City Celebrates Opening of New Public Dock and New Electric Patrol Vessel

By Newport Indy Staff – September 15, 2024

Source: Newport Beach Independent https://www.newportbeachindy.com/city-celebrates-opening-of-new-public-dock-and-new-electric-patrol-vessel/


The City of Newport Beach celebrated two significant milestones in Newport Harbor on Wednesday, August 27: opening a new public dock and welcoming the first electric patrol vessel in the Harbor Department fleet.

The new VITA Seal electric boat is also the first all-electric work vessel delivered to any public agency in the United States.

Newport Beach elected officials and harbor commissioners performed a ceremonial ribbon cutting on the 29th Street Public Pier, at 29th Street and Lafayette Avenue, before christening the new electric vessel.

The 29th Street pier brings the total number of public piers in Newport Harbor to 15, following the dedication of the Balboa Marina Public Pier in March. Use of the pier is free for up to three hours during the day.

The 29thStreet dock, near the terminus of the Rhine Channel, can accommodate up to four 20-ft. boats or two larger vessels. It is part of an ongoing expansion of publicly accessible docks, owned and managed by the City, to provide greater access to boaters.

The new electric boat can be utilized throughout a typical 10-hour shift for the Harbor Department without the need to recharge. With a top speed of 30 knots, the boat will generally carry a crew of two staff members and can accommodate up to eight people. In addition, at Marina Park, the City is developing what will be the first publicly accessible vessel charging station in Southern California.

The 29th Street Pier was designed by Moffatt and Nichol and built by Swift Slip Dock and Pier Builders, with a construction cost of $262,000.

The cost of the electric vessel, $229,000, was funded by the City and partially offset by a Clean Off-Road Equipment (CORE) voucher from the State of California.


By Newport Indy Staff – September 15, 2024

Source: Newport Beach Independent https://www.newportbeachindy.com/city-celebrates-opening-of-new-public-dock-and-new-electric-patrol-vessel/

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Newport Harbor’s newest and largest public dock is now open for recreational boaters.

On Friday, March 29 I had the pleasure of joining Newport Beach City Council members along with officials from the County of Orange, the Irvine Company and State Assembly to celebrate the Balboa Marina Public Pier grand opening.

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.”