The Harbor Report: Plenty of highlights this year
It’s that time of year again when I start taking the covers off my Christmas Reyn Spooner collection and preparing the house and boat for the fast approaching holidays. By now I would hope you all know that means: it is time for my review of the best of 2016 on our harbor.
Earlier this month I attended the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club awards banquet and as always my heart always goes out to the junior members winning awards for the first time. There is always a fresh glimmer in their eyes, with a very small amount of apprehension coming from their smiles, as they hurry back to the table to receive praise from their parents. It is one of those feel-good moments that is pure to our sport of yachting.
I have to give a well done to BCYC Sailing Director Cameron MacLaren, his presentation was one of the best I have ever attended. With each junior award came a heartfelt story of the recipient’s achievements.
This year’s winners were: Morgan Burton taking home the Rowland Perpetual for most improvement in sailing for the year.
Chris O’ Rourke came up on stage with one of the brightest smiles I had ever seen to accept the Steven Winner Perpetual for the most selfless junior.
Jake Johansson won the award I wish I had won as a junior: The Jon Pinckney Award for the most outstanding racing record.
Laurel Foster rolled into the Montgomery Perpetual for outstanding crew member in a CFJ while the one and only Max Mayol stood next to the Byrne Perpetual trophy as the outstanding CFJ skipper of the year.
Cameron Wood won the Grand Poobah for junior sailors awards and had his photo taken next to the BCYC Junior Yachtsman of the year award trophy.
With all the smiles flashing around the room brighter than the photographers flashes it was time for the big kids to take home their pickle dishes. First up was Mark Gaudio taking home the James Berkshire for obtaining the Lido 14 Fleet One Championships.
My good friend Dan Rossen won the Racing Member Crew Hi-Point and also the First BCYC member with the best corrected time to Ensenada.
I was fortunate to have my photo taken next to the Gaudio Family One Design trophy for sailing Harbor 20s and the Directors of 1983 for winning the Puerto Vallarta aboard Horizon.
The big award at Bahia Corinthian is the Elmer Carvey Memorial — until 1982 the Balboa Bay Club Yachtsman of the Year — awarded to the yachtsman who most contributed to the organized yachting community. Past winners have been Cooper Johnson, Jim Emmi, Ted Kerr, Hobie Deny, Lorin Weiss and Peter Haynes. The list reads on and on and includes Newport’s best yachtsmen. This year’s recipient was my good friend, Jerry Moulton, for all his race committee work this season.
There was another moment that stood out and grabbed me this year. Rhonda Tolar has done more for yachting than anyone else I have met over the last 10 years. She created Taco Tuesdays, which has become one of the best attended sailing series of the year. She has spent endless hours working with the BCYC anglers group and raised more money for BCYC sailors than anyone has ever done in the past. Tolar was overwhelmed with emotion when she received this year’s BCYC Woman of the Year award.
I feel it’s time to start the Newport Beach Yachtsperson of the Year award and bring back the Daily Pilot’s Harbor Hall of Fame. I recall past winners included Chuck Avery, David Fraser, Chuck Ullman, Bill Ficker, Dave Ullman and the list went on.
If it were up to me I would add the name Rhonda Tolar. She is making a difference on the harbor and there is no better recipient.
Check out this tour
Remember that Dec. 10 at 9 a.m. the Harbor Commission will be taking other civic leaders and interested members of the public on a two-hour harbor tour aboard one of Balboa Island car ferries.
Topics will include Current Harbor Commission Objectives, Derelict Vessels, Fixed Marker Replacement, RGP 54 Implementation, SUP Safety, Alternative Anchorages, Central Ave. Pier, Charter Fleet Vision 2020, Mariners Mile Redevelopment, Speed Limit, Lower Castaways, Launch Ramps, Cruising Guide, Fishing on Public Piers and Anti-fouling Bottom Paints.
Everyone is welcome, capacity on the ferry is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The meeting will take place at 8:30 a.m. in the conference room of the Harbor Department at 1901 Bayside Drive, Corona del Mar.
Attending this meeting reminds me of voting and you have to vote to count.
Boat name of the week: Happy Time.
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LEN BOSE is an experienced boater, yacht broker and boating columnist for the Daily Pilot.