MIKE WHITEHEAD -- The Harbor Column

Ahoy.

Did you hear about the one council member in Huntington Beach who

wants to make it illegal to spend a night on your boat in Huntington

Harbor? He thinks that boaters are just dumping their waste-holding tanks

into the harbor, causing all the pollution. With efforts like that, if

there is ever a need for educating the public about where the pollution

comes from and how boaters handle emptying their holding tanks, now is

the time.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think one sewer line spill into our

harbor dumps more waste than all the boaters who illegally discharge into

the harbor in a year. Yes, it is illegal to discharge in the harbors and

within three miles of any shoreline, but we have laws on the books now to

address that issue. So why penalize all boaters for the illegal

activities of few bad boaters?

There are solutions in place, such as the pump-out stations and the

use of mobile pump-out services that actually come to your boat to empty

the holding tanks. If staying overnight on your boat is a problem because

someone thinks that you are discharging into the harbor, then maintain a

logbook showing when and where the holding tanks were emptied. Let’s

educate and let’s start being proactive in boating by providing the

information, such as logs, to show most boaters are environmentally

conscience.

***

How come when some people go boating they leave their brains at the

dock? Sure, boating is supposed to be fun and a recreational outlet, but

there are rules that govern boating to make it safe for all who venture

out on the water. In today’s column, I will just go over cruising and

passing in the harbor.

When you are underway, especially when under power, you are suppose to

check your starboard (right) side next to the shore and pass oncoming

(end to end) boats port to port -- essentially the same if you were

driving your car on the street.

If two powerboats are crossing each other, then the boat on the right

gets the right of way, similar to two cars stopping at a stop sign at the

same time.

When one boat is passing another boat, then the boat in front (the one

being overtaken) has the right of way.

And sailboats do not always have the right of way, such as if a vessel

under sail is overtaking another vessel, regardless of type, or a sailing

vessel is tacking too close to shore and not leaving enough sea room for

a power vessel to maintain safety.

Since Newport Harbor can become very congested with hundreds of

vessels, the simple rule is to use your common sense and remember if more

than two boats are on a collision course, then it is every skipper’s

responsibility to avoid the collision.

Lastly, what is your hurry during your harbor cruise anyway? Let’s

have an enjoyable and safe time.

***

Tip for the week: Use the proper etiquette when using the VHF marine

band radio aboard most boats.

The VHF radio is your best friend if you are stranded and need to call

for assistance or for an emergency. Keep in mind that when you transmit

on the radio, other boaters are able to hear your conversation, so keep

it clean.

It’s good that others can hear because if you are sinking, the nearest

boat can come to your aid. If you use a cell phone, however, they can’t,

and boats with directional finding equipment won’t be able to pinpoint

your location, either.

So place your call on channel 16, which is the hailing and distress

frequency only, then switch to an appropriate working channels --

recreational frequencies 68, 69, 71, 72 and 78. channel 09 has been

established as a secondary hailing channel and you can briefly

communicate on that channel, too, unlike 16.

If you are calling the Coast Guard, use the group (area) name if you

know it and the Coast Guard will most likely switch you to channel 22A

for further communications.

To call the harbor master, first state what harbor -- such as Newport

Harbor Patrol or Dana Point Harbor Patrol -- so the appropriate

dispatcher will answer. That person most likely will switch you to

channel 12.

Off our coast, the ships will be also monitoring channel 14, which is

the Vessel Traffic Service out of Long Beach/Los Angeles Harbor. Ships

also monitor channel 13, the bridge-to-bridge comms.

I hope this helps. For further information, go to my Web site where I

will be posting sections from my book “Using Your VHF Radio” for everyone

to read.

Safe voyages.

MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating and harbor columnist. Send him

your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions via e-mail

to o7 [email protected] or o7 https://www.BoathouseTV.comf7 .