Boat parades illuminate the final stretch of 2017

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — The calendar tells us we’re in 2018, and while this is a time of year when we generally look forward let’s spend a few moments looking back the many holiday boat parades held in December 2017.

It was a challenging time for some, what with the Thomas Fire forcing officials at Santa Barbara Harbor to put their holiday boat parade on hold. Boat parades in Ventura and Oxnard, however, went on despite a record-breaking blaze looming in the nearby hills.

Meanwhile boaters in Marina del Rey, Redondo Beach, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Dana Point, Oceanside and San Diego took to the waterways with the brightest of lights and most festive of decorations to celebrate the holidays.

Yacht clubs, port districts, private associations and others welcomed revelers in the days leading up to Christmas, as boat owners cruised local waterfronts aboard festively-decorated boats to commemorate the holiday season.

Participating boaters in these floating parades win recognition or even awards for their efforts in creating a winter wonderland on water. The names released for a handful of the 2017 boat parade champions are listed below. Congratulations to all the winners!

 

ORANGE COUNTY

 

Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade of Lights

Dana Point Boat Parade

Best Crew: less than 30 feet – Ship Faced

Best Crew: less than 30 feet runner up – Aqua Lounge

Best Crew 30+ feet – Club M Sea

Best Crew 30+ feet runner up – Hair of the Dog

Best Animation: less than 30 feet – Radical Sea Monkey

Best Animation: less than 30 feet runner up – San Clemente

Best Animation: 30+ feet – Good Times

Best Animation: 30+ feet Runner Up – Dana Pride

Best Use of Color: less than 30 feet – Hi-De-Ho

Best Use of Color: less than 30 feet runner up – Mer Sea

Best Use of Color: 30+ feet – Reel Fun

Best Use of Color: 30+ feet runner up – Alcyone

Best Use of Lights: less than 30 feet – Sparkling

Best Use of Lights: less than 30 feet runner up – Furlough Daze

Best Use of Lights: 30+ feet – Hair of the Dog

Best Use of Lights: 30+ feet runner up – Moist Obsession

Most Original: less than 30 feet – Jackie

Most Original: less than 30 feet runner up – No Name

Most Original: 30+ feet – Kona Fever

Most Original: 30+ feet runner up – Teaser

Best Theme: less than 30 feet –Doheny Doll

Best Theme: less than 30 feet runner up – Rider Pride

Best Theme: 30+ feet – Besame Mucho

Best Theme: 30+ feet runner up – Moist Obsession

Best Sailboat: less than 30 feet – Mer Sea

Best Sailboat: less than 30 feet runner up – Sonsy

Best Sailboat: 30+ feet – Besame Mucho

Best Sailboat: 30+ feet runner up – Alcyone

Best Powerboat: less than 30 feet – Doheny Doll

Best Powerboat: less than 30 feet runner up – No Name

Best Powerboat: 30+ feet – #108 Hair of the Dog

Best Powerboat: 30+ feet runner up – Teaser

 

Newport Beach Boat Parade and Ring of Lights

Newport Beach Boat Parade

Best Powerboat: El Navegante

Best Sailboat: Traveler

Best Boat, less than 30 feet: The Rose Maria

Best Lights: Hang Time (first place)

Best Lights: Charisma (second place)

Best Lights: On The Rocks (third place)

Humor and Originality: Sea Schooner (first place)

Humor and Originality: Seaswirl (second place)

Humor and Originality: #LightTheWorld (third place)

Animation & Special Effects: Quintena (first place)

Animation & Special Effects: Seas The Day (second place)

Animation & Special Effects: Two are Better than One (third place)

Best Music: Drummer Boy

Best First-Time Entry: Drummer Boy

Best Yacht Club Entry: Quintena

Yacht Club with Most Entries: Newport Harbor Yacht Club (4)

 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

 

Marina Del Rey Holiday Boat Parade

Marina del Rey Boat Parade

Best Overall: Senia Jade

Best Power: Blue Belle

Best Sail: Chekkers

Best Yacht Club: Boundless, California Yacht Club

Best Individual: Trinity (Perry Karidis)
First Place Theme: Reyna Del Mar

Second Place Theme:  High Note

First Place Music: Stiletto

Second Place Music: Blue Chips

First Place Spirit: Matt Walsh

Second Place Spirit: Invictus

First Place Band: Miss Meghan

Second Place Band: Makana II

First Place Lights: Valhalla

Second Place Lights: Weekend Hooker

First Place Animation: Plan B

Second Place Animation: Limited Liability

 

Naples Island 71st annual Boat Parade

Large Boat Parade Winners:

1st Place: Hilaria

2nd Place: Conquest

3rd Place: On Business

Honorable Mention: Tenacious

 

Small Boat Parade Winners:

Grand Prize Boat: Cerritos Bahia Yacht Club

Theme Boat: Aerodragons Dragon Boat Club

Lights Boat: Shock and Awe

Music Boat: Cerritos Bahia Yacht Club

Originality: Unplugged

Honorable Mention – Most Creative: Killer Guppies Dragonboat Team

 

VENTURA COUNTY

Ventura Harbor Boat Parade 

41st annual Ventura Harbor Parade of Lights

People’s Choice Award: The Renewal

Showstopper (Power 25 feet and smaller): Aloha Ohana

Sweepstakes (Sail 30 feet and larger): Heavenly

Sweepstakes (Power 26 feet and larger): The Renewal

Dingy/Duffy: Skif

Nonprofit: KISS (first place)

Nonprofit: The Leo Robbins (second place)

Powerboat (25 feet and smaller): Edventure (first place)

Powerboat (25 feet and smaller): Island Hooker (second place)

Powerboat (26 feet and larger): Four D’Familia (first place)

Powerboat (26 feet and larger): Tata (second place)

Commercial Boat: Dreamer #1 – Ventura Boat Rentals (first place)

Commercial Boat: Dreamers Dream #2 – Ventura Boat Rentals (second place)

Sailboat (30 feet and larger): Ashley (first place)

Sailboat (30 feet and larger): Stellar (second place)

 

(Partial List)

 

Photo credits: Scott Schmitt, Pat Reynolds, Bleu Cotton, Ventura Harbor Parade of Lights

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