PNW Boater is someone who lives around the Puget Sound area of Washington State

January 30, 2022February 2, 2022

2022 Portland Boat Show

Last weekend, Scott and I attended the 2022 Portland Boat Show for the first time. This was really the first large in-person indoor show we’ve attended since the pandemic began two years ago. Not knowing what to expect, we stayed open minded. Thanks to Trey, with O’Loughlin Trade Shows, for providing us with media passes to the show. We wanted to make a weekend out of it, so we decided to take the Amtrak Train down to Portland.

We reserved coach tickets and we were surprised by how roomy the seats were. There is a “club car” that offers snacks, sandwiches, beverages and cocktails. If you sit on the side of the train looking west, you’ll get a nice water view for most of the trip. We didn’t know that and ended up looking east on the way down.

I love that train stations are so grand and full of history. You certainly won’t find an airport that looks like this!

My advice to anyone attending a show at the Portland Expo, is that you don’t need to stay near the Expo. The train station is downtown Portland and we took an Uber to the Courtyard near Hayden Island. There’s nothing near that area that is walking distance, so in hindsight, we wished we would have stayed near restaurants because we had to Uber to the Expo anyway.

The Portland Boat Show

Unlike the Seattle Boat Show, the Portland Boat Show is only indoors featuring boats under 35′. If you are looking for a runabout, a towboat, a fishing boat or personal watercraft, this show hasyou covered!

One of our favorite features of the show was the classic boat section. They had about twenty classic runabouts, dating back to the 1940’s including Chris Craft and Tollycraft models.

Check out this cool tourist boat! Maybe we check this out next summer?

There were not as many vendors as we expected, but we did run into a few that had some pretty cool things.

The first one was ewinch 2 and they were demoing an electric winch wrench. This wrench is lighter than a hand drill and really easy to use! Be sure to tune into our YouTube episode and see how easy it was for me to handle.

Crabbing and Clamming Made Easy

Scott and I don’t normally stop at too many of the vendor booths, but we stopped at CrabHawk and they were selling two cool things. First was the crab cracker tool called “Crack-n-crab”. Now, if you recall in one our Camano Island blogs, we discussed the two different ways to kill and cook crab. One way, is to boil them immediately before gutting them. Others like to kill them first, gut them and then boil them. The crab cracker tool is used for the latter method. Again, check out our YouTube episode for the demo (link at the bottom of this blog).

They were also selling the “Clam Gun”. Apparently, this “gun” works like a straw and when you shove the gun into the sand, with your thumb over the suction hole, it keeps all of sand and clams in the gun. Then you shoot it out and grab your clam. Who knew?

We arrived to the show at 10am and we were done by 11:30am, so you can do the show pretty quick. Scott and I toured two brand new cruisers from Jeaneau and Cutwater during the show. These were really well laid out and we’ll take you on a tour of both of them next week.

Exploring Portland, OR

Since we had time to kill on Saturday, we headed into Downtown Portland for lunch and to explore a bit. I used to live in Portland in the late 1980’s and hadn’t returned in years. We headed first to Huber’s for lunch, which is the oldest restaurant in Portland. Founded in 1879, Huber’s is a Portland tradition that has been serving up its famous specialty drink, Spanish Coffee, from its second location for 108 years. Huber’s Cafe was first founded as the Bureau Saloon in 1879 at SW 1st Avenue and Morrison Street. It moved to its present location – 411 S.W. Third Ave – in 1910.

After lunch, we decided to visit the Oregon Maritime Museum, which is located on an old river boat on the Willamette River. Scott and I were disappointed to discover it was closed. So we spent the rest of the afternoon, walking along the boardwalk and enjoying the fresh air.

In front of the steamship, was a pile of loose logs. As we looked closer at the garbage field, we started to find all kinds of things, including a boat, a dock, a cooler and then we decided to make game of it. What do you spot?

The boardwalk along the Willamette River is a working dock when they have festivals. In fact, Navy Ships will tie up to the board walk during the Rose Festival. Check out these cleats! To give you some perspective, these are about two and half feet tall!

Well, it was nice to get out and attend an in-person boat show even if it was for a short visit. The Seattle Boat Show starts this Friday and I’ll be working the show every day. If you are in the Union Marine booth, look for me (Ally).

As always, thank you for following our journey. Be sure to subscribe to our blog and channel for future updates on our search for our liveaboard boat. We’ve got some exciting things in the works for 2022, including our BVI bareboat charter in less than four weeks! Be sure to follow us on social too @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Cheers,

Ally and Scott

January 1, 2022January 1, 2022

What an amazing year 2021 was!

Though Scott and I didn’t buy a boat this year, we still had an amazing year in 2021. We figured out how to stay on the water and create some fantastic memories even without a boat of our own. The year started with the virtual Seattle Boat Show and luckily I’m in the boat business, so we still got to tour a few yachts.

In March, we took a ferry up to San Juan Island and stayed at Snug Harbor for a whale watching trip. While we didn’t see any whales, we saw lots of other wild life and cruising the San Juan Islands is always so beautiful.

The following month, we took another ferry ride to Whidbey Island to meet our God Dog, Soleil. We shared our story last April about how boats and dogs brought us together.

Cool & Unusual Boats

Throughout the year, we got up close and personal with some pretty cool boats. We started the year with a tour of the 1909 MV Lotus Edwardian Yacht, which is a historical yacht moored on Lake Union.

Scott and I rode on an electric Nautique GS22E tow boat on Lake Tapps and it was wild as you can’t hear the engine.

Every year, Seattle hosts the classic yacht show and now we are looking forward to next year’s event! So many cool old boats.

How do go boating when you don’t own a boat

As we got into summer, we got pretty creative on how we would stay boating. First we went sailing on Seattle’s Tall Ship on Elliott Bay, where Scott was able to get hands on.

Thanks to my job (Ally), we experienced the PNW debut of Sea Ray’s first 37′ Outboard cruiser on Lake Washington. This is such a cool boat and it has so many fun features!

Then we rented an electric Duffy boat on Lake Union! It was so much fun and affordable!

Maybe for 2022 we’ll rent a hot tub boat? Let us know what you think!

Our BVI Bareboat Charter Trip

In 2019, we booked our first bareboat charter to the British Virgin Islands which was set for March 27, 2020. Unfortunately, our group was the first one to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Originally, we moved the trip to October 2020, but the pandemic was far from over. So we moved it again to February 2021, only to learn that in order to arrive into the BVIs you would need four tests and quarantine for over eight days. This time we moved it to February 2022 and we are still on schedule for this trip! As a result, the four of us decided to keep our flights and visit the USVIs in April 2021 instead.

Scott and I visited all three territories: St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. It was truly an epic trip! We took a catamaran to Buck Island, we rented a dinghy on St John and explored all of the islands.

What’s it like to live on a boat?

Scott and I need the experience of living on a boat, before we buy one. Though we owned a larger yacht, it wasn’t set up well for a liveaboard. Solutions? First, we interviewed a great couple, Scott and Laurie who live full-time on their 50′ Vista on Bainbridge Island. They shared some great info with us! Be sure to check out that video here!

Next we rented a tiny home for four days. That was a great trip and a learning experience. On a boat, you have separate “rooms”, but not in a tiny house. We actually survived and had a great time!

Then a couple of weeks ago, we rented a 50′ Ponderosa for the weekend. Another great experience living aboard. The weather was cold and wet, yet we had an awesome time!

Our New Year’s Resolution

Our resolution this year is to buy a boat! With inventory levels at an all time low, it may be another full year before we can find a boat, but we hope that’s not the case. We may have to buy another boat and keep our condo. We’ll see. Otherwise, we’ll continue our boat tours and figure out cool ways to go boating. If you think about it, we spent a lot of time on the water this year even without a boat.

In the first quarter of 2022, we’re attending the Portland Boat Show and the Seattle Boat Show. After that, we’re finally heading to the British Virgin Island and St. John. Stay tuned for that epic trip! There’s a lot we have to do in order to get into the country, so we will fill you in.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Be sure to subscribe to our channel (click on the video below) and follow us on social @BoatingJourney #boatingjourney.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Cheers,

Ally and Scott

December 25, 2021December 25, 2021

Gig Harbor Christmas Boat Parade

Every year, Gig Harbor has a Christmas Boat Parade in the harbor. Wanting to be a part of the parade, but we didn’t have a boat. Solution? We rented one instead. You can see the tour of the 1985 Ponderosa 42‘ MY in our last blog, which is located at the Gig Harbor Marina. Scott and I have been to Gig Harbor a number of times, both by boat and by land and we love this little town. If you haven’t been yet, put it on your list!

Our Ponderosa yacht was very cozy and had plenty of room for us to roam and entertain.

Our friends Ben and Maria (our BVI crew members) joined us on the boat so we could talk about provisioning for our upcoming charter in February. Since we checked in late around 4pm, our crew was hungry after we unloaded everything. There are lots of great restaurants in Gig Harbor, but most close up by 8pm (even on the weekends). For our first night, we picked the Brimstone PNW Smokehouse and it was amazing!

Each couple actually shared a combo plate (more food than you know what to do with) and I should have snapped a photo of their amazing barbecue platters. Instead, I got some great shots of dessert, which included a donut and a peppermint lava cake! The donut was the hit.

After dinner, we returned to the boat to relax and get caught up. Maria decided to bring a game and it was a riot! She took twenty lottery tickets and wrapped them in layers with plastic wrap. Then each player had 30 seconds to try and remove one using an oven mit. It was hysterical and Scott came out the big winner!

Staying on the Boat

The boat was very comfortable. It had been windy during the night, but we didn’t feel too much of it. Ben and Maria did experience the bumper hitting the bow a few times throughout the night. My only complaint was it was too hot in our room! LOL I didn’t think to turn off the heater before bed and the heaters work like a charm.

In the morning, we made a simple continental breakfast so we wouldn’t have to use any of the pots and pans. Since the boat is so close to the dumpster, we made a garbage run each time we left the boat, so it wouldn’t pile up.

Exploring Gig Harbor before the Christmas Boat Parade

The four of us headed into the heart of the town to do some exploring after breakfast. Our first stop is one of our favorite stores “For the Love of Spice“. You can read more about it in our previous blogs. They have a fantastic selection of spices, vinegars and oils. In addition, they have some awesome gifts!

One thing I love about Gig Harbor, is everything seems to be a nautical theme, including the kids rides.

Gig Harbor does not lack cute shops. Maria loves to shop and this was right up her alley. We found so many unique and original gifts.

Gig Harbor Christmas Boat Parade

Our boat was docked in the first slip and we were able to walk to the end of the dock and look out over the harbor. So it was perfect that the Gig Harbor Christmas Boat Parade would go right by our dock!

After spending the day in town, we headed back to the boat to relax and enjoy some appetizers before the Christmas Boat Parade. Seems this guy had the same idea!

Unfortunately, we are not professional photographers and we don’t have the proper camera to take photos at night of boats in a distance. So these were the best we could capture (the rest were blurry). They had about 20 or so boats in the parade and they made a loop in the harbor.

Our other boating friends, Cory and Stacy came in to join us for dinner at El Pueblito Mexican Restaurant, which was fantastic! As a bonus, they stay open after 8pm!

Anytime you are away, on a boat and with friends, you are going to have a great time! This was another one of those weekends and Gig Harbor never disappoints. The four of us can’t wait for our bare boat charter trip coming up in the BVIs this February!

As always, thank you for following our journey! We hope to find a boat in 2022, so if you know any slips coming available, please message us. Be sure to follow our YouTube channel and subscribe for updates (see below). Find us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Happy Holidays! Scott and Ally

December 19, 2021December 19, 2021

Tour a 1985 Ponderosa 42′ MY

Scott and I booked a weekend stay on a 1995 Ponderosa 42′ MY in Gig Harbor last weekend. We found this yacht on VRBO and it turns out the Gig Harbor Marina is the host. If you visit their website, you’ll find four vessels you can stay on. Next spring, we’re planning on staying on the Nordhavn they have.

Our friends Ben and Maria joined us for the weekend, so we could watch the Christmas Boat Parade on Saturday night. Tune in next week, as we’ll share what we did in Gig Harbor.

Scott and I have never toured a Ponderosa MY before, so we didn’t know what to expect. Right away, we noticed that you need dock stairs to board the boat. This brings up the same issue I had with the Sea Ray 44 last week – what do you do when you visit a new port?

On this Ponderosa, they do have steps on the stern and when you have the dinghy propped up, you are protected from falling over.

Check out the cockpit and walk arounds

Entering the cockpit, we did notice the doorway was very narrow. In fact, we ended up using the Pilothouse door to load our gear and cooler. We immediately loved the spaciousness of the cockpit and it’s built in bar.

Another great feature in the cockpit was the walk around access are doors, versus zip up canvas. Again, another must for a liveaboard.

The flybridge was nicely appointed and had plenty of entertaining space. The visibility from the bridge is fantastic and you could also probably use the hard top to relax on with chairs.

Spacious Interior

Scott and I were shocked by house much storage is on this Ponderosa 42′! It was everywhere and this blog doesn’t do it justice. Be sure to tune into the video below to see what we are talking about.

Stepping into the salon, you’ll find an inviting living area with plenty of space for entertaining. We invited another couple to join us for cocktails and with six people, we had plenty of room.

Since this is a rental, they had signs and instructions through out the boat telling guests what they could touch or not touch. The interior helm station had a plastic cover over the control panel to protect it. The boat has built-in heaters in each area and it was toasty!

The Galley

This boat does have a down galley, which would be a drawback for a liveaboard boat for us. But we would still consider it. In fact, we would definitely live on this Ponderosa 42′. It felt much bigger than 42′.

The galley was equipped with a large fridge, propane stovetop and oven, convection microwave, and a compactor. We just had a simple continental breakfast and some cold appetizers, so we didn’t use any of the appliances. The boat yard did equip the galley with everything you would need from dishes, plastic wrap, coffee, creamer to dish soap and sponges.

It was definitely a one person galley, but so was our last boat. I loved how much counter space this galley had.

Ponderosa 42′ Staterooms

Moving forward, you will find the day head and island berth stateroom. Each head came with all of the amenities you would expect from a hotel, including lotion, shampoo, wash cloths and towels. This day head came with a bathtub! We’re not sure of the size of the water tank, but I don’t think we would ever take a bath on a boat.

Moving to the aft of the Ponderosa 42′, you’ll find a washer/dryer combo (not available for guests) on your right in the hallway.

Scott and I were pleasantly surprised by how large the master stateroom was. It had built in dressers, a makeup station (could be an office) and a huge locker that was easily five feet long.

The master head did not have a bathtub, but it had a very deep shower (about 1′ deep) and plenty of storage.

This Ponderosa 42′ MY comes with twin Yanmar diesel engines. We don’t know the hp, but the engine room was very clean. It might be a bit snug though, trying to work on them.

Overall, this was a fantastic liveaboard boat. Too bad it’s not for sale! Again, be sure to check out the full tour below on our YouTube channel.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Next week, we’ll share our fun in Gig Harbor. You can also follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Have a great holiday!

Scott and Ally

December 12, 2021December 12, 2021

Tour a 1991 Sea Ray 44 Aft Cabin

Scott found a 1991 Sea Ray 44 Aft Cabin for sale on Craigslist and we decided to go down to Gig Harbor to see it. The ad said it came with a liveaboard slip in Seattle, so we were very interested. The photos of the boat looked great too and it was in our price range at $69,999.

Why are they selling their 1991 Sea Ray 44 Aft Cabin?

So the story is, they lived on this boat with their infant, but then moved onto a Bayliner 4087! How ironic, since that is the boat we sold last year because we didn’t think it would be a good liveaboard. They have been on a waitlist at Shilshole Marina and finally got in, so they are subletting the liveaboard slip. Why? Because they are moving to Florida. Interesting.

Right away, just boarding the boat gave me pause. You have to have dock steps and I have to ask, how does that work when you are at a guest dock?

The swim platform was very narrow and if you have the dinghy back there, you would have no room to board the boat from the stern.

Is this Sea Ray 44 a good liveaboard?

The living space was open and spacious in some areas, including the cockpit and salon.

Going up to the flybridge, I did not like the steps. They were skinny and definitely needed to be replaced.

The flybridge helm didn’t have any electronics and was definitely showing its’ age. The canvas and Eisenglass not only needed to be replaced, but the moldings were coming apart too.

The walk arounds were a little narrow, but I liked that this Sea Ray 44 had side doors versus zip up canvas. The bow had plenty of room to lounge and relax.

What does the interior of the Sea Ray 44 look like?

Surprisingly, the carpet was in fantastic condition – it almost looked new. The salon had a huge sofa that has storage under each cushion.

They also had installed a huge flat screen television.

There is an interior helm station (which we never use), but it too did not have any electronics. There is space to add them however.

One thing that was strange, was the settee had been removed. See what it would normally look like in the following photo.

What the settee would normally look like

What I did notice was water stains where the settee would have been. Perhaps there is a story behind that?

How about the rest of the boat?

The galley was nice and roomy. It had a built in blender in the counter and a Black & Decker can opener! Wonder if they still work? I like that there was plenty of counter space. The fridge is fairly large and it had a Princess stovetop.

This boat does come with a washer/dryer combo, but it looked pretty old. Perhaps original with the boat?

Sea Ray 44 Staterooms

This Sea Ray 44 Aft Cabin comes with only two staterooms and two heads. The guest stateroom is a v berth and the bed took up most of the space. There did appear to have a bit of water damage in that stateroom too.

The day head had access from the forward berth and the door was a sliding barn door. This allows for more space in the head. Unfortunately, this is a wet head.

Moving to the aft cabin, we found the doorways very narrow. The bean on this boat is only about 13′. Guess that means we need to go on a diet!

The master cabin had a full walk around bed and two vanities on either side. Plenty of liveaboard space. It also has a huge locker!

The master head did have a separate shower and had plenty of storage, however the door was a bi-fold, which we are not keen on as it takes up space.

I didn’t get any photos of the engine room, but you can see the tour of it on our YouTube video below. Unfortunately, the bilge had quite a bit of standing water and that was a red flag to us. In addition, the engines were gas, not diesel which we are not a big fan of.

Overall Impression of this Sea Ray 44 Aft Cabin

While we liked most of the layout of this boat, we didn’t like how narrow it was. This boat did need a lot of work and a huge investment. Scott and I estimate it needs about $40,000 worth of work and that’s assuming the engines are in working order.

However, we had to consider that this boat came with a liveaboard slip. But remember, this was a sublet, meaning the owners would be the official marina tenants. At any time, they can cancel their agreement with the marina and we would be out of luck. In the end, we actually did offer $25,000 but we have yet to hear back.

Be sure to watch the full tour below. As always, thank you for following our journey and blog. Please subscribe to our channel and follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Stay tuned, as we have some fun adventures coming in the next few months!

Cheers,

Scott and Ally

November 21, 2021November 21, 2021

Exploring Olympia

In our last blog we rented a tiny house and spent the next few days exploring Olympia. Scott and I had no idea there was so much to do in Olympia! The tiny house is located on Henderson Inlet. Here the tides can change up to four to six feet, so you do need to watch the tide schedule.

The “tiny house community” has a club house (per se), where you can use kayaks, paddle boards and a paddle boat. There is a cement ramp, but you want to make sure you use the equipment during high tide or you’ll be stuck in mud. We were able to spend about an hour out on the kayaks.

The water was so calm and we had a harbor seal visitor too. Having this all to ourselves was so relaxing and nice.

Woodward Bay Conservation Area

Just north of the tiny house, is a large state park, Woodward Bay Conservation area. There are two parks in this area and one requires a Washington State Discovery Pass (which we do not have). So we checked out the other park, the Chehalis Western Trail. This trail is a paved trail that follows an old railroad route and is 21 miles long.

After about three miles of flat pavement walking, Scott and I got a little bit bored and turned around. We knew there was another trailhead in the parking lot, so we decided to check that one out. Who knew there was so much exploring to do in Olympia?

The Overlook Trail was an actual gravel trail and deep into the forest. There were lots of birds and plenty of sounds!

The trail itself is only about three miles and ends at an overlook at Henderson Inlet.

Exploring Swantown Marina

The following morning we decided to head back into Olympia for some lunch and for a walk along a trail through Swantown Marina. We had reservations for Swantown last year, but cancelled them due to the pandemic. This is an awesome marina!

The guest dock is a long linear dock (and there may be another next door) and they had great facilities throughout the grounds.

I love that they have recycling and garbage stations set up, along with a recycle drop off for motor oil.

The marina has beautiful grounds with descriptions of the plants throughout.

Exploring More in Olympia

After lunch, we did a little more research and found Priest Point Park just across the water from the marina. This park is over 314 acres offering four miles of trails.

There are two “sides” to Priest Point Park. We started on the west side and followed the one way road. Turns out this park allows overnight camping and this was a regular campground with shelters. The hike was pretty short and took us to a lookout on the point. Wanting to experience more of a hike, Scott and I crossed the bridge and headed to the east side of the park.

More of Priest Point Park

With a map in hand, we entered the trailhead to continuing exploring Olympia. The trail was dry and easy to follow. The scenery was fantastic and it was really so cool to be in a such a beautiful place just a few miles from the Capital.

Ellis Cove Trail

Be sure to check out our video episode below for a full tour. The photos don’t do it justice! Exploring this cool park in Olympia for about an hour, we wanted more! After completing the loop, we crossed the road again and this time entered the Ellis Cove Trailhead.

This particular trail is fairly steep with lots of steps, so be prepared! Looking at the aerial shot below, you will see the trails we took in order. Ironically, both the first and the third trail will bring you out to the cove and the sand bar.

The scenery is beautiful as you walk along the water, but be sure to keep an eye out for poison ivy!

I was impressed by all of the signage the park installed along the trail. This really made it interactive and educational.

Scott and I only walked to Priest Point and then turned back around. By this time, we had been hiking for three hours and we had experienced enough. We also found a short cut to the road, that didn’t require us to take 100 steps back to the trailhead. But the trail, does continue far beyond Priest Point.

After a long day of exploring Olympia and its parks, it was time to head back to the tiny house. Originally, we had planned on taking an Uber into town for dinner. But then when we realized we were so far off of the road, they would never find us. So we hunkered down, enjoyed our seafood fest from Olympia Seafood Co and had a wonderful night. It was truly a beautiful weekend.

This is a trip I would certainly do again and recommend to others. It offered relaxation, exploration and an opportunity to simply unplug and unwind. Next week is Thanksgiving, so we are taking the weekend off. We hope you and your families have a fantastic holiday.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Please subscribe to our blog and vlog (link below) for future stories. You can also follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #boatingjourney

Cheers, Scott and Ally

November 14, 2021November 17, 2021

Tiny House Living

Moving aboard a boat is similar to tiny house living, so Scott and I decided to rent a tiny house for four days to test our survival. We found the tiny house on AirBnB, which is located on Henderson Inlet down by Olympia, WA.

Exploring Olympia

Scott and I arrived a few hours before check-in, so we spent part of the day exploring Olympia, including the Capital and the Port of Olympia.

From the capital, we headed over to Percival Landing to check out a seafood shop and the restaurants along the pier. The Olympia Seafood Co reminded us of Wild Salmon Seafood at Fisherman’s Terminal and they have a wonderful selection of fresh seafood!

Tiny House

The tiny house is just off of Slater-Keeney Road and you follow a long gravel driveway down to the property. The place was very serene and peaceful, which we desperately needed. In addition, this tiny house comes with a large hot tub! We estimate this tiny house was about 150sq feet!

It also came with three cats and Scott is allergic to cats. They belonged to the neighbor, but they were at our door the entire weekend.

The host has appointed this tiny home with everything you might need, from spices, pots and pans to robes and slippers! We even received a welcome basket with a bottle of bubbly.

Everything in the tiny house didn’t seem tiny. The bathroom was full size, along with the refrigerator and oven.

The living area was cozy with a comfy couch and an electric fireplace. For the best tour, be sure to check out the video below.

Best Part of the Tiny House

Above the bathroom, there is a loft that you access with a ladder. Thank God, that is not where you sleep. Instead, the bedroom is located at the end of the tiny house on the main floor.

The bedroom also had a very large closet, which is where we stored our suitcase.

Enjoying the evening

We put all of our food away and relaxed on the deck with a bottle of bubbly. The view is amazing and birds flock to the inlet. It was a very relaxing and peaceful afternoon.

Just around the corner from the tiny house is another airbnb in the form of a trailer!

That evening, we cooked up my homemade spaghetti sauce and enjoyed dinner with a great bottle of wine.

Tune in next week, as we kayak on Henderson Inlet, explore local trails and check out Swantown Marina. As always, thank you for following our journey! Please subscribe to our blog and vlog to stay updated with our search for a liveaboard boat. You can also follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Until next time!

Cheers, Ally & Scott

November 7, 2021November 11, 2021

Tour a 2008 Sea Ray 55 Sundancer Yacht

Scott and I had the opportunity to tour a very unique Sea Ray 55 Sundancer yacht. Unlike the other Sundancer models we have featured, the layout on this yacht was very different.

This Sea Ray 55 Sundancer is actually 58′ long and in 2010, Sea Ray changed the model name to 580 Sundancer. For that reason, the current owner had a custom 580 made for the side of the boat.

Check out the stern of this 55 Sundancer yacht

This yacht is equipped with a large hydraulic swim platform that a Boston Whaler 110 SS dinghy sits on.

Scott and I could totally live on this yacht (if it were in our price range), but we don’t want a boat that has enclosed in canvas. It was pouring down rain during our tour and the canvas really darkens the cockpit area.

Huge cockpit for entertaining

The cockpit was so big, you could easily entertain up to twenty people! On the stern, they had a lounge area for up to eight people and a coffee table. In the middle of the cockpit was the settee and the seats rotate on a track. This allows you the option of setting up a dining experience or to swing around and hang out with those on the stern.

While the grill was located in the aft of the boat, you can’t use it, unless the canvas is completely off.

The cockpit had a full wet bar with fridge and an icemaker. Watch your favorite sports team on the flat screen tv.

The visibility from the helm station was fantastic! This Sea Ray 55 Sundancer yacht has heating and air conditioning. On the day of our tour the heat was blasting it was toasty warm! All of the controls are at the helm station and throughout the yacht. This yacht is equipped with bow & stern thrusters and the electronics are the dual screen Raymarine E-120 with Night Vision included.

Incredible salon

Walking into the salon, I wasn’t not prepared for what we saw. I was expecting a typical cruising salon, but with a 15′ beam this yacht was so spacious!

Sea Ray thought of everything when they designed this yacht. For starters, the galley is huge with tons of storage. Equipped with two freezers and two refrigerators, you could easily live on this yacht! The microwave and washer/dryer combo are hidden in cabinets. The pantry is a pullout cabinet – so cool!

Relaxing in style

The salon has a oversized sofa with two flat screens, plus surround sound throughout the entire boat. In addition, this Sea Ray 55 Sundancer has a 5 terabyte HD DSS TV system.

Two private staterooms

The VIP guest stateroom is located forward, where you will find a queen size bed. This stateroom has tons of storage and access to the day head. The day head has a separate shower, which is a must for us.

The master stateroom has a large queen size walk around bed and tons of storage as well. It also has a small desk area that you can use as an office. Imagine the water views you would have!

As we mentioned earlier, this Sea Ray 55 Sundancer is equipped with surround sound and you’ll notice in the master stateroom, it even has three speakers over the flat screen!

This cedar locker was one of the largest we’ve seen on a boat of this size.

The master head was nicely appointed, had plenty of storage and counter space. Plus the windows were frosted, so you didn’t have to worry about privacy.

Propulsion

This Sea Ray 55 Sundancer is equipped with twin MAN 900 CRM diesel engines that only have 178 hours! The access to the engine room is under the coffee table in the aft cockpit.

Overall, this was one of the coolest yachts we’ve toured. For more information, check out Union Marine’s website (remember, it may have sold by the time you are reading this).

As always, thank you for following our blog! Be sure to check out the complete tour on YouTube by watching the video below. Please subscribe to our blog and channel for updates on new posts.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

October 31, 2021November 1, 2021

Tour a 1993 50′ Vista Liveaboard

Last week, we shared our interview with Laurie and Scott who live on their 1993 50′ Vista. This week, we’ll take you on a tour of their 50′ Vista. Scott and I fell in love with this yacht as soon as we boarded it and we know you will too.

It is easy to board from the dock and similar to our Bayliner 4087, it only has a few steps up into the cockpit.

As you enter the cockpit, you will find an expansive area perfect for entertaining. They have a large 6′ table (that can also fold down), a few chairs, a wet bar, fridge, icemaker and storage cupboards.

With a view like this, who wouldn’t want to sit around and enjoy the scenery?

The Flybridge

Scott and Laurie have had up to thirteen people up on the flybridge and we can see why. There’s plenty of seating and another folding table. The visibility from the helm is fantastic! The boat is equipped with all of the latest electronics and they also have a bow thruster.

Notice the bimini top. It’s an acrylic hardtop, instead of canvas. Their canvas was falling apart, so they had this custom built for their 50’Vista. They found a local company (from the back of one of the local boating magazines), HardToTop. They are adding a custom hardtop next year, so it will be fun to see the changes they make.

Another cool thing they have added to their 50′ Vista, are solar panels. These will be moved to the new custom hardtop next year.

The living area

As I mentioned in our interview with Scott and Laurie, we love the fact that their living area resembles a cozy home. In fact, their salon is set up much like our condo, just slightly smaller. The sofa and ottoman also offer tons storage!

Scott does not use the lower helm, but check out this beautiful wheel! Over the top of the station, you look down into the galley. We also love that this yacht has pilothouse doors, allowing air flow during the summer.

This 50′ Vista does have a galley down, but because there is no “ceiling” it feels nice and open. You can easily interact with folks in the salon and the settee can seat up to six people!

Sleeping quarters

This 50′ Vista has two staterooms, a VIP in the forward berth and the master in the aft. The forward stateroom can also be converted into a queen size bed, using an additional board and cushion. The locker in this room is so large and deep that they keep their winter coats in it. (Yes, I forgot to take a photo of it)

The day head was nice a roomy, had a separate shower and I loved the wall coverings. It’s not your standard white fiberglass.

Moving to the aft of the boat, you will find a very spacious master aft cabin. It has a full walk around bed, storage and vanities on both side and access to the master head. One of the vanities could be used as an office if need be.

The master head has plenty of storage. It has fairly large separate shower that also has a bench seat in it.

The engine room access is also from inside the master stateroom. Scott was able to crawl in, but he can’t quite stand up in it. They had plenty of storage in there, including a large tool kit and storage tubs.

This 50′ Vista is equipped with twin Caterpillar V8 Diesel 225hp engines.

We wish it was for sale

Scott and I are so thankful to Laurie and Scott for inviting us into their floating home and giving us a tour of their 50′ Vista. It has everything we want and then some. Unfortunately, it’s not for sale and it’s probably out of price range. Now that we have seen this model, plus the Navigator Sundance 51, we know exactly what we are looking for. So the hunt continues. In the meantime, we’ll continue to also bring you other fun tours and adventures while we search.

As always thank you for following our journey. Be sure to subscribe to our blog and vlog to stay updated on our search. You can also follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney

Cheers,

Scott and Ally

October 25, 2021October 25, 2021

Living aboard a 50′ Vista

Last weekend Scott and I had the pleasure of interviewing a wonderful couple who are living aboard their 50′ Vista. Laurie and Scott have lived on their boat for over nine years and are moored in the Wharfside Marina on Bainbridge Island. In fact, we would have seen their boat during our trek to Bainbridge this past summer, but they were cruising.

If you recall, we interviewed another liveaboard, Jeff on MV Why Knot last year and he lives on his 32′ Nordic Tug. While it’s a dream of ours to liveaboard, we also have a lot of questions about adapting to a home on water. Scott and I really appreciated the time Laurie and Scott spent with us aboard their 50′ Vista, named MV Float Plane.

Living aboard at the Wharfside Marina

There are quite a few liveaboards living at the Winslow Wharf Marina. Just walking distance from the ferry, this is an ideal location. We asked Laurie and Scott if they have always owned a yacht, and the answer was no. They owned a 22′ runabout while raising their kids and they had never been on a boat of this size. When their kids grew up, they wanted to downsize and have waterfront property. Then they got the idea of living on a boat, instead of waterfront property. Next thing you know, they were boat shopping! Scott said a captain spent time with him teaching him how to operate the boat and after a few sessions, he was set.

Since moving aboard, Laurie has always worked a few blocks away. In fact, her current office offers garage parking, storage and shower facilities. How amazing is that?! Scott currently is working remotely, but pre-covid, he did take the ferry to Seattle every day and used van-pool to get to his office.

One thing we did learn about their marina, is they do not offer any services, which means they don’t have a pump-out service. What they do have is a portable pump. About once a week, Scott rolls the pump down the dock, pumps out, then he has to pump out the pump into the city sewer system. He said, it wasn’t a big deal.

The marina also doesn’t have laundry facilities. For a while Laurie was using a local laundromat, but they closed during covid. They always had a washer / dryer combo, but had never used it. Now that’s all they use. Since it’s a combo, you have to do smaller loads.

What they love and don’t love about living aboard

Let’s start with the challenges of living aboard (save the best for last).

Shopping. Parking. Garbage. When you live in a house or condo, you typically park in a garage and go straight into your building. Living on a boat, you park your car in a parking lot. When it comes to shopping, you park, go get a cart, then haul your stuff to the boat and then return the cart. If it’s pouring down rain, all of your goods can get soaked. Keep in mind, when the tides are really low, the ramps will be steep, making it a bit more work. Then there’s garbage. Unlike a home, the dumpster is up at the marina office. Whenever Laurie and Scott leave the boat they always take a bag of garbage with them.

Storage. They have a rule, if you buy something, then something comes off. However, as you will see in the tour next week, this yacht has TONS of storage! Plus they do have off-site storage too.

Freezing Weather. Laurie and Scott get asked all the time about the weather and if living on a boat is cold. Actually, their floating home was very comfortable. The only time weather is an issue, is when there is snow on the docks and when freezing temps force the marina to turn off the water. Because they live full time on the boat (keep it warm), they never have to worry about freezing pipes on the boat.

Hauling Out. Since this is their home, when they haul out they have to find a place to stay. While some boat yards allow you to live aboard, you can’t let the grey water drain out into the yard. So that is a bit of an inconvenience when you want to shower or do dishes.

The pros of living aboard.

Comradery. They have made so many friends in the marina and they are like family. They have happy hour together, enjoy barbecues and even travel together. That is one thing Scott and I really miss about owning a boat. Spending the weekend down at the marina with other friends.

The Views. This marina faces both east and west, so they get to see the sunrise and sunset every day. Scott shared some of his amazing shots with us and we agree this is a major plus.

Simplicity. Life seems easier when you don’t have a lot of stuff. It is a very “freeing” feeling to purge stuff you no longer need. Yet, they are still hanging on to their chain saw; you never know when you might need one!

Stress Reducing. Living on the water, surrounded by water, nature and marine life is good for the soul. There’s nothing better than sitting on the bow with a cocktail and enjoying all that is around you.

What type of boat do they live on?

This liveaboard yacht is a 1993 50′ Vista made by Horizon. They have never seen another one and we have never heard of this model before. Ironically the name of the boat is MV Float Plane. They bought it from a pilot and it turns out that Scott is also a pilot, so they kept the name.

We love the spaciousness of this yacht and next week, we’ll take you on a tour. We want to thank Laurie and Scott for inviting us onto their floating home and taking time to meet with us. Scott and I are very envious of them and we hope some day we can do the same.

As always, thank you for following our journey. Be sure to tune in and subscribe to our blog and vlog for the full tour next week. We have a few fun adventures coming up, so you don’t want to miss out on those.

Cheers, Scott and Ally