The Newport Beach Harbor Department is located in the Marina Park Community and Sailing Center located at 1600 West Balboa Blvd. on the peninsula. Paul Blank served on the Harbor Commission from 2012 – 2020, and became Harbormaster in 2021. Harbormaster Blank oversees a staff of 12 part time and 9 full time employees. There will be additional hiring of 2-3 part time employees before this summer. The Department is open 7 days a week from 8 am – 6 pm, but in the busy summer months can be open until 8 pm on Thursdays – Sundays. His team helps with educating the community and coordinating the use of the anchorages and mooring fields. Paul has the ability to adjust the schedule to accommodate various different marine checks. Lately the Harbor Department has been working in the evenings to make sure that rental customers as well as private owners have working navigational lights. During the day the Harbor Department can have as many as 4 boats on the water. In August the Department received The new VITA Seal electric boat which is the first all-electric work vessel delivered to any public agency in the United States.

Harbormaster Blank would like to be staffed 24 hours a day in the busy summer months so that the Department could have more coverage. That would mean hiring more staff. Presently if there is a call after hours (after 6 pm.), the call goes to an automated message which will direct the caller to the Sheriff’s Department.

If there is need for the NBPD or NBFD to get on the water, they go through the Harbor Department. They depend on the Harbor Department and staff to use their boats for any calls that may involve them.

The Harbor Department is a busy place, and the residents of Newport Beach are fortunate to have Harbormaster Blank and his staff ready to assist.

Contact information:

Harbormaster Blank: Ha**********@ne************.gov

Newport Beach Harbor Department: 949-270-8159
Channel 17 on VHF
Newport Beach Harbor Department website https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/harbor