MIKE WHITEHEAD -- The Harbor Column

Ahoy.

I was cruising Newport Harbor in a new 53-foot motor yacht with the

owners and we decided to have lunch before returning to our slip at the

Balboa Yacht Club. Well, our choices were very limited by our vessel size

and by the lack of guest docks in the harbor.

First, I thought of the restaurants along the Rhine Channel with

docks, but our vessel could not fit into the Blue Water’s dock, which was

our first choice. Then what came to mind was Woody’s, which had adequate

dock space, but their neighbor, Hooters, had no openings in their slip.

What about the restaurants along Mariner’s Mile and Lido Village? The

only dock that I could think of was at Villa Nova, which I have used a

few times for dinner trips.

By the Back Bay Bridge is the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum, which

built a new dock for access to the museum and the Riverboat restaurant

located inside. However, I could not think of any other public dock in

the harbor where we could dock for lunch -- excluding the private yacht

clubs.

There are about a dozen city-owned docks located throughout the

harbor. They have 20-minute time limits, but still they usually are

filled with fishermen who despise a boat docking where they want to fish.

These docks should not only be redesigned to accommodate larger boats and

the fishermen, but they should also have a time limit of a couple hours

so one can go to a restaurant or a visiting boater can go to the grocery

store.

I think that we should try to make the harbor more “boater friendly”

for the thousands of local boaters, plus the visiting boaters who come

from all over the world.

Did I leave out any public docks that I could have used? Let me know

so I can post an accurate list in an upcoming column.

* * *

I have only seen a few houseboats in the harbor, but I have an

important safety message issued by the United States Coast Guard

concerning these vessels. Many of you rent houseboats when on vacation at

your favorite lake, and this notice can apply to most yachts, too.

Certain models of houseboats are built with an air cavity underneath

the swim platform and transom exactly where the exhaust exits, creating a

buildup of lethal levels of carbon monoxide gas. Unfortunately, death

from carbon monoxide poisoning can occur after as few as two breaths. And

those lucky enough to survive usually end up in the hospital with carbon

monoxide poisoning.

The Coast Guard is warning boaters to shut off all engines, including

the generators with transom exhaust ports, whenever the swim ladder or

swim platform is in use and also if the fumes are drifting into the salon

area or aft cabins. This is true of a lot of motor yachts where I see

people swimming around the exhaust ports or the fumes are being blown

into the salons by the wind.

Feeling lightheaded, getting a headache, starting to sweat or having

the skin start turning red are all classic signs of carbon monoxide

poisoning. Shut off the engine or engines and open the windows. And make

sure your boat has carbon monoxide detectors installed. Let’s have a fun

and safe summer.

Safe Voyages.

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

your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions via e-mail

to o7 Mike@BoathouseTV.comf7 or o7 https://www.BoathouseTV.comf7 .