Richardson, Ed

Byline: The Log Staff

NEWPORT BEACH — Ed Richardson, a well-known and much-admired yacht broker who had the distinction of holding the oldest yacht broker’s license in California, died June 11 at age 89.

Most recently, Richardson worked with Chuck Hovey Yachts in Newport Beach. Hovey and Richardson had been friends for nearly four decades.

Richardson had a long history in the Southern California marine industry — selling his first boat (a 32-foot Fellows Craft) in 1947 — but he had an even longer history in the Newport Beach area.

At age 5, Richardson moved with his family from Hollywood to Newport Beach. His father, Angus Richardson, bought two lots on Balboa Island’s Marine Avenue — reportedly for $300 and $700 — and later opened a boat repair and storage business called the Yacht Club Garage.

Eventually, the Richardson family leased a marshy plot of land south of the Balboa Island bridge from landowner James Irvine, did extensive dredging and developed Richardson Yacht Anchorage, on a site now occupied by Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club. Richardson Yacht Anchorage closed when the lease with the Irvine Company ran out in 1968.

Ed Richardson was a 1940 graduate of Newport Harbor High School. He married his high school sweetheart, Christine Phoenix, in 1943.

Richardson served in the Navy during World War II, specializing in underwater radar. He also served in the Korean War on a destroyer.

He is survived by his wife, Christine; children Skip, Shan, Amy, Susanna and Adam; and grandchildren Doug, Tony, Shaun, Adrianna and Lindsey.

The family has scheduled a memorial from 3 to 7 p.m. June 29 at the Newport Beach Golf Course, 3100 Irvine Ave. To sign an online guest book and leave a message of condolence, visit thelog.com, click on the “News” tab and select “Obituaries” from the pull-down menu.

Ed Richardson