Ready for the parade

MIKE WHITEHEAD

Ahoy.

Next Wednesday is the start of the Newport Harbor Christmas Boat

Parade, and it will be the first time in decades that I will miss the

start -- or not? On Wednesday, I am skippering a private yacht from

Ensenada to Newport Harbor, and depending on the wait time for U.S.

Customs in San Diego, I plan to reach Newport at 6 p.m.

So, technically, I might not miss the parade when I cruise through

the harbor. The other nights, I will skipper in the parade aboard

different private yachts, except for Sunday, when I have my radio

show. This Sunday, Eric Hovland, the show’s roving reporter, will

call in with a special parade report.

Last Sunday, my radio crew and I were invited to view San Diego’s

Holiday Boat Parade with VIP viewing from the judge’s station at the

San Diego Maritime Museum. The night was gorgeous after the rainstorm

that day, and the crisp air felt like winter. The parade was very

nice, with courteous skippers following the boat ahead, and the boats

were very well decorated.

I have a few tips for boaters in Newport Harbor’s parade that I

have formulate from years as a professional captain, participating in

many parades on the West Coast.

Let’s start with guests’ safety. Before you leave the dock, tell

everyone where to find the lifejackets, fire extinguishers and

flashlights and make ready the ring buoy with a line attached to the

buoy. A common mistake is to decorate your ring buoy with a string of

lights -- no excuses regarding safety.

It also is important to guarantee that the skipper can see,

without the view blocked by guests, bright lights or decorations.

There are going to be hundreds of boats on the water performing

impromptu close-quarter maneuvering, and you should keep in mind that

most boaters are not accustomed to cruising at nighttime, not to

mention in such crowded situations. Also, the parade route will take

many boaters to unfamiliar areas of the harbor, so follow the parade.

If the skipper’s view is restricted, prudent seamanship dictates

that someone should be posted as a lookout in those blind areas,

whether on the bow, side or the stern. Do not hesitate to hail a

larger vessel, especially a charter vessel, to let the skipper know

that you are close on the starboard side, not certain of the larger

vessels intentions or to request passing (inland rules?). Remember,

whether it is a private yacht or a charter vessel, the larger the

vessel, the less maneuverability and the less visibility for the

skipper.

Every boat must follow the flow of traffic, keeping the starboard

(right) side nearest to shore and passing oncoming vessels port to

port (left to left). Who are the idiots who always cruise up the

wrong side of the channel, causing chaos as oncoming boats have to

swerve out of the way? You are in no hurry to cruise around the

harbor, so travel slowly, and be very careful speeding up to close a

gap in the parade, as you are responsible for any damages caused by

your wake to the docks or other boaters. The speed limit is still 5

mph, or no wake or steerage during the parade.

Who knows what steerage means?

The parade officials will be monitoring VHF marine radio’s working

channel 68. However, for all emergencies, use only Channel 16 to hail

the Newport Harbor Patrol. Please do not interfere with Channel 16 by

chatting, playing music or constantly yelling Merry Christmas over

the airwaves, as you could hinder a real emergency radio call in the

harbor or out at sea, where I might still be cruising.

I wish everyone a safe parade, and I will have a parade update in

next Friday’s column.

This Sunday on the Boathouse Radio Show, Chandler Bell and I will

be in-studio from 4 to 5 p.m. on KCBQ-AM (1170) or over the Internet

at https://www.boat houseradio.com. Listeners can call in during the

show to (888) 344-1170 to join in on Southern California’s only

boating talk radio show reaching ports up the coast from San Diego to

Oxnard and out to Santa Catalina Island.

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.