COLUMN:Watch boat speeds, even during races

Ahoy.

The ocean predictions look favorable for boating and fishing this weekend on the high seas. However, the swells will be coming from the southwest. Especially this time of the year, you need to watch for fog in the mornings and late afternoons. I predict the swells will start building Sunday with Monday seas potentially rising to five feet.

However, Newport Harbor will be great for a boat cruise or sailing around the bay, as the afternoon winds will be blowing 10 to 15 knots. That equates to 11.5 to 17.25 mph for the landlubbers.

Remember that one knot — or technically one nautical mile — equals 1.15 statue miles. One minute of latitude is one nautical mile, and yes the term knots derived from the ancient method of counting the number of knots in a line that spooled out over the rail of the boat to determine the boat's speed.

While on the topic of speed, I did receive an e-mail from someone asking about the speed limit inside Newport Harbor. The e-mailer was inquiring whether the sailboat races inside the harbor have to abide by the prescribed speed limit. Every boater, while underway inside the line of demarcation, must keep their speed to no greater than 5 mph, or no wake, whichever is less.

So, technically, the sailboat races with the larger boats on a windy day must follow the law. The Harbor Patrol might look the other way if the racers are sailing safely and courteously.

However, you can legally go faster than the speed limit to maintain steerage in very bad weather conditions. More about this in a future column.

Sad news of the week is the loss of a friend and also a fellow Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce Commodore Marion Halfacre.

Just last week, we just had a group photo shot of the Commodores and that photo captured Marion's beaming personality for eternity. He always had a smile with a positive attitude, and Marion will be missed in the community. I wish the best for his family.

Every Saturday tune in to the No. 1 boating radio talk show in the nation, "Capt. Mike Whitehead's Boathouse Radio Show" every Saturday from noon to 1 p.m. on KLAA 830 AM that is Southern California's 50,000-watt giant.

Safe voyages,

Mike Whitehead, Capt.