Quenching the need for speed

Ahoy.

I notice the picture-perfect morning with lake-like conditions

waiting outside the jetty entrance as we pull away from the boat

launch ramp in Dana Point aboard a high performance, 35-foot Fountain

Lightning.

Last week, Sea Magazine sent me to Dana Point to write a boat test

article about the Fountain for their magazine. Boat tests are my

chance to put new boats through various performance tests and push

the boats to their limits while still coming back to the dock in one

piece.

My driver for the test was John Groom, the marketing manager for

Dick Simon Marine, who is experienced in operating high performance

boats. Since you can reach speeds of 100 mph or more, extra training

is required to operate a boat in this class. Now, before I receive a

flood of e-mails about my nautical nomenclature, the skipper is

referred to as the “driver,” and speed is measured in mph, not knots,

in the high-performance clique.

I thought I was being spoiled in new yachts cruising in the

20-knot range, but now the bar has been raised dramatically after

virtually flying across the water. Yes, you do sacrifice creature

comforts for speed and you have to stand up so you do not get hurt,

but what a ride.

The cruising speed for the stock 35-foot Fountain is 60 mph, and

we reached 94 mph at WOT (wide open throttle). I ran many

calculations in my head as we tested the boat, and I calculated that

it would be faster in this boat to Long Beach or San Diego than by

car. Interesting thought, since high speed ferries are already being

used round the world in San Francisco, New York, Long Beach, Catalina

and the soon-to-begin San Diego to Oceanside Ferry -- of course, not

running at 60 mph yet. Are you listening, Orange County

Transportation Authority?

This type of boating is not for the faint hearted, but a thrill

for those of you that have a need for speed.

Speaking of speed, I have been watching a new marina under

construction in Mexico where speed would be an ironic word. A new

marina is slowly being built at Puerto Salina -- north of Ensenada

and only about 33 nautical miles south of San Diego. The marina will

have 500 slips and will berth as many as 120-foot yachts. This is the

only harbor between San Diego and Ensenada and is about halfway

between the two cities.

The reason I mention this marina is that it will shorten the

distance I will have to go to deliver new yachts out of California to

wait the 90-day period to avoid paying California taxes.

I have mentioned in many of my columns that costly items like

boats and airplanes are relocated outside California, saving the

owner tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes.

If Gov. Gray Davis succeeds in raising the sales tax as he has

proposed, then I foresee an increase in offshore deliveries for

yachts and high-ticket items being purchased outside the state.

Realistically, an increase in California sales tax will be profitable

for our surrounding states and Mexico. Boats that can be trailered

will be moved to Arizona or Nevada, and larger boats will be moved to

the Pacific Northwest or Mexico.

Let’s do the math. Presently, a million-dollar boat sold in Orange

County pays $77,500 in sales tax and about $11,000 annually in

personal property tax, equaling $88,500 for the first year. The

governor’s new plan will add another $10,000 in taxes increasing the

total to $98,500 that you would pay for the privilege of buying a new

yacht.

So what would you do if you could save just under $100,000 in

taxes, plus no annual personal property tax of $11,000? If the marina

developers are watching our state capital, then I expect to see a

little more speed in building the marina.

The announcement of the week is that West Marine has bought all of

BoatU.S.’ retail store operations and will partner with other

BoatU.S. services. BoatU.S. has also opened a store a mile from the

West Marine store in Newport Beach. More next week.

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 visit

BoathouseTV.com.