Community Members Pick 46th Annual Boat Parade of Lights Winners

Photos: Courtesy of The Marina at Dana Point

Staff report

Another year of the Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade of Lights brings with it another round of winners.

A total of 65 judges picked their favorite entries from the 46^th annual parade, which saw festive boats decked out in lights and holiday decorations jaunt along the harbor from Dec. 10-12. This year’s theme was the Fiesta Boat Parade of Lights.

Judge scores were added up and tallied over the three-night event and boats with highest scores in each category were awarded prizes, said Kelly Rinderknecht, general manager for The Marina at Dana Point.

“Judges included local dignitaries (DP Mayor, DP City Council, Visit DP, City of DP, 5th District Supervisor reps, harbor merchants, stakeholders and boaters),” Rinderknecht said in an email. “Judges viewed from the ‘Judge Float’ on the main channel and were provided a sheet with multiple categories where they judged each vessel by giving them a number in each category (1-5 with 5 being the best).”

People’s Choice was voted on by the public through Dana Point Harbor’s social media platforms, while the Mayor’s Cup was selected by Dana Point Mayor Joe Muller. The Supervisor’s Cup was selected by Orange County 5th District Supervisor, Lisa Bartlett, and her team.  

THE AWARD WINNERS OF THE DANA POINT HARBOR ASSOCIATION’S 46^th ANNUAL BOAT PARADE OF LIGHTS AWARDS ARE:

Best Overall

• 1^st place: Hair of the Dog (Kevin & Kristen Laidlaw)
• Runner-up: Finnegan’s Wake (Jason & Panda Osterblad)

Fantastically Fiesta – Best Use of Theme

• 1^st place: San Clemente (Brian Kilpatrick)
• Runner-up: J&K’s Pursuit (Joel LePoutre)

Most Original

• 1^st place: Look See (Justin Hansen)
• Runner-up: Hiatus (Laguna Woods Yacht Club)

Best Use of Lights/Music

1^st place: Hungry (Jeffrey Heavirland)

Runner-up: Beach Retreat (John Beach)

People’s Choice

• Captains Quarters (Dennis Richens)

Holiday Spirit

• Wild Bill (Bill & Scott Kingsmill)

Rock the Dock – Crew

• Mahalo Ill (Richard Davidson)

Best Power Boat

• Why Knot? (Louis Adams)

Best Sailboat

• Clarebuoyant (Clare Kenney)

Best Under 30’

• At Peace (Vincent & Jennifer Bishop)

Mayor’s Cup

• Off the Wall (Gilbert Griffiths)

Supervisor’s Cup

• Stella (Wendy & Lee Gleich)