Ventura Isle Marina

Despite testimony from a roomful of concerned boaters, Ventura Harbor commissioners have voted to raise fees for boat slip rentals and for sailors who live aboard their vessels in the harbor's two major recreational marinas. Beginning in June, more than 1,125 boaters who rent slips at Ventura Isle Marina and Ventura West Marina will pay about 5% more for their slips. And about 130 "live-aboards" at Ventura West will pay the 5% increase, plus 10% more to reside on their boats.

Free electricity. It's a perk enjoyed by private and commercial boat owners at the Ventura Harbor Village Marina for as long as anyone can remember. And it's about to end. The statewide power crunch that has swelled monthly electricity bills for residents and business owners has forced the Ventura Port District to end its longtime practice of paying monthly energy bills for boats docked at the 167-slip marina.

When one of the companies that rents boat slips at Ventura Harbor decided to rebuild its docks two years ago, the future seemed promising. At the time, Ventura Isle Marina was renting all of its 700 slips, even though some of them were more than 20 years old and in dire need of repair. To protect its investment and attract new renters, Ventura Isle Marina decided to spend more than $6 million to refurbish its docks. But midway through the project, the recession hit.

When one of the companies that rents boat slips at Ventura Harbor decided to rebuild its docks two years ago, the future seemed promising. At the time, Ventura Isle Marina was renting all of its 700 slips, even though some of them were more than 20 years old and in dire need of repair. To protect its investment and attract new renters, Ventura Isle Marina decided to spend more than $6 million to refurbish its docks. But midway through the project, the recession hit.

If the weather is nice, more than a few people are likely to spend today relaxing on their boats moored in Southern California harbors. But Harry L. Nelson Jr. worries that, for some of the boaters, it will be their last such New Year's Day visit. Nelson owns six marinas and claims to be the largest private marina operator on the West Coast. His marinas, with a total capacity of 2,400 boats, are in Ventura, Oxnard, Alameda, San Diego and Ft.

If the weather is nice, more than a few people are likely to spend today relaxing on their boats moored in Southern California harbors. But Harry L. Nelson Jr. worries that, for some of the boaters, it will be their last such New Year's Day visit. Nelson, who owns six marinas, says he is the largest private marina operator on the West Coast. His marinas, with a capacity of 2,400 boats, are in Ventura, Oxnard, Alameda, San Diego and Ft.

The waters are a bit choppy these days at the Ventura Isle Marina because of a rent dispute between the marina's owner and the Ventura Port District. Harry L. Nelson Jr., whose Los Angeles-based Almar Ltd. owns Ventura Isle and five other marinas along the Pacific Coast, wants to raise the rents of his approximately 600 Ventura Isle tenants by 5%, beginning Saturday.

Free electricity. It's a perk enjoyed by private and commercial boat owners at the Ventura Harbor Village Marina for as long as anyone can remember. And it's about to end. The statewide power crunch that has swelled monthly electricity bills for residents and business owners has forced the Ventura Port District to end its longtime practice of paying monthly energy bills for boats docked at the 167-slip marina.

Software billionaire Larry Ellison's Oracle yacht-racing team has chosen Ventura as its home port to train for its America's Cup challenge, officials announced Wednesday. The team will use adjacent sections of Ventura Harbor Boatyard and Ventura Isle Marina to store two multimillion-dollar racing yachts and equipment for about six months beginning in March. The crew will train off the Ventura County coast, said Bob Billingham, Oracle Racing operations manager.

Pacific Park, the brightly lighted amusement park on Santa Monica Pier that has become an international symbol of Southern California, has been acquired for $34 million by a Florida real estate trust. CNL Lifestyle Properties Inc. said Thursday that it bought Pacific Park and a ground lease for the two-acre property from Santa Monica Amusements, a group of investors who built the park and opened the first phase in 1996. FOR THE RECORD: Pacific Park: An article in the Jan. 7 Business section about the sale of Pacific Park, the amusement park on Santa Monica Pier, said Curt Caffey was the managing director of CNL Lifestyle Properties.

The waters are a bit choppy these days at the Ventura Isle Marina because of a rent dispute between the marina's owner and the Ventura Port District. Harry L. Nelson Jr., whose Los Angeles-based Almar Ltd. owns Ventura Isle and five other marinas along the Pacific Coast, wants to raise the rents of his approximately 600 Ventura Isle tenants by 5%, beginning Saturday.

If the weather is nice, more than a few people are likely to spend today relaxing on their boats moored in Southern California harbors. But Harry L. Nelson Jr. worries that, for some of the boaters, it will be their last such New Year's Day visit. Nelson owns six marinas and claims to be the largest private marina operator on the West Coast. His marinas, with a total capacity of 2,400 boats, are in Ventura, Oxnard, Alameda, San Diego and Ft.

If the weather is nice, more than a few people are likely to spend today relaxing on their boats moored in Southern California harbors. But Harry L. Nelson Jr. worries that, for some of the boaters, it will be their last such New Year's Day visit. Nelson, who owns six marinas, says he is the largest private marina operator on the West Coast. His marinas, with a capacity of 2,400 boats, are in Ventura, Oxnard, Alameda, San Diego and Ft.

Despite testimony from a roomful of concerned boaters, Ventura Harbor commissioners have voted to raise fees for boat slip rentals and for sailors who live aboard their vessels in the harbor's two major recreational marinas. Beginning in June, more than 1,125 boaters who rent slips at Ventura Isle Marina and Ventura West Marina will pay about 5% more for their slips. And about 130 "live-aboards" at Ventura West will pay the 5% increase, plus 10% more to reside on their boats.

Saturday at Ventura West Marina, a group of sailors will give up a day on the ocean and instead walk the docks, trying to gain allies in an escalating war with marina operators. The "liveaboards" are protesting what many contend is an unreasonable increase in the fee they pay for the privilege of living on vessels tied up at the marina. "I'm irritated as hell," said Paul Bruer, a diver who lives on his boat.

For five years John Cruz, his girlfriend Ivy Kudo and their cat Napple have cruised the Pacific on their sailboat Gypsy. But only when the couple dropped anchor in Ventura Harbor in June did they feel at home. Now they plan to join the hundreds living full time on boats moored at Ventura Harbor. Cruz said he isn't sure they will ever leave.