Flashback from 2011/ Bringing sailing to the forefront

I was granted an interview this week with Craig Thompson, chief executive of the America's Cup Event Authority (ACEA), which is overseeing the 34th America's Cup, to be sailed in San Francisco Bay in August 2013.

Thompson, a Newport Beach resident, was born in Pasadena in 1949. He has worked his way up the sports marketing ladder. He was director of volleyball for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and launched the first World Beach Volleyball championships in Rio de Janeiro in 1986.

He has also worked in Switzerland for the International Equestrian Federation, and then spent four years with the track and field division of the International Assn. of Athletics Federations, where he contributed to the marketing strategy, TV and sponsorship sales, as well as management of all major IAAF events worldwide. Thompson is best known for his marketing campaigns for the UEFA Champions League.

ACEA's chief executive is responsible for branding, venues, facilities, sponsorships and commercial partners, and the television programming.

Here's my interview with Thompson:

Question: Welcome to town. I noticed you moved in a little more than a year ago. How did you come about selecting Newport Beach as your primary residence?

Answer: I grew up in Santa Ana and then moved to Newport Beach after I graduated [from] UCLA, so I already had the pleasure of living in the area. Then after 25 years living and working in Europe, my wife and I decided to move back to Newport Beach, where our extended families now live.

Q: Do you have time to use our harbor?

A: I have a great love and respect for the water, so one of my focuses for the 34th America's Cup has been the creation of a comprehensive sustainability program that can benefit all of the world's oceans, not just bodies of water near our host cities. I'm excited to engage people around the world in ocean conservation and share how we can all make a positive impact so our oceans and marine life flourish once again.

Q: I understand [billionaire Larry] Ellison has set a mandate to bring younger people to the sport of sailing. Will we see members of the America's Cup Teams visit our junior programs or possibly receive local media attention? For example, the NFL reporting on junior football programs from around the country?

A: Youth are the future of our sport, so you will see a number of different ways we'll be interacting with children. For example, we plan to introduce a Youth America's Cup to create a clear career pathway to sailing in the America's Cup. We are working on finalizing the details now for a 2012 introduction, but the concept is to utilize the AC45 boats working with countries around the globe.

Q: How do you plan to obtain the attention of the non-sailor during the next few years?

A: Great question. One of main goals is broadening our audience. There are a number of things that we're changing to make the America's Cup and sailing itself more accessible. We'll have new boats, new courses, new rules, new formats that can be more readily packaged for TV, plus more racing through our America's Cup World Series. And we're transforming the viewing experience through our onboard cameras, an interactive website and a whole new social media experience. I believe viewers will get to see that these sailors aren't just the top sailors, but the true athletes that they are.

Q: I still purchase Bud Light because of the "Bud Cam" on Stars and Stripes sailing in Fremantle, [Australia]. Can you tell us about some of the new innovations or camera angles we will see onboard in this America's Cup?

A: For the first time, we'll have cameramen onboard, so fans will get to see the racing close-up for the first time. You will get to see the quick decisions as they are made, the extreme athleticism needed to handle these boats. You will feel like you are right there with them.

Q: In 1977, it was Ted Turner and his locomotive cap, 1983 […] Australia's wing keel, 1987 […] The Fremantle Doctor, and in 2010 it was Attorneys and a Wing Sail. What will 2013 be remembered for?

A: I think the 34th America's Cup will be remembered for a number of things, but one thing in particular will be some pretty extreme racing, and I don't mean just a drag race. To create a race that puts a premium on tactics, crew work and maneuvering, the America's Cup Race Management team has taken two steps. First, they've instituted a design rule that helps ensure all of the boats are about the same speed. This means that no boat can win just by speed alone. Second, they are introducing boundaries on the course to prevent large separations between boats. This move will force boats to engage with each other, creating really close racing situations. Multi-hulls are very fast boats and will therefore reach the course boundaries sooner, so races will become a true test of skill and strategy, not just speed.

Q: What can the club sailor do to help you popularize our sport?

A: One of the greatest things about sailing is that you participate in the sport whether you are 8 or 80. With the focus we're placing on the fan experience, I think the next America's Cup will open the eyes of many more people to sailing. What we can all do is to welcome our non-sailing friends to the sport — get them out onto the Bay and allow them to experience the wonder of cutting through the wind and waves. Give children the access to sailing — invite them to crew or take a turn at the helm. And, most importantly, we all need to work together to protect our oceans so we can all continue to enjoy them for generations to come.

Sea ya.

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

Craig Thompson was asked to step down 6 months after this interview.

FOR SALE 1986 Express 37 ASKING $ 70,000

When Carl Schumacher penned the Express 37 almost exactly 30 years ago, his objective was to design a boat that would excel on long ocean races, that was easy and safe to sail short-handed and that would have at least 6' of standing headroom. The first boats built finished 1,2 and 3 in the 1985 TransPac, there were eventually 65 built and they also compiled an enviable record. There's still an active fleet on the Bay today, a further testament to Schumacher's talent and the Express 37s enduring appeal.   ASKING $ 70,000

The Harbor Report: A few words en route to Catalina

Dan Rossen and Len Bose sail in the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club Championships. (Joysailing / August 8, 2013)

By Len Bose

August 8, 2013 | 8:44 a.m.

I need to keep this harbor report a little short this week, as the family is loading up Linstar for a midweek Catalina vacation.

Last weekend was as busy as it gets on the harbor. Saturday was the South Shore Yacht Club's raft-up in the five points anchorage just off the tip of Lido Isle. I have never made it out for this event, and this one was a little quieter than previous years. Gary Hill had a band set up on the aft deck of the William B and about six to eight boats side tied to one another. One of our harbor regulars reports that it was a good time and he had his boat back into his slip by eight. I have to mark my calendar for next year and do my best to make it out to the anchorage and support this event.

Over at the Balboa Angling Club, the Helen Smith Offshore Tournament, 30-pound line, was taking place last Friday and Saturday. Alan Baron crewed aboard Eric Noyes' good-looking Mikelson 50 Reel Noyes and caught the largest dorado at 19.94 pounds. It was heard around the docks they caught a "boat load" of fish, and that's a big boat. The vessel Shadow had Brett Reichert aboard and brought in the largest tuna at 47.27 pounds. Ryan Marshall found the largest yellowtail at 25.40 pounds. The club seems to be one of our harbor's hot spots, with membership continuing to grow. Next tournament is the Newport Harbor Bass Bay Open on Aug. 24.

This weekend is one of the year's biggest events for me at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club. It's time again for the club championships, with Saturday being the family championships and Sunday the club championships. Sailed in Harbor 20s, the family event already has 12 teams signed up, and club championships has 10. I would think we will have about five more entries in each event by the time you are reading this.

The family event is very relaxed, more for the photo ops and a chance to invite family members out on the race course with you. There must be a club member at the helm and two immediate family members as crew in each boat. With my small family and my wife having to work Saturday, I called my first cousins. I will have two adults and three teenagers aboard, and I'm hoping that it's a windy day so I can look for the photo boat to do circles around. I know, I am such a poser, but someone's got to do it.

Sunday, things get a lot more serious, and I am bringing my good friend Dan Rossen as my crew. This year, the club championships has been renamed the Doug Mills Memorial Trophy, and the entry list is more competitive than the Harbor 20 class championships. Last year's winners, Mark Gaudio and Patrick Kincaid, have not signed up yet, but something tells me they will. Chris Raab also joined BCYC this year, and if Mike Pinckney, Erik Shampain and Eric Mayol are in town, the entry list starts to get heavy. Right now, David Levy is the favorite, and he has the skill level to beat the above names if they show up. It's not like myself, Peter Haynes, Guy Doran and the other entrants are not going to have our game faces on.

The mark roundings will be close, and I am sure we will have short discussions at each one. But at the end of the day, I am sure we will all applaud the winner. All BCYC members and friends are welcome to come aboard the spectator boats and join in the fun. Last year, we had a rather large fleet of spectator boats, and it was energizing to hear everyone cheer you on.

The phone just rang and my list of to-do's just grew by five. Whites Cove in Catalina is my happy place, so I have to run!

Good Times in Catalina

Sea ya.

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

The Harbor Report: In touch with the young generation

Kelly Blake working at Duffy Boat rentals

By Len Bose

August 1, 2013 | 2:31 p.m.

This week, I headed out onto the harbor with the idea of interviewing two people with interesting summer jobs.

My first stop was easy, I stopped by Duffy Electric Boat Rentals at 2001 W. Coast Hwy. to interview Kelly Blake, the son of one of my best friends. Kelly is 19 and has been attending Orange Coast College. Like any 19-year-old male working on our harbor, Kelly's passion is chasing waves, females and skating. His job entails checking in and out Duffy boat rentals, detailing, and instructing people how to operate and navigate the boats around our harbor.

When I asked him if he liked the job, he replied, "I love it. It's fast-paced, we have a great crew and we are always busy." I was surprised to learn that on a busy summer day, there can be as many as 70 charters going out with a fleet of 25 boats. "We take about 15 minutes to detail the boats between charters before sending them back out," Kelly said. I inquired if he had a favorite Duffy model boat. "Yeah, totally, the 21-foot Suncruiser has a back patio on it that is pretty cool. Whenever I go out on them, I just like to chill outside."

So what types of parties have the most fun on the boats? "It depends," Kelly said. "Some people appreciate it differently. There are a lot of grandparents taking their grandchildren out and taking family reunion cruises. College kids always seem to have a great time, it just comes down to who appreciates it the most. Grandparents always seem to come back with the biggest smiles on their faces."

With the summer winding down, Kelly's focus is turning toward his studies. "I have to pass school," he explained with determination inflicted into his voice. "I am bummed I'm going to have to leave this place."

For my next stop, I hopped into my dinghy and headed out to meet Cameron Pizzica on the bait barge. Cameron is 21, lives in Huntington Beach and will be attending Cal State Long Beach this fall. On his down time, he heads to the beach and runs track.

While working on the bait barge, he pulls 24-hour shifts and wakes up at 5 a.m. to get ready for his customers. "I am part salesman and security guard," he said.

Cameron Pizzica working the bait barge

Cameron's duties are to wash down the barge twice a day and monitor the barge's fuel levels. He has been employed by the San Pedro Bait Company for the past four years and has only worked the Newport Bait Barge. "I started working one day a week and have worked my way up to three days now," he explained with great pride in his voice. Four people work the barge, and most have their own dogs with them. Unfortunately, I did not get the name of Cameron's dog, but I could tell this was his home. The dogs keep the birds and sea lions away along with any uninvited late-night guests.

I talked to Cameron about his product. "We have squid, anchovies and sardines," he said. "The Pamela Rose drops off fresh bait about three times a week." When I asked him about the water quality since the dredging has been completed, he felt that there has been a huge difference. "In years past, I could not see the bait because the water was so cloudy," Cameron said. "Now I can easily see the condition of the bait. We have lots of dolphin swimming by, and of course, we have lots of sea lions because the barge is like a floating buffet for them. Another thing I have noticed is how much stronger the current has gotten."

Being at the doorway of the harbor, I had to ask what are some of the strangest things he has seen. "It's always interesting to watch the Harbor Patrol speed out of the harbor," Cameron said. "I had some kids stop by at 1 in the morning in their electric boat wondering what the barge was for. I also noticed a large whale swim right in front of the harbor entrance this year. Other than that, it's rather peaceful out here."

As I was wrapping up my interview, a local charter boat pulled up for bait and a very cute girl cruised by in her dinghy and said, "Hello, Cameron, do you remember me?" He quickly replied, "Yes," and the crew of the charter boat chimed back humorously, "Hello, Cameron, do you remember me?" Life's good on the harbor this week.

Sea ya.

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

The Harbor Report: Sleeping Beauty's owner a true prince

Judy and Mike Inmon's boat "Sleeping Beauty." (Joysailing / July 25, 2013)

By Len Bose

July 25, 2013 | 4:51 p.m.

When you're on the harbor sailing every week, one of the first things you notice is, people who sail more than you. One such sailor is Mike Inmon, in his light blue Venture 23, Sleeping Beauty.

I am sure you have noticed Sleeping Beauty over the last four years. It's hard to miss with its huge square top main and bowsprit. Mike first purchased a similar boat back in 1979 when he was a boat dealer for MacGregor in New Orleans. He only owned the boat for six months before he sold it and purchased a larger MacGregor. The years passed, and Mike and his wife Judy moved to Marina del Rey to run the MacGregor dealership. One day, Judy was looking for a Venture 23 and found one that had been kept in a shed in Arizona and had not seen daylight in 30 years. "It had original upholstery and looked like it was brand new, other than the trailer and outboard," Mike told me.

He purchased new sails, cleaned up the bottom and rigging, then went sailing. Mike sails Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights throughout the summer and our harbor winter series, about 100 races a year. When I asked him if he had any secrets when sailing the harbor, he said, "I try to get on the race course an hour early and look at the wind and tide. I go to certain parts of the bay and check out the racing marks and come up with a plan on how I will round that mark." During the summer, he has the bottom of the boat cleaned once a week and races with a different number of crew, depending on which night he is racing.

I asked Mike if he had a favorite night. "I enjoy them all for different reasons," he said. "Monday nights, American Legion Sundowner Series, are fun because most of the time, we have an upwind leg and we are racing similar boats our size. BCYC Taco Tuesdays are well-run races with a good turnout. I enjoy South Shore Yacht Club's Wednesday nights, because that's the club we belong to and most all the boats are the same size as my boat — plus, the food is good after the racing. Thursday nights are fun because we get to race with the big boats in the harbor."

For the past 34 years, Mike has been selling new boats, and has always sold MacGregor Yachts. Today, he is involved with selling the new MacGregor 70s and plans on racing the new boat next April in the Ensenada race. Over the years, Mike has sold an average of about 40 MacGregor sailboats each year; that's 1,360 boats in his career. As the last remaining salesman at MacGregor, he also took part in most of the factory dealers' sales. That number is off the charts when you consider how many boats MacGregor has sold over the years. In my mind, this places Mike as one of our sport's unsung heroes for introducing sailing to more people than anyone else.

Next time you notice Sleeping Beauty sailing in the harbor or at the yacht club after racing, make sure you say hello to Mike and his crew, then give him a big thank you. Because if you think about it, this is the type of sailor who continues to promote sailing and has done more for our sport than anyone else before him.

Thanks, Mike, and we will sea ya on the harbor soon.

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


ALL PHOTOTS ARE FROM JOYSAILING , Go to her link and find your boat!  ----------------->

The Harbor Report: Fishing lines ready for Offshore Tournament

Participants in the 2013 Balboa Angling Club Junior Program. (Courtesy Balboa Angling Club / July 18, 2013)

By Len Bose

July 18, 2013 | 3:25 p.m.

My first stop this week was with Amy Elliott at the Balboa Angling Club. She was enthusiastic to report, "The first dorado of the season was weighed in at the Balboa Angling Club on Friday, July 12. Clarke Smith is a longtime member of the BAC and, as such, the first dorado of the season earns him the First Dorado Flag. And, it's just in time for our Helen Smith Offshore Tournament scheduled for Aug. 2 and 3.

Clarke Smith 1st Dorado

"The Helen Smith Offshore Tournament was named for the longtime Balboa Angling Club secretary, Helen Smith, who served the club from 1963 to 1999. Helen had a love for fishing and the club, and when she passed away in 2000, the Offshore Tournament was named in her honor. Dorado, tuna, yellowtail and albacore are the species to catch for this tournament, using up to 30# Line Class Maximum. The line will be tested at the Balboa Angling Club; you may test your line before the tournament or after. Anglers will be fishing from 12:01 a.m. Aug. 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 3, with weigh slips due at the club by closing (5 p.m.) Aug. 4.

"First-place trophies will be awarded in each of the categories — Tuna (includes Yellow Fin, Blue Fin and Big Eye), Albacore, Dorado and Yellowtail. The awards party will be held at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at the BAC.

"We're starting all the fun with a kick-off party to be held at 5:30 p.m. July 31 at the Balboa Angling Club. It's a potluck and everyone is welcome. Bring a friend and join the fun.

"Our Junior Tournament runs from June 15 to Aug. 11, with our Awards BBQ at noon Aug. 25."

Speaking of juniors, I took the time to walk through our different yacht clubs, scouts and city junior sailing programs this week. The first thing I thought to myself is how quickly our kids grow up and how much I enjoyed this time with my son. The faces all change, although the last names stay constant. It's fun to observe the kids as they de-rig their sabots. One little girl was just bubbling over with excitement as she told her best friend she would be moving up from C-2s to C-1s. Each sailor can move up in class by doing well in the different races throughout the summer. The little girl's friend's reply was, "You can't go without me," and she replied, "I'm sorry."

Last week, the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club sponsored the Leukemia Cup Regatta, which is part of the Newport High Point Series. The J 133 Tango, last year's winner, was a no-show and allowed Amante to take a commanding lead in the series. The winner of the day was BCYC member Rhonda Tolar aboard her Farr 40 Wild Thing, followed closely by my team aboard the J 109 Linstar. Amante will still need to attend the 14-Mile Bank Race on Oct. 5, which is the last race of the series. Tango or Cirrus still have a chance to catch her, and we cannot leave out Exigent, who can sail this type of random leg course as good as anyone. For the complete series scoreboard, go to lenboseyachts.blogspot.com.

Santa Cruz 50 Horizon 1st in Div 6

This last week, three Newport Beach boats have been participating in the Transpac sailboat race to Hawaii. David Team's Santa Cruz 70 Retro, Ross Pearlman's Jeanneau 52 Between the Sheets and Chris Hemans' Rogers 46 Varuna are approaching Hawaii as you read this. This race has not been a record-beater, but at the same time, it has not been a drifter. Many of the boats have reported near-misses with floating debris, due to the aftermath of the Japanese tsunami. As the sailors approach the islands, they will have to be on their A game because the Molokai Channel lies between them and the finish line. Most have been pacified from the light trade winds of the mid-Pacific and have been baked by the sun. Pending on their arrival time, they could easily find themselves 100 miles out and watch the wind speed jump from 15 to 35 knots. But hey, that's how the best Transpac stories are made!

Sea ya.

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

The Harbor Report: After productive term, sun sets on West

By Len Bose

July 11, 2013 | 4:50 p.m.

I attended this month's Harbor Commission meeting last Wednesday night and thought it might be a good time to update everyone on what's going on in the harbor.

My good friend Doug West's term as chairman ended Wednesday night, and before he gave up the gavel, he reviewed his term and the tasks that the commission has engaged in this year. Doug then went through the list of tasks under the commission's objectives of "Ensuring the longterm welfare of Newport Harbor and promoting Newport Harbor as a preferred and welcoming destination." The commission has made great strides in obtaining a usable RGP 54 dredging permit that is due to be issued April 1, 2014. Progress has been made in monitoring our guest docks and finding new locations for future ones. Huge strides have been made in developing recommendations for the highest and best public use of the Lower Castaways.

One particular city watchdog, who attends every public meeting, gave praise to Doug's effort and stated that this commission is the most organized committee of all the ones he attends. He then gave praise to Doug for all of his hard work.

What I have observed is how Doug has reopened the line of communication between the different city, county and state agencies. In the past, I would observe the commission work through its agenda and make its recommendations, and no one was listening. Now the City Council is receiving detailed presentations of the commission's recommendations and using this information to make decisions. The county's Harbor Patrol has been kept in the loop and has a better understanding of what codes have the attention of the commission. In turn, the commission has a better understanding of the Harbor Patrol and the type of responses it is making. There has been some great improvement along lines of communication. I hope that the past commissioners do not object to my comments. I just feel that over time, the system has gotten better and all of their hard work has not been forgotten.

Our new chairman is Duncan McIntosh, vice chairman is Brad Avery, and secretary is Paul Blank. Doug, Karen Rhyne, David Girling and Joseph Stapleton round out the rest of the Harbor Commission. For the abbreviated task assignments of the harbor commissioners, please go to my blog site at lenboseyachts.blogspot.com.

Under Long Term Welfare of the Harbor:

1. Maintenance dredging of private docks and harbor. (West, McIntosh, Avery)
2. Recommendations for best use of the Lower Castaways ( Avery, Girling, Rhyne)
3. Boat Overhang issues. ( Rhyne, TBD)
4. Harbor Codes, Speed limits, Derelict vessels. ( West, Avery)
5. Boating Education. ( Blank, TBD)
6. Maintain water-related Business on the harbor. ( Blank, TBD)
7. Public outreach. (Girling, Avery)
8. Alternative Moorings solutions ( Avery, TBD)

Promoting Newport Harbor:

1. Collaborate with Visit Newport Beach. (Blank, Girling, West)
2. Public anchorage alternatives. (West, Avery)
3. Public Piers. (Girling, Blank)

The reason I report all this boring information to you is to remind you that you can make a difference. At this last week's meeting, my old idea of a marine recycling center was placed back on the table and could just happen in the Lower Castaways. I am promoting the need for a commercial launch ramp at the Lower Castaways and informed Girling of the state's grant application for new launch ramps.

So if you don't want that second public anchorage in the turning basin, more huge charter boats in the bay, sailboat racing sound signals and angry charter fishing captains racing through the sabot classes, you are going to have to contact your commissioners, attend the harbor meetings, talk to the Harbor Patrol and keep contacting me with your observations. Bring your ideas for improving the harbor and, every so often, thank your Harbor Commission, Harbor Patrol and Harbor Resources Division for a job well done.

Sea ya.

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

The Harbor Report: Get in line to dispose of your boat

Derelict boat

By Len Bose

July 3, 2013 | 4:25 p.m.

I have only a few harbor items to update you on this week.

Orange County received a grant from the Division of Boating and Waterways for the Vessel Turn In Program (VTIP). We have two newly appointed harbor commissioners. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is still considering implementing a Lands Pass to access parts of the Back Bay trail. The Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club will be hosting the Leukemia Cup Regatta on July 13 as part of the Newport High Point Series.

Deputy Sean Scoles

When checking in with Deputy Sean Scoles of the Newport Beach Harbor Patrol this week, I was informed that the county received a grant from the Division of Boating and Waterways' VTIP program. This means if you have a derelict boat in the harbor, you can access this grant to dispose of your vessel.

You had better hurry up because the county received only $5,000, and I know of more than one boat out on our moorings that can take advantage of this grant. Personally, I am very disappointed in the amount we received, although Scoles assured me that this was a start and, in time, the program could grow. Let's hope that owners of these derelict boats are informed of this program and start a waiting list.

This last week, the City Council appointed two new harbor commissioners, David Girling and Joseph Stapleton. Girling, the incumbent, has held the seat for little over a year. When he was first selected by the City Council, I thought, how is a non-boater going to have any clue about what's going on in the harbor?

Joseph Stapleton

I was completely wrong in my assumption. He has turned out to be one of the hardest-working commissioners I have witnessed in my five years of attending Harbor Commission meetings, and he is very approachable.

Our newest harbor commissioner is Stapleton. He is 29 years old and has lived on the Balboa Peninsula for the past seven years. Over the past five years, he has been active in the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce Commodores Club.

After I talked with him on the phone this week, it became obvious that he had done his due diligence in preparation for taking his seat on the commission. Stapleton has plans to run for City Council and has expressed a concern for the marine industry and its access to the harbor.

David Girling

Mayor Keith Curry sent a letter to the director of the CDFW, Carlton Bonham, this last week expressing our City Council's concerns over the agency imposing a Lands Pass in the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve. The CDFW had posted signs, recently removed, notifying people of the need for a pass costing $4.32 per person per day or $22.68 per year.

The state owns most of the Back Bay, and how it intends to implement a type of permit/fishing license for all bay users is beyond me. Curry's letter offered a list of concerns and asked the CDFW to consider rescinding the Land Pass demand.

Like I said, I can't imagine how this can be enforced, but I have been wrong before. I never thought the city could keep us from transferring our mooring permits.

The Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club is hosting the Leukemia Cup Regatta on July 13. This is the second-to-last event in the Newport High Point Series. Roy Jones' J/133 Tango holds a one-point lead over the Richley family's Amante. The Newport High Point Series consists of five races spread out over the year.

It's still anyone's race, and we will be pressing hard to make up the 14-point lead Tango has over us aboard Linstar.

Sea ya.

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

FOR SALE 1992 Sea Ray 370 Sedan Flybridge ASKING $ 88,000

The Sea Ray 370 Sedan Bridge is so well designed it has the feel of a boat twice its size. Sea Ray has managed to squeeze quite a bit of luxury into this 37-foot sport yacht. For starters, the beautiful, split-level interior has an airy salon with a convertible couch, an upholstered lounge chair and a breakfast bar. Adjacent to that is a full-course galley and a private, stand-up head with a shower. The forward stateroom has a queen-sized bed and there's even a lower port stateroom with a double berth for extra guests. The 370 Sedan Bridge has a seven-foot cockpit and a bridge with two captain's chairs, a wrap-around lounge and a spectacular view.

I've seen a lot of boats in my 25 years of being a yacht broker. It's not that often I find them this CLEAN! This boat will sell it's self, you just need to be the first one to inspect her.

The Harbor Report: Hoping to see her at the Olympics

Eliza Moody and Madeline Bubb (Photos by Joysailing)

By Len Bose

June 27, 2013 | 5:16 p.m.

Friday is Madeline Bubb's 14th birthday, and over this past week she has been competing in the U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship out of the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club.

Madeline only started sailing two years ago, and last year she made the Newport Harbor High School sailing team. Now to say that this girl impressed me is an understatement; she amazed me. Her passion for our sport gave me new enthusiasm, left a huge smile on my face and left a small tear of gratification in my heart.

This week, Madeline is sailing with one of her high school teammates, Eliza Moody. The two girls are taking advantage of the on-the-water training and clinics offered by US Sailing at this event.

When I asked her what her goals for this event were, she let out a type of positive laughter that I have never heard before. "Not to finish last," she explained to me, with a smile from ear to ear. "I am going to learn how to get better starts, how to stay positive, steer though the chop and see how it goes."

I asked what type of future goals she has in sailing. She told me she plans on making the varsity sailing team by her senior year at NHHS, become part of the first all-girl team to qualify for the Governor's Cup, sail in college and work her way toward an Olympic campaign someday.

Like I said before, this young lady has it going on, and if I were a betting man I would not bet against her. I inquired more on this event and what it has done for her. "I have met some fantastic people this week," she said. "I met Victoria Oldham from San Francisco last night, and today she helped me rig my boat to make it go faster. I also met Elizabeth Pemberton from Massachusetts last night. It was her birthday, and we all sat at the same table and sang 'Happy Birthday' to her."

I had Rebecca McElvain and Mercedes McPhee from San Diego staying with us at our home, and when I explained to them that I had interviewed Madeline, they both praised her passion for the sport of sailing.

As we finished the second day of racing, Madeline and Eliza had already reached one of their goals by winning the start of the second race and giving it their best effort. From my vantage point of watching the races from the leeward end of the starting line, this team will not be finishing last by any means, no matter what the results say.

This event was a shot in the arm for me and has given me a renewed appreciation for our sport of sailing, pride in my yacht club and has increased my efforts in improving my sailing skills and helping other sailors improve theirs.

I also have to give a big shout-out to Mary Bacon for doing an outstanding job chairing this event and to all the BCYC members who stepped up and volunteered to make this one of the best sailing events in our harbor this year. If you have never volunteered for a junior event before, I strongly recommend it. The feeling of accomplishment is overwhelming, and it leaves you with a sense of pride in your efforts.

If you have not been on the harbor this week, it's been busy with all of our harbor's junior programs in full swing. While in the Back Bay, I noticed the Newport Aquatic Center kids paddle by in one of the larger canoes. All the first-time sailing parents at BCYC struggle with not helping their eight-year-olds rig their sabots. I truly enjoy summers in Newport Beach and on our harbor.

I am off this weekend to sail the J/109 Linstar at the Long Beach Race Week event — wish us luck.

Sea ya.

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

The Harbor Report: Cheer on our female sailors

By Len Bose

June 21, 2013 | 4:04 p.m.

I took another bay cruise this week and checked in with more of my friends from around the harbor.

The main event this week is being held at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, which is hosting this year's U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship, which involve club 420 sailboats. Thirty-nine teams from around the country will be arriving at BCYC this Saturday afternoon, then participating in sailing clinics and practicing Sunday and Monday.

The racing starts Tuesday and goes through Thursday and will be sailed in the vicinity of the Balboa Pier. This is a big event with most of our country's top junior sailors competing for the US Sailings Ida Lewis Trophy.

The call for "all hands on deck" has been answered by most BCYC members. They are volunteering for housing, race committee, fundraising, boat launching and support boats. My good friend Mary Bacon is the event chair, and when she told me about this event over a year ago, I knew I had better step up and do my part.

One of the first calls for volunteering was for housing. I placed my family's home on the list, and after passing all the US Sailing security checks, it appears we will have a team from San Diego staying at our home this week. In a little side note, this Saturday is my son Andrew's 14th birthday, and when he asked me what I was getting him for his birthday, I told him about our guests. His face turned three shades of red. His reaction was priceless. And for one of the first times in his life, I made him speechless. I've also volunteered for boat launching and race committee duties and will be at the club for most of the week.

Next, I checked in with Amy Elliott, at the Balboa Angling Club, and she told me about the Adopt-A-Fish Program to fund the white seabass grow-out pens in Newport Beach. The pens had received a number of generous donations over the past few years and those funds have nearly been depleted. In an effort to keep this very successful program running, the club is asking for you to adopt a fish.

According to the club's news release, "Each fish has a chip inserted into its cheek so that when the stock is released, they can be tracked through the collection of fish heads caught by fishermen and returned to Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute's Mission Bay facility in San Diego."

This could be kind of a fun bet to participate in with your friends from around the harbor. Go join the Balboa Angling Club's Adopt-A-Fish and then start a type of pool based on whose fish lives the longest or the shortest. All money would go directly into the fund, and remember, your donation is 100% tax deductible.

I then stopped by this week's Tidelands Management Committee meeting and learned about a number of interesting tidbits. Applications for the Citizens Advisory Panel will be accepted in the very near future to assist the committee in accomplishing its purpose and responsibilities. This is a nonvoting advisor who serves at the pleasure of the committee.

While reviewing the Tidelands Capital Plan, replacing the city's vessel waste pump stations was discussed. The city has replaced five of the pump-out stations, and they have been reported to work so well that users are pleasantly surprised to see how quickly that job got done.

The bulkhead, pierhead and project lines were also discussed at this meeting. I prefer not to bore you with the details. The bottom line is that the Harbor Commission will be looking into our harbor's boat overhang policy.

One last note before I go this week: Mandy McDonnell has been hired to replace Joyce Ibbetson as the new UC Irvine boating director. I would just like to give Mandy a shout out of congratulations and look forward to working with her in making our harbor a better place.

Sea ya.

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

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The Harbor Report: After 34 years on the harbor, an ode to Joyce

UCI Boating Director Joyce Ibbetson

By Len Bose

June 13, 2013 | 3:56 p.m.

I talked to another of my favorite people from the harbor this week. Joyce Ibbetson, who has been the boating program director for UC Irvine for the past 34 years, took some time to answer a few of my questions.

I first met Joyce when I was a student at Orange Coast College and participated on the sailing team in 1982. At that time, she was involved in coaching the UCI sailing team, and both schools sailed out of the OCC rowing and sailing facility here in town.

Joyce grew up in Los Angeles and started sailing at the California Yacht Club's junior program in Marina del Rey. She attended UCLA and also was on the sailing team. After completing graduate school at USC, she returned to UCLA to coach sailing. She then was recruited by UCI to head the boating program in 1979 and has been there ever since. Over the past 34 years she has been in charge of the sailing, rowing and kayaking programs for UCI as well as the city of Newport Beach's sailing programs.

When I asked what her fondest memory as the boating director is, she replied, "It has to have been giving students access to the harbor and watching boating become a big part in their lives. We also founded the Anteater Regatta, which is a high school sailing regatta, and we founded the sailing team coaches' conferences that US Sailing is now running." During her tenure, she has replaced the 30-foot Shields sailboats with new J/22's and has started kayaking and stand-up paddle board lessons.

I then asked her what has been her biggest challenge. "Working with the ongoing budget restrictions has been difficult and will be overcome with time," she said. "We are also facing the problem of finding a new location to run our sailing programs from. Our lease with Orange Coast College will expire in two years, and we have been working with the city to find a new home."

Some time within the next couple of months, Joyce will be retiring, so I asked what the future has in store for her. "I plan on heading to Idaho and Europe this fall and doing some bike riding," she said with excitement in her voice. "Then I am going to see what types of doors open up and spend time with my friends, family and spend more time sailing again."

When asked to list three bullet points for the new boating director to make him or her effective, she replied, "Balance the past with the new, understand the old and make your own mark going forward. Don't sweat the small stuff and make sure you make time to go out on the water and sail. It's always good to look from the outside in."

Joyce has been on the harbor for some time now, so I had to ask her to comment on the state of our harbor. "It has gotten more crowded, which is good and bad," she said. "It's going to take more coordination with the harbor users to make sure events are planned. We need to keep educating people on water safety to avoid accidents when people are not knowledgeable. It's a good and bad challenge."

After racing in last Tuesday night's Taco Tuesdays out of Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, a large group of J/22 sailors came down to the club for the awards presentation. The interaction between the UCI sailing club members, other harbor sailors and club members is priceless. The amount of access to the harbor the UCI boating programs provides is unmeasurable and, from my point of view, another one of our harbor's most valuable tools. If anyone from the nautical museum reads my column, I hope you will consider adding Joyce Ibbetson to our harbor's Extraordinary People Gallery. The service she has provided the community has set the bar at a new height and should be reflected upon by others who love the harbor as much as she does. We will miss you, Joyce, although something tells me we will still be seeing you on the water and making our harbor a better place.

Sea ya.

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