THE HARBOR COLUMN:

Ahoy,

Winter sailing is my favorite with the crisp air, fewer boaters on the water, and calm seas in between storms. This weekend should be excellent cruising on either protected waters or out past the line of demarcation into the Pacific Ocean. The westerly swell should be less than 2 feet outside Newport with a slight breeze, and swells at Point Conception will be up to 6 feet.

The Boating Clean & Green Campaign is returning to Newport Beach to train volunteers who are willing to become “dock walkers.” These volunteers receive my kudos as they are on the forefront helping boaters adopt clean boating practices.

A dock walker is someone who boaters should welcome to their vessels and dock area so that practical and mostly simple techniques can help you along the path to become a green boater. The Boating Clean & Green Campaign offers the training for free, and the training provides an overview of environmentally sound boating practices.

Dock walkers are provided educational materials including boater kits, a video about clean boating in California, and baseball caps. Over the last five years, more than 500 Dock walkers have distributed more than 80,000 boater kits statewide, and what a fantastic way to interact with boaters to help keep California’s marinas, waterways, and ocean, clean and healthy. The training will be from 10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. March 19 at the Newport Beach Council Chambers. To register, visit www.dbw.ca.gov (Click on Clean and Green Tab), or contact Vivian Matuk at (415) 904-6905 or vmatuk@coastal.ca.gov.

Tip of the week is now is the time to make a deal on pre-owned or new boat especially if any new 2008 models are still on the sales floor. The boating industry is being hurt by the economic downturn and the average worker in the industry is the one who is really feeling the effects with reduced hours or a pink slip. Cobalt Boats, Tiara Yachts and Beneteau USA laid off 360 employees combined as reported by boating industry’s “Soundings Trade Only Today.” Let’s get the economy jump-started. Going boating will not only help the economy, but help you relieve your daily stresses.

Remember to tune in at 11 a.m. to “Capt. Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show” broadcasting from inside Angel Stadium on KLAA-AM (830).

MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating columnist. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to mike@boathousetv.com or go to www.boathousetv.com.