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
Newport Beach has a handful of iconic attractions that have stood the test of time: The Newport Pier, which replaced the original McFadden Wharf (1888-1939) and is registered as a California Historical Landmark; the Balboa Pavilion, which opened on July 1, 1906 and is the city’s oldest standing building; and the Balboa Island Ferry, which went into service in 1919 to bring cars and passengers across 900 feet of water between Balboa Island and the Balboa Fun Zone.
Michele Gile reports from Newport Beach with Seymour Beek, where many are celebrating that the beloved Balboa Island ferry’s fate is no longer in jeopardy after receiving a $7.9 million grant to convert from diesel to zero-emissions operations by 2025.
The 8th Annual Newport Beach Wooden Boat Festival will return to the Balboa Yacht Club, June 7 – 8, 2024 with more than 40 wooden vessels of all sizes on display, and a collection of master artisans and craftsmen at work.
This year’s festival theme is “The Art & Craft of the Wooden Boat” in celebration of the creative artistry, intricate craftsmanship, and timeless beauty of wooden boats.
“Event guests will be able to immerse themselves in the centuries-old artform of wooden boat building, and the fine woodworking and artistic details that adorn the boats,” said event chair Stephen Paljieg. “This year’s event will be bigger and better than ever. Its theme captures the essence of the passion and artistry behind these magnificent, one-of-a-kind watercrafts and the inclusion of the master craftsmen who build and keep them in ‘Bristol condition’ takes it to a whole new level of experience.”
Welcome to a New Year which takes me back to The Who song, “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” whose message is summarized in the last line, “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss” and its meaning is “nothing changes and so don’t get fooled again.” Which is a very confusing way to report on what’s going on in the harbor this first month of 2024. So let me backtrack before throwing a few soft punches.
I ended last week by walking through Basin Shipyard and took a moment to talk to owners Dereck and Dave New. As always this time of year, the yard is packed with Dave reporting that they are two months out. So, if you own a boat with outboards or Pod drives, you better call now and book your annual maintenance to be ready for the spring/summer boating season. The yard was full of new Tiara products, but I’m sure there were many other makes of yachts in the yard, yet the pretty ones always grab my attention first.
Q: From a distance it seemed like a quiet year, no oil spills, tsunamis, down aircraft. So what did I miss?
A: There were a couple of severe weather (wind and rain) events this year. We revived the technology we use to notify mooring permittees of approaching weather and urge them to verify their mooring equipment and lines to ensure all are secure. You may recall, there was considerable attention and communication in anticipation of Hurricane Hilary arriving in August. One other of the severe weather events was a strong Santa Ana which stresses the mooring equipment from a different direction than usual, so we have significant concern about boats staying in place when faced with unusual conditions. All in all, things were fine and we greatly appreciated everyone’s preparedness in the face of these severe events.
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