DROWNED MAN WAS SIMI RESIDENT; BODY FOUND IN CHANNEL ISLANDS HARBOR ON NEW YEAR'S DAY.

Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Daily News Staff Writer

The man who drowned on New Year's Day in the Channel Islands Harbor was identified Monday as Simi Valley resident Gunter W. Wolff, who told friends he planned to ring in 1999 aboard his boat.

Wolff's body was found in water near K dock about noon Friday by people living nearby. Officials said he apparently fell in the water and drowned eight to 10 hours before that.

Craig Stevens, Ventura County senior deputy coroner, said Wolff, 69, had told friends he was going to celebrate the new year on his boat, and that he would visit them on Friday. When he hadn't arrived by Sunday morning, his friends went to look for him at his boat, which was tethered at N dock.

Stevens said the friends found Wolff's truck and boat but no sign of the man. At the marina office, they found out that a body had been found a few days earlier. They contacted the coroner's office and identified Wolff's body.

Stevens said Wolff's stepson was expected to fly in from out of state Monday to handle arrangements.

Marina officials said that when Wolff rented the slip in September, he told them he had just recently bought the boat.

Christmas decorations were still hanging on the home on the 3000 block of Reservoir Drive where he apparently lived alone. Neighbors on the quiet street said Wolff's wife had been ill for a while and had recently died, but they knew little else about the couple.

Toxicology tests are being conducted to determine if alcohol or some other substance was a factor in his death.