Newport Harbor help

[rfrye1]

Planning a trip up the coast for a few days in sept. Someone told me not many guest berths in Newport. I was looking at THE LOG's S.Calif harbor pullout and Newport shows 4 or 5 marinas with guest berths. Does anyone have better knowledge? Or some guidence which has better amentities for the admiral? I'm needing 37' and 6'6" draft.

Thanks. Bob

 

[windward54]

There are I think 5 guest slips in Newport Beach on a first come first serve basis. Last time I pulled in, it was $1 a foot per night, and they are right next to the Harbor Patrol Office. The only problem is that they get used a LOT!

However, the best kept secret on the West Coast is that there are a ton of moorings available in Newport Harbor and at a grand total of $5 per night regardless of the size of your boat. Best part, according to the Harbor Patrol, they have never run out of moorings even on Holiday weekends. The Harbor Patrol is great in helping get you situated. Only two things to remember about Newport Beach:

1. The moorings are set up with two cans, bow and stern. So bring two long lines to use. I usually grab the can on the bow with a boat hook and pull it up, pass a line through the eye on the can, cleat off on either side of the bow using both bow cleats, back up to the aft can and repeat. You can then adjust your position to the middle between the cans.

2. There are no shoreboats so you need a dingy to get to shore. The only dock is next to the guest slips, behind the pumpout station. A couple of the restaurants have a guest dock that you can tie up to if you are dining there.

Great place to people watch. The harbor patrol is the copper-roofed building on your starboard side about a mile in from the entrance. Just pull up to the long dock and go in. Bring a copy of you doc papers or registration and a photo ID.

 

[timvg]

We go to Newport often and use the mooring buoys. (Just did last weekend.) We have found a easy way to pick them up, after doing it the hard way for many years.

1. Many of the buoys have a "spreader line" that attaches the front bouy to the rear bouy. They usually have small floats attached throughout the line, so the line floats

2. We approach from the downwind side of the morrings (most of the time you will be approaching the buoy on your port side) and use a boat hook to pick up the line near the front buoy.

3.Since the line will usually have a lot of growth on it, don't try to attach it to your boat, but rather attach a dock line to your bow cleat and run it once around the line and back to the cleat.

4. After a bit of boat manuevering, repeat the process at your stern cleat.

5. Once everything is settled, you can then get in your dinghy and attach bow and stern lines from the actuall moorings to your boat.

6. Leaving is easy. Just reverse the above.

7. if you get to a set of moorings that doesn't have a line running between them, just call the harbor office and they'll direct you to an alternate one.

 

[timvg]

More Newport:

We have a dog, so we need a dock close by for the many walks. there are a number of public dinghy docks scattered throughout the harbor. 3 of them are on Balboa Island, which are good for shopping. but not for dog walking. There's a public dock right in the middle of the "fun zone". My dog likes that one !!

 

[windward54]

Boy, you are lucky!! We've never gotten a mooring with lines attached. Just moorings heavily encrusted with Brown Pelican poop. Sometimes it is so thick the center won't lift and you can't read the numbers.

 

[timvg]

It only took us 5 years to figure this out, LOL. I always try to get an outside location, so I have plenty of time to swing the wrong way while doing the pick-up dance. But since we started using the lines, it's actually become almost civilized.

Went down last weekend for our anniversary. My wife likes Villa Nova Restaurant and they have a dock, so she requested the trip.

 

[windward54]

Well, we may end up going to Newport for the Labor Day weekend. We'll have to convince Rick to join us so we can do a H40.5 rendezvous. I make a very mean Mai Tai...

 

[Rick D]

Leaning That Way...

Well, we may end up going to Newport for the Labor Day weekend. We'll have to convince Rick to join us so we can do a H40.5 rendezvous. I make a very mean Mai Tai...

Ok, Ok, I am leaning that way and will get my bu** in gear to tie it up. If so, I'll be at BCYC. Rick D.

 

[windward54]

Ok, Ok, I am leaning that way and will get my bu** in gear to tie it up. If so, I'll be at BCYC. Rick D.

I hear Catalina is going to be packed, even Cat Harbor...

 

[timvg]

Heading up to MDR over Labor Day W-end. Our yacht club is having a cruise and since we're the hosts, we'll be there.

 

[windward54]

Rick, looks like you are off the hook. We're still planning a Newport run though! Dana Point is open at their guest docks, but that is just a wee bit too far for a weekend trip. We usually like to break up the return with a shot over to Avalon. And Catalina is still looking like it will be packed.