Allison, Author at Boating Journey

October 11, 2020October 11, 2020

Anchoring Overnight at Stuart Island

In our last blog, our crew left Roche Harbor and headed about 8 nautical miles northwest to anchor at Stuart Island. We originally wanted to visit John’s Island along the way, but dealing with a leak it was best to get to the anchorage right away.

It took us about 45 minutes to get there, because we had to stop every 15 minutes to let the bilge pumps catch up and dump out the water that was in the engine room. Even after that, the high water alarm still triggered twice along our way.

There are two anchorages at Stuart Island: Prevost Harbor and Reid Harbor. Based on Kurt’s recommendation, we chose to stay in Prevost Harbor over Reid Harbor because he thought it offered a better sunset and a prettier anchorage. It did not disappoint.

One thing to note is when you charter with AYC, they will give you a “hazard” map. On the map, they have marked in red, areas that you should not enter (if you do and you run aground, you’re not covered by insurance). With that said, we chose to go clock-wise around the island to Prevost Harbor.

As we entered the Rosario Strait, we noticed the smoky haze forming in the islands from the wild fires in Oregon & Washington.

Entering Prevost Harbor

As you approach Prevost Harbor, pay close attention to your depth and your charts. There have been numerous stories of boats hitting rocks entering the bay. There are parts of the channel that are only about 25′ deep.

Scott and Kurt picked a spot next to Satellite Island that gave us enough room to swing without hitting the shore or boats nearby. We dropped the anchor and five minutes later we were hooked! That was easy! Let’s hope it’s that easy when we are cruising the BVI’s in February!

Time to explore Stuart Island

Kurt, Scott and I jumped into the dinghy and headed up to the mooring dock to do a little exploring of Stuart Island. The dock is only 128′, but it does allow for overnight moorage.

As you walk up the hill from the dock, you’ll come upon the state park campground. From there you can walk over and check out Reid Harbor. The two harbors are literally separated by 500 yards of land.

Stuart Island is known for its’ one room school house and I had hoped to check it out. Looking at the trail information, it looked like we would have to find the county road to get to the school house.

We have seen plenty of YouTube videos about exploring the island, but didn’t know exactly how far away the schoolhouse was. So we decided to skip it and walk the Prevost Loop instead. Be sure to wear tennis shoes or shoes suitable for the trail – I did not! Lesson learned.

If you look closely at the shoreline below, you’ll realize that the “waves or logs” are actually rock, worn from the water!

Time for cocktails and a sunset cruise on the dinghy

Just as the three of us were heading back to the dock, Cal called me to say there’s another alarm going off. I could hear it in the background, so we hurried back. We also knew it wasn’t the highwater alarm, because it wasn’t a high pitch alarm.

Turns out it was the low voltage alarm on the GPS. Not sure why the GPS didn’t turn off when we turned off the electronics? After another round of “drama,” we were ready to relax and enjoy the view.

One warning to other boaters coming to visit, there were tons of yellow jackets and they were annoying. Now we know why our charter yacht came with a bug zapper!

The anchorage was like glass, so once again Kurt, Scott and I hopped in the dinghy for a sunset cruise. Having never stayed here before, I was in absolute awe of the natural beauty of the area.

We headed south and decided to cruise around Satellite Island (which would take us out to the Salish Sea). As you can see, it was dead calm and we couldn’t have asked for better weather!

As we came back into Prevost Harbor, we had a lot more boats anchored in the bay. One of which, was a Bayliner 4087! Could that be our old boat? Of course, we had to go check it out.

It wasn’t our old boat, but we did have a nice talk with this couple. They are heading up to Alaska next year and they love their Bayliner 4087!

Wish we could have stayed longer

Scott grilled up some fabulous steaks that Cal had sous vide‘d for us and they were delicious. There’s nothing like cooking at anchor and enjoying the ultimate scenery.

One thing we were grateful for is the boat had a generator, which allowed us to run the fridge and the A/C. Definitely worth it. We only ran it for an hour or so during the day, so we didn’t disturb our neighbors. With that said, at 3am another alarm went off! I recognized the sound and headed up to the bridge. Sure enough, it was another low voltage alarm for the GPS. Every time the boat was running off of batteries, the alarm would go off and I would have to turn off the GPS again.

More things to see

The next morning, Kurt, Cal and Tracey headed up to the Lighthouse Road dock, to explore the island. We wish we could have joined them, but the dinghy only held 3 people and we also felt the boat should be watched after taking on water.

As they walked up Lighthouse Road, they came upon the Ralph Ericksen yak farm!

From there they walked along the road and came upon the infamous Boundary Pass Traders “honor system souvenier store.” They each bought a shirt. You then mail in your money. Be sure to click the link above for more information.

Off to Friday Harbor

Our stay at Stuart Island was definitely too short. There is so much to explore and we definitely plan on coming back. If you are planning a visit here, we recommend staying at least two nights.

While Scott and I were waiting for them to return, we watched a 58′ Meridian pull up their anchor on which they had a massive ball of seaweed! It took them 30 minutes to remove it. Would we have the same thing? Let’s hope not! Be sure to tune in next week to find out and see if we made it safely to Friday Harbor.

As always, thank you for following our journey! We’re committed to making our blog and YouTube channel informative and entertaining, all the while we’re searching for our liveaboard boat (and slip!). Be sure to subscribe to our channel and follow us on social @BoatingJourney. Our latest episode is at the end of this blog.

Cheers! Scott and Ally #BoatingJourney

October 5, 2020October 5, 2020

Exploring Roche Harbor Resort

Despite taking on water as we arrived to Roche Harbor, we were determined to still explore and have fun. The technician arrived after a few hours and he couldn’t find the source of the leak. He told us he would bring us a new bilge pump in a couple of days when we arrive in Friday Harbor. That meant, we would have to deal with the leak for the next 48 hours! Awesome. Since there was nothing we could do about it, the five of us, set out to explore Roche Harbor.

This was my third trip to Roche Harbor and Scott’s first. I had a work function here last year and I wrote a blog about the history of the resort and family. Check it out here.

Once we secured the boat, we headed over to the marina office (which is also where U.S. Customs is located) to pay our moorage for the night. They have all of the covid procedures in place and are operating business as usual.

Walking around “town”

Okay, so there is no town. But the resort is set up like a mini town, offering everything you might need. This includes a fresh fish market, souveniers, grocery store and spa. The fish market offered fresh crab, shrimp, clams, oysters and a variety of fish. It was a bit on the pricey side, but at least it’s fresh seafood!

A bit of history

Roche Harbor is rich in limestone, which is used to build roads and manufacture concrete and mortar. In 1886, Tacoma lawyer John S. McMillin and his business partners in the Tacoma Lime Company founded Roche Harbor Lime Company. The lime kilns are still present next to the hotel.

Next to the lime kilns, is the diesel-fired generator plants. I missed this the last time I was here. These generators were used up until the 1950’s to power the entire island.

Trekking into the woods

The resort is also know for the McMillin family mausoleum and the sculpture park. So the five us trekked off into the woods. Again, be sure to check out my last blog about Roche, for all of history behind the mausoleum. The founder, John McMillin, was a member of the Masonic Order and he built the mausoleum recognizing the traditions of the Masonic Order. As you walk through the forest, it reminds you a bit of the movie “Blair Witch Project“. There are some infant & toddler burial sites throughout the forest.

After about a 15 minute walk through the forest, you’ll come upon the family mausoleum and monument. There is significant Masonic meaning behind the entire structure, including the steps up to the table and chairs all of which represent the stages of life. Freemasons are very ritual and deliberate about everything they build and encompass. (In fact, my great uncle was a Freemason.)

Some people say they feel spirits while visiting the mausoleum. I will say the last time I was there, a creepy voice said “knight.” Who knows where that came from?

San Juan Islands Sculpture Park at Roche Harbor

From the mausoleum, we headed to the sculpture park. This was the first time I had walked through it and each art piece is for sale!

Could you imagine putting this bear in your front yard!? It takes about 45 minutes to walk the entire park (or longer if you check everything out). They do accept donations at the entrance, so be sure to support them if you can.

Enjoying a Fall evening in Roche Harbor

After a fun afternoon, we were ready to head back to the dock and relax before dinner. The weather was beautiful and we couldn’t ask for a more scenic setting.

The five of us had dinner at the famed McMillin’s Dining Room and it was fantastic! This is the nicest restaurant in the resort, but we were able to dress casual. We did make reservations when we arrived, otherwise, we would not have been able to get in.

Roche makes a specialty martini, The Pig War Martini, that you must try. This cocktail doesn’t contain a speck of bacon, but rather is a boozy tribute to the 12-year standoff between British and American troops over the sudden death of a foraging pig. At Roche Harbor, they serve this cocktail with a mini pig on the edge of your glass.

McMillin’s dining is known for their prime rib and fresh seafood. We all had an amazing meal!

The sunset was amazing and though our arrival to Roche was full of drama & stress, our evening ended perfectly. With great friends and scenery, Scott and I couldn’t ask for more (well, okay, perhaps a boat that wasn’t leaking!).

On to Stuart Island

The following morning, we threw off the lines and headed to Stuart Island to anchor overnight for the first time. Be sure to tune in to our next YouTube episode and follow our blog for updates on that trip.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on social media @BoatingJourney. Until next time!

Cheers, Scott & Ally

September 27, 2020September 27, 2020

Our Anacortes Yacht Charter to Roche Harbor

It has been three long months since Scott and I have been boating so we finally decided to charter a yacht from Anacortes Yacht Charters and visit the San Juan Islands. We have talked to AYC many times at the Seattle Boat Show and they have a great selection of yachts from which to choose. We chose to depart from Anacortes to save time and get over to the San Juan Islands quickly.

You might ask, did we look at other charter companies? Great question – yes we did. However, this was a very last minute decision that also involved another party. We had invited my brother-in-law Kurt and his brother Cal (and girl friend Tracey) to come along. Long story short, only Cal and Tracey decided to go and our choices were pretty limited in regards to available boats around 40-45′. There is some irony to this story so keep reading!

We reserved a 40′ Carver and I sent everyone a photo and link to the yacht, which had two large staterooms.

After we reserved it, I started looking for YouTube videos of the Carver and noticed that our model (that I thought I reserved), didn’t have big staterooms. Uh ho! Sure enough, I reserved the wrong Carver! Instead of an aft cabin Carver, we had reserved a Carver 410 Sport Sedan that only had a V-berth and a small cabin for stowaways. Since it was my mistake, we’d take the small cabin.

More surprises ahead!

A week before our departure, Kurt calls and says he would like to join us. Awesome!! (Remember, he not only has years of boating experience, but he is a retired Chief Engineer for the Washington Ferries). So we love having him on board!

One problem though – this boat only has two staterooms and the couch is curved. I tried calling Anacortes Yacht Charters to see if we could upgrade to a larger boat and they said no – we would have to pay a cancellation fee.

The other bit of info I should share, is that we wanted to charter for four (4) nights, but the boat was only available for three. Unfortunately, if you reserve a boat for less than four nights, you pay extra fees as a penalty. Plus, we wanted to do a sleepover on it the night before, so we could get under way first thing in the morning. There was another fee for that! I’ll share our charter costs at the end of this blog series.

Two days before we depart, Scott sends out a group email that simply says “Bad news. The Charter company called and……..” Everyone’s heart stopped at that sentence. Luckily, he finished it by saying “…..the Carver ran aground, so they need to upgrade us to a Meridian 411”. We all sighed in relief and were thrilled! This was a much nicer boat, great layout and the couch wasn’t curved.

Packing the truck

The five us wanted to ride up together and I told everyone to pack lightly. We also wanted to drop a couple of crab pots, so Cal brought along two of his. (We didn’t know until later that the boat comes with two pots). Arriving to Cal’s house, it was obvious we may have to take two cars. But you have to know Scott; he’s the master at tetris and he made it work!

It also helps that we have a Nissan Armada and everyone fit comfortably!

Then on our way up, we asked Kurt where his sleeping bag was? (he’s sleeping on the couch). Ooops, guess who forgot to pack one! Luckily, we were just approaching Cabelas and he stopped and bought one there. Another note – the boat had plenty of spare blankets, so he didn’t need to.

Provisioning & Itinerary

Since this was a short trip, I told everyone to bring their own beverages and favorite snacks. Provisioning was really simple. When we were at a marina, we planned on eating breakfast and dinner at a restaurant to support the locals. This ended up being a good idea, as the fridge was really small compared to the one on our Bayliner 4087.

In addition, many of the cupboards were full of supplies. We ended up putting food in drawers in the master stateroom.

With only three days to explore, we kept the itinerary easy. We planned on leaving Anacortes on Monday morning and head over to Roche Harbor (26 miles) where we would stay at the marina and explore. Tuesday, we would head to Stuart Island (8 miles) and stay the night in Prevost Harbor and then head to Friday Harbor (13 miles) the next day. Had the trip been longer, we would have anchored more and explored a few more islands.

Anacortes Yacht Charter Check-In

This was our first charter (remember our BVI charter was postponed until next February), so we didn’t know what to expect. They are very strict about arrival times, so be sure to adhere to those. We arrived to the office at 4pm on Sunday and they had Scott review the paperwork and then watch a 30 minute safety video. We were all there, so we joined in. They offer free water, coffee and ice cream – so it was worth it!

From there, we met with our check-in captain on the boat at Cap Sante Marina. They were running late from the previous charter that day, so we had to wait about an hour before we could board. Since we couldn’t get a cocktail, we just walked around the marina a bit.

Once on board, she walked us through the interior and exterior of the boat. One tip I have, is be sure to video tape any instructions (i.e. turning on the generator), as they may come in handy later.

The captain also took Scott and Kurt down into the engine room – that ended up being a great idea later. The access is under the flybridge stairs, which was pretty convenient (versus lifting up the floor board in the salon).

Once you have gone through the boat, the captain will then have the crew take the boat down the fairway, turn around and dock it. One thing I was disappointed about is she didn’t ask us about our experience as boaters. We did share with her that we had many years experience, yet she didn’t give us consideration for that. For example, she told Kurt (who has owned three boats over 30 years) how to properly tie off a cleat!

A beautiful night at Cap Sante Marina

Once we unpacked, the five us relaxed and enjoyed the sunset. I had made a cold pasta salad for dinner earlier in the day and that worked out great!

The other irony of the evening, was that Simbault, the 1995 Navigator 53 Sundance yacht that we toured in July was right across from us. So far, this has been our favorite liveaboard option – we just can’t find a home for it. Watch that episode here.

The weather forecast

I have a number of weather apps on my phone and around 7pm, every alert went off. The weather was changing and now we were expecting 22knot winds and 4′ seas as we crossed the Rosario Straits and San Juan Channel. Not what you want to see. I texted our broker (who has sold many Meridians) and he assured me that the yacht could easily handle these seas.

The weather was beautiful in the marina when we woke up. Since we couldn’t check into Roche until about 12pm, we took our time leaving from Anacortes, as the trip would only be about 2 hours (even in bad weather).

As we left Anacortes and entered the Guemes Channel, things were nice and calm. We crossed the Rosario Straits and headed to the north end of Shaw. Another thing to note, is the AYC gave us a map of areas to avoid. If you run aground in any of those areas, you are not covered by insurance. To play it safe, we took no known short cuts. It was such a comfortable trip, that I forgot about the weather forecast.

I spoke too soon. As soon as we rounded Shaw Island and entered the San Juan Channel, the white caps appeared and we were in 5′ seas. The photo below doesn’t do it justice, but the footage does – so be sure to watch the video on our YouTube channel. We had the isinglass panel out, so all of us got sprayed the entire trip up the channel.

Then things go terribly wrong!

I was excited to get into Roche Harbor early, so we could all explore the sites. It’s very important that you enter the bay on the west side of Pearl Island, as the eastside is shallow. In fact, the Carver that ran aground went that way.

In the bay, you’ll find lots of boats anchored out, so it’s important to be respectful to them. Go slowly and around them, versus through the anchor field. We heard one boat on the VHF that said “hey, thanks to the idiot and your wake going thru our anchor field” and no, it wasn’t us.

Scott put the boat in neutral while he got ready to radio in for slip assignment and that’s when all hell broke loose. Immediately an alarm went off and he says “It’s our high water alarm! We’re taking on water!” Kurt and I ran down to the cockpit (I grabbed my life jacket) and he went into the engine room. At that point he told me not to panic, but we have over 2′ of water in the engine room! In the middle of the chaos, I didn’t get a chance to get a photo of it. The photo below indicates how high up the water was!

Try not to panic

There are two things that terrify me about boating – sinking and catching fire. After putting on my life jacket, I asked Kurt if I should lower the dinghy?! He calmly said, “No, let’s see if the bilge pumps start pumping the water out”. After about a minute, he said he thought the water was going down slowly. I then called Anacortes Yacht Charters (while the very loud high pitch water alarm is blaring) and tell them we are taking on water. Oddly, she asked me if we were sinking and I said no. I told her we were making our way to the dock and she said she would send out a tech in a few hours. My initial thought? Are you kidding me?!! More on that later.

Unfortunately, the marina office couldn’t hear us hailing them on the vhf due to the alarm. Thank God I’m Facebook friends with the manager and I had been messaging her all morning. I quickly sent her a note, that we needed our slip assignment asap! To make things more stressful, we had never arrived to Roche by boat, so we weren’t too sure where go to. I knew the guest docks were on the far end towards the beach and she assigned us 5A. Luckily, we went straight to it (I wasn’t sure which side of the dock we were on).

The staff at the marina was fantastic and helped us get docked and situated. Once we were secured, we checked the engine room and it was finally dry. We still didn’t know where the leak was coming from, but we did discover that the aft bilge pump did not work at all. That meant the mid and forward pumps were doing all of the work. With over 500 gallons of water pouring in, they could only pump out so fast. Now we had to wait for the technician to show up and figure out what was happening. Spending our first hour in the engine room upon our arrival, was not what we had planned! However, we were so thankful that Kurt was with us (once again – we broke down the last time we went to the San Juan Islands).

Stay tuned for our next blog, as we explore Roche Harbor and try to figure out where the leak is coming from! As always, thank you for following our journey! Please subscribe to our YouTube channel (see episode below) and follow us on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter @BoatingJourney.

Cheers, Scott & Ally

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.