Flight of the Lasers among local activities

MIKE WHITEHEAD

Keep an eye to the seas for those who will be venturing out onto the

Pacific Ocean this weekend, as you could experience fog and up to

6-foot swells. If the winds pick up to 15 knots in the afternoons,

the conditions could become hazardous for small craft and especially

for the inexperienced sailor.

However, unless the south swell becomes dominant, boaters can find

good cruising areas that are protected -- such as the east (mainland

side) of Catalina Island, the shoreline below Santa Barbara Harbor to

maybe Ventura Harbor, and a few areas south of Point Fermin to our

harbor. It looks like Point Conception will be dropping slightly from

just under 10 feet to maybe 8 feet by Saturday. The waters seaward

(westerly) of Catalina and the other Channel Islands will be rough

waters, so some professional advice for the weekend boaters who are

going fishing offshore -- do not push your limits trying to catch

your limits. Locally, a sailing club for folks who may have retired

from work but are not ready to hang up their foul weather gear will

be celebrating 20 years tomorrow. The Oasis Sailing Club proclaims to

have the busiest 30-foot Newport Mk3 sloop, the OASIS II, in the

world. It’s a boat that I am very familiar with, as in my past I

taught lessons from the beginner to advanced ocean cruiser aboard

Newport sailboats. Similar to a yacht club’s opening day, the Oasis

Sailing Club will celebrate with an invitational wine-tasting program

in the courtyard of Oasis Senior Center in Corona del Mar. Volunteer

skipper James Stone will be presenting wines with the theme

“California’s Gold -- North to South to Sideways.”

“This is the model for cooperative pleasure sailing,” Commodore

John Byerlein said. “We have not found another sailing club in the

U.S. that offers as much participation for $10-a-month dues -- only

possible with volunteer skippers, mates and crew dedicated to the

social, educational and pleasure aspects of this sport.”

The OASIS II sails with a volunteer crew and up to seven people

aboard the vessel with a cruising range south to Dana Point, west to

Catalina Island and north to Long Beach. The sailing club boasts

membership of 110, who logged 302 days away from the docks in 2004.

To join in the festivities, to get a membership or find out more

information on how you can help, call Commodore John Byerlein at

(949) 640-6423 or Marilyn Lees, Oasis Sailing Club public relations,

at (714) 545-4357.

The tip of the week is for sailors to race in the 70th annual

Flight of the Lasers in Newport Harbor when the bay will become alive

with Snowbirds -- no, wait, that was back in 1936. Today, the Snowbirds have been replaced by Laser- and Byte-class boats, but the

fun is still present for both the seasoned racer vying to win and the

recreational Sunday sailor.

The Flight typically has between 60 and 80 boats. Thanks again go

to chairman Seymour Beek, whose family operates the Balboa Ferry.

Beek was honored this year as Newport Beach’s Citizen of the Year.

The Commodore’s Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce is

hosting the Flight of the Lasers in conjunction with the Newport

Harbor Yacht Club. The starting line will be between the Balboa

Peninsula and Balboa Island just a quarter mile east of the Pavilion

in the Balboa Reach (about halfway between channel markers 8 and 10).

The firing gun will go off at 1300 hours -- for you land lubbers,

1 p.m. -- on July 31. You can preregister by contacting the Newport

Harbor Yacht Club or the chamber at (949) 729-4400. The Flight is

free. The awards ceremony will be held at the Newport Harbor Yacht

Club immediately after the race.

Tune in to the No. 1 boating talk radio show in the nation, “Capt.

Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show.” It airs every Saturday from

noon to 1 p.m. on KCBQ-AM (1170). You can join me, Chandler Bell and

Eric Hovland by calling the listener line at (888) 344-1170.

Safe Voyages.

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

him your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions by

e-mail to [email protected] or visit https://www.boathousetv.com.