It’s time for another Newport Harbor tradition

Ahoy.

Watch out this Sunday, as there will be lasers in the harbor

everywhere -- Laser sailboats, I mean. The Newport Beach Chamber of

Commerce’s Commodores Club, of which I am a member, will host the

68th annual Flight of the Lasers, a race inside Newport Harbor.

Once again, Commodore Seymour Beek is the chairman. You may

recognize the name as that of the owner of the Balboa Island Ferry

Service.

The regatta is open to anyone sailing a Laser, and there will be

awards for the best costume, best decorated boat, first

parent-and-child team and first married couple. I wonder which spouse

will be at the helm of the married couple’s Laser barking orders?

Afterward, an awards ceremony will be held at the Newport Harbor

Yacht Club on the Balboa Peninsula at 720 W. Bay Ave. I recommend

that you register soon by calling the yacht club at (949) 673-7730 to

join in this Newport Harbor summer tradition.

TROUBLED WATERS

Those of you cruising up the coast will find the seas north of

Point Conception still impassable for small craft. I left a 40-footer

moored in Morro Bay until the seas calm down so we can deliver her to

Emeryville. Additionally, a good friend of mine, Capt. Mitch Keeler

of San Diego, told me he has two yachts waiting that are destined for

San Diego from San Francisco.

The seas between Point Conception and San Francisco are normally 4

to 6 feet, but presently, the swell intervals are only six to nine

seconds apart with strong winds. This combination makes the seas very

steep faced, and we were burying our bow trying not to slam into the

toughs until we decided to seek refuge in Morro Bay.

The swell intervals need to be in the double digits, around 12 to

14 seconds, and it is important to check the conditions before you go

around Conception or go out under the Golden Gate Bridge. The buoy

reports on the Internet are a great tool, and I am finding the

National Weather Service’s marine forecasts to be very reliable and

improved from years past. You can read my article on rounding Point

Conception in the August issue of Santana Magazine.

Also, I hope to have good news soon about the lack of gasoline for

boaters in Morro Bay. Remember, there is only one remaining fuel dock

in Morro, and the station only sells diesel, but rumors are they are

adding a gasoline tank.

TIP OF THE WEEK

The Kohler Co. has issued a voluntary recall of some

gasoline-powered generators. BoatU.S. magazine reports that at least

eight deaths are attributed to an exhaust part on Kohler’s generators

that deteriorated in the marine environment.

“Kohler’s recall announcement came just days after an article on

Kohler’s problems appeared in the July 2003 issue of BoatU.S.

Magazine,” said Richard Schwartz, BoatU.S. founder and chairman.

Kohler has issued a Black Iron Wet Exhaust Pipe Replacement

Campaign for gasoline marine generators manufactured from 1950 to

1989 for models: 2R, 2A, 2.5R, 2.5A, 3.5R, 3.5A, 4R, 4A, 5R, 5A,

6.5R, 6.5A, 7.5R, and 7.5A. Kohler will replace the part with a

stainless steel exhaust tube at no charge to the boat owner.

If you have one of these model numbers, you can find out more

information at www.kohlerpowersystems. com/marine_pipereplace. html

or call Kohler at (866) 866-4933.

Boaters being killed or harmed by carbon monoxide poisonings have

been in the news a lot lately with warnings issued by the U.S. Coast

Guard, and the poisoning continues to be major problem for boaters.

People have been killed swimming under a boat and entering closed

spaces such as under the swim steps, and many have succumbed while

teak surfing, in which you are dragged through the water while

holding on to the swim step.

Also, you have to watch out for the Venturi effect, which can pull

carbon monoxide into the salon area or aft cabin through an open door

similar to what happens in a station wagon with the back window

rolled down. Carbon monoxide detectors are standard on most new

boats, and older vessels should have the detectors added as part of

the safety equipment.

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.