Plan Launched to Use Idle Scout Boats

During winter, the 45 boats that belong to the Orange County Sea Scouts sit idle at the docks in front of the Scout base in Newport Harbor. But Mickey Hunter, Scout director, wants to put those vessels to work by offering boating classes to all Orange County 8th graders.

The classes would make good use of a prime waterfront establishment that is a hotbed of nautical activity in summer, but little used during the winter off-season, according to Hunter.

“Just look around,” she says. “In winter, it’s empty here. We have this wonderful waterfront facility, but it’s not being fully used.”

That’s because at this time of year, all the Scouts are in school and cannot use the base--complete with classrooms, docks and boats--during weekdays.

The winter scene is a far cry from the summer frenzy when nearly 1,000 Orange County Scouts descend upon the base every day to take advantage of the sailing classes and other nautical activities that have been part of Newport Harbor life for more than 50 years.

“In summer, we operate at full capacity,” Hunter says. “We offer 13 classes and a day camp, but in winter . . . ,” Hunter shrugs and gestures toward the empty parking lot, the deserted docks.

“That’s why we’d like to be able to offer a program during the winter for 8th graders in all Orange County schools,” says Hunter, who has put together a proposal that she hopes to begin presenting to schools in January.

Hunter’s proposal is based upon plans originally made by former base director Andy Fitzpatrick, who died of cancer last August. “I’m trying to realize Andy’s dream,” says Hunter, a former Scout volunteer who was appointed base director in October.

That dream calls for a weeklong program that would take groups of 8th graders through a one-week camp on the Scout-owned, 68-foot tall ship Argus. “We currently use the Argus as a summer sailing camp and for weekend all-season sails,” Hunter says. “We would like to share the experience of sailing on a tall ship with all Orange County 8th-graders.”

Hunter is currently attempting to recruit volunteers to help write and produce a booklet outlining such a program so that she can make presentations to individual schools. “I also hope to find someone who can help us produce a video on the Argus that we could show them,” she says. “I know that teachers could build lessons around a program such as this very easily.”

The program would include classroom instruction on sailing, simple charting, knot-tying and geography, and would culminate in a day sail on the Argus that would allow students to use the skills they learned in class.

The second part of Hunter’s proposal calls for weeklong, half-day classes in sailing or canoeing in Scout-owned boats. “We have the equipment--Lido 14s, canoes, chase boats, life jackets and classrooms,” Hunter says. “And we have the ideal location. We also have instructors who are experienced in teaching this age group.”

In fact, Orange County Sea Scouts have been involved in teaching young sailors since the mid-1920s when the first county Sea Scouting program was organized. In 1937, a group of Scouts, eager to acquire a waterfront location, successfully negotiated to lease the current site at 1931 W. Coast Highway (near the Balboa Bay Club) from the county. Beginning with an unfenced dirt lot, volunteers built fire pits, an outhouse and a wooden signal tower with a sweeping view of an almost bare Lido Isle.

Eventually, a one-room office (formerly a real estate office) was trucked in and dropped into place. Later, a surplus military mess hall was also trucked in, piece by piece. Over the years the Sea Scouts base grew as Orange County grew. The parking lot was paved, and professionally designed docks were added. The old one-room shack was demolished and the mess hall was remodeled.

Today, the Sea Scout base consists of offices, bunk rooms, classrooms, lockers, restrooms complete with showers, boat slips and a boat-repair area. Throughout the base’s 51-year history, the Scouts have been the recipients of a number of donated boats, including landing barges which had been used in World War II.

The current fleet of boats owned by the Scouts includes both power and sailboats ranging from 14-foot day sailers to the 68-foot Argus, a topsail ketch built in Denmark in 1908.

The Argus has become the Scouts’ best-known--and most visible--vessel. In addition to serving as a training ship and floating Scout camp, the Argus is also available for use by other county youth groups. Day cruises (with a maximum of 35 persons) cost $350; weekend cruises (maximum 20 persons) are $600. (All participants must be members of an organized youth group.) The ship is run by a Coast Guard-licensed skipper.

Nautical activities offered by the Scouts include sailing, cruising, racing, fishing, scuba diving, swimming, canoeing and rowing. Scouts come from all over Orange County and are organized into groups called “ships.” Membership is open to both boys and girls ages 8 to 21.

Over the years, many thousands of Orange County youngsters have gone through the program, with some of them going on to enjoy nautically related careers. “We have former Scouts who have gone to the Naval Academy, the California Maritime Academy and who have become well-known sailors,” Hunter says. “We even have a marine artist and a yacht designer.”

For more information about the Sea Scouts, call (714) 642-5031.

Winter Sailing: Looking for a last-minute Christmas gift? How about sailing lessons? Use of the boat is even included in the price.

Winter sailing classes, offered by the city of Newport Beach, begin Jan. 14 and include instruction for beginners and advanced sailors ages 9 and up.

For $31.50 you can enroll as a beginning sailor in weekend Sabot classes that cover all the basics, including knot-tying, rigging and sailing theory.

For the advanced sailor, classes in Lido 14s will cover informal racing, rules of the road and sailing with a jib. Cost is $35.

Catamaran classes in 16- and 18-foot boats are also offered to ages 12 and up. Or, you can try your hand at sail-boarding. There is no age requirement, but you must weigh at least 90 pounds. Cost for either class is $35.

Private sailing instruction is also available at $30 an hour. More information is available from the Newport Beach Parks, Beaches and Recreation Department at (714) 644-3151.

Boating Skills: A 10-week, boating-skills class offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary will begin Jan. 11 at the Newport Harbor Master’s Office at 1901 Bayside Drive in Newport Beach.

The class, entitled “Basic Skills and Seamanship,” will meet weekly from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The cost (for materials only) is $16. Information is available by calling (714) 675-9582.