$1-million boat is bequeathed to OCC

The OCC School of Sailing and Seamanship in Newport Beach recently received a new addition to its prestigious fleet of ships, which the center’s director called “by far the best power boat” that it owns.

Donated by retired architect Gared Smith, who made his living designing numerous apartment buildings in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, the vessel is valued at $1 million.

“It’s one of the nicest gifts we’ve ever received,” said Brad Avery, director of the school.

It’s not the first, second or even third boat that the school has received with a seven-figure price tag, though. Avery chalks this up to the school’s reputation.

“We’ve been around a long time, and we also are one of the biggest schools in the country in terms of number of people that take classes,” Avery said.

Roy Disney donated his custom-built, carbon-fiber racing yacht, Pyewacket, to OCC and Dr. Laura Schlessinger, of broadcast fame, gave the school her 58-foot sailboat Bluefin. The newest addition is a 68-foot boat with a diesel engine and state-of-the-art equipment named Por Nada.

“This is a really good fit for us because it’s a very contemporary, well-laid out, well-built boat,” Avery said.

These factors combine to make it relatively low-maintenance for the school, which it considers a desirable trait.

Capable of holding 15 to 20 people at a time, the boat will serve the college mostly as an on-the-water classroom, hosting students who want to learn how to pilot large powerboats. It will also provide OCC with the ability to teach those interested in careers in boat maintenance and commercial driving a chance to get acquainted with the field — a field that needs employees, Avery said.

Smith, who lives in Corona del Mar, cited his start at a community college as a primary reason for donating the ship to OCC.

“I’m sure it was a hard thing to do to say, ‘I’m done with my passion,’ ” Avery said of Smith, who is in his 80s.