The Harbor Column -- Mike Whitehead

Ahoy. On Saturday, a new event kicks off the approaching Tommy

Bahama Newport to Ensenada Race, the largest international yacht race.

This year, the first West Marine Sailing Seminar and Marine Expo will

be held at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel.

It’s smart thinking, as the expo is far enough in advance of race week

that everyone can find time to attend.

In addition, the expo will have a luncheon with a featured speaker and

two types of seminars with the newcomer attending “Track 1: Cruising --

The First Steps,” and the experienced sailors attending “Track 2:

Offshore Racing.” Track 1 is great for those who might be beginners or

those who need help planning to sail 130 nautical miles one way in the

Pacific Ocean to a foreign port and then returning home safely.

The expo’s luncheon will feature yacht designer Gino Morrelli as the

keynote speaker. He will give an excellent presentation on “Designing the

Fastest Boats in the World.”

Gino is a partner of Morrelli & Melvin (of Newport Beach), which

designed boats such as “Stars & Stripes” and Steve Fossett’s 125-foot

Maxi-Catamaran “PlayStation” that broke the West to East Trans Atlantic

record on Oct. 10.

As an added bonus to your lunch, I have been asked to emcee, so I hope

to make it on time, as I will be captaining a yacht from Marina Del Rey

to Newport that same morning. So, just like the Ensenada race day, pray

for wind at my back and following seas.

The expo is set for 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday with an entrance fee of

only $5 per person to tour the exhibitors and attend the educational

seminars. For $20, lunch is included.

You can purchase tickets by visiting any West Marine location in

Southern California. Admission includes a $10 coupon for West Marine on

purchases of $50 or more. For more information, go to o7 www.nosa.orgf7

or call NOSA at (949) 644-1023.

***

The city of Newport Beach is one step closer to deciding who will

serve as commissioners on the new Harbor Commission.

At last Tuesday’s meeting, the City Council approved a final list of

14 final nominees that was narrowed down from more than 40 applications.

As I have stated before, this is a long-overdue commission that needs to

immediately begin tackling harbor issues like dredging and calculating

the economic impact of the harbor.

The only uncertainty that still remains a mystery is how the 14

nominees were eventually paired into the seven seats for the council’s

final vote of one person per seat.

A lot of people have asked me about this pairing process and even

after attending the council meeting, I still cannot logically answer that

question.

Mayor Tod Ridgeway’s questioning at the meeting about the pairing was

stopped short of a logical explanation with an explanation that everyone

should just accept the decision of three council members in charge of the

process since they have spent six hours on this matter. I do admit that

the final nominees and the citizens must be pleased with the process

since no one approached the podium at the meeting to question the process

and the council has done what was asked.

However, I am still a little confused after attending the council

Meeting, as it seems to me in a democratic system the citizens do have

the right to know the detailed selection process for the commissioners

who will be making decisions on their behalf. Most of us understand the

selection process from the applications to the interviews and then to a

final list of candidates.

It then seems the next step is to vote on the final nominees with the

seven people who receive the highest votes becoming the commissioners.

Then how does this final pairing play into the scene to be fair to all

the final nominees; at least the pairing could be done by council

districts. It is a huge task starting a new commission and an explanation

of the pairing would help alleviate a question lingering in citizens’

minds of the selection process. In my view, the council will select good

commissioners, so next meeting, let’s make the final decisions.

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 BoathouseTV.comf7 .