Allison, Author at Boating Journey

September 21, 2020September 21, 2020

Kayaking, Canoeing & Parasailing!

Scott and I decided to go kayaking, canoeing and parasailing all in one day here in Seattle. Living so close to Lake Union and Lake Washington, Scott and I decided to try out non-motorized boating on kayaks and a canoe all in the same day. I’ve never tried either activity on either lake, so I was excited to check things out.

With the current pandemic, things are a bit different now. First, you need to make reservations for Moss Bay kayak rentals by phone only and UW Canoes on-line only at least 24 hours in advance. Second, be prepared to wear your mask on the docks at all times, until you get into your boat.

Kayaking on Lake Union

When we made our reservations a week earlier, the weather forecast was warm and calm. We arrived at Moss Bay Rentals at 10am right when they opened. Unfortunately, the weather had changed drastically and now we had 70 degree weather with 9 knot winds from the north. Ugh. It was still warm, so we decided to give it a go.

Scott and I each rented a kayak for one hour at the rate of $18 per hour. I was worried about getting into the kayak from the dock, as I’ve only gone kayaking from a beach. The staff were very helpful and they make sure you get into your kayak safely. We brought our own life jackets, as I wasn’t keen on using a shared life jacket.

My office is located on Lake Union, so I thought it would be fun to try and kayak up to our dock. Looking at the map below, the yellow line is as far as we got as we were fighting 1′ waves and strong winds from the north.

In any case, it was still fun to be on the water and soak up some sun. We certainly burned a lot of calories. It took us about 40 minutes to kayak just past the Fairview Marina and then we headed back (which only took us 20 minutes!). We got some great DJI Action video, so be sure to watch the video below.

Time to check out the UW Canoes on Lake Washington

Kayaking on Lake Union was a great upper body workout while we were fighting with the wind and waves. I was hoping for a calmer experience on Lake Washington. Keep in mind, I’ve never been in a canoe before and Scott tells me they tip over easily. Great.

UW Waterfront Activities Center is about a 10 minute drive from Moss Bay. We rented a canoe to share, which was $18/hour. However, they do require a $500 pre-authorization on your credit card as a form of deposit.

Be prepared that they are very strict in regards to health and safety protocols due to the pandemic. If you attempt to remove your mask for any reason (drinking water), they will call you out. Reservations can only be made on-line and you must bring your email confirmation upon check-in.

They also did not allow us to user our own pfds, which was odd to us. Our Crewsaver life jackets are USCG Type V / III approved life jacket, but they only allow Type I, II, or III (which ours were). The center disinfects each life jacket in a solution, so we felt pretty safe.

The center only allows one party at a time to check-in on the dock. Your canoe is brought to the edge of the dock and they help you in. The person in the back of the canoe handles the steering and the front passenger is the “engine”, so I sat up front. Good news, we didn’t tip over when I got in! 🙂

No more canoeing in the Arboretum

Since 520 is under construction, they are no longer allowing people to head over to the Arboretum, which was a disappointment.

As a result, Scott and I took a leisurely canoe ride around Birch Island and the lily pad gardens.

The water was nice and calm and we simply soaked up the sun and the scenery. I would highly recommend this activity and next time, we want to go kayaking. We should have brought our drone, but we weren’t sure if it would have been stable enough in the canoe. Next time.

There were geese everywhere and plenty of other wild life including herons, turtles and fish. Be sure to watch the YouTube episode below for all of the footage.

While the canoe was a bit wobbly, I never felt like it was going to really tip over.

There was A LOT of boat traffic coming in from the Montlake cut. We tried to get a bit closer to it for footage and it got too dangerous in a canoe.

Now time for Parasailing on Elliott Bay!

Scott and I canoed for about an hour and headed back in. The staff helped us out of the canoe and had us place our life jackets in a disinfecting solution bin. It was a very relaxing afternoon and I would definitely go back there again.

We relaxed at home for a couple of hours and then it was time to head down to Bell Harbor Marina, as Scott was scheduled to go parasailing on Elliott Bay. It’s been so weird seeing the marina empty this past summer, thanks to covid.

You’re probably wondering why I said “Scott” only? Well, that’s because there is no way in the world I would go up in that thing! I’m terrified of heights and especially if I’m moving. As we were waiting for the boat to show, Scott was getting a bit anxious and was full of nervous energy!

We booked the trip with Parasail Seattle and the crew was fantastic. It’s an hour boat ride and the parasail time is about 15 minutes, which cost $160/pp. I was able to come along on the ride and in fact, they tried to convince me to join him. No thanks. There was another family onboard with us and they went parasailing first.

The crew was really great and they walk everyone thru safety measures and then they get everyone harnessed in. If you don’t have your own camera, they will video tape you for you and send you a USB with your video.

Time to go Parasailing!

Now it was Scott’s turn and they hustled him to the stern of the boat, where he sat down and hung onto the parasail. When they were ready, they launched him up in the air! The photos don’t do the trip justice, so be sure to watch the full episode on YouTube.

It was a gorgeous day to be back on Elliott Bay boating!

After an hour trip, they brought us back to Bell Harbor. We had a great time, so we made sure to tip the crew well.

What better place than the Anthony’s Bell Street Diner to relax and unwind after a full day of boating around Seattle!

At the end of September, we are taking sailing lessons on Lake Union. So there are plenty of ways to spend time on the water in Seattle without a boat or a motor and at an affordable rate.

Be sure to watch for our next episode and watch for our blog, as we share Part 1 of our San Juan Charter. Our San Juan Charter last week was EPIC, to say the least, so you won’t want to miss out on that story. As always, thank you for following our journey.

Follow us on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) @BoatingJourney and please subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Thanks everyone! Scott and Ally

#boatingjourney #boatlife #pnwboater

September 13, 2020September 13, 2020

A Tour of a 1996 Viking 46 Sport Cruiser

A few weeks ago, Scott and I got the chance to tour an awesome Viking Sport Cruiser, located on Lake Union. It was blistering hot and the broker was so kind to show us around in the 100 degree heat. It’s priced right at our budget at $199k, so we were anxious to see it in person.

What’s interesting about this sport cruiser, is it was originally built in England as a Princess 46 yacht . It was then imported into the US and branded as a Viking yacht through a join venture. Viking Yachts has been building yachts since 1964 and since then has delivered over 4000 yachts ranging in size from 37′ to 92′. Founded by two brothers Bob and Bill Healy when they took over a struggling boat builder, Peter-Viking Builders in New Jersey. Viking is now recognized as a world class yacht builder.

Wow, it has A/C!

Most of us here in the Northwest don’t need A/C on our boats, as it doesn’t get too hot nor humid. On the day of our tour, Seattle hit record temps and it was so nice to be inside an A/C cooled boat for the afternoon. The boat was originally from Napa and came up here a few months ago.

It has a really large swim platform with plenty of room between the dinghy and the transom. The cockpit offered plenty of space for a table and chairs. I will say, it was a bit tricky getting to the walk arounds and they were also a bit tight.

The cockpit had plenty of storage under the seats and the lazarette was huge!

The salon is very comfortable and offers so many live aboard amenities, including plenty of storage, a bar area, two refrigerators and an icemaker!

Check out this galley!

If you have been following us for long, you know one of my top priorities for a liveaboard is a big galley with lots of counter space and this one did not disappoint. It also has tons of storage space including an in-ground pantry.

The helm is right across from the galley and I was disappointed to see that there is no dining settee.

Heading down to the staterooms

The hallway is easy to pass through and offers closet space for storage.

The stateroom on the starboard side, offers two twin beds.

The stateroom on the port side, offered two bunk beds, with lots of storage. We were surprised to see, that there was some kind of water damage. The owner is fixing that and replacing the cushions for the bottom bunk.

The forward stateroom was comfortable and again, with plenty of storage. It’s not quite a full walk around bed, so that’s a deal breaker for me.

The heads on this Viking cruiser were interesting. In the master head, the toilet is part of the shower, but has seat cover. In the day head, you can see the toilet is outside, but still with the seat cover

Engine access and the fly bridge

The engine room access is in the salon. It was pretty roomy, but we thought it would have been a bit bigger considering this is a 46′ boat. Be sure to watch the video for the full tour of the engine room. This Viking cruiser has two CAT 3126 engines with less than 500 hours, she has a max speed of approximately 30 knots and will cruise economically in the low 20s! Wow, you can get to your destination fast – just watch out for logs.

When we got up to the fly bridge, we were disappointed that the fly bridge is not fully enclosed. Another deal breaker for us. On top of that, the bimimi is just like our old one – it has tiny pinholes in it, so it needs to be replaced.

It does have plenty of seating and the owner is having new cushions made for the fly bridge. Scott and I love the entertainment space this boat offers.

Oddly enough, this yacht has a very small dinghy for this size of a yacht. The 9′ dinghy didn’t have seats and the motor was only a 4hp! That’s slower than our first dinghy.

Our overall impression

Scott and actually loved the set up and feel of this Viking Cruiser; and it is in our price point. So what’s the deal? Well, this boat needs work and we’re not up for a fixer upper. All of the window seals are shot. Some people say they just need to be removed and resealed; others have told us the windows need to be replaced.

Beside the windows, all of the carpet needs to be replaced. So with all of this work, plus the bimini and water damage repairs, it just too much work. The owner is willing to work on the price, if the next owner is willing to do some or most of the work.

If you love to work on boats, this would be an awesome project! It’s a gorgeous yacht and would make for a great liveaboard. This yacht is listed with Chuck Hovey yachts on Lake Union and Martha was so gracious and helpful. In fact, she gave us another tour on a 51′ Navigator – stay tuned for that episode.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Next up, we go kayaking and canoeing all in the same day. Please follow us on our social channels @BoatingJourney. Until next time!

Cheers,

Scott and Ally

September 3, 2020September 3, 2020

Stunning views of Mount Rainier from Dege Peak!

I’ve only been to Mount Rainier once and on that trip we made the mistake of taking the dogs. Scott and I should have checked the rules before leaving – no dogs allowed. As a result, we couldn’t go on any of the trails. We have been wanting to return for a day hike and a few weeks ago, we headed up to Sunrise to hike up to Dege Peak. The visitor’s center entrance is located on the northeast side of Mount Rainier and was about a two hour drive from Seattle.

If you haven’t been before, our best advice is to leave early! We left at 6:30am and arrived at the entrance by 8:40am. However, there was already long line, just to get into the park entrance. From there, we still had a 15 mile drive to the visitor’s center.

We took this photo of the parking lot about an hour into our hike – as you can see the parking lot is full already. Even though it’s outdoors, everyone was wearing masks on the trail. There are restrooms at the visitor’s center that you can use before you head out.

Hiking to Dege Peak along the Sourdough Mountains

As we headed up the main trail, we ran into a park ranger, who gave us some great advice. There are two ways to get to Dege Peak: 1) you can take the trail on your right which is a constant hike up with no great views. 2) you can stay left on the trail and then turn right when you get to the top and walk along the top of the mountains for a spectacular view. We chose to go the latter route. On the way back, we took the first trail down.

Dege Peak is 7008′ and the Sunrise Visitor Center is at 6400′, so our elevation gain was just over 600′. It took us about 2.5 hours to do the trail round trip – which was a bit slower than most. I kept stopping to take photos and rest. The trail was not crowded at all on our way to Dege Peak.

The hike is fairly gradual in regards to the incline. Keep in mind there is less oxygen at that elevation, so you can still be out of breath (at least I was).

Beautiful Flowers

Considering the mountain is under snow for most of the year, it’s amazing how many beautiful flowers come back and adorn the hillside.

I wish our friend Maria was with us, as she was a florist and can identify almost every flower!

Is that poop along the trail?

I couldn’t help notice little tuffs of fur and then piles of large poop droppings. What kind of animal could it be? We knew it was not bear skat, and the droppings were too large for a deer. We were on the look out for critters!

We were about 3/4 of the way and could finally see Dege Peak ahead of us.

The views on either side of us, were absolutely stunning and breathtaking.

After you pass by this view point, you begin your ascend to the summit of Dege Peak.

Getting to the summit

Soon after we got on the trail to the summit, we encountered the critter responsible for all of the poop.

This darling marmot, was busy digging a way, looking for food. He let us pass with no problems and we were suddenly at he top!

Just as we got to the summit, a cloud formation (you can start to see it in the photo above) started to develop and moved towards us.

Within a minute, we were completely engulfed in the cloud, with no visibility.

It moved out as fast as it moved in. Scott and I took ate a quick lunch and admired the 360 degree views. Mount Rainier was absolutely enormous and it was so cool to be so close to it.

Mountain peaks for miles

No matter where we stood, we could see mountain ranges for miles. It was pretty spectacular.

Time to head back down

Scott and I only spent about 15 minutes at the summit. If you do hike later in the season, be prepared for weather changes. We once again, had to pass by our furry friend. I got lots of great video of him, so be sure to check out our YouTube episode (at the end of this blog).

Since we hiked along the ridge on the way up, we decided to take the lower trail where it forks off. That was a bit more crowded, but still allowed for plenty of social distancing.

The best part of the hike back is the view is gorgeous!

Notice all of the cars in the parking lot!

Look back at how far we hiked, I felt really accomplished. Remember, we’re not regular hikers, so this was a big deal to me!

Be prepared for the trail to be very dusty and dirty. We were filthy and glad to have brought a change of shoes and sweats.

Stop at Sunrise Point Lookout

On your way out, stop by the Sunrise Point Lookout. This is also the entrance to the Palisades Lake Trail (now on our bucket list). The views are amazing from there as well. Sunrise lake was so crystal clear!

With so many great places to hike here in the Northwest, we plan on getting out more and enjoying our own backyard.

One follower asked us why would they want to read our blog or follow our channel if we are not boating? Well, what do boaters do once they get to their destination? Often – they go for a hike. This is part of our journey! Be sure to check out the full episode on YouTube below.

We have a lot of great stories coming up, including Scott’s parasailing trip on Elliott Bay, lots of yacht tours and we’ve chartered a Carver for the San Juan Islands. So please be sure to follow us on social media @BoatingJourney and come long with our journey. We appreciate all of you that have been a part of this amazing adventure. Be sure to watch for our next blog and video as we give you a tour of a 1996 Viking 46 Sport Cruiser Motor Yacht.

Cheers,
Scott and Ally

August 21, 2020August 21, 2020

We went to Summer Camp!

A few weekends ago, Scott and I spent some time at Camp Grande on Camano Island. Our friends, Ben and Maria had invited us up for a fun weekend of crabbing, playing games and campfires at their cabin.

As many of you know, my family has a home on the southeast end of Camano Island. Camp Grande is located on the northwest end of the island facing Whidbey Island and the Saratoga Passage.

What is Camp Grande?

In 1956, two families bought a 9 acre camp that featured a boat house, 24 cabins and 28 boats. They ran the camp until 1970 and then put it up for sale. It remained vacant until 1976 when a group of friends pooled their money to purchase the property. The original group of 40 shareholders, Pilchuck Association, was excited to look at Camp Grande as a possible investment. It was offered for sale at $213,000 and though it seemed like a lot of money forty+ years ago, it has proven to be a great decision. Unfortunately, the camp had fallen prey to vandalism and destruction while vacant. As a result they had a lot of work to do in order to get it back to a functional camp. Check out the full history of Camp Grande on two blogs: Beaches of Camano Island:Camp Grande and SunnyshoreStudio.

Fast forward to today. Ben’s mom and dad were original investors in the camp and that then allowed them to transfer “shares” to their children. So Ben and Maria are partners with two other families in cabin 17. They were in a different cabin originally and have since moved. Think of this as sort of a time share.

The view from their cabin is absolutely gorgeous!

Time to go crabbing!

Ben has a 12′ Smoker Craft fishing boat that he can easily trailer and use for crabbing.

We needed to check on the crab pots before low tide, so we quickly headed over to the Maple Grove boat launch about 5 minutes away. There’s no dock, so boaters simply “beach” their boats after they launch.

Scott and Ben hopped in the boat and navigated over to Camp Grande to check on the pots. After they got their haul, Ben simply tied the boat to the tall dock (where it would hopefully stay afloat during low tide).

So many crabs, clams and mussels!

Since we were having a huge seafood dinner the next day, we were thrilled that we caught our limit of ten crabs! Maria was far braver than me – she had no issue picking them up! If you recall from my other crabbing blog, there are two ways to cook/kill crab. Some people put them in the boiling water alive and then clean them; others stab them in half, clean them and then boil them. That’s how Maria prefers to do it.

After a fabulous lunch (thanks to Maria), we headed back down to the beach to get some clams and mussels for our seafood dinner. The tide was really low, so we had plenty of beach to work with. Note that you do need a license to harvest clams and mussels as well.

Beautiful sunset

Since we are accustomed to being on the east side of the island, we never get to enjoy the sunset, so this trip offered a real treat. After dinner, we built a fire and got ready for some serious star gazing! The view was stunning and magical. We had no idea what the following night would have in store for us!

A day at camp

The next day, Scott and Ben headed out to check the crab pots once again and caught three. Afterwards, we had a fantastic lunch, played some lawn games and soaked up some much needed sun. They also gave me an early birthday present – love it!!

There were so many bald eagles everywhere too! They seemed to visit us about every half hour.

After enjoying some sun, Ben and I headed out for the final trip to pull the crab pots. I tried doing the pulling, but it’s not that easy when you don’t have a pot puller. Plus Scott was making me laugh as he was filming me with the drone. Unfortunately, we only caught one crab this time. (again, we didn’t grab a photo, so this is a screenshot from the video.)

Just minutes after we got out of the boat, Ben spotted a spout in the water! A humpback whale was frolicking in the bay! Who would guess that we would get to see eagles and whales all in the same day!

The property was covered in Hydrangea plants and it was so beautiful to walk around.

A fantastic dinner with great friends and scenery!

With clams purging and Champagne ready, we were ready for an amazing feast!

One thing about Maria, is she is a fantastic cook! I pride myself on being an amazing chef, but she has me beat! We had a fine dining experience in epic surroundings. Maria made grilled lobster and shrimp skewers for our first course.

Maria also made a fantastic clam recipe. I’m not a huge clam eater – I like them very small and swimming in garlic. So when we were clamming and she kept digging for the big ones I was getting grossed out. Turns out, she guts each clam and then chops up the meat. From there she seasons them, and grills them in their shells with tomatoes and bacon. Let me tell you – they were delicious!

The irony of the dinner, was we had so many appetizers that we hardly touched the crab! Of course, I failed to get a photo of that too. We had so much left over crab, that Scott and I enjoyed a crab Louie the following night for dinner!

Sunset, stars and the moon

We finished the night with a campfire and s’mores., just as if we were at camp.

There’s something to be said about summer in the Pacific Northwest! The sunsets are pink and vibrant, the skies are filled with stars at night and the moon shines brightly.

Scott and I can’t thank Ben and Maria enough for such a fun and fabulous weekend. It’s during these trying times, that we realize how important friendships are to us. We know the four of us will have an amazing time in the BVI’s on our bareboat charter next February!

We captured some amazing video footage, including drone footage of our weekend. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and see the video below.

As always, thank you for following our story! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter @BoatingJourney and use the hashtag #boatingjourney. Thank you for subscribing to our blog and our YouTube Channel. We’ll see you on water soon!

Cheers, Scott and Ally

August 7, 2020August 7, 2020

Whaler Life on a 170 Montauk at Camano Island

Last month, I sat down with my nephew Jake who owns a 2006 Boston Whaler 170 Montauk, to talk about beach life and how he likes his Whaler. Jake has owned the boat for three years and is the second owner of the boat. Tyee Beach is located on the east side of Camano Island facing Port Susan.

It is a private beach that is made up of mostly vacation homes. However, many people live there all-year round, including my aunt and uncle.

Crabbing, shrimping & fishing

During the summer months, everyone at the beach spends their time out on their boats crabbing, fishing and shrimping – when it’s open that is. In Washington state, we have a very limited crabbing season and shrimp season is only open about two days.

Jake uses 27″ diameter crab pots that weigh about 20lbs. As you can see in the video above, you need a boat that can handle not only the load, but the dirty work. The great thing about the Montauk line is that it is designed to handle rugged activities like fishing and crabbing.

It’s rugged enough to beach it on rocky surfaces and you don’t have to worry about the boat getting messy. Once you’re done for the day, simply hose down the deck and you’re good to go!

At the same time, the 170 Montauk offers comforts to everyone – its easy to stand in, plenty of seating with comfortable cushions, tons of storage and optional fishing packages. It also has all of the navigation you need, including fish finder and GPS. Jake also added a crab pot puller and it makes life so much easier – trust me, I know first hand.

Great Family Boat

When Jake is not out fishing, he loves to take his family out for a cruise. With a young daughter and nephews, safety is his top priority – he loves that the Whaler is unsinkable!

Jake’s 170 Montauk is outfitted with a Mercury 90 HP motor, which gets him to where he needs to be quickly! He has even taken the Montauk over to Langley on Whidbey Island, about 8 nautical miles away. At 17′ long, you feel like you are in a much bigger boat than it actually is.

The perfect boat for the Pacific Northwest

I asked Jake when he thought he might buy a different boat. He said he has no plans to buy one as of now since Whalers can last a life-time. Their durability and easy to tow feature, makes them a great boat for the Pacific Northwest.

One funny and ironic story about Jake’s Montauk is from awhile back. My family had been teasing me about not trusting their mooring ball for our own boat (Bayliner 4087). It hadn’t been tested and we didn’t know if it could hold 23,000 lbs.

Scott and I were up at the beach on a stormy night and the Montauk was tied to the mooring ball. Winds started howling around midnight and got up to 30 knots. The next morning, my aunt woke me up at 5am to an emergency! The neighbor’s Bayliner 3988 had broken from its mooring line and the Montauk not only caught it, but it held it during the wind storm! It only suffered a couple of scrapes too. That’s impressive!

Scott and I are truly blessed to be able to enjoy time up on Camano Island and the fact that we can still go boating, makes it that much better! Thank you to Jake for taking us out crabbing and getting to spend a fun day on the water. The PNW is a beautiful place to live and we’ll never take for granted the beauty we get to experience here. Be sure to check out our interview with Jake below.

As always, thank you for following our story!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter @BoatingJourney and use the hashtag #boatingjourney. Thank you for subscribing to our blog and our YouTube Channel. We’ll see you on water soon! Cheers, Scott and Ally

August 2, 2020August 2, 2020

Could a Navigator yacht be our next live-aboard?

A few weeks ago, Scott and I headed up north to view two Navigator yachts as a possible live-aboard. The weather forecast was sunny and warm, so why not take a road trip and spend the day near the water and boats? A few years ago, I commented in our blog about liking Navigator yachts after we toured one at the Boats Afloat Show. However, that was also four years ago, so perhaps what we liked then is different than today.

First stop, Navigator on the hard

Scott and I headed up to Blaine, WA to view a 53′ Navigator that was on the hard. The price was very low compared to the other similar year and models. We could see by the photos that it was missing some of the salon furniture and we wondered why. This is a 1999 Navigator 5300 and the asking price is $199,999.

The salesperson was very friendly and let us tour the boat on our own. As soon as we got on the boat, she asked us if we “knew the story?” We told her we had not talked to anyone, other than a few emails back and forth about viewing it. While were were admiring the size of the cockpit, she began to tell us the story.

Turns out the boat sank at the Anacortes Marina a year ago ! (great). Wish we would have known that before we drove all the way up to the border. Luckily, we had another viewing the following day in Anacortes, so it wasn’t a big deal.

We’re here, might as well tour it

As the story goes, the boat sank at the marina after a thru hull plug failed and it sank up to about a foot into the salon. Well, that can’t be good! They did get life it out immediately. Surprisingly, we didn’t notice too much damage on the woodwork except for a few spots, but the interior did smell musty. Older boats smell as it is, and it didn’t help that this one had been in the water. They did replace the carpet and that was about it. They said they “Neutra-salted” the engine (yet the listing said they rebuilt the engines) and didn’t replace any of the electronics or wiring. Yikes. She did say, they have put the boat back in the water since and everything runs fine. Could be a fun project for someone, but when it comes to sinking and electrical – I’ll pass.

Since we’re here, might as well take a tour. The galley is one of my favorite things about the Navigator. It has plenty of counter space, a huge sink and a nice big fridge. Check out the pantry in the floor board!

The interior bridge offered plenty of space for an office.

As we toured down below, it was difficult to see, as they didn’t turn on the power, so everything was in the dark. In the main stateroom, they did have a washer and dryer. However, it was right next to the bed and I don’t know how you would get your laundry out. We also wondered how you would service the washer?

The forward VIP berth had tons of storage including closet space.

Question for other boaters: Have you ever bought a really stinky boat and made it work? We watch YouTube videos of folks buying derelict boats and we wonder if they ever get the smell out? Please let us know.

When we got to the upper fly bridge, it was obvious this boat needs some work. It did have a huge u-shaped seat, but with no table, it seemed like strange set up. Then the bridge panel was missing an instrument indicator, the instrument panel was starting to show signs of wear & salt corrosion, plus it had a serious off shore freezer that took up a huge chunk of the bridge.

If someone wanted to invest at least $50,000 to $80,000, this could be a really cool boat. Scott and I are not looking for a serious fixer upper. We did love the bottom paint – this made the boat very stylish and stunning. In the end, this was not our thing and so we moved on to the next one.

Who doesn’t love a surprise?

While we were cruising the docks of the Blaine Marina, we stumbled across this cool old tug boat. We talked to the captain and found out they use this tug boat to shuttle people from the marina to the Semiahmoo marina.

This tug was built in 1944 and was used to carry cannery workers back and forth across the channel between Blaine and the former APA salmon cannery on Semiahmoo Spit. The ferry was restored by volunteers from the Whatcom Maritime Historical Society, The Friends of the Plover, (now known as Drayton Harbor Maritime) and The Plover Beach Gang. For more information, be sure to check out the Drayton Harbor webpage here.

My surprise for the day, was finding out that our friends were just across the bay and they have a golden retriever named Tiller. I first met Tiller at the Union Marine Rendezvous last summer and I fell in love with her. She is so much like our old golden Mac, that I swear he is channeling through her. So Lauren and Marshall, made the trek across the bay from Semiahmoo and we got to visit with them for a bit before we headed to Anacortes. What a fun surprise!

A beautiful day at Cap Sante Marina

This was our first trip overnight since the covid-19 pandemic and I was a bit anxious about staying in a hotel. Scott and I have stayed at the Sunrise Inn for the past few years and this year, they didn’t disappoint. Our room was fantastic and very clean. We brought our own pillows and didn’t use any of their shower amenities – just to be safe.

We grabbed a quick appetizer at the beach cafe at Anthony’s while we enjoyed the view and the sunshine. It was the perfect setting for a Saturday afternoon.

We decided to walk the docks and enjoy the scenery. The marina had plenty of signage reminding folks to keep their social distancing. As we walked down the guests docks, it was fun to see a couple of Elliott Bay Marina yachts there and we stopped to chat with them for a bit.

A sneak peak before our tour

Scott and I had a scheduled tour for the following day to see the other Navigator, a 1995 Sundance 5300, but as we walked the docks we stumbled upon it. Low and behold, someone was on it and he invited us up. It was the canvas company (working on the boat) and he gave us the full story and tour. One thing to note, is the Sundance model is set up differently than the classic 5300 (the first boat we toured). The main stateroom entrance is located mid salon. (See below in the tour.)

He was in the process of installing a BRAND NEW waterproof Sunbrella enclosure for the flybridge. It was awesome and we were envious. Turns out the owners live in California and they were just not using the boat that much, so they decided to sell it. They were the second owners and have put the boat in charter for one year. However, they use a boutique small charter company, so it only got chartered about twice a year.

It was great getting some insight on the boat, before our appointment the next day. Plus who wouldn’t want that brand new canvas enclosure?! Wow, amazing work. He did tell us that they only work in Anacortes. So if you need canvas work done, call Canvas Outfitters in Anacortes.

The full tour of the Navigator Sundance 5300

Scott and I met the broker first thing in the morning and he was super helpful. Of course, we didn’t tell him we had been on the boat the night before. The owner of the boat has taken impeccable care and it really showed. For a 25 year old boat, this boat looked new. It did have a very expensive lounge chair in the salon (a Thomas Payne) – which I would get rid of and instead, add a coffee table. In addition, there is tons of storage throughout the salon.

While the galley was dated with white cupboards, it actually looked great. The dining table was huge and you could easily use that for entertaining and a buffet. There was just as much storage in this galley as we have in our current condo.

Unlike the previous Navigator, the galley table is the only option for an office – but it’s big enough for four people! The bridge was a bit tight looking at the seat and the wheel, that was our biggest disappointment. Even a skinny person couldn’t fit in there.

Sleeping arrangements

The main stateroom and head are accessed by a staircase, mid salon. It was actually pretty cool and this offered a full beam stateroom, as it’s located under the salon.

With huge closets and plenty of drawers, this main stateroom easily offered the comforts of home. Plus you can easily walk around all sides of the bed!!

Moving through the galley and flybridge, you enter another staircase down to the guest spaces. I like that they are separate from the owner’s section. Down below they had a room with bunk beds and a large VIP forward berth with a shared head.

The washer and dryer were easily accessible and located in the room with the bunk beds.

Cavernous Engine Room

Scott originally wasn’t going to check out the engine room, but the salesman convinced him to go check it out. Once down there, he kept awing and saying “Wow, this place is cavernous! It goes on and on and on.”. While it’s hard to tell the size by the photos, you can see how many large tubs are stored down there. Be sure to watch the YouTube video for the full tour.

While we do contract out some of our engine maintenance on our boats, we also do a lot of it ourselves. The biggest challenge Scott has had, is being able to easily access the engine. On this boat, he felt he had plenty of room to maneuver around.

Where’s the dinghy?

I thought it was odd that the boat didn’t have a dinghy. That was until we got upstairs (yes, I didn’t notice it the day before), that we found the dinghy up on the flybridge. The flybridge also has a barbecue and wet bar. With the dinghy stored up top, it does get pretty tight. You would want to be careful moving around.

Curious about what type of dinghy it was, I took off the cover and was happy to see it was a center console 12′ Caribe with a 40hp engine! Wow! The flybridge has a crane davit for the dinghy, which would be new to us to use.

What a great live-aboard! Did we make an offer?

As we were sharing our story on Instagram and Facebook during the tour, everyone kept asking us if we made an offer? We also found more information on the boat, also called “Simbalaut”, that he has traveled to Alaska and there’s a great blog out there about that trip! How cool is that?!

Back to the question – did we make an offer? Scott and I talked it over on our way home. We know this is a perfect live-aboard and within our price range. The issue still remains – we have no where to put it. The broker did offer temporary moorage for it, but that’s not our solution. We don’t want to pay for a 60′ slip AND our condo that we live in. The whole purpose for downsizing and living aboard, is to get rid of our condo. Back to square one.

Scott and I have no regrets on taking the trip and spending time on both Navigators. We feel this is probably the model we are looking for, but we are still open to other types (trawler, yachts, etc). We’ll continue looking at different types of boats and hope when February comes along, that we’ll find something. Our best bet is probably to find a boat that comes with a live-aboard slip already. We are on the wait list for Shilshole and Delin, but without a boat, we won’t be able to take it if our name comes up.

In the meantime, we’ll keep searching and stay positive that all of our efforts to make this happen will come to fruition. Stay tuned.

As always, thank you for following our story! Next week, we share a “Whaler Story” and life on a Boston Whaler 170 Montauk.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter @BoatingJourney and use the hashtag #boatingjourney. Thank you for subscribing to our blog and our YouTube Channel. We’ll see you on water soon! Cheers, Scott and Ally (See the full tour below)

July 24, 2020July 24, 2020

Living on a Nordic Tug 32′ in Ballard!

A few weeks ago, our friend Jeff Gassen of M/V Why Knot gave us a tour of his Nordic Tug 32′ that he lives on. Yes, you heard that right – a 32′ tug! We met Jeff virtually through Instagram and you can find his profile page here. It’s been fun sharing ideas and suggestions over the past year. In fact, Jeff offered a lot of help in getting our dinghy up and running!

Scott and I reached out to Jeff to ask him questions about how he likes living aboard, especially on a small vessel. When we downsize from a home, our mindset tells us to mimic our home (three bedroom, two bath, living room, etc). But that’s not what the point is. I do think it makes a difference if you are a single resident versus a couple!

Jeff moors his boat in Ballard along the canal. This is a private dock in an industrial area, not a marina. The disadvantages of that is he doesn’t have a dock box, private hose, laundry or bathroom facilities. The plus side is, he gets to live on his boat!!

About is ’86 Nordic Tug

Jeff has lived on his boat for about three years after he moved from a small apartment on Alki Beach in Seattle. He had been looking for a boat to live on and when this one came up, he jumped at the chance. Originally built in Woodinville, WA, Jeff is the second owner of this tug. You can check out the history of Nordic Tugs here. This boat launched in October 1986 and this was hull #6, making this vessel a classic.

It’s a perfect layout for Jeff and provides him everything he needs. The forward berth is comfortable and he has a full head with a separate shower. I asked him if he has ever run out of water (my biggest fear) and he said “Yes, one winter day when I was in the shower.”

He has a local service pump him out or he will take the boat to the Sky Launch pump-out. That gives him an opportunity to boat on Lake Union and practice his one man handling of the boat. Speaking of which, he says, it’s actually pretty easy to maneuver using the dual pilot house doors.

The boat has one engine, a 175hp Yanmar diesel with 6 cylinders. Jeff happens to be an auto mechanic, so he’s able to do a lot of the engine maintenance himself!

The Grand Tour!

I took a few photos of Jeff’s Nordic Tug, but for the full tour be sure to watch our YouTube episode below. There was too much to try and include here in the blog (and the blog doesn’t do it justice). Jeff spends much of his time in his salon/galley where he loves to cook. He has a super cool spice rack that adds to the character of the space. Of course I forgot to take a photo – so tune in!

Inside his salon, he has a wood burning stove that pumps out serious heat. Though his salon may seem small to some, Jeff explained that he works out in the salon, he entertains and does game nights and relaxes while listening to music. Notice I didn’t say anything about internet or television? That’s because he does NOT have a computer or a television. Good for him. To be disconnected these days, is impressive.

Where are the photos of the rest of the boat?

I got so caught up with the tour while Scott was filming that I forgot to take still photos for the blog! Me forget to take photos? Shocking, I know. To get a tour, you will need to watch the video. The other thing is during our tour it got really windy, with winds coming from the south at about 21 knots. We could really feel it. It gave us some perspective of how it would be living on the canal during the winter.

Living on a boat

For Scott and I, we were curious if Jeff had any regrets or did he miss anything by living on his boat? He did say he misses a big comfy couch. I would agree! Our next boat, will definitely have some sort of couch/lounge area that we can comfortably relax on.

While his fridge was on the smaller side, along with his pantry items, he simply goes to the store a bit more often. Being moored where he is, Jeff is walking distance to two major grocery stores. Super easy! I did ask about doing laundry – his laundromat is next door to a brewery, so he drops in his wash and grabs a beer while he waits. Perfect!

There are about six or so live-aboard boats where he is moored. He loves that they all watch out for each other and share different things should they need it. They barbecue on the dock, watch the boat traffic pass by and enjoy the sunset with cold beer. You can’t beat that view.

Scott and I were super grateful to Jeff to spend time with us on his Nordic Tug 32 and answer all of our questions. Living aboard can seem fun, adventurous and rewarding, but it has to make sense for you. Our plan is still to search for our live-aboard boat. It probably won’t be this compact, but if it was, we might have a better chance of finding a slip! LOL

As always, thank you for following our journey! We have some great stories coming up, including a tour of two Navigator 5300 yachts. Now if only we could find a slip for a boat that size. Stay tuned.

July 19, 2020July 19, 2020

The Cost of Owning our 2002 Bayliner 4087

For this blog, we wanted to break down the cost of owning our 2002 Bayliner we recently sold after just fourteen months. Many of you have asked us, why we sold and that’s explained here in our previous blog. The question also has been asked, how much did that cost you and was it worth it?

Scott and I have broken down the costs into several different categories. Keep in mind your costs may be higher or lower depending on many variables. We’ll go through those as we review our costs.

Pre-Purchase Costs

These are any costs you incur prior to purchasing your boat. These include things like surveys and mechanical inspections. Note, that you may incur these costs multiple times depending on how many boats you place an offer on. We spent $1500 on a survey and mechanical inspection including oil samples for our boat.

We went with an individual who was certified to do both inspections. This saved us time and money by not having to schedule multiple inspections. In addition, we saved $600 for a haul-out for the survey because we won a free haul out at the Seattle Boat Show.

Included in this category is also the purchase of the boat. We financed this boat and we put down 15%. This amount will vary on the purchase price, lender and age of the boat. Some lenders require 20%, so better to plan on the high side just in case.

Accessories & Supplies

In this category we have included items to provision the galleys, heads, staterooms and miscellaneous items like fender hooks, cleaning supplies, LED lights, etc. Again, your budget for this expense depends on how you provision your boat. When we bought our Bayliner 4087, it didn’t come with much and the bedding was original from 2002.

We bought everything we needed, including the items above plus a new TV, barbecue, cockpit carpet, salon carpet and bathroom linens. In total, we spent about $2525, of which $900 was for the custom cockpit carpet.

Routine Maintenance

Routine maintenance (by our definition) is service & parts that you need regularly throughout the year. This includes items like watermaker service, filters, hull cleaning, replacement zincs (which includes divers), engine zincs, dinghy maintenance and minor repairs .

This is a pretty variable category. The more routine maintenance you can do yourself, the more money you will save. There were things we did ourselves like changing the oil, but we had divers check and clean the hull, intakes and zincs. Before we sold the boat, we replaced our broken spotlight and that cost alone was $850.

In total, we spent $2567 on routine maintenance in fourteen months. The next two categories are the two most expensive. Some of the costs you can control, others are just the cost of ownership.

Major Maintenance

Scott and I want to emphasize these costs are based on our decisions and may not reflect directly on your next boat purchase. We break major maintenance into two categories.

Post Purchase

The first is post purchase. What maintenance do you have to do to the boat to make it safe and seaworthy per your survey & mechanical inspections? This doesn’t mean you bought a boat with a hole in the hull, but rather what mechanical maintenance and improvements do you need to make? In our case, the previous owners had kept pretty good maintenance records, but our survey showed there were a few items we should take care of. Now, we could have looked past these suggestions, but we like to error on the side of caution. As a result, we had Union Marine do a full engine tune-up, replace all of the original batteries, upgrade the fuel filters and more for a total of $6400. Keep in mind we had dual Cummins 270hp engines, whereas you may only have a single engine.

Haul Outs & Painting

Our second major maintenance item was to haul out for bottom paint. We knew when we bought the boat in March, that it hadn’t been hauled out in years. In our research we found that the best time to haul out and do bottom paint, was after the boating season. So we hauled out in the Fall to complete the following: clean and scrape the hull, bottom paint, clean running gear and inspect sea cocks and rudders. Scott and I had intended on completing a lot of the work ourselves.

We had already purchased all of the bottom paint and accessories, but just before we hauled out, we both got called out of town for business. In addition, we were shocked to see 2″ of barnacles on the prop, shaft and rudders and we knew there was no way we could tackle this project.

As a result, in order to reduce the time on the hard and costs, we decided to have Pacific Fiberglass at the shipyard take care of it. They also introduced us to PropSpeed and showed us some work they were currently doing. This was an application to the props, shaft and rudders to keep growth off them and not something we could have easily done ourselves, given the amount of work to be done and the environmental considerations.

The haul out and work was completed for $6022 (The roundtrip haul-out and yard fee was $2060 and the actual work and parts cost $3962). So if you’re keeping track, the total for major maintenance category costs were $12,422.

Fixed & Variable Costs

The second major category and final category overall is our fixed & variable costs. These costs include moorage, insurance and fuel. Obviously you’ll have a lot of control over these costs. These costs will vary greatly based upon what type of boat you have, where you moor your boat, who you insure it with and the type of propulsion you have.

In regards to moorage fees, our boat was a 2002 Bayliner 4087 Motor Yacht with an LOA (length overall) of 47’. We moored it at Elliott Bay Marina (which is one of the nicest marinas in the Seattle area) because it was only 5 minutes from our home. We could have chosen a less expensive marina, but we didn’t want to spend so much time commuting to the boat. Traffic in the Seattle area is some of the worse in the country. Spending an hour or two on a Friday afternoon to get to the boat is not exciting. Plus we love everything about Elliott Bay Marina.

motor yachts sailing marina seattle — View of DT Seattle

We did save on fuel costs compared to our previous cruiser, as this boat had diesel engines and cruised at 10-12kts rather than the 25kts we cruised in our gas powered cruiser. As a result of the corona virus, we delivered the boat with full fuel tanks since we couldn’t really go out after our last fill-up. Overall, this category cost us $14,310.

Drum Roll Please

Now for those of you keeping up with us, we spent a total of $33,324 or about $2380 per month, plus boat payment for the 14 months we owned the boat.

Things to consider. While this may seem to be a large amount of money (and it is), we’ve also prepped ourselves to be able to afford this. Scott and I sold our business and our home, in order to downsize our living expenses (saving us over $26,000/year. ) Like most families, we would typically take one big vacation a year ($6500/year) and then multiple weekend getaways ($3000/year. ) Our investment in the boat, is part of our lifestyle or hobby, if you will.

Unlike a vacation or getaway, we get to enjoy the boat all year round. Some people invest in collectibles and never use them; other people buy brand new cars every year (ours is 14 years old and paid for). By buying our second boat, it gave us time on the water and experiences that you can’t put a value on. In the end, it’s all relative to what you want in life.

What would we do differently?

What would we do differently next time? Emerald Harbor Marine has some great advice, which perhaps we should have gotten before we invested – who knows? They suggest that before you buy a boat, have a 3^rd party (like them) check the boat out. (Note, they are not a replacement for a survey or mechanical inspection). What they’ll do , is give you an estimate on what the costs will be for replacement parts and yearly maintenance. Keep in mind, some parts might not even be available for older boats. They also suggest to use the boat before investing in (new batteries, filters, etc), because it may not need them. Use the boat first and find out how it feels.

No Regrets

In the end, we are happy with how everything turned out. The experience we gained during these past fourteen months was amazing and not something we could “buy.” This pandemic has made us focus more on what we really want to do in life and we’re excited about our search to find that. Now we’re onto the next big thing – not sure what that is yet, but we know it will be fun and on the water!

As always, a big thank you to everyone who follows us! Be sure to follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram @BoatingJourney, so you can see our stories and get current updates on our progress. Also, check out our YouTube channel at @BoatingJourney and subscribe for future episodes. Cheers, Scott & Ally

Check out our YouTube Episode Below!!

July 12, 2020July 12, 2020

Kayaking, Crabbing & Paddle Boarding

Scott and I didn’t waste too much time being boatless. Last weekend we headed up to my family’s place on Camano to do some kayaking, crabbing and paddle boarding. Every year for the July 4th Celebration, we all gather for the festivities at Tyee Beach where my aunt and uncle live.

I’ve been coming to the beach for over thirty-five years and things sure have changed over the years. In 1951 my uncle and his dad built a tiny studio cabin on about two acres. We used that cabin for years and as more people joined us, we ended up camping in tents around the property. In 2007 they torn down the cabin and built a new home. Scott and I are very lucky to be invited every year and to have such an awesome place to spend the holiday weekend.

Let the festivities begin!

After being cooped up for months with no family contact, we were ready to have some fun and go crabbing. All of us made sure to practice safe distancing as best as possible. When we arrived on Friday, the weather was looking pretty grim. Still, Scott and Jason needed to go check on the crab pots since that was our dinner the next day.

The irony of the situation, was we had planned on using my nephew’s Boston Whaler 170 Montauk to go crabbing. But earlier in the week, he felt the motor was missing and worried it would stall on him. Instead, they used my uncle’s dad’s 1987 Gregor aluminum boat.

It worked great, but then Jason remembered in the evening that it had a small leak and the weather had taken a turn for the worse! My nephew Jake, jumped into a kayak and was able to tow it to shore in 15 knot winds. It was crazy! Thank God he did, as it would have been under water otherwise.

Crabbing – Catching our limit

For the first time in years, we actually caught our limit! The daily limit throughout Puget Sound is five Dungeness crab, males only, in hard-shell condition with a minimum carapace width of 6¼ inches. Fishers may catch six red rock crab of either sex per day, provided those crab measure at least 5 inches across.

We had more dungeness crab than we knew with what to do. Plus, we put the pots back out, so we would have to pull them the next day. It was interesting talking with my uncle Dick on how he cleans crab. He boils them (alive) first, then splits them in two to clean out the insides. Some people prefer to cut them down the middle (alive) and kill them that way; then clean out the insides and boil them. We’ve heard that if you boil them intact that they taste better. I guess it’s all up to the crabber. You also want to make sure you keep them in saltwater after you catch them, prior to boiling them.

We went crabbing the following day and I asked my nephew Jake, how do you know which crabs you can keep? He told us to feel their legs….is the shell hard? If it’s soft, then they are too young and there’s no meat. Throw them back!

Then you want to make sure you only keep male crabs – NOT females. How do you know the difference? Check their undersides, see image below:

Lastly, you need to measure their body width. Measure all male crab with a crab gauge. In Washington State, legal dungeness crab must be male and at least 6 1/4-inches across the back (NOT including the spines) or wider. When measuring make sure you measure in a straight line across the back immediately in front of, but NOT including the last points.

Too close for comfort

Since it was a celebratory weekend, we had tons of boats on the water and lots of crabbing boats too. However, I was shocked to see so many boaters not following proper boating etiquette. First, Scott and I were nearly run over by a boat while kayaking. Then later, there were boats going inside the buoys going 20mph through the crab pots. It was so rude and made for an uncomfortable ride for the smaller dinghies.

Time for some water sports – wait for it!

The following morning Port Susan was flat calm and the weather was gorgeous. Time to explore in the kayaks. When you haven’t gone kayaking in a year, you forget how much exercise it can be. Within an hour, my arms were sore! The day before, orca whales had been swimming nearby the shore. We had hoped they would have returned, but no sightings for us.

One thing I have never done is paddle boarding. We plan on trying it on our trip in the BVI’s, since the water is warm and clear. I wasn’t too keen on trying it in Puget Sound, with the water being only 52 degrees and full of sea grass! After a lot of convincing, I finally agreed. How hard can it be? Wonder if I fell into the water? Be sure to watch our next YouTube episode to find out.

Boat parade!

Normally the beach celebrates the July 4th holiday with a street parade, but due to the covid-19 virus, they opted for a boat parade instead. It was fun to be on the beach and see everyone go by! Be sure to check out our Facebook Page or Instagram account for a video of the parade.

We also took a ton of drone footage of the beach and Port Susan, so be sure to watch our next YouTube episode for the full coverage.An eagle was circling above me while I was trying to paddle board, as if I was its’ next meal!

Spending time on the beach

There’s something about hanging out on a beach, that brings a sense of peacefulness and serenity. It doesn’t matter if you are in the PNW or the Caribbean. It’s especially great in the NW when it’s warm and sunny! Last weekend was ideal! It always amazes me how much driftwood shows up each day on the shore.

Firework Celebrations

Watching the fireworks up close with an orange moon in the background made for the perfect setting. Scott and I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend.

It was another great July 4th weekend in the books and we’re so grateful to have been able to spend quality time with my family. We’d love to see more of them this summer, but with the pandemic we understand we have to limit our time with each other. We’re hoping to get back up to Tyee Beach this Fall.

Stay tuned for our next blog and episode – we’ll go over the cost of ownership for our last boat, our 2002 Bayliner 4087 Aft Cabin M/Y during the time we owned it. In the meantime, Thank YOU for following our journey.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram @BoatingJourney, so you can see our stories and get current updates on our progress. Also, check out our YouTube channel at @BoatingJourney and subscribe for future episodes. Cheers, Scott & Ally

July 3, 2020July 3, 2020

Once again, we’re without a boat

That Was Quick!!

Sadly, we’re once again without a boat. Our 2002 Bayliner 4087 went on the market the first of May and we had a few offers the first week it was listed. Not that we’re biased, but we knew it would be a hot commodity – it’s in fantastic shape, low hours for a diesel and it was the newest Bayliner 4087 out of eleven (11) for sale in the entire US.

We accepted a cash offer from an out of state customer. He lived in Arizona, but arranged for his son to go on the sea trial and do an oil sample. Right off the bat, the customer had a ton of questions about the work we had done on the boat. Being detailed, I gave them the maintenance log and an itemized list of improvements. (In our next blog, we’ll review the costs of ownership for Our Happy Day).

This list was just the maintenance on the boat. It did not include the Snap-In custom carpet, new bbq, new flat screen tv, bed topper, linens and accessories. Keep in mind, that these items should never be considered when you price your boat as they are added on accessory items.

The customer had chosen not to do a survey, as we had just had one done and we were happy to share the report (with a deposit of course). In addition, we just had Double J Diving check out all of the intakes and replace the zincs, so we shared the underwater photos as well.

Drone footage from land

The sea trial was set for Saturday, May 23rd. One great thing about having someone else operate your boat, is we got some fun drone footage of them leaving and coming back to the marina. Our broker, Steve Thoreson with Union Marine, was their captain for the sea trial, and they couldn’t have asked for better weather. The winds were dead calm and he moved like a sloth back into the slip.

Scott and I felt a little weird, hanging out by the parking lot filming them as if we were spying on them. In reality, they had no idea who we were! The sea trial was short as was their visit. His son used FaceTime to give his father a tour and send some photos. They got the oil sample, which their broker sent down to NC Machinery in Tukwila.

The following Monday, the buyer came back to us and asked us for a $1,500 concession because he wanted to make some improvements. We said no and that our original sale agreement was the agreed upon price.

Closing date

Our closing date was set for June 1st (approximately) and the oil sample came back fine. Knowing we only had one last weekend left on the boat, we invited our friends Ben and Maria down on Friday night to hang out one last time on Our Happy Day.

The four of us were having a great time, when I got a phone call that the buyer was sending us a revised offer. HUH? What?! We had a signed agreement. Not only was he still asking for the $1,500 concession, but he also wanted to keep the boat in our slip for a month for free. We stayed firm, as we were in no rush to sell the boat. Scott and I love the boat and if it hadn’t sold, we planned on using it this summer. We simply put it on the market at the beginning of the season to see what would happen.

Not surprisingly, the guy bailed. The good news is, there was another party interested and they put an offer in the same day, which we accepted. Our broker Steve, was thrilled as they are a really great family and the boat is a perfect fit for them. They are from Wisconsin and plan on exploring the Northwest with their two daughters this summer.

Saying Goodbye

Scott and I headed down to the boat last weekend to take care of some final tasks, including flushing the water maker, cleaning the toilets and dusting. Those are chores we do every week, whether we use the boat or not. That part, I won’t miss. But it was a somber day as we filmed for the last time on Our Happy Day, knowing we wouldn’t be back. Plus, we do not like being boatless. We love being part of the boating community.

We had so much fun with family and friends during the past year and half. That will be the hardest part of saying goodbye and being without a boat.

What’s Next?

Scott and I are already searching for another boat, but ideally we want to wait a few months. We have a full schedule this summer and we’re excited to share that with you. We’ll be crabbing next weekend on our nephew’s Boston Whaler 170 Montauk and kayaking around Port Susan. Stay tuned for more big plans!