WHAT’S AFLOAT

* WHAT’S AFLOAT runs periodically in the Daily Pilot on a rotating

basis. If you know of an event or activity that could appear in this

column, please mail the information to Daily Pilot, 330 W. Bay St., Costa

Mesa 92627; fax it to (949) 646-4170; or e-mail it to o7

dailypilot@latimes.comf7 .

SAILING CLASSES

Spectacular Puget Sound educational cruises have been scheduled for

this summer aboard OCC’s Norwester, a classic 75-foot wooden motor yacht

that introduced actor John Wayne to yachting five decades ago. It will

mark the third summer that Norwester has taken students and community

members on cruises through Puget Sound. Excursions are set to run Aug.

25-31, Sept. 2-8, Sept. 12-20 and Sept. 23-Oct. 1. Reservations and

costs: (949) 645-9412.

Learn to sail or windsurf at Resort Water sports. You can also rent

windsurfers and 14-foot sailboats at $15 per hour. (949) 729-1150.

Sailboat rentals and private lessons are available at Marina Sailing

in the Balboa Fun Zone. Advanced classes include navigation, big boat,

powerboat, introduction to heavy weather and first-mate instruction. For

more information, call (949) 673-7763, the Blue Dolphin Sailing Club at

(949) 644-2525 or the Lido Sailing Club at (949) 675-0827 for rentals.

BOAT RENTALS

Balboa Boat Rentals can put you on the water in so many ways. Single

and double kayaks, electric boats, 14 holder sailboats, pedal boats and

runabouts for offshore or to cruise the bay. Have a party? On the Water

Scavenger Hunts are a hit aboard the ever-popular electric boats. (949)

673-7200.

Enjoy a day cruising the harbor with Duffy Electric Boats at 2001 W.

Coast Highway, Newport Beach, a full-service manufacturer, sales, rental

and service provider of boats. Duffy offers electric boat rentals by the

hour, seven days a week. All boats are equipped with CD players and

window enclosures. Ice and cups are provided. Reservations are suggested.

One hour is $60, however, midweek specials are occasionally available.

Call for details. Free parking. (949) 645-6812.

Sail airborne outside the harbor, pulled by a motorboat, courtesy of

Balboa Para-sailing near the Balboa Fun Zone. A 90-minute trip costs $45.

(949) 673-1693.

Spend a day relaxing in a motorized lounge chair rented from Resort

Water sports inside Newport Dunes for $25 an hour. Pedal boats, electric

boats, boogie boards, kayaks, inflatable rafts, beach furniture and wet

suits are also available. (949) 729-1150.

Balboa Boat Rentals offers pedal boat, sailboat, motorboat and

electric boat rentals in the Balboa Fun Zone. (949) 673-7200.

Rent a party pontoon, chaparral runabout or family pontoon at Anchors

Away Boat Rentals in the Balboa Fun Zone. (949) 673-3372.

The Harbor may not be Venice, but you can always pretend. Spend an

hour on a gondola tour offered by the Gondola Co. of Newport, 3400 Via

Oporto, Suite 102B. Cost is $75. Price includes a basket of bread,

cheese, salami, ice, glasses, blanket, music and a Polaroid picture. Wine

is available for purchase. (949) 675-1212.

Gondola Adventures/Newport, 3101 Coast Highway, also offers one- and

two-hour gondola cruises. A one-hour tour with champagne costs $70. A

two-hour tour with dinner and champagne costs $180. Pickup at waterfront

restaurant is available. (949) 675-4984.

Irvine Coast Charters in Lido Marina Village offers two-hour electric

boat cruises with a gourmet dinner. Cost is $180 for two people. Other

cruises are available, complete with free champagne. (949) 675-4704.

Zip through the water on a sea motorcycle -- it’s called a Sea-Doo --

at a cost of $65 for a single/double-seater. A three-seater is available

at $75 an hour. Call Walk on Water at (949) 675-6800. It is next to the

ferry on Balboa Island.

Streamline, center-console fishing boats may be rented at Balboa Boat

Rentals on Balboa Peninsula. These new 19-inch boats are equipped with

live bait tanks, fish-finders and VHF radio. Available by hour and

half-day rates at $170. Full-day rates are $240. U-Drive offshore boats

equipped with VHF radios can be rented by the hour, half-day or full-day.

Rates range from $40 per hour to $195 for the day. Call Balboa Boat

Rentals at (949) 673-7200.

CRUISES

The Newport Landing Belle is available for weddings/receptions,

cocktail/sightseeing cruises and meetings at a cost of $250 an hour

(minimum two hours) and $150 each additional hour. Charters: (949)

361-3640.

Individuals and small groups can enjoy Saturday and Sunday champagne

brunch cruises with food from the Cannery. Cruises run from 10 a.m. to

noon and from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Cost is $31 per person. The Cannery also

offers a dinner cruise for groups of 30 to 60. Cost is $63.50 per person.

(949) 675-5777.

Fun Zone Boat Co. runs 45-minute cruise (adults $6, children $1) and a

90-minute cruise (adults $8; children $1), departing the Balboa Fun Zone

every half-hour, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. A 60-minute showboat sunset cruise

leaves the Fun Zone at 7 p.m. at a cost of $6 per adult and $1 per child.

Private charters are available. (949) 673-0240.

Catalina Passenger Service also runs 45-minute harbor cruises (adults

$6, children $1) and 90-minute cruises (adults $8, children $1),

departing the Balboa Fun Zone every half-hour, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and

on the hour until 7 p.m. (949) 673-5245.

Cruise the harbor aboard the Electra, a 100-foot Classic Fantail

vessel. Charters with catering are available for up to 145 guests. (949)

723-1069.

Enjoy a three-course dinner and dancing while cruising the harbor.

Friday and Saturday night voyages depart at 7 p.m., Hornblower Dining

Yachts, 2431 Pacific Coast Highway. Cost is $56.95 per person. Brunch

cruises are also available. (949) 631-2469.

The Catalina Flyer departs the Balboa Pavilion at 9 a.m. and leaves

Catalina Island at 4:30 p.m. Cost is $36 for an adult round trip and $20

for a child’s round trip. Reservations: (949) 673-5245.

FISHING

Fishing classes leave Balboa Pavilion at 6 a.m. and return at 4 p.m.

Monday and Tuesday each week. Cost is $125 per person. (949) 673-2810.

Get to the Newport Pier/McFadden Square early to watch the Dory

Fishing Fleet return with the fresh catch of the day. Fish are prepared

for sale at the open-air market.

Fishing supplies and boat charters (open party and private) are

available at these locations: Newport Landing Sportfishing, 309 Palms,

Suite F, (949) 675-0550; Falco Fishing Charters, (714) 832-7708; and

Davey’s Locker, 400 Main St., Balboa, (949) 673-1434.

Day and night fishing charters are available for groups or singles.

Call Bongos Sportfishing Headquarters on Balboa Peninsula, (949)

673-2810.

KAYAKING / CANOEING / SCUBA

Beginning sea kayaking, rolling clinics and private lessons are

offered. Kayak and sea ski rentals are also available. (949) 675-1215

for Paddle Power, 1500 W. Balboa Blvd.

Two-hour kayak tours begin at 10 a.m. Sundays from Newport Dunes. Cost

is $20 per adult, $15 per child. Kayak rentals and classes are also

available. (949) 729-1150.

Single ($10 per hour) and double ($15 per hour) kayak rentals are

available in the Balboa Fun Zone. Call Balboa Boat Rentals, (949)

673-7200. Paddle Power also provides kayak, surf ski and canoe rentals.

(949) 675-1215.

Back Bay canoe tours are offered by Upper Newport Bay every Saturday.

Meet at 8:30 a.m. on Shellmaker Island. (949) 640-6746.

The Newport Aquatic Center offers sweep rowing (one oar), sculling

classes (two oars) and canoe rentals. Classes run for four weeks and cost

$75. Introductory clinics are also available Saturdays and Sundays at a

cost of $10. (949) 646-7725.

The Aquatic Center, 4537 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach, offers scuba

training consisting of six evening and two weekend day classes. Cost

ranges from $200 to $310. The center also offers scuba rentals, special

trips, repairs and air fills. (949) 650-5440.

At Dive-in Scuba, 2482 Newport Blvd. in Costa Mesa, certification

classes for beginning to instructor level scuba divers are available.

Other services offered include local boat charters, equipment sales,

rentals and repairs. (949) 631-9288.