From the Boathouse: Lasers take to the water
Ahoy!
An exciting target in Newport Harbor is closing in fast on my radar, and taking a closer look, I can see it is the 81st annual Flight of the Lasers.
It’s a Newport Beach tradition that began more than eight decades ago and now features Olympic-class sailboats.
Keeping with recent traditions, the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce will host the event July 17 with the assistance of the Newport Ocean Sailing Association. I want to acknowledge fellow Commodore Brett Hemphill for providing me with the updated race information for my column.
Newport Harbor’s old-timers will remember the Flight of the Snowbirds, the original race that started circa 1936.
Then in the early ‘70s, the name and boat class were changed to the Flight of the Kites, and today it is known as the Flight of the Lasers. Now, Lasers are an Olympic-class sailboat competing in waters around the globe.
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The starting gun will fire at 1 p.m. for the Flight of the Lasers. The start line is between Balboa Island and the Balboa Peninsula, just east of the Balboa Pavilion.
Unfortunately, I will miss this year’s event because I will be racing with our team aboard a C-Scow at the Lake Arrowhead Yacht Club that weekend.
All other boaters in Newport Harbor should be aware of the race to try to avoid any conflicts or confusion. After crossing the start line, the racers will head west up the channel to the large turning basin to round course marker No. 1 by the main anchorage. Passing every mark to port, the racers will turn heading for the U-mark just off the Lido Isle Yacht Club and then begin the long sail to Z-mark floating in the small turning basin by Lido Village.
If normal prevailing winds are blowing, the racers will begin an easterly 2.4-nautical-mile reach to marker No. 4 located by channel marker No. 8 west of the harbor master’s office. Then they will complete the final leg to the finish line, where it all started.
Good luck to all.
The first-place winner will receive the Albert Soiland Trophy, named after the first commodore of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, plus a new Laser sail valued at $600.
Many trophies will be awarded an hour after the race at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club. There are traditional and fun categories for trophy recipients, including the first 10 finishers, first female, first married couple, youngest boy, youngest girl, best costume, first parent/child team, best decorated boat, oldest skipper and bravery in the face of danger.
Anyone with a Laser can enter the race, and there is no age restriction, so bring the kids.
The best news is that there is no charge for entering the race, and every racer will receive a free T-shirt. You can sign up the day of the event, but I recommend registering in advance.
You can find out the race details and see the sponsor list and how to register at FlightOfTheLasers.org or call (949) 673-7730
Tip of the week
Good news to help alleviate the congestion at the main anchorage area. Newport Harbor officials have agreed to reopen the temporary vessel anchorage area in the westernmost part of the Lido Isle Reach channel. This is in the small turning basin off the west end of Lido Isle and in front of Lido Marina Village.
The anchorage will be open only during the summer until Sept. 15 and will be outlined by four unlighted yellow buoys. The buoys’ coordinates are 33 37 07N and 117 55 35W, 33 37 08N and 117 55 34W, 33 37 05N and 117 55 28W, and 33 37 01N and 117 55 31W, which you can enter into your GPS chart plotter.
Safe voyages!
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MIKE WHITEHEAD is a boating columnist for the Daily Pilot. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to mike@boathousetv.com or go to boathousetv.com.