bilge pads recycling station. “Slowly I turned and step by step, inch by inch.” Let’s hope that someday we might even be able to remove the old channel markers 10 and 12. Go to my website at http://lenboseyachts.blogspot.com for a look at Channel marker 12 two years ago and today, to notice how many times boaters run into these deadly obstacles.

Sea ya!

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

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