MIKE WHITEHEAD -- The Harbor Column

Ahoy.

This week being Thanksgiving means it is time once again to let loose

the holiday shoppers the day after the feast and to bring out the holiday

decorations.

Speaking of shopping, my holiday shopping advice is -- now that boat

loan rates are at a record low -- buy yourself a boat. This might be the

best time for you to get a loan on a new boat or for you to refinance an

existing loan with a lower interest rate.

Overall, the statistics show that boat registration was up for the

first half of the year across the country and in California. However, it

is anticipated that the months following September will have a

significant decrease in sales, which means this might be the time for you

to find great deals on in-stock models as the new 2002 models arrive in

dealer inventory.

I am very impressed with the new models, and you can read a recent

boats test I completed on a Cabo 43’ Sportfisher in Sea Magazine’s

November issue or online at o7

https://goboatingamerica.com/sea_web/nov01/cabo43.aspf7 .

***

Thanksgiving weekend is usually a great time to go boating, and I

usually see families out cruising the harbor with their visiting

relatives. But boat owners such as grandparents who normally do not have

children aboard may not have the proper size child life jacket (PFD) on

their vessels. Instead of trying to strap an adult life jacket on a

child, simply stop by the Newport Harbor Patrol Office on Bayside Drive

to get a Child Life jacket Loaner for free.

The Harbor Department and the marine committee of the Newport Harbor

Area Chamber of Commerce received child life jackets from Boat U.S.’s

Child PDF Loaner program, and the Harbor Patrol is coordinating the

loaner program seven days a week. Now, you have no excuse for not having

the correct size of a life jacket aboard for younger guests, and

California law states that children must always wear a life jacket on

vessels less than 26 feet long.

***

Update on port security for our area is that the United States Coast

Guard has a one-mile security zone out to sea from the San Onofre Power

Plant. Boats are not allowed in this one-mile zone to protect the nuclear

power plant from a waterside terrorist attack.

Also, Huntington Harbor still has the restriction of a morning and an

afternoon window allowing vessels in or out of the harbor. However,

Newport and Dana Point look like business as usual, but the Harbor Patrol

has stepped up patrols and increased awareness.

Good news for those of you who will be voyaging north. While I was

driving past Morro Bay I saw dredging operations in the main channel near

the harbor entrance. Morro Bay is known for the dangerous breaking seas

over the bar at the harbor mouth when there is a swell from the southwest

that periodically causes the entrance to be closed at this important

boaters’ stop.

Also, most boaters know when entering the harbor to stay to the north

side of the channel until Morro Rock is abaft your beam. Hopefully, the

dredging will decrease the effects from the bar and allow safer passage

in the channel.

Have you noticed the increased effect from the bar at Newport Harbor

entrance? I have seen an increase in the effects from the bar building

over the past few years. I hope that when and if Newport has main channel

dredging operations that dredging the harbor mouth will be included to

lower the bar.

***

Tip of the week is that it is now lobster season, so be careful at the

harbor entrance. Laying just outside the jetties are many lobster traps

with their marker buoys floating on the surface.

Also, up and down the coast, there will be marker buoys most likely

within a couple of miles to the shoreline. I recommend navigating a

straight course from Newport Entrance Mo Buoy to the jetties and not

trying to cut the corners, especially at dark. Wrapping a lobster trap

line around your propeller can actually break some shafts and the line

can damage transmissions.

If you do wrap a line, first try reversing that prop slowly, and if

you lose your engine(s), then be prepared to drop your anchor and set the

hook to prevent your vessel from drifting ashore.

Lastly, after a storm or heavy seas, some of the traps may drift

directly in front of the jetty, so keep a good lookout as I am sure you

always do.

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 .