The Harbor Report: And the best of 2012 is....
We are in the final countdown for 2012. That means it’s time for me to pull out all my Christmas Reyn Spooners and recognize this year’s harbor winners. I attended the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club’s awards banquet and presented at the Balboa Yacht Club’s. This weekend is the Harbor 20 Fleet 1 ceremony, which I will be attending; and if I am not mistaken, the Newport Harbor Yacht Club’s annual meeting is also this weekend.
Here are this year’s big winners from BCYC. It was great fun to see the entire Mayol family come up and accept the Commodore Bussey Award for being the most active family at the club. Erik and Lisa and kids Maxwell and Jake had been up to the stage to bring home quite a few of the junior awards prior to the family award. The Mayol family had a fantastic season this last year, and it was fun to witness. While I am touching on the juniors, I need to give a shout-out to BCYC sailing administrator Shannon Heausler. She made one of the best junior awards presentations I have ever seen and also led one of the best junior programs our harbor has to offer.
The award I want to win someday is the Elmer Carvey Memorial Scholarship (formerly Balboa Bay Club Yachtsmen of the Year until 1982), now awarded to the yachtsman who most contributed to the organized yachting community. Past winners of this award have been Cooper Johnson, Jim Emmi, Ted Kerr, Hobie Deny and Lorin Weiss — the list reads on and on with Newport’s best yachtsmen. This year’s big winner, most deservedly so, is Peter Haynes. Hats off to Peter and a big thank you for all the hard work he is doing for the sport of sailing in Newport Harbor.
Another big award was given to my Harbor 20 skipper Mary Bacon. Mary received the Officers and Directors 1962 award, given to the member for outstanding service to the club. Well done, Mary.
Jeff Burch, owner of the J 105 Hot Ticket, took home most of the club’s racing awards, and Guy Doran won the Gaudio Family One Design award for his third-place finish in this year’s Harbor 20 Fleet 1 Championship.
Over at the Balboa Yacht Club, Max Moosmann won the Big Boat Sailor of the Year award. Max was everywhere this year, from the Big Boat Series in San Francisco to the Chicago Yacht Club Race to the Mackinac race on the Great Lakes. Max was living the dream this season and sailing on some of our country’s best racing sailboats.
This year’s Newport High Point winner, Roy Jones, aboard his J 133 Tango, received the BYC High Point Award, Overall 66 Series award and Ocean Racing Sailor of the Year. What an outstanding season, Roy.
The big winner over at BYC is Kelly Buchan, who received the Sportsman of the Year award, given to the racing skipper who consistently displays outstanding sportsmanship.
Kelly is one of my favorite people in the harbor and will play a big part in sailing’s future in Newport Harbor.
I will be sure to update you on who wins the Newport Harbor Yacht Club’s Burgee of Merit, Vince Healy Award and Jack and Meta Going Cannon Award once Jennifer sends me over the winners this year.
I had a senior moment last week while writing Newport’s 10 most interesting boats. The name of boat No. 7, the Hinckley 52, is Dauntless. The owner was understanding and has invited me down to take a look at his boat.
As for the group Stop the Dock Tax boycotting the boat parade this year, I have to unfurl my protest flag on this one. Let’s not mix politics with the boat parade; you look like a spoiled kid, taking your ball and going home. I say let’s have the biggest boat parade ever and have a entry with a big Grinch on it telling people to get involved with our harbor and make sure we have a marine-friendly city council after the next election.
Sea ya.
LEN BOSE is an experienced boater, yacht broker and boating columnist.