By LEN BOSE
Summer must be approaching, because the birds are chirping while looking for nesting materials, and as you approach the harbor you can pick up the whining of the hull-polishing machines. Their presence normally arrives two weeks before the yacht clubs’ opening day.
This weekend, the Newport Harbor Yacht Club starts the season off with their opening day race with close to 40 boats participating with the forecast in the high 60s and a good westerly breeze of more than 10 knots – perfect! On Sunday, the excitement continues with the traditional opening day ceremonies; at one time, the club brought in members of the USC marching band. All this brings excitement to the opening of the harbor boating season.
I need to backtrack a couple of weeks, as I missed covering the 60th Annual Lily Call Tournament. When it comes to angling, I don’t even come close to talking the talk or walking the walk. What I can recognize is an event that has a long tradition in our harbor, while commanding great respect for the winners. This year’s Bass winners were Colt Bitetti at 2.03 lbs.; 2nd, with Ryan Lawler’s 2.03 and JD Doughty with 2.09. Interestingly, I wonder how you decide the tie- breakers in fishing tournaments? Over to the Corbina, with 1st going to Ben Murry at 1.06 lbs. and 2nd to Rob Meinhardt with 1.03. For Halibut, Star Macdonald took 1st place with 8.85 lbs., 2nd to Matt Andrews with 8.71 and 3rd place was Clayton Elsten with 5.88. This tournament takes place in our harbor and lasts over two days. Again, the Balboa Angling Club offers one of the best junior programs in our harbor, so make sure you check it out at https://balboaanglingclub.org before it fills up.
This year’s Newport to Ensenada race was cold, with a light breeze and not bad…if that adds up for you. My good friend Craig Chamberlain, owner of NOVMER Marine Insurance, sailed with Dan Rossen aboard Problem Child. Chamberlain reported a steady breeze down most of the course, fitting through a couple of light patches and swell directions to finish first in their class.
According to Chamberlain, “I would not consider this a slow race, and we had a lot of fun seeing everyone at the post-race parties.”
I also talked with Erine Redow, navigator aboard Peligroso. “We are already past that race, Len. We were leading the race up until Coronado Isle when we split with BadPak and went inside the Isle. That move did not pay off, so how do you like those Lakers?” Redow said.
Our three top Newport Beach finishers were Steve Selling sailing his turboed-up Santa Cruz 52 Triumph, finishing 4th in his class and 23 overall, and Dan Rossen sailing his B32 Problem Child, winning his class and 17th overall. While Craig Reynolds sailed Bolt to 2nd in class and 3rd overall.
You might be asking where did I finish in this year’s Ensenada Race? Well, we did pretty well selling two Duffys at this year’s International Boat Show. I talked with Ruth Schock this week, owner of Schock Boats, and they also sold two boats. My observation was good traffic with big boats with many people traveling from across the country to come to the show.
When you are a yacht salesman, everything is always rosy. The local market was a little slow out of the gate this year; I am blaming it on all the rain we had to start if off. The overall consensus of the market is we are returning to pre-COVID times and have to start working again, rather than just taking orders. Overall, very positive results from being in the show.
While on the harbor last weekend, my back foot started thumping when I noticed some dredging equipment show up on the east – the K mooring fields, Lido South. I checked in with Chris Miller from the city’s Public Works Department and I was saddened to hear that this equipment was for another job in the Linda Isle lagoon. The city is waiting for the Army Corps of Engineers to sign off on the project, which we all are hoping will be sooner rather than later.
I will be sailing this weekend in the last of the BCYC Lorin Weiss Harbor 20 series, so wish me luck. I’ll need it!
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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