Westrec Chicago marina opens in May

Marina operator Westrec Marina is investing $100 million in a marina in the Chicago Park district. The new 31st Street Harbor facility is scheduled to open in May.

Located just south of Soldier Field and the company’s Burnham Harbor Marina, 31st Street Harbor will feature 1,000 floating slips for vessels up to 70 feet and face docks for superyachts up to 200 feet, all surrounded by a 3,000-foot breakwater.

For more information, visit www.chicagoharbors.info.

Newport charter show has new owner

In June, on his first day working with Newport Harbor Corp., Tom Delotto walked around opening day of the Newport Charter Yacht Show looking for people and exhibitors.

“I’ve been going to boat shows for 30 years working for manufacturers and I remember walking around thinking they canceled it and no one told me,” he said.

He’s planning to change that.NHC has acquired the 30-year-old show, which kicks off the summer charter season, and Delotto has plans to bring it back to life by expanding the shore-based side of the show with seminars and forums, adding locations for vessels and organizing charity events.

“I want to create a compelling reason for owners and captains to come to the show,” he said.

The show is scheduled for June 18-22 next summer at Newport Yachting Center, immediately before the America’s Cup World Series race is set to begin (June 23-July 1) in Newport.

The show will feature charter yachts 80 feet and larger. NHC is the parent company of Newport Exhibition Group, which produces and manages other industry events, including the Newport International Boat Show, held at the Newport Yachting Center each year.

For more information, visit www.newportexhibition.com.

Ethereal owners honored with Perseus Award

Yacht owners Bill and Shannon Joy were awarded the 2011 Perseus Award last night for their efforts and contribution toward marine wildlife conservation. 

Shannon Joy has recently joined the board of WildAid, a San Francisco-based charity that works to stop the trade in endangered animal parts. She also is director of the Joy Family Foundation, whose primary focus is on the protection of marine ecosystems and the biodiversity and conservation of oceans, is involved with Sylvia Earle Alliance and Mission Blue, Ocean 5, and Marine Mammal Conservation through the Arts, which inspires change in countries that hunt or harm whales. Bill Joy is co-founder of Sun Microsystems.

Their commitment to the environment drove the design of their 58m performance ketch S/Y Ethereal, built by Royal Huisman.The award was given during the Sights and Sounds of the Pacific Corridor event, hosted by the yacht agency Pacific Bound Yachts.

Interlux gives $20,000 award for saving waterfront

Paint manufacturer Interlux picked the Rozalia Project For A Clean Ocean as the national winner of its 2011 Interlux Waterfront Challenge. The organization was awarded a check for $20,000.

Five other organizations will receive checks of $4,500 each as regional winners of the competition, which recognizes groups working to create sustainable waterfront environmental improvements in their communities.

The Vermont-based Rozalia Project uses a state-of-the-art, remote-operated underwater vehicle (ROV) to assist nearly 1,400 people to remove more than 4,400 pieces of marine debris from the sea floor in eight locations throughout New England.

“We’re incredibly thrilled to receive this generous award from Interlux,” said Rachael Miller, who co-founded the Rozalia Project with her husband, James Lyne. “The funds will enable Rozalia Project to keep pushing forward with cleaning up our oceans and waterways from the surface to the seafloor, inspiring people of all ages to be part of the solution and learning more about the problem of marine debris in order to discover ways to reduce and reverse its effects.”

The five regional winners include Shake-A-Leg Miami for cleaning a beach on an offshore island, replanting native mangrove and collecting seed specimens to help replant mangroves in other environmentally challenged areas.

Information about the 2012 Interlux Waterfront Challenge will be available in February.