More Than 70 Boats Competed in the 87th Annual Flight of Newport Beach on July 16

By Jim Collins – July 19, 2023

Source: Newport Beach Independent www.newportbeachindy.com/more-than-70-boats-competed-in-the-87th-annual-flight-of-newport-beach-on-july-16/


The 2023 Flight of Newport Beach / photo by Jim Collins

The 2023 Flight of Newport Beach / photo by Jim Collins

More than 70 boats competed in the 87th Annual Flight of Newport Beach, presented by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce with assistance from the Balboa Yacht Club.

Initially known as the Flight of the Snowbirds and later the Flight of the Lasers, the Flight of Newport had three different classes of boats racing to circumvent Newport Harbor.

The 2023 Flight of Newport / photo by Jim Collins

The 2023 Flight of Newport Beach / photo by Jim Collins

Among the winners: Lynn Acosta from Dana Point Yacht Club (Top Female), Leela McClain from Balboa Island Yacht Club (Top Youngest Girl), Tucker Strasser from Del Ray Yacht Club (Top Radial), Alden Morales from Balboa Island Yacht Club (Top Youngest Boy), Rod Turner and Ashley Turner from Newport Harbor Yacht Club (Top Parent/Child), Rich and Karen Luttrell from Balboa Yacht Club (Top Married Couple), and David Tingler from Lido Isle Yacht Club. For more information, visit https://flightofnewportbeach.com

The 2023 Flight of Newport / photo by Jim Collins

The 2023 Flight of Newport Beach / photo by Jim Collins


By Jim Collins – July 19, 2023

Source: Newport Beach Independent www.newportbeachindy.com/more-than-70-boats-competed-in-the-87th-annual-flight-of-newport-beach-on-july-16/

“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.” – Harbormaster Paul Blank

A heartfelt letter of thanks from Harbormaster Paul Blank. We proudly share this with our supporters and audience.

Newport Beach International Boat Show is proud to announce that it has been named the #1 Boat Show in the United States by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 2025. Full official announcement from USA Today 10 BEST was released on May 7th, 2025.