Author: Allison

Posted on

Exploring Olympia

exploring olympia

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

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

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

Woodward Bay Conservation Area

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

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

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

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

Exploring Swantown Marina

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

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

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

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

Exploring More in Olympia

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

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

More of Priest Point Park

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

Ellis Cove Trail

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cheers, Scott and Ally

Posted on

Tiny House Living

tiny house

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

Exploring Olympia

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

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

Tiny House

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

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

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

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

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

Best Part of the Tiny House

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

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

Enjoying the evening

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

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

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

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

Cheers, Ally & Scott

Posted on

Tour a 2008 Sea Ray 55 Sundancer Yacht

Sea Ray 55 Sundancer

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

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

Check out the stern of this 55 Sundancer yacht

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

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

Huge cockpit for entertaining

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

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

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

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

Incredible salon

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

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

Relaxing in style

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

Two private staterooms

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

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

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

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

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

Propulsion

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

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

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

Cheers, Scott and Ally

Posted on

Tour a 1993 50′ Vista Liveaboard

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

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

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

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

The Flybridge

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

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

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

The living area

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

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

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

Sleeping quarters

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

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

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

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

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

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

We wish it was for sale

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

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

Cheers,

Scott and Ally

Posted on

Living aboard a 50′ Vista

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

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

Living aboard at the Wharfside Marina

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

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

Trip to Port Orchard

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

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

What they love and don’t love about living aboard

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

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

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

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

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

The pros of living aboard.

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

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

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

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

What type of boat do they live on?

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

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

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

Cheers, Scott and Ally

Posted on

More favorite yachts from Boats Afloat Show

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

2004 Compass 55 Pilothouse

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1983 Tollycraft Pilothouse

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

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

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

The heads had separate showers and lots of counter space.

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

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

More of our favorite yachts

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

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

The staterooms were nicely appointed and offered great storage too.

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

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

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

Cheers, Scott and Ally

boats afloat 2021
Posted on

Touring Dream Yachts at the Boats Afloat Show

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

Absolute Navetta 73

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

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

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

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

High end features on the Absolute Navetta 73

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

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

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

How about this view for an office?

Guest accommodations on this dream yacht

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

Check out the fly bridge!

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

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

Meet the Ocean Alexander 27e

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

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

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

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

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

Taking a week off

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

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

Cheers, Scott and Ally

Winslow

Posted on

2021 Boats Afloat Show

boats afloat 2021

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

This dock is normally packed with yachts

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

Meeting followers at the Boats Afloat Show 2021

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

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

Cool new boats at the Boats Afloat Show 2021

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

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

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

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

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

More new boats at the Boats Afloat Show 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cheers, Scott and Ally

Posted on

Cruising Seattle on a Duffy Electric Boat

electric boat

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

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

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

What can you bring on the boat?

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

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

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

Where can you cruise?

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

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

Be aware of other boaters

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

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

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

electric boat
2014 Nordhavn 120

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

A day of boating on an electric boat in Seattle

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

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

liveaboard boat

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

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

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

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

Cheers, Scott and Ally

Posted on

Exploring Winslow on Bainbridge Island

winslow

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

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

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

Walking around Winslow

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

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

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

Winslow wharf marina and docks

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

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

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

Pub crawl in Winslow

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

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

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

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

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

Could we live in Winslow and commute?

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

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

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

Cheers, Scott and Ally