Report — Abandoned and Derelict Vessels
I hope the following information, reflecting our efforts on abandoned and derelict vessels in Newport Harbor, is helpful.
Since I assumed my role as Harbormaster, the City has taken decisive action to remove numerous abandoned or voluntarily surrendered vessels from Newport Harbor. These removals are vital for safety, navigation, and environmental protection. However, the process to secure legal authority for the removal and destruction of a privately owned vessel is necessarily lengthy and complex. To protect the City’s interests, we strictly adhere to all established legal procedures. In one recent example, the process required over two years, the formal arrest of a vessel, the engagement of outside maritime legal counsel, and two Federal Court actions.
Here’s a summary of all the abandoned or surrendered boats removed from Newport Harbor since I became Harbormaster:
Although the removal numbers demonstrate that we have made meaningful progress—often at significant cost to taxpayers—we continue to see vessels enter Newport Harbor that are likely to be abandoned or surrendered in the future. The good news is that Newport Beach has the laws and resources in place to address these situations before they become major hazards. By contrast, I recently observed six sunken vessels left languishing on the breakwater at the entrance to San Diego Harbor, where the lack of adequate legal tools and resources has allowed serious safety and water-quality risks to persist and worsen.
The Harbor Department has effectively leveraged the State of California’s Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) Grant to remove unsafe, unsightly, and environmentally hazardous vessels from Newport Harbor. In each of the last two grant cycles, the City received $175,000 and fully expended those funds.
Based on this strong performance, the Department was encouraged to apply for $250,000 in the upcoming grant cycle. However, statewide budget reductions reduced the overall SAVE program allocation to $1 million and capped individual awards at 10 percent of that total. As a result, the City received the maximum available award of $100,000 for the grant cycle beginning January 1, 2026, and running through September 30, 2027.
At present, six known abandoned vessels require destruction at a cost exceeding $100,000, which will fully consume the grant funds at the outset of the cycle. Accordingly, through the City’s Program Enhancement Request process, I have requested $150,000 in additional City funding specifically to address the shortfall for vessel destruction. If approved, these funds would become available on July 1, 2026.
Given the reduced availability of state funding and the ongoing need to protect public safety, navigation, and water quality in the harbor, supplemental City funding is essential to sustain this critical public-service program. Without it, vessels that are inevitably abandoned or surrendered may remain in the harbor longer than is acceptable, creating avoidable risks and environmental impacts. If the City’s funding request is not approved, or if demand increases significantly, I will continue to seek alternative funding sources to close any gaps.
I appreciate your interest in Newport Harbor’s health and safety.
Warm regards,
Paul Blank
Harbormaster
Harbor Department
City of Newport Beach
By Sandra Barrera, Orange County Register
Remember the waterfront mansion on Newport Beach’s Balboa Peninsula that generated international buzz with a YouTube video that spoofed Cali Swag District’s viral dance hit “Teach Me How to Dougie?”
The video for “Teach Me How to Duffy” helped sell the house for $35.008 million – about 22.2% less than the $44.995 million asking price when it hit the market in Oct. 2018.
Even so, the house, which sold on Aug. 28, set a record.
The sale is highest-priced home to ever sell in Newport Harbor, said Tim Smith of Coldwell Banker, the listing agent. The record previously was held by the home of actor Nicolas Cage, which sold in 2008 for $35 million.
But Smith expected as much.
The house was designed by Robert Sinclair, built by Patterson Custom Homes and finished by Blackband Design.
“The type of buyers that buy these (homes), and the buyer that bought this isn’t going to go through the five-year entitlement process and build a house,” he said. “They’d rather have something turn-key and they’re OK paying for it. That’s why we had more than one offer.”
The towering 14,000-square-foot, five-bedroom house presented as party central in the “Duffy” video stretches across three lots, with 90 feet of bay frontage. It boasts a theater, sauna, solar system with three Tesla batteries, 57-foot-long pool with underwater speakers and a private beach with a dock.
“You can park eight Duffies on the dock just for starters,” goes the song in a viral video that starred Smoove da General and Mr. Swag of Cali Swag District and a variety of young Instagram influencers, models and dancers.
Other highlights include a floating underlit staircase illuminated from above by a large skylight, 16-foot stone fireplace and 1,100-gallon aquarium.
There’s also a five-car garage with EV plug-ins.
“The job of the ‘Duffy’ film was to let everybody in real estate, especially, know about this house,” Smith said. “It did its job and because of that it gave us exposure that we never would have got.”
More than half of the showings, he added, were people from outside of the area and saw the film first.
Tara Foster Shapiro of Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty represented the buyer, whom she wouldn’t identify.
But she said, “Their interest in the house stemmed from their admiration in architect Rob Sinclair’s work. That is why we toured the property.”
Photo Credit: Tim Smith, Coldwell Banker
Visitors to Newport Beach today might know the coastal Southern California city from “The Real Housewives,” “The O.C.” and “Arrested Development,” all of which were set amid its rolling green hills and picture-perfect beaches. But I had come to Newport Beach to commune with the stars of Old Hollywood, who began staking their claim to this idyllic spot just one hour south of Los Angeles during the silent film era.
In the Golden Age of Hollywood, Newport Beach’s lure was not so much its land, dotted as it was with big-band ballrooms and smoke-filled cocktail bars. It was its water, and specifically the sprawling recreational harbor where the stars docked their yachts and sailboats.
Continue reading at The New York Times…
Photo Credit: Beth Coller/The New York Times
After taking over management of the moorings from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol last summer, Harbormaster Dennis Durgan provided a “Year in Review” summary for the Newport Beach Harbor Commission on Wednesday.
Commissioners asked a few questions and expressed support for the work the Harbormaster team has done over the past 15 months.
“I think your numbers speak for themselves,” Commissioner John Drayton said. “You’ve really done a fantastic job.”
Among many other reported statistics, between July 1, 2017, and June 30, the Harbormaster team has recorded 2,144 general assists, 962 wake or speed advisements, 662 mooring checks, 253 pier/dock/bridge issues (includes jumping, fishing, time limits, and gangway issues), and 19 emergency calls to either OCSD Harbor Patrol or NB police.
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