Time flies when you’re having fun!
It’s hard to believe that yesterday was the opening day of the Lido Boat Show (lidoyachtexpo.com).
Earlier in the week I was able to cruise through the early boat arrivals before the majority of dock fingers and yachts were placed.
I feel at home when I’m working on Sun Dance at Ardell Marina and an almost family-like attitude to the crew in the brokerage office. In the 40s and 50s of the previous century, my grandfather owned half the parcel and across the street. The bay side was a sportfishing landing and across the street he stored a small portion of his heavy construction equipment and repair yard.
When my Dad turned 18 years old he became the youngest nationally licensed captain and piloted a sportfisher at the landing. In his early 20s he was needed, and became the General Manager.
Around 1959 my grandfather sold the property to Arnold Haskell who obtained the neighboring property to form 700 feet of prime bay front property for Ardell Yacht and Ship Brokerage and the Stuft Shirt Restaurant.
The brokerage evolved into a worldwide, world class yacht service company. The restaurant became several other names and is now a premier ladies fashion company.
I’m taking the long way around to come to mention Ardell broker, Tom Corkett, who has a Legacy 32 at the Lido Boat Show.
This upper end yacht is constructed in the state-of-the-art premier manner of elite yachts. The yacht appears in better than new condition and Tom, like all the brokers at Ardell, has a wealth of knowledge and experience. His family has been yachting in Newport Harbor since the early days. Tom will be at the show to explain the quality features the builder showcases.
This weekend is another one of the long-running regattas at Newport Harbor Yacht Club, namely, the Ahmanson Cup.
Howard Ahmanson was creator and chairman of Home Savings and Loan. While he lived and worked in the L.A. area, he had a very large weekend home on Harbor Island and raced out of Newport Harbor Yacht Club.
His classic wooden 10-meter sloop, Serius, was campaigned regularly. When another sloop seemed to gobble up the trophies, he purchased the larger sloop and named her Serius II. Both yachts were available for inspection annually on opening day at the Club and I remember going aboard as a child.
Later, following his passing, I raced snowbirds against his son, Howard Jr., at NHYC. His son has evolved into a prominate local family man and anonymously donates vast sums to local charities. Thanks for your local support and generosity Howard!
Sea Ya,
Skipper Steve
