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

October 17, 2021October 17, 2021

More favorite yachts from Boats Afloat Show

Last month, Scott and I attended the 2021 Boats Afloat Show and this week we want to share more of our favorite yachts from the show. We were pulled in so many directions after not attending a show for nearly two years, that it was hard to pick our favorites. Here we’ll talk about a few, but be sure to check out our YouTube channel for a full tour of a few other favorite yachts (see the episode at the end of this blog.)

2004 Compass 55 Pilothouse

One of my favorite yachts, was a 2004 Compass 55 Pilothouse. This was definitely a liveaboard boat, but unfortunately it was close to $500k, so it is out of our price range.

At the stern of the boat, you access the engine room through a hatch.

There is plenty of outdoor seating for dining, with lots of room to move about.

As you enter the salon, you will find a large lounge area with lots of entertainment space.

The galley has lots of space including, two sinks kiddy corner from each other, a full size fridge and a four burner stove top.

The interior helm station was in great shape with upgraded electronics.

Moving down to the cabins, you can easily see why this is a great liveaboard. Each offer plenty of storage and space. The master stateroom has a walk around bed AND a telephone intercom!

The master head has tons of storage and counter space, plus a separate shower.

What makes a boat a favorite yacht for us? For us (everyone is different), we look to see how similar it is to living in a small condo or home. This Compass 55 had another room that would make a great office! It’s actually a make-up vanity, but it would work!

Overall, this was a very nice layout. For more information, visit Yachtworld here.

1983 Tollycraft Pilothouse

Scott and I have had many people tell us to check out a Tollycraft and luckily there was one in the show this year. This favorite yacht of the show is 61′ long, 38 years old and in great shape. It also, is almost $500k, so way out of our budget.

When we say we want our liveaboard boat to feel like home, well this Tollycraft is it! Though it’s almost 40 years old, it doesn’t look like it or smell like it. Almost everything was new, so it must have had a remodel recently.

The staterooms had lots of storage and again, the main stateroom had a full walk around bed.

The heads had separate showers and lots of counter space.

The upper flybridge offered fantastic views and great entertainment space, including a wine cooler and fridge!

Scott and I could definitely live on this boat. For more information, visit Yachtworld here.

More of our favorite yachts

We did tour a Fleming Yacht that was very nice. It had some great features, an organ (yep!), a nice fly bridge and oddly enough, a wooden captain’s chair. At over $1 million, you would think it would have a nicer captain’s seat.

This Fleming, only had an interior helm station, but you could see where they left space for an upper helm station. We did like the camera on the stern, which would be great for docking!

The staterooms were nicely appointed and offered great storage too.

Another strange feature of this favorite yacht was the master head had a mirror as the ceiling. So it made the shower look like a glass elevator.

It was great to tour more boats, but we were disappointed that there were not more in our price range (ideally under $200k). Right now the demand for used boats is sky rocketing and brokers just can’t keep them in stock. Our question is, where are these customers keeping these yachts? Marinas are full too.

Next week, we’ll take you on a tour of a 58′ Sea Ray that has an awesome design and layout! As always, thank you for following our blog and vlog. You can follow us on social @BoatingJourney and #BoatingJourney. Until next time!

Cheers, Scott and Ally

October 3, 2021October 3, 2021

Touring Dream Yachts at the Boats Afloat Show

Last month, Scott and I attended the 2021 Boats Afloat Show for the first time in almost two years. We love touring the larger dream yachts (who doesn’t?) and hoping we win the lottery! There were a couple of dream yachts that really stood out to us.

Absolute Navetta 73

Due to the pandemic, the crowds were much smaller this year at the Boats Afloat Show. Getting onto the larger yachts was easy with no wait times. The first one we toured was a brand new Absolute Navetta 73 and this yacht was stunning! Yep, we could live on this one!

Starting on the stern, you’ll find lounge seating, a wet bar and a docking station on the starboard side. The walk arounds are nice and wide with high rails.

Moving into the main salon, there’s enough space to host a large party! The interior features precious natural materials like wood, crystal, leather, the Calacatta marble, Murano glass and high-quality design furniture. The TV pops up out of the counter on the right and you’ll find recessed lighting throughout this yacht.

Between the dining area and galley, is a retractable wall that can be used to close off the galley from the guests.

High end features on the Absolute Navetta 73

In the galley you will find all Miele appliances, including a commercial Miele exhaust hood.

Moving towards the bow of this dream yacht, we will find the inside helm station with two fully integrated electronic screens. For a yacht this size, you would expect the steering wheel to be larger.

From the helm station, you go down below on your port side to find the master stateroom. This stateroom and head are larger than our condo!

How about this view for an office?

Guest accommodations on this dream yacht

Anyone who has boated with us will agree that our “guest accommodations” are just okay. Sure, it’s great to be on a boat, but let’s admit, the beds and the rooms are not that comfortable. But you can’t say that about these guests accommodations!

Check out the fly bridge!

Heading up to the fly bridge, you will find so much entertainment space. The bar is huge, with a fridge, icemaker, a grill and plenty of dining and lounge seating. The visibility from the upper helm station was fantastic.

This dream yacht does come with crew quarters. They were so small, it was hard to take a photo. Through the crew quarters, you will then find the massive engine room with plenty of head space. Powered with twin Volvo 1350 ISP 1000hp engines, this dream yacht will get you to your destination fast.

Meet the Ocean Alexander 27e

For some reason, I didn’t take any photos of this yacht, so all of the pictures below are manufacturer provided. Scott did a great tour of it, so be sure to check out our YouTube video below. At 89′ long and 21′ wide, this yacht is massive (for Seattle waters).

Starting with the salon, you will find a huge sofa lounger, a wet bar and dining towards the galley.

This galley was bigger than our kitchen in our previous home! Featuring marble throughout, it had plenty of counterspace for food prep and entertaining.

Moving up to the fly bridge, you will find an expansive lounge area inside and then a wet bar and hot tub outside! Who doesn’t need a hot tub on a boat. If you are wondering how big the fresh water tank is, it’s 660 gallons. Most likely you would fill part of it from the dock, but not all the way, or you will get water all over the place as you travel.

I don’t know about you, but this looks like a very comfortable and roomy master stateroom! Again, we don’t have this much room in our bedroom in our condo!

Taking a week off

This was absolutely a gorgeous dream yacht and if we won the lottery, I’m not sure which one we would pick! In our next blog, we’ll tour some boats in our price range, so stay tuned. We are going to take next weekend off, as we head off on another adventure! Be sure to subscribe to our blog and channel to stay updated on our journey.

As always, thank you for following us! You can also follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

September 26, 2021September 26, 2021

2021 Boats Afloat Show

After two years on hiatus, the Boats Afloat Show returned last week to Chandler’s Cove on Lake Union. It was certainly great to be at an in-person show, but it looked much different than years past. Due to the lack of inventory, coupled with the pandemic, the crowds and the boats on display were much smaller.

*This dock is normally packed with yachts*

For me, the show started the week before as I work for Union Marine and we needed to move in. We had six cruiser and yachts in the show, plus six lake boats. Though it had been two years since our last in the water show, it was like riding a bicycle again when it came to move in.

Meeting followers at the Boats Afloat Show 2021

I was working the show on Friday, taking a picture of the dingy display, when a gal came up to me and said “hi Ally, my husband and I follow you on YouTube”. It was so cool meeting her (Jan) and learning that she and her husband have a older Uniflite boat moored near Shilshole. They said they would love to have us aboard for a tour! The following day, two more followers came up to Scott and I (Jeff, Patrick, Steven….hopefully I didn’t forget any names!) to say hello. While our channel is small, it is so humbling when this happens. They truly enjoy our content and that’s why we do this. Trust me, working 40 hours a week and then having to produce a blog and episode, is hard work!

When I work the show, I work on one of our boats (remember, I’m in marketing, not sales). This was my office this year! I worked on a 2008 Sea Ray Sundancer 55 – we’ll have a full tour coming up!

Cool new boats at the Boats Afloat Show 2021

Scott and I toured a few really cool yachts! We’ll share those tours in the next couple of blogs and episodes. The show also had some cool new boats this year! Starting with this model from SeaLegs. These boats normally have inflatable pontoons, but this one was all aluminum! This amphibious vessel is great for remote beaches and cabins that don’t have a boat ramp. It would actually be perfect at our family’s place on Camano Island!

This Absolute Navetta 73 was absolutely gorgeous. We’ll do a tour of this one in our next blog!

If you need to get somewhere fast, these four outboards should do the trick!

Now if you don’t necessarily want speed, but instead size, check out these Mercury 600hp outboards! The photo doesn’t do it justice, as these outboards are about 7′ tall!

Our group had hoped to get a tour of this 64′ Northern Marine Trawler, but it was by appointment only.

More new boats at the Boats Afloat Show 2021

New to the PNW is this unique European day boat from Axopar. They are extremely popular in Europe and are great for day cruising. They do have a head and sleeping quarters too.

It was nice to see some of the larger yachts back at the show. But many of them required a broker to board, so we just enjoyed them from the dock!

Even, the sailboat row was pretty slim. This forward sail boat had literally just arrived, so it didn’t have its’ mast yet.

We then stumbled upon this Beneteau First 18, a great sailing vessel for up to four people. I’m still trying to figure out how you sail this, without getting a ton of water inside the boat?!

Of course, there were still some big sailing yachts and this Beneteau was a beauty. If we were to buy a sailboat, we would want one with plenty of deck space.

This yacht, certainly resembles us! This is what boating is all about. We toured three yachts during the show, including the Sea Ray 55, Absolute Navetta 74 and a Fleming 62. Be sure to tune in to our blog and upcoming episodes for those tours!

As always, thank you for following our journey! Be sure to subscribe to our blog and vlog (link below) and on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Until next time!

Cheers, Scott and Ally

September 19, 2021September 25, 2021

Cruising Seattle on a Duffy Electric Boat

Earlier this month, Scott and I rented a Duffy Electric Boat with our friends, Stacey, Kurt, Ben and Maria. Having never rented one before, we were not sure what to expect. You can find all kinds of boat rentals on Seattle’s Lake Union, including the Donut Boat and the Hot Tub Boat.

Located on the west side of Lake Union, the Electric Boat Company has a nice open dock and waiting area. Check-in was very easy; we filled out our liability waivers on-line and when we arrived, we simply paid and we were set!

Once you check-in, you wait on the dock for your boat to be cleaned and sanitized.

What can you bring on the boat?

Scott and I rented the boat for a two hour cruise (which costs $307 incl tax) and the boat can take up to 10 people. We rented the standard boat, but they do have a luxury boat which is larger. There were only six of us and it was the right amount of people.

You can bring your own food, beverages and music (they have blue tooth speakers), but remember you still have to follow the liquor law rules for driving under the influence. Stacey brought a beautiful Charcuterie board and we all brought our own wine.

I do recommend that you also bring napkins and paper towels as the water in case of spills.

Where can you cruise?

The Electric Boat Company will give you a map showing the areas you can and cannot take the boat. As we left the dock, the winds were kicking up from the north at about 8mph, so instead of fighting the lake swells, we decided to head up the cut towards Ballard.

There is a houseboat community on the west side of Lake Union that you immediately come upon and that was the “Sleepless in Seattle” house.

Be aware of other boaters

One thing to be aware of as you enter the cut towards Ballard, is marine traffic. Leisure craft, fishing vessels, yachts and tourist boats head through the cut to the Ballard Locks frequently. Be sure to follow the rules of the water and yield to the larger vessels.

Scott did a great job captaining the electric boat. He did say that it was like driving on ice and the steering was very lose.

There is plenty to see on the cruise and you really appreciate how much industry is on the cut.

Recently, the owners of “Trek” reached out to us on Instagram for a tour of their old ferry boat. They use the boat now as an event venue and they happen to pass us in the canal!

A day of boating on an electric boat in Seattle

This was such a fun and comfortable boat! It was a great way to unwind, enjoy the scenery and have fun. It also can be fully enclosed and it comes with a heater, so you can use it in the winter time. We will definitely rent an electric boat again if we are without a boat in the future.

As we cruised closer to the Ballard Locks, I texted our friend Jeff from M/V Why Knot, who we featured on the channel last year. Sure enough, he was home and came out to say hello! It’s our most popular episode, so be sure to check it out. Jeff lives on his 32′ Nordic Tug!

After cruising the cut, we headed towards Gas Work’s Park and my office at Union Marine. We only had about 15 minutes left in our cruise, so we ended up heading back to the docks.

It’s funny all of the things you do see out on the lake, including this cruiser with all of his fenders out.

Seattle has a beautiful skyline, so if you are looking for a day to enjoy the water with a great backdrop, this is the place!

We hope you enjoyed this quick “tour” of Lake Union and the Fremont Cut. As always, thank you for following our journey! Be sure to watch the full episode below and subscribe to our channel. Scott and I have lots of content lining up, so stay tuned. Follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

September 12, 2021September 12, 2021

Exploring Winslow on Bainbridge Island

Seattle has had a very warm summer and with no boat, we needed to get out on the water somehow! Last month, we hopped on the Seattle-Bainbridge Ferry and headed to Winslow on Bainbridge Island. This is a quick 20 minute ferry ride that only costs $9/pp!

Though it was almost 80 degrees, it was very cool on the bow of the ferry as we were moving and it felt great! Just to be outside and enjoying the smell of saltwater put a smile on our faces!

Ironically, Scott and I have never been on this ferry or to Winslow for that matter. Once you arrive into the bay, it’s a short distance to the ferry terminal with minimal marine traffic.

Walking around Winslow

Once you step off the ferry, you will follow a “herd” of people to the “city center”. The walk into Winslow takes about 10 minutes.

Immediately, we came upon a brewery and some quaint locally owned shops. After owning our own retail business for over ten years, we know the importance of shopping local. As we approached the downtown core, we realized they were having an art gallery tour this weekend.

Our first stop was the Burgerhaus for a beverage, a pretzel and deep fried mushrooms. Everything was delicious! The burgers looked amazing, but we wanted to leave room for more food later.

Winslow wharf marina and docks

After walking around the heart of Winslow, we headed to the Waterfront Park and City Dock to check things out.

The path walks all through the park and then down to the waterfront, where you can follow a trail towards the Winslow Wharf Marina.

The walking trail is very nice and includes some cool rock sculptures. We also took note of some private sailing charter companies, for another option to get out on the water for a day!

Pub crawl in Winslow

Our first stop along the walking trail was the Harbour Public House. We got a great table next to the window, where we could enjoy the views and the breeze. They had a huge menu, lots of seating and it was a really cool bar! This is when we decided to turn our exploration into a Winslow pub crawl!

Looking out the window, you can see DT Seattle in the distance.

From the Harbour Pub, we headed back along the trail to Doc’s Marina and Grill. They had tons of seating inside, but they also had a lot of tables outside. We ended up grabbing a spot along the fence to enjoy a beverage.

Scott and I still had an hour before our ferry left, so we looked for the next bar and grill in Winslow to visit. We walked back towards the city center to see what we might find.

The internet suggested San Carlos Bar and Grill. It is actually a Mexican restaurant and we were able to grab a table on the back deck. There we met a couple that had lived on Bainbridge for over twenty years and they just sold their condo to move to Colorado. They said they loved it!

Could we live in Winslow and commute?

This was definitely a town we could live in and totally enjoy. The catch is, could I do the commute everyday? Right now, my commute is a fifteen minute drive. There are always sacrifices to get what you want. So if we found the right liveaboard in Winslow, we would definitely consider it! We will also probably come back in the winter to see what it’s like to be on a ferry when it’s cold and dreary.

Watch our YouTube episode below for a full walking tour of Winslow.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Be sure to subscribe to our blog for updates and follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. See you next time!

Cheers, Scott and Ally

September 5, 2021September 9, 2021

2022 Sea Ray Sundancer 370 OB Debut!

This summer, Scott and I participated with the debut of the brand new 2022 Sea Ray Sundancer 370 OB in the Pacific Northwest. I work for Union Marine and this event was hosted at our Lake Union showroom.

We have toured a number of Sea Ray models, including an L590, 55, 550 and a 350. What makes this brand new Sundancer unique, is it comes with three Mercury 300hp outboard motors. There are a lot of advantages to having outboards, including maintenance, fuel cost, more storage, and access to shallow waters to name a few. It’s certainly much easier to change the oil on these outboards, than it is climbing down into a tight engine room.

Cruising through the Montlake Cut to Lake Washington

The weather was warm and sunny, so that meant there were boaters everywhere and the Montlake cut was like a whirlpool when we went through it.

Once we got out onto Lake Washington, we had a chase boat following us to take some footage of the boat. This photographer did a fantastic job on this photo shoot!

Offering the latest in intelligent command, the helm is equipped with a Digital Dash™ featuring standard dual 12″ Simrad® GO12 touchscreen displays.

At the end of the day, our crew took another cruise to unwind and enjoy the evening. It was so nice spending the day back on the water.

The Sundancer 370 Outboard is propelled by standard triple Mercury® 300 Verado® outboard engines with Joystick Piloting and optional Dynamic Running Surface. As we cruised Lake Washington, our top speed 41kph. Our crew circled around Mercer Island and then passed by Andrews Bay. I couldn’t believe how crowed it was!

Great entertaining space on deck

We had nine people on our cruise and still had plenty of room to move around. The bow offers comfy seats for a prime view and to access the bow, you simply walk thru on the port side (verses climbing over the dashboard!)

At the stern, you will find two tables with seating. The cockpit is equipped with a grill, sink, fridge, trash compartment and a flat screen tv. This Sea Ray Sundancer 370 also comes with heat and air conditioning and we were loving the a/c on this hot day!

Salon of the 2022 Sea Ray Sundancer 370 OB

The interior on this Sea Ray Sundancer 370 OB is very nicely appointed . I loved the amount of head room; in fact, Scott who is 6’1″ still had plenty of room standing in the galley. The main sleeping berth, is a hydraulic bed that converts into a seating area. There is no table down below, which allows for plenty of seating.

The head has a separate shower, which we love.

There is an aft berth, can be converted from a bed to another sitting area. Both sleeping quarters have a flat screen tv. In fact, in the aft berth, it pops up, keeping the counter clean.

Scott and I had such a great day cruising on Lake Washington with my team. It was so nice to be out on the water and other boaters were definitely noticing the “stealth” looking boat! Since our boats have always been moored on salt water, we have not spent much time on Lake Washington or Lake Union, so it was fun to see all of the activity.

Watch our YouTube episode below and we’ll also take you on a full tour in a few weeks.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Be sure to subscribe to our blog for updates and follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. See you next time!

Cheers, Scott and Ally

August 22, 2021August 22, 2021

Sailing Seattle’s Tall Ship

Brand new to Seattle, Scott and I sailed on Seattle’s Tall Ship, “Lady Bay” a few weekends ago. We left Bell Harbor Marina around 1p and set out for a two hour cruise towards Bainbridge Island.

Yes, they have a typo on their sign – do you see it?

About “Bay Lady” Tall Ship

This tall ship, is a schooner and at 85′ long , it is the largest public sailing vessel on Puget Sound. “Bay Lady” was built in 1989 and has a 87′ mast with over 2500 sq ft of sailing area. It was built as a charter boat on the east coast and then was transported by truck to the Bay Area of Northern California. When their lease expired for their slip, they eventually found one at Bell Harbor Marina and moved her up here this summer. This is a much different sailing experience from Sailing Seattle. On that boat, you stay seated where you are and don’t move about the boat. On “Bay Lady”, there is seating in the center, but you can not only walk around, but they encourage you to help with the lines.

There is a forward cabin that has two heads, storage lockers and prep area for food.

What does this Sailing Tall Ship Offer?

Not having a boat and wanting to get back on the water, I checked out a number of different cocktail cruise tours. Some were pretty pricey at $125/pp for a few hours and that didn’t include alcohol. Seattle Sailing Ship offers a number of different sailing times, including a sunset cruise. We chose the afternoon cruise, which was only $40/pp. They have a chest with ice and you can bring your own snacks and beverages (including cocktails and wine). What a great way to get out on the water for a few hours! The captain (so sorry we forgot his name!), was super friendly and very knowledgeable.

The views were amazing from every angle. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much wind and the water was like glass!

Elliott Bay on Seattle’s Sailing Tall Ship

When we moored our boats at Elliott Bay Marina, we always ran into a patch of area between the marina and Alki that had algae and lots of logs. Today was no different.

Aside from a little algae, the water was beautiful, the sun was warm and Scott and I really enjoyed ourselves.

Scott and I are planning to go back on the ship again before the end of summer and hoping we get to sail this time. This is a really cool vessel and a great way to enjoy Elliott Bay and Puget Sound.

As always, thank you for following our blog and vlog. Please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel (video below) to find out what’s next for us! You can also follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Until next time! Cheers, Scott and Ally

August 8, 2021August 9, 2021

Tour a 1994 Bayliner 4587 Aft Cabin M/Y

Scott and I are always on the hunt for our liveaboard boat and we were able to tour a 1994 Bayliner 4587 Aft Cabin moored at Shilshole last month. I was very curious to see how similar it would be to our 4087 Aft Cabin. The owner is a single mom and the ad was on Craigslist. As a result we didn’t do an “official” Boating Journey tour on camera, as she was with us the entire time.

Right away, I had a small panic attack, wondering how I was going to get onto the boat. To board it, I used the blue steps on the dock, but I’m really short. The distance from the top step to the side deck of the boat was pretty far, so I was worried I couldn’t make the stretch (but I managed to). Luckily, there is also access from the stern swim step like our 4087 and that’s how I disembarked!

The Cockpit

Scott and I both loved the cockpit and the entertainment space. This Bayliner 4587 has a built in bar and plenty of seating / room to entertain quite a few people.

Just like our 4087, you walk up a few steps from the cockpit to the fly bridge. There was plenty of seating and lots of storage under each of the seats. The Eisenglass and canvas was in great shape too.

The helm of the Bayliner 4587, had all original instruments with a few added electronics.

The owner actually lived on the boat for a few years. She was a sailor, but was looking for a liveaboard boat. At the time she bought it, she was also able to sublet a liveaboard spot at Shilshole. Those are since long gone. Unfortunately, because she single handedly operated the boat, she didn’t take it out much for cruising. Equipped with twin Hino 250hp engines, they only had a few hours added to them from the time she purchased it.

We seriously considered putting an offer on the boat, but without a guarantee that we can find a slip for it, we didn’t move forward. Scott and I didn’t feel like investing $2000 in a sea trial and mechanical inspection with that risk existing.

Bayliner 4587 Salon & Galley

As with our other Bayliner, you step down a few steps from the cockpit, into the salon. The salon was nicely decorated and everything was in great condition. The couch was big enough to allow for sleeping and the coffee table was a large storage unit.

This Bayliner 4587 also has the interior helm station, though Scott and I have never used ours in the past.

The galley had good space to move around in and plenty of storage! Just like our 4087 (are you getting the idea they are very much the same?) it had a Princess stovetop and the same fridge.

It also had a trash compactor and a HUGE microwave!

The settee was across from the galley and you could easily seat five people (two on each side and one at the end). The settee also turns into another bed.

The 4587 Living Space

Heading forward, you will find one day head on your port side and the guest suite in the V-berth. There was good storage under the bed, including good size lockers for your clothes. The day head is a wet head, meaning there is not a separate shower.

The aft cabin had a walk around bed (a must!) and so much storage. I don’t think we have that much storage at home with our dresser drawers!

The master head has lots of storage and it also has a nice walk in shower.

Overall Impression of the Bayliner 4587

Scott and I are so glad we finally toured this motor yacht! It was a great lay out and it checked all of our lists. We simply did not (and still do not) have a solid place to moor it, which is too risky of an investment right now. The owner did mention she would offer a sublet through her for regular moorage, but that’s not our objective. We don’t want to pay rent, plus a boat and moorage.

In the meantime, we’ll keep looking and doing our tours. Perhaps we tour a boat we’ve never considered and fall in love. We’re still pretty hooked on the Navigator Sundance 51. Next week, we’ll take you on a unique trip to Fort Lauderdale, FL! Stay tuned.

As always, thanks for following our journey! Please be sure to subscribe to our blog and YouTube channel (watch the video below). Follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Cheers, Scott and Ally

August 1, 2021August 5, 2021

Classic Yacht Show 2021 at Bell Harbor Marina

Last month Scott and I attended the Classic Yacht Show at Bell Harbor Marina. There were about twenty yachts on display, which was hosted by the Classic Yacht Association. This association was organized in 1969 to promote and encourage the preservation of fine old power driven crafts. At the end of your tour, they asked us to vote for our favorite classic yacht. Let’s see who we select.

Yes, that is a Bayliner 4588 on display – guess you could say it’s a classic yacht! (not really). I think they simply were visiting the show. By the way, next week we tour a Bayliner 4588, so be sure to tune in. This was my second in-person show for the year and Scott’s first. While it was small, it was great to be out. The show did request that you sign in for contact tracing due to covid.

Touring the Classic Yachts

We weren’t sure what to expect as we started walking down the docks. Turns out some boats were not open for tours, but we still got to view them from the dock.

As we came upon classic yacht MY Comrade, the owner welcomed us aboard. Once we saw his golden retriever, we couldn’t resist!

This classic yacht has a really cool story. Turns out, he and his wife were NOT boaters. She had spent time on boats as a kid, but they have never owned a boat before. This classic yacht was originally custom built in 1930 by Franck & McCrary on Seattle’s Lake Union. The owner, HW Davis was actually the great grandfather of the current owner’s wife. Her mother was a pack rat and had tons of photos of the boat and she knew who the third owners were. She called them up and asked if they wanted the photos and they told her they were thinking about selling it. Immediately, she called her daughter and said “You have to buy this yacht” and so they did!

Many of these yachts were built around the 1940’s and it was awesome to see how they were designed on the interior. To think that they are all wooden and still look so great, is amazing!

Classic and Timeless

Chris Craft has done a fabulous job recently, of bringing back a retro look of their brand new boats. There’s something about a Chris Craft that is simply classy and timeless.

Everything on this classic yacht was wooden, including the kayaks and dinghy up on top!

MY Dearleap 1929

Next on the tour, was MY Deerleap, a gorgeous 1929 85′ yacht built by Hoffar-Beeching. The current owners have had it for quite a long time (33 years) and they live on the Olympic Peninsula. They did try it out as a charter for one year, but it was too much work. Now they simply cruise and enjoy it themselves with friends and family.

They have done a fantastic job replicating how it originally looked in the 1930’s.

The galley was very large with plenty of room to prep.

They did have the lower level blocked off, but you will see on our next tour, what it possibly looks like.

Classic Yacht MY Linmar

After walking around the show, our last stop was MY Linmar. This 78′ yacht was built in 1932 by New York Yacht, Launch & Engine Co. in New York. The current owners recently purchased this boat after an extensive remodel due to an electrical fire. The work they have done on this yacht to bring it back to life is remarkable.

We were able to go down below and check out the guest staterooms. The current owners rent the yacht out as an air b & b – click here for rental info.

The dining room was one area that was spared from the fire.

When they did the restoration, they purposely left a bit of the char on the wall as a remembrance of the fire. Ironically, they store the fire extinguisher right next to it.

If you want more information on all of the classic yachts we saw, be sure to visit their website at https://classicyacht.org/search/node. Who did we vote for? Watch our video to find out – link at the bottom.

As always, thank you for following our journey. Please subscribe to our blog and vlog to stay updated as we search for our liveaboard. You can also follow us on social @BoatingJourney and #BoatingJourney. Next week, we’ll take you on a tour of a Bayliner 4587! See you next time!

Cheers, Scott and Ally

July 25, 2021July 25, 2021

Tour a 2004 Meridian Pilothouse Motoryacht

Finally after a few years touring boats, Scott and I toured our first 490 Meridian Pilothouse. I had been told it was in pristine condition and I was still surprised how great it looked. I only took a few photos for this week’s blog, so be sure to check out our YouTube episode (link at the bottom of this blog) for an up close tour.

This is a consignment listing at Union Marine and though it is out of our budget, we still wanted to check it out. Remember, that the larger Bayliner yachts actually became Meridian. In fact, our 2002 Bayliner 4087 was the last year that model was a Bayliner. In 2003 it became the Meridian 411. Same happened with the Bayliner 4788, which became the Meridian 490. With that said, it was remarkable how similar the two yachts are. Check out our 4788 tour from a few months ago.

This yacht has plenty of space at the stern to hang out or go fishing. It also had lots of extra storage and two large lazarettes.

Meticulous Care

It is obvious when you walk into the salon how well maintained the boat has been kept. Not only did it look fantastic, but it smelled great too! That’s not normal for a 17 year old boat!

The galley was nice and spacious with plenty of counter space and storage. Not only did it come with a HUGE microwave, but it also came with a trash compactor! It has the same Princess stovetop/oven and fridge we had on the 4087.

Ready for Entertaining

This yacht is ready to cruise and entertain guests. The owners have decorated it beautifully and the salon has plenty of entertainment space.

Heading up to the inside helm station, there’s more space to invite your guests to enjoy the cruise. The captain’s chair looks brand new and VERY expensive! We loved how easily you can see everything from the dash to the bow with plenty of visibility.

Meridian 490 Outdoor Space

There are two pilothouse doors in the helm station that lead out to a large walk around. The railings are high and very sturdy; allowing for paddle board storage.

Up on the fly bridge, they had canvas covers for all of the seats, dinghy and grill. The canvas on this Meridian 490 looks brand new too. Our only caveat for any boat we buy, is we do want a full enclosure for the fly bridge. You could easily add Eisenglass to this canvas though.

Could We Live in the Staterooms?

As I mentioned earlier, the Meridian 490 is basically the Bayliner 4788 and this model comes with an island berth in the forward cabin. With me only being 5’3″, it’s difficult for me (and my bad back!) to climb into this bed on a daily basis.

However, the master stateroom came with an enormous amount of storage! You could easily store all of your clothes and then some on this yacht. This yacht also has the bath tub in the master head, which I would never use. In fact, I worry that I would kill myself climbing in and out of the shower! LOL

This Meridian 490 does have two other staterooms, including bunks and a double size bed.

Plus it comes with a washer and dryer, which is located in the hall way. That’s a great feature, compared to some that have them tucked away in the corner of the master stateroom and a must for any liveaboard for us.

This Meridian 490 is equipped with two 330hp Cummins diesel engines with only 650 hours! Wow! The engine room was spotless and the cleanest engine room we have ever seen.

Be sure to watch the full tour below on our YouTube channel. This boat is ready for cruising and fantastic for the Pacific Northwest. We’re glad we toured it, but we’re still holding out for an aft cabin. As always, thank you for following our journey! Follow us on social on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok @BoatingJourney.

Next week we head to the Classic Yacht Show, so come along. Cheers, Scott and Ally