THE HARBOR COLUMN:Challenging weather this weekend

Ahoy.

I am doing my best to predict the weather for next week’s Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce Christmas Boat Parade, and so far the weather looks good. I do not see any rain during the parade, but it will be chilly, so dress very warm. We do have a slight chance of rain for this Sunday, and then the skies will be partly cloudy throughout next week.

This weekend’s conditions on the ocean are going to change from our current flat swell to small-craft warnings. Today, the seas will start building from westerly 3- to 5-foot swells to 5 to 7 feet. Then Saturday the seas might be at 7 to 9 feet — ouch — with a wind chop on top. Sunday will remain the same as Saturday with 6- to 8-foot swells, and all days have a chance of rain on the ocean depending where you are sailing between the U.S.-Mexico border and Point Conception. So watch the swell and wind conditions if you are planning to venture outside the line of demarcation and into the Pacific this weekend.

However, this weekend should be the time for all boaters to finish final preparations for the boat parade.

Remember, safety first, so check your lifejackets, ring buoy, fire extinguishers and first aid kit. Then check your engines and the engine compartment that the fluids and fuel are topped off, test your bilge pumps, make sure the bilge is free of oil, and check your running lights. Do you have flashlights with charged batteries aboard?

Then double check that your vessel’s decorations and electrical cords are safely and properly deployed on your boat. I have been zapped many times because of poor installation of the extension cords, especially when we reach dew point or it rains. As the boat owner, it is your duty make sure that you have good visibility without any decorations blocking your view and that the extra lighting will not blind you — test the Christmas lights at night before the start of the parade.

Have a couple of copies of the parade route with times aboard your boat, and remember the inland rules of the road are in effect during the parade. Let’s all be safe out on the water for the five nights of the parade, and be courteous to your fellow boater. It is a Christmas boat parade in the spirit of giving and kindness.

The tip of the week is for everyone who is entered in the 98th Annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade to fill out and send in the fact sheet aboard your boat. The sheet is available online at www.christmasboatparade.com. Just click on the “Entering” menu button, then on the entry form.

As the official voice of the parade, I need this information to talk about your boat when you cruise past. I do have a few special guests to help announce at the new home of the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum at the Balboa Fun Zone.

On Wednesday night, the start of the parade, I will be joined by Dave Geoffroy who is the executive director of the Southern California Marine Assn. Thursday night, Ray Tsuneyoshi, director of California’s Department of Boating and Waterways, will be here from Sacramento, and he will help announce the boats. Lastly for Friday night, confirmed before my column’s deadline, is special guest Rags Laragione who is the president of the Maritime Institute.

I do have a special announcement that I was able to confirm before the deadline for this column. There is a possibility that I will be able to do a live remote radio broadcast during the parade on a 50,000-watt radio station that covers Los Angeles and Orange counties. This could bring live coverage of the parade to those who cannot attend, and especially to those floating out in the parade. Chandler Bell, my show manager, is working on the details, and all I can say is stay tuned.

Remember to tune in to the No. 1 boating talk radio show in the nation every Saturday at noon. “Capt. Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show” is on KCBQ-AM (1170) and can be heard online at www.boathouseradio.com.

Safe voyages.