NEWPORT BEACH — Harbor officials don't get this type of application often.
Newport Beach yacht racer and businessman Chris Welsh has applied to park his deep-sea submarine atop a 125-foot long, 60-foot wide catamaran in the middle of the bay.
Harbor commissioners approved his application Wednesday night, which clears one hurdle in Welsh's audacious plan to dive to the deepest points of the world's five oceans.
With the high-tech "flying" submarine and its mother ship already purchased, Welsh has been assembling a team of scientists, engineers and filmmakers. But he is still missing one major component — a financial sponsor — and without one, his expedition may never depart.
"It's pretty captivating to go after it and see if you can get there," he said, later adding, "We have some major hurdles ahead of us, both financial and practical."