THE HARBOR COLUMN: Ongoing mooring debate pointless

Dave Kiff, assistant city manager for Newport Beach, gave a good and factual talk at Speak Up Newport’s latest meeting that focused on the grand jury’s report: “Newport Harbor Moorings: Are They Held in the Public Trust or for Private Profit?”

Why the grand jury decided to make an issue out of the moorings in Newport Harbor is still a mystery. It looks like someone is upset most mooring permit holders sell their spots, therefore bypassing the waiting list. Just be glad that Newport’s mooring prices are not as high as Avalon’s, which sell for more than $100,000. You can read the report online at www.ocgrandjury.org/pdfs/newportharbormoorings.pdf.

However, I am looking forward to attending the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum’s press conference next Wednesday when Roy E. Disney, an avid sailor, will present the museum with the Transpac Elapsed Time Trophy. The 4 1/2 -foot trophy will be on loan to the museum.

I interviewed Disney for my TV show some years ago, and believe me when I say he is very knowledgeable about sailboat racing. It is an honor for the museum to be selected as the stewards for this award and another feather in the cap for the Newport Harbor.

Tip of the week is for those who want to see the big boats, and by big I am referring to super yachts. YachtFest is underway in San Diego at the Shelter Island Marina this weekend, and bring your checkbook; the smallest yacht on display is a 50-foot Sunseeker, going for only $1.3 million.

You can take the 142-foot Richmond boat home for only $25 million, and it has 10 heads, six guest cabins, and an additional four cabins for crew. If you decide to buy this boat then add on $1,937,500 in sales tax, plus $250,000 a year for property tax. You can go to www.yachtfest.com for tickets, prices and to view the yachts online.

Remember to tune in every Saturday at 11:00 am to the No. 1 boating radio talk show in the nation, Capt. Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show, on AM 830, with 50,000 watts broadcasting from our studios.