Newport’s boat show has become one of the best

Ahoy.

One of the nice bonuses of being in the boating business is that I

am invited to attend boat shows, and throughout the years, I have

gone to boat shows across the nation.

With that being said, I have to admit that the Newport Boat Show

is getting better every year and evolving into one of the best shows

I have seen in the nation. The show has already captured “Best on the

West.” I think that the Newport Dunes is the perfect setting for a

boat show, with ample on-land display area, a huge tent and a

well-protected lagoon for the maze of temporary docks accommodating

the boats.

What amazes me is how some of the larger yachts can fit underneath

the Pacific Coast Highway bridge to reach the Dunes. The bridge is

the reason why there are not many sailboats on display. At the show,

you are welcome to actually walk through the boats ranging from

Duffy’s Electric Boats to mega-yachts under 100 feet in length.

Local yacht broker J.R. Means of Bayport Yachts is pleased with

the show and will debut a new design class. Carver Yachts has

released the new Marquis Class with an impressive 59-footer at the

show. The Marquis is a 30-knot yacht with Italian styling, though it

is built in America. I asked Means about the show.

“Bayport is off to a good start in the show and confident that we

will have a very successful show,” he said.

The show not only has about 600 boats, but also hundreds of

display booths on land with anything you need for your boat or your

marine-related desires. The last day for the show is Sunday. You can

get information online and see the live Web cam at

www.goboatingamerica. com.

I will not be at the boat show today. A little after sunrise,

while you are sipping your morning coffee and reading my column, I

will be arriving in Ensenada, Mexico. I had planned this Saturday to

deliver a yacht back to Newport Harbor from Ensenada, but there is a

storm system moving through Southern California this weekend. So,

after studying the approaching weather system, I decided to move the

trip up a day. I am hoping catch the calm before the storm.

This is important for those of you heading off the dock this

weekend, as you need to watch out for the building sea conditions and

gusty winds.

In last week’s column, I mentioned how a low-pressure system can

affect the seas off our coast and what boaters can expect in the

ocean. Also, I mentioned the swell patterns coming from Point

Conception to our north and, in addition, how the Channel Islands

help to shelter our coastline. Might help shelter in case of a

tsunami, too.

However, when you read the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration weather reports, you will notice that San Mateo Point

is the dividing line between our inner waters predictions and San

Diego’s inner waters predictions. San Mateo Point is close to the San

Onofre Power Plants, and the point is below the protection of the

Channel Islands.

So while you are trying to interpret the weather reports, keep in

mind where you will cruise and how the weather is in nearby areas.

This is important, as we may experience westerly swells, but there

might be building southerly seas off San Diego that will arrive here

in hours.

So I moved up my trip because the system is expected Friday

evening, creating 6-foot seas from San Mateo Point to Ensenada and 4-

to- 6-foot seas off our coast for Saturday with a chance of

thunderstorms. Will I beat the storm system by leaving early Friday

morning and run in the calm before the storm? I will let you know

next week if I came back by boat or train.

I am glad that my weather predictions were accurate for last

weekend’s Tommy Bahama Newport to Ensenada Race, and that the race

was another record breaker. Roy E. Disney must have read my weather

prediction, as he regained his overall title that he wasn’t here to

defend last year.

Safe voyages.

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

him your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions by

e-mail to Mike@BoathouseTV.com or visit BoathouseTV.com.