Marinapark would be a boon for boaters too

MIKE WHITEHEAD

Ahoy.

Last Sunday, I took my family to the Newport Harbor Nautical

Museum for everyone to see the second annual Family Boatbuilding

Weekend activities. I planned our visit for late afternoon because

that is when the families will test the seaworthiness of their

newly-built rowboats.

After museum President Glenn Zagoren handed out awards, the boats

were carried to the strip of bay beach between the museum and the

Coast Highway bridge. No one sank, capsized or was eaten by a shark,

but a few boats did spring a leaks. All in all, the boats seemed

fairly stable and tracked relatively well after being built in only

two days. The best prize is that the families get to keep their

mini-yachts for rowing around the bay or to be transformed into

planters in their front yards. I will expect next year’s event to

sell out well in advance.

Also last Sunday, the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce Commodores

Club hosted its 96th annual Flight of the Lasers. All reports I have

heard indicate that the race went well, and everyone had a wonderful

day sailing the harbor.

I wanted to sail in the race, but did you know that there is

nowhere in the lower bay that you can launch a trailer boat? I

looked, but there isn’t a public launch ramp anywhere in the lower

main bay of the largest recreational harbor in the world. I cannot

launch at the Dunes, because it would be difficult getting a sailboat

under the PCH bridge with the height restrictions and, at times, a

swift current from the tide changes. Also, it would be a task tacking

in the narrow, shallow Back Bay channel, where boats regularly run

aground.

However, there is one major parcel of land that could provide a

small-scale launching facility and a bayside park. This November,

Newport voters will be able to determine the fate of the Marinapark

land between 15th and 18th streets on the Balboa Peninsula. I believe

that Newport’s general plan reserves the land for open space and

recreation. I have an idea: Let’s take the funding and staff time to

study the feasibility of building a boardwalk along Mariner’s Mile

and use those resources to study a park and boat-launching facility

at Marinapark.

Other harbors have realized the long-term value of boating. We

have a gem in the rough at Marinapark with public land that is

already owned by the city. I cannot think of anywhere else along the

bayfront that could provide a boat launch facility, park and parking,

especially without having to purchase any land. The American Legion

and the Girl Scouts can be easily accommodated, along with a

much-needed dinghy storage area for the mooring holders.

TIP OF THE WEEK

What is seaworthiness? I was thinking how the meaning of

seaworthiness can be subjective. Think how seaworthiness can be

applied, like the boat’s seaworthiness to row across the bay has a

completely different meaning than the seaworthiness to sail to

Hawaii.

So, I went online to brainydictionary.com and found this

definition: “Seaworthiness (n.) The state or quality of being

seaworthy, or able to resist the ordinary violence of wind and

weather.” What? The vessel just has to be seaworthy, so let’s see how

seaworthy is defined: “Seaworthy (a.) Fit for a voyage; worthy of

being trusted to transport a cargo with safety; as, a seaworthy

ship.”

I am confused. For the boat to have seaworthiness, the boat needs

to be seaworthy, and to be seaworthy, the boat needs to be fit for a

voyage. Seems very subjective, and I think I need a little help from

June Casagrande and her Business of Language column.

Recognized as the No. 1 boating talk radio show in the nation,

“Capt. Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show” airs every Saturday

from noon to 1 p.m. on KCBQ-AM (1170). You can join me, Chandler Bell

and Eric Hovland on my radio show by calling the listener line at

(888) 344-1170, and you can listen worldwide at https://www.Boathouse

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* MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating and harbor columnist. Send

him your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions by

e-mail to [email protected].