A touch of new

Tom Forquer

Even though it was a cloudy Thursday morning, two-thirds of Davey’s

Locker’s rental skiffs were out on the water.

Notable for their light blue paint, varying degrees of decay and

“Pavilion” painted across the side, the 30-strong fleet of 14-foot

outboard-powered boats have allowed anglers to fish Newport Harbor

for more than 40 years. Because of the decline in the fleet’s

quality, 20 new skiffs will soon replace most of the old ones, said

Doug Turin, owner of the sportfishing establishment for 28 years.

Turin predicted that “a lot of people will be sorry to see them

go.”

The boats have spawned a loyal group of customers.

“Some people catch the fishing bug and just can’t get enough,”

Turin said. “There are some people who drive 100 miles just to rent a

boat.”

Riverside resident Joseph Bow and friend John Travis of Arrowbear

have been using the boats for 30 years. While the fish bring him

back, Bow has enjoyed the names of the boats, most of which have

rubbed off over the years.

“Sometimes you get some pretty dirty ones. They’re a little salty,

shall we say,” Bow said.

Floating near the Balboa Pavilion while sipping cans of Pabst Blue

Ribbon, friends Mike Brown of Lake Forest, Bob Dawson of Newport

Beach and Mike Rios of Whittier were fishing for what they guess is

their seventh or eighth year on the skiffs.

“I think that these boats have a good set-up,” Brown said,

referring to the bait tank that goes through the center of the boat

and directly into the water.

Brown and Rios are quick to deny that they have any nostalgia for

the old boats.

“I do,” Dawson said. “I like em’.”

The three speculated that they might end up missing the old boats

if the new boats are not as convenient to use.

The replacement boats, 20 new Carolina skiffs, will be added to

the fleet in the next few weeks while the old boats are demolished

and dumped. For the nostalgic, not to worry: 10 of the old boats will

be left in the fleet.

Salvador Cervantes of Orange and Roy Nakada of Aliso Viejo, both

24, have been renting the boats once or twice a week for the last few

summers.

Cervantes, speaking over his shoulder while reeling in a stingray,

said the boats work for him.

“They’re cool. Nothing glamorous, but they get the job done.”

Nakada said that he can’t complain considering the boats are the

only means for him to fish on the water, but noted that “they are not

like those,” motioning to the large sailboats and powerboats moored

beside them.

Cervantes also said that he enjoys the wide variety of fish in the

harbor.

“You can catch just about anything,” he said.

Turin and a fellow employee collaborated on a litany of fish

available in the harbor -- halibut, white sea bass, calico bass, sand

bass, kelp fish barracuda, mackerel and croker.

The rental rate is $47 for a five-hour half-day or $68 for a

full-day, which starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. The boats come

with gas, live bait, anchors, cushions and lifejackets.