Improving boating safety

Ahoy.

On the last Sunday in July, Newport Harbor was alive with Laser-

and Byte-class boats racing in the 70th Annual Flight of the Lasers.

This event, which started in 1936, is held annually by the

Commodore’s Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce. Seymour

Beek has been at the helm as chairman for years, and he uses his

motor yacht as one end of the starting line.

I have had a few requests to provide some of the results. Seymour

sent the following report:

“Many familiar names were among the top ten. The winner, Jon

Pinckney, has won three times before, in the early ‘90s. Roy Woolsey

won the ‘oldest’ [category] for the 14th time. The first time he won

it he must have been just a kid. I have been asked several times if

it isn’t ‘sexist’ to have an award for the ‘first girl’ and none for

the ‘first boy.’ My reply is that there doesn’t seem to be a problem,

because the first boy has been the winner of the race since 1944,

when Janet Power was the winner and the first girl. If girls start

winning, then the boys have a legitimate gripe. The first girl this

year was Elizabeth De Witt, who finished 21st.”

Thanks, Seymour, and we look forward to next year’s race. I wonder

how many snowbirds are still sailing in the area, and how many racers

this year were snowbirds?

On another note, boaters are now better protected on the water by

Vessel Assist-BoatUS. As you may recall, BoatUS bought Costa

Mesa-based Vessel Assist in 2003, creating the largest on-the-water

towing service for recreational boaters.

They have moved San Diego’s VHF radio antenna tower to a new,

higher location -- 250 feet above sea level -- on Point Loma.

The resulting increase in elevation is expected to bring VHF radio

dispatch coverage to boaters from northern Mexican to Southern

California waters. The higher elevation will improve the VHF radio

signal in line-of-sight transmissions and receptions.

“Boaters will now have greater peace of mind, knowing that a VHF

radio call for on-the-water towing will be heard and responded to

farther offshore,” said Jerry Cardarelli, vice president of BoatUS

Towing Services.

Vessel Assist also recently upgraded its VHF radio tower on Santa

Catalina Island, which sits more than 1,600 feet above sea level.

This means increased VHF radio coverage on the back side of Santa

Catalina, as well as for the San Clemente Island area.

This is good news, especially for those who head out past Catalina

into Mexican waters and float off San Clemente Island for fishing.

Also, this network increases the number of ears on the water for any

emergency transmissions that might not be reaching a Coast Guard

site.

The tip of the week: Do not yell “mayday” over the VHF marine-band

radio if you run out of fuel, unless you are going on the rocks.

Remember, channel 16 is a hailing and distress channel only; it is

often misused by Sunday sailors.

You use channel 16 to hail another vessel, and then switch to one

of the working channels: 68, 69, 71, 72 or 78. Also, channel 16 is

where you transmit a call if you are in distress.

“Mayday” is reserved for immediate danger to life or the vessel.

If you are not in immediate danger, then hail the Coast Guard or the

towing service that you are a member of, such as Vessel Assist.

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

o7www.boathousetv.comf7.