What’s afloat

* WHAT’S AFLOAT is published periodically in the Daily Pilot. If you

are planning a nautical event, submit the information to the Daily Pilot,

330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627; by fax to (949) 646-4170; or by

e-mail to o7 [email protected] .

SAILING CLASSES

A noncredit, nine-week course on traditional marlinespike seamanship

will be offered from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, beginning Oct. 17 and

continuing through Dec. 12, by Orange Coast College’s School of Sailing

and Seamanship at OCC’s Sailing Center, 1801 W. Pacific Coast Highway,

Newport Beach. $79. (949) 645-9412.

Orange Coast College’s School of Sailing and Seamanship will present a

nine-week marine diesel maintenance course from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays

through Nov. 15 at OCC’s Sailing Center, 1801 W. Coast Highway, Newport

Beach. $79. (949) 645-9412.

A noncredit, intermediate shields sailing course will be offered on

five consecutive Saturdays, beginning at 1:15 p.m. Saturday, by Orange

Coast College’s School of Sailing and Seamanship at OCC’s Sailing Center,

1801 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach. $115. (949) 645-9412.

Orange Coast College’s School of Sailing and Seamanship will present a

noncredit, six-week rigging and sail repair course from 7 to 9 p.m.

Mondays, beginning Oct. 16 and continuing through Nov. 20, at OCC’s

Sailing Center, 1801 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach. $79. (949)

645-9412.

An intensive, live-aboard course for sailors, “Power Yacht Operation

and Management,” will be offered Oct. 18 to 22 aboard Orange Coast

College’s 70-foot power yacht Wide Waters. Participants will meet at

OCC’s Sailing Center, 1801 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach. $1,495. (949)

645-9412.

Learn to sail or windsurf at Resort Water Sports. Windsurfers and

14-foot sailboats may be rented for $15 per hour. (949) 729-1150.

Sailboat rentals and private lessons are available at Marina Sailing

in the Balboa Fun Zone. Advanced classes include navigation, big boat,

powerboat, introduction to heavy weather and first-mate instruction.

(949) 673-7763; the Blue Dolphin Sailing Club, (949) 644-2525; or Lido

Sailing Club, (949) 675-0827.

BOAT RENTALS

Balboa Boat Rentals can put you on the water in many ways, with single

and double kayaks, electric boats, 14-holder sailboats, pedal boats and

runabouts for offshore use or cruising the bay. (949) 673-7200.

Electric boat rentals are available by the hour at Duffy Electric

Boats, 2001 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach. All boats are equipped with

window enclosures and compact disc players. Ice and cups are provided.

Reservations are suggested. An hour rental is $60. (949) 645-6812.

Sail airborne outside the harbor, pulled by a motorboat at Balboa

Para-sailing near the Balboa Fun Zone. A 90-minute trip is $45. (949)

673-1693.

A motorized lounge chair may be rented from Resort Water Sports at

Newport Dunes for $25 per hour. Pedal boats, electric boats, boogie

boards, kayaks, inflatable rafts, beach furniture and wetsuits also are

available. (949) 729-1150.

Party pontoons, chaparral runabouts and family pontoons may be rented

at Anchors Away Boat Rentals in the Balboa Fun Zone. (949) 673-3372.

Gondola tours are offered by the Gondola Co. of Newport, 3400 Via

Oporto, Suite 102-B. The $75 cost includes a basket of bread, cheese,

salami, ice, glasses, a blanket, music and a Polaroid picture. Wine also

is available. (949) 675-1212.

Gondola Adventures/Newport, 3101 W. Coast Highway, offers one- and

two-hour gondola cruises. A one-hour tour with champagne is $70. A

two-hour tour with dinner and champagne is $180. Pickup is available at

waterfront restaurants. (949) 675-4984.

Irvine Coast Charters in Lido Marina Village offers two-hour electric

boat cruises with a gourmet dinner. $180 for two people. (949) 675-4704.

Zip through the water on a sea motorcycle known as a Sea-Doo at Walk

on Water, next to the ferry on Balboa Island. $65 per hour for a single-

or double-seater, and $75 per hour for a three-seater. (949) 675-6800.

Streamline center-console fishing boats may be rented at Balboa Boat

Rentals on Balboa Peninsula. The boats, equipped with live bait tanks,

fish-finders and VHF radio, are available by the hour and half-day rates

at $170; full-day rates are $240. U-Drive offshore boats equipped with

VHF radios also may be rented by the hour, half-day or full day. Rates

range from $40 per hour to $195 for the day. (949) 673-7200.

CRUISES

Orange Coast College’s School of Sailing and Seamanship has scheduled

a cruise Wednesday through Sunday to the Northern Channel Islands aboard

its 65-foot sail training vessel Alaska Eagle. The boat will depart at 5

p.m. Wednesday from OCC’s Sailing Center, 1801 W. Coast Highway, Newport

Beach. (949) 645-9412.

The Newport Landing Belle is available for weddings and receptions,

cocktail and sightseeing cruises, and meetings at $250 an hour (minimum

two hours) and $150 for each additional hour. (949) 361-3640.

Fun Zone Boat Co. runs 45-minute cruise (adults $6; children $1) and a

90-minute cruise (adults $8; children $1), departing from the Balboa Fun

Zone every 30 minutes from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. A 60-minute showboat

sunset cruise leaves the Fun Zone at 7 p.m. daily. $6 for adults; $1 for

children. Private charters are available. (949) 673-0240.

Catalina Passenger Service runs 45-minute harbor cruises (adults $6;

children $1) and 90-minute cruises (adults $8; children $1), departing

from the Balboa Fun Zone every 30 minutes from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily

and on the hour until 7 p.m. (949) 673-5245.

Cruise the harbor aboard the Electra, a 100-foot Classic Fantail

vessel. Charters with catering are available for up to 145 people. (949)

723-1069.

Enjoy a three-course dinner and dancing while cruising the harbor.

Friday and Saturday night voyages depart at 7 p.m. at Hornblower Dining

Yachts, 2431 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach. $56.95 per person. Brunch

cruises also are available. (949) 631-2469.

The Catalina Flyer departs from the Balboa Pavilion at 9 a.m. daily

and returns from Catalina Island at 4:30 p.m. $36 round trip for adults;

$20 round trip for children. Reservations recommended. (949) 673-5245.

FISHING

Fishing classes leave Balboa Pavilion at 6 a.m. and return at 4 p.m.

Mondays and Tuesdays. $125. (949) 673-2810.

Get to the Newport Pier early to watch the dory fishing fleet return

with the fresh catch of the day. Fish are prepared for sale at McFadden

Square, an open-air market.

Fishing supplies and boat charters (open party and private) are

available at Newport Landing Sportfishing, 309 Palms, Suite F, Newport

Beach (949) 675-0550; Falco Fishing Charters, (714) 832-7708; and Davey’s

Locker, 400 Main St., Balboa, (949) 673-1434.

Day and night fishing charters are available for groups or singles at

Bongos Sportfishing on Balboa Peninsula. (949) 673-2810.

KAYAKING/CANOEING/SCUBA

Beginning sea kayaking, rolling clinics and private lessons are

offered at Paddle Power, 1500 W. Balboa Blvd., Balboa. Kayak and sea ski

rentals also are available. (949) 675-1215.

Two-hour kayak tours begin at 10 a.m. Sundays from Newport Dunes. $20

for adults; $15 for children. Kayak rentals and classes also are

available. (949) 729-1150.

Single kayak rentals ($10 per hour) and doubles ($15 per hour) are available at Balboa Boat Rentals in the Balboa Fun Zone. (949) 673-7200.

Paddle Power also provides kayak, surf ski and canoe rentals. (949)

675-1215.

Back Bay canoe tours are offered in Upper Newport Bay on Saturdays,

departing at 8:30 a.m. from Shellmaker Island. (949) 640-6746.

Newport Aquatic Center offers sweep rowing (one oar), sculling classes

(two oars) and canoe rentals. Classes run for four weeks and cost $75.

Introductory clinics also are available Saturdays and Sundays for $10.

(949) 646-7725.

Scuba training, consisting of six evening and two weekend day classes,

are offered at the Aquatic Center, 4537 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach.

$200 to $310. The center also offers scuba rentals, special trips,

repairs and air fills. (949) 650-5440.

Certification classes for beginning to instructor-level scuba divers

are available at Dive-in Scuba, 2482 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa. Other

services include boat charters, equipment sales, rentals and repairs.

(949) 631-9288.