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
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
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
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
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