Historical race to set sail

Ahoy.

For the past 20 years Art Gronsky has fired the starting gun for

the Flight of the Lasers, and on Sun., July 28, it will be time once

again for the 67th annual race. This year I have heard rumors that

John Wayne Airport’s flight controllers are rerouting air traffic so

that Art does not hit an aircraft, but we better warn the seagulls,

or maybe not.

The race has roots back to 1935, beginning as the Flight of the

Snowbirds, then becoming the Flight of Kites in the early 1970s and

now the Flight of the Lasers. Balboa Island local Seymour Beek is the

chairman once again, and he leads the race as an event of the Newport

Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Commodore’s Club, of which, I must

declare, I am a Commodore. This is a race where you can just have fun

or be as competitive as you want while vying for the first place

trophy.

The 1 p.m. start will be off Balboa Island’s shore just east of

the Balboa Pavilion and the racers will first head up the channel to

the large turning basin to round course marker 1 by the anchorage.

Passing to port the racers will turn, heading for marker U off the

Lido Isle Yacht Club and then beginning the long sail to marker Z in

the small turning basin by Lido Village. I wonder if any sailors have

contemplated sneaking under the Lido Isle Bridge versus going around

Lido’s east tip to get to the Z mark.

If the normal prevailing winds are blowing, the racers then will

begin a 2.4 nautical mile reach to marker 4 located between channel

marker 8 and the Harbor Master’s office. Once round the mark is the

final leg beating back to the finish line where it all started.

The awards ceremony will be at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club,

which also provides the Jim Webster committee boat. For race

information call the club at (949) 673-7730. Local businesses help

sponsor the race, and the race is successful thanks to the volunteer

race committee.

Narwhal adopted

The Newport Beach Council of the Navy League officially adopted

the Newport Harbor-based Coast Guard Cutter Narwhal. The Narwhal

docks at the Harbor Department with separate facilities to house the

crew. Lt. John Kidwell, the commanding officer, is the first officer

to be the captain of this new cutter, which replaced the Point

Stuart. The Newport Navy League is active, reaching out to those

protecting our nation here locally with the Narwhal and in San Diego

with adopted ships USS John C. Stennis, USS Belleau Wood, USS

Bonhomme Richard, plus the Miramar 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and the

Seal Beach Battalion. The Navy League presents certificates of

appreciation and checks to deserving military personnel thanks to the

membership. As a member, I should start attending the monthly

meetings.

* * *

Tip of the week is check all your “thru hull” shut off values that

are below the waterline by closing and opening the values. A little

late to find out that your shut off value is frozen while water from

a broken hose is flooding your boat. Also, when you leave your boat

for any amount of time, you should shut off all the below waterline

values. How many times have you heard about a boat sinking at the

dock because a hose sprung a leak that worn out the bilge pump or

drained the battery?

From my fireman days, the rookie was sent in to plug the broken

ceiling fire sprinkler heads with tapered wooden plugs as the water

was pouring down his arms inside turnouts, and you can carry a few

wooden plugs on board to plug-up a broken fitting to keep you

floating.

This Wednesday, I will be the speaker for the Yachtsmen Luncheon

at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club at noon. This luncheon is held every

Wednesday and the cost is very inexpensive for the buffet and speaker

program. I am listed on the speaker card as the boating writer for

the Daily Pilot but I will steer off course a little and also talk

about a few of my voyages. If you can not wait until every Monday to

open up to page 2 for the Harbor Column, now you can have a Wednesday

special.

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 [email protected] or BoathouseTV.com.