Had a nice birthday dinner cruise in Newport Harbor, CA

Calif. Ted · Mar 2, 2009

I used to tie up at the museum when they were in the "Robert E. Lee Restaurant that looks like a sternwheeler" they have purchased and are now located at the Balboa Pavilion so you might see if there's a place to tie up there. There's a restaurant there, but I've not tried it.
Sometimes the fuel docks will let you tie up if you ask them nice and get the dink tucked up out of their way.
I've also gone over to the restaurant in backbay by the launch ramp and ignored the "private dock" signs to eat breakfast. If you pull up in a dink and smile and say "Hi" and look like you belong wherever, people pretty much let you go about your bussiness:dance:.
Besides it's sometimes better to beg forgiveness then ask permission.

Edited: Let me clarify, I do not trepass on property owned by individuals, however if there is a dock in front of a business I intend to patronise that's posted "for marina users and guests" I may be a "guest".

windward54 · Mar 2, 2009

You can tie up over behind the guest slips, next to the pumpout station. Only problem with it is the spot is right next to the Harbor Patrol office, away from most of the restaurants.

reserche · Mar 2, 2009

caguy said:
My wife put together a surprise party for me on the Hornblower, family and about a half dozen friends. It is a 130' floating restaurant. Met the Captain and crew, they stay mostly in the harbor but on occasion they are commissioned to go to other ports. They traveled to San Francisco a couple of years ago.
The best part of the trip is that it got the wife enthusiastic about sailing to Newport this summer and spending a couple of days. Its a beautiful harbor with lots to do. The only downside according to Novelman is getting from the moorings to land. He says that there are very few places to tie up for the restaurants and shops. I have a motorized 8-6 dink.
Does anyone have any ideas or tricks to make a two day stay more accommodating?

Still stuck in the MDR compound until the 30th.

Yes- I have an idea. Why not join Marina Venice Yacht Club - and get recipricol privledges at the yacht clubs down in Newport harbor.. you can tie up there, rather than moor!

Timo42 · Mar 3, 2009

Hi Frank, Happy Birthday. Sorry to hear that you are landlocked,:cussing: guvmint workers. Give me a call if you want to go out next weekend, may be racing Sat, but may go out Sunday.

r.oril · Mar 3, 2009

:dance:
Hey there Frank, Happy Birthday to a fellow Pisces. I turn 67 this year and hope to take the Mac 26D out soon. Lucky for me, my wife likes to sail at Pyramid Lake about 35 minutes from my home. Seniors get a discount and there is plenty of room sail around or drop the main and go fishing.
I am still hoping to find time to visit you guys at MDR and throw down some Margaritas at El Toritos. Bob and Joni

Rick D · Mar 3, 2009

Newport Beach Dink Ties

They used to allow only a half hour at the public docks but a couple of years ago they changed that to some four hours on the sides and back. The public docks are the blue ones on the peninsula, island and shoreside. The fishermen get testy sometimes, but it's worth it. Newport isn't the most boating-friendly place for visitors, but it's worth the effort.

Paul Cossman · Mar 3, 2009

Hi Frank,
We have often anchored and used the moorings in Newport Harbor. Our boat is in a slip directly next to the Villa Nova, and we often will go out and anchor overnight for a sanity break while working on the boat.

One of the problems with the guest slips next to the USCG and Harbor Patrol is that they are at the bottom of the channel, and the W or NW wind blows into them and it can occasionally be a bit rough in there.

We prefer to use the anchorage, which is at the SE end of Lido Isle, between Lido Isle, Bay Island, and the Penninsula. You are permitted to remain there for one week. Not that the moorings are expensive, but the anchorage is free. The real benefit to the anchorage is that you and pretty much equidistant from everything--dinging to the back bay, a short hop to Balboa Island or the Penninsula fun zone, or a short hop upchannel to the restaurants up by the Cannery, several of which have docks. We've never had a problem typing up our dingy to the sides or backs of the blue public docks for any length of time at all. (I would recommend locking your dingy as I have spoken with people whose dingys have gone missing).

If you want to take the big boat to a restaurant, there are guest docks at Woody's Wharf, the Cannery, and the Blue Water Grill, all in the area at the NW side of Lido Isle. There are also guest docks at the Villa Nova, up all the way at the turning basin. All of the restaurants are accommodating about letting you stay on board and enjoy cocktails, etc., if you eat there.