A great base

Ahoy.

“Phenomenal that we are breaking ground for the new Sea Base,”

said retired Rear Admiral Dave Janes, who is the chairman of the Sea

Base’s executive committee. “We are nearing our financial goal and

looking for the remaining money to complete this project.”

Personally leading the charge for the committee’s 2010 vision,

Dave is dedicated to having a state-of-the-art maritime facility in

Newport Harbor. Thousands of lives have been touched by the Sea Base,

which now is in need of a face lift and interior renovation, so it is

the perfect time to focus the effort and see that the vision

materializes.

The Orange County Council of the Boy Scouts of America manages the

Newport Base Sea, but that is misleading as to who can use the base

and the diversity of programs offered year-round. Open to boys and

girls -- whether or not a Boy Scout -- the base offers sailing

classes in sabots up to racing sloops, programs with Department of

Fish and Game officials and the volunteer-operated water rake boat

cleaning the harbor (when I was chairman of the Newport Chamber of

Commerce’s Marine Committee, we donated the water rake).

Bill Mountford, a name synonymous for years with the Sea Base, is

now the hands-on contact person for this multimillion-dollar

renovation. Shifting duties, Bill will continue to manage the very

popular Argus topsail ketch sailing program, but the new director is

Catherine Malm, whose promotion came after the recent springtime

birth of her baby. Catherine will have a wonderful opportunity, with

the new facilities slated to be ready by next summer.

Sailing associations and sailing professionals have for years

complained about the lack of sailing facilities for the youth

throughout the country. I have attended meetings discussing the

future access for kids to sailing programs complemented by proper

education and respect for the sea. A goal of the Sea Base is to

provide access to the harbor, which parallels the primary function of

the California Coastal Commission. Another goal is to provide

affordable programs, and some programs are at no cost to the

participants.

The base reaches out to those who would otherwise never have the

chance to see the water.

A perfect example is a program during the Fourth of July week.

Newport Harbormaster Marty Kasules has for the past few years

organized an outreach program that provides a weeklong program for

underprivileged youth from the city of Stanton, which has a very

noticeable positive affect on those kid’s at the end of the program.

I have seen the significance of the Sea Base’s programs to our

community and the seamanship skills of those who attended the

programs. The Sea Base’s roots go back to the time when Newport

Harbor was not thought of as the world’s largest shallow draft harbor

with more than 9,000 boats.

The Sea Base has undergone a few renovations throughout the

decades, and I echo Jane’s feelings that this groundbreaking is

phenomenal. The estimated building cost today is $5.2 million, of

which approximately $4.2 million is in the bank. Keep in mind that

every penny has been donated, along with receiving actual building

items such as truck loads of sheet rock, air conditioning units, and

let’s not forget countless hours of volunteerism.

I was very excited to attend Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony, as

I mentioned in previous columns that I have been active on the Sea

Base Committee for just less than 10 years. Also, for the past few

years I have developed and am the webmaster of www.SeaBase.org. The

Web site receives hits from all over the world. I believe that having

a well-defined vision and thinking globally is what makes the Newport

Sea Base one of the finest teaching facilities for youth in the

world. I want to see the base remain a prominent fixture in the

harbor community, plus I have more of a personal connection. I met my

wife on a Lido 14 at the Sea Base when I was the sailing professor

for Cal State Fullerton and she was one of my students.

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.