The Harbor Column:

Ahoy,

Summer is almost officially over, as Labor Day weekend is a fast-moving target closing in on my radar. Many boaters are planning to get on the water this weekend before the onslaught of recreational boaters hits the water next holiday weekend. As I look to the weather, we have had a relatively calm hurricane season, and only Tropical Storm Danny is active east of the Florida panhandle.

I have had many boaters ask, “Why do we care about hurricanes off Florida or in the Gulf of Mexico, especially since hurricanes do not directly hit Southern California?” Well, hurricanes may not come ashore at Newport Harbor, but we do directly feel and see the effects from the hurricanes that can cross over from the Gulf of Mexico into the Pacific Ocean, or from those storms heading northwest that hit land typically in Texas or Mexico.

The storms that move into the Pacific can push a southern swell in our direction, typically creating a washing-machine effect with swells hitting your boat from the west and south. Furthermore, when we have the hot, cloudy and humid weather conditions in the summer, then that is typically caused by a storm’s low-pressure system that is carrying large amounts of moisture to our east. So, yes, hurricanes do affect us — either on the water or turning on our home’s air conditioners.

Tip of the week is to boat smart and be aware of other boaters’ actions on the water. Recently, while I skippered a slow-cruising 100-foot yacht, I was swarmed by electric rental boats whose passengers wanted to get a closer look at the yacht. The major problem was that the rental boat skippers would speed up to cross under my bow, or they would come so close alongside that I would lose sight of their boats from the bridge. The skippers probably did not know that even at 4 knots, this yacht has a lot of momentum, and I have to plan ahead for any maneuvers — the bigger the boat, the bigger margin it needs. Additionally, a small boat crossing under a larger boat’s bow is a stupid maneuver. All small-boat operators need to understand at least the basic boating rules, and just use your common sense.

Remember to tune in to our syndicated network at 11 a.m. to Capt. Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show for stations. For more information, go to www.BoathouseTV.com.

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 .