Category: Boat Tour

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Tour a 1985 Ponderosa 42′ MY

Ponderosa 42' MY

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

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

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

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

Check out the cockpit and walk arounds

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

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

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

Spacious Interior

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

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

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

The Galley

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

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

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

Ponderosa 42′ Staterooms

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great holiday!

Scott and Ally

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Tour a 1991 Sea Ray 44 Aft Cabin

Sea Ray 44

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

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

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

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

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

Is this Sea Ray 44 a good liveaboard?

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

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

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

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

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

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

They also had installed a huge flat screen television.

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

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

What the settee would normally look like

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

How about the rest of the boat?

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

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

Sea Ray 44 Staterooms

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overall Impression of this Sea Ray 44 Aft Cabin

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

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

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

Cheers,

Scott and Ally

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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

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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

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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

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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

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2022 Sea Ray Sundancer 370 OB Debut!

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

photo courtesy of Sea Ray Boats

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

Cruising through the Montlake Cut to Lake Washington

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

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

photo courtesy of Sea Ray Boats
photo courtesy of Sea Ray Boats

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

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

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

Great entertaining space on deck

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

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

photo courtesy of Sea Ray
photo courtesy of Sea Ray

Salon of the 2022 Sea Ray Sundancer 370 OB

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

photo courtesy of Sea Ray
photo courtesy of Sea Ray
photo courtesy of Sea Ray

The head has a separate shower, which we love.

photo courtesy of Sea Ray

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

photo courtesy of Sea Ray
photo courtesy of Sea Ray

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

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

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

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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Sailing Seattle’s Tall Ship

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

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

About “Bay Lady” Tall Ship

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

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

What does this Sailing Tall Ship Offer?

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

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

Elliott Bay on Seattle’s Sailing Tall Ship

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

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

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

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

Until next time! Cheers, Scott and Ally

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Surprise trip to Fort Lauderdale!

Last month (before covid went rampant again), Scott surprised me with a quick trip to Fort Lauderdale. Other than passing through on our way to the Keys, I had never been to Fort Lauderdale, so I was excited to see what it was all about.

Fort Lauderdale is referred to as the “Venice” of Florida. After our visit, I can see why. All of the blue you see below is water!!

We’re definitely in a different boat world

Scott and I stayed at the Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Marina, located right on a canal. We arrived in the evening and after grabbing a bite to eat, we decided to walk around and check things out. Immediately, it was obvious that we were in a different type of “boating world” compared to the Pacific Northwest. Across from the hotel was a business center and most of the businesses were yacht groups and brokerages.

As we walked down the street, we stumbled upon the big guys!

Check out this open air indoor Ferretti Group showroom that is under construction! This is absolutely beautiful!

A few blocks down, we came upon an indoor boat launch under construction. Turns out this is a luxury indoor storage facility with access directly on the water. Check out F3 Marina for more information. This is such a cool project!

Scott and I proceeded to walk down a random street to see what the neighborhood looked like. Boat life is very different in Fort Lauderdale compared to the Pacific Northwest. Granted, we have some very large yachts on Lake Washington and a few marinas, but there were huge yachts in Fort Lauderdale everywhere you went.

Exploring Fort Lauderdale

With only a few days to check things out, we did our best to try a few nice restaurants and go visit the recommended spots. Most of the time, we found ourselves on another canal. Their canals are basically like our roads.

The only difference is these water “roads” have some serious luxury yachts parked along side them.

Looking at this dock, it appears they also can have accidents along their water roadways – yikes!

The following morning, we found a quirky diner, called Joe’s Diner in the middle of a shopping center, about four blocks from the hotel. The food was good and the service was great!

Looking for a public marina to walk around

Since we have public marinas here in Seattle that you can walk around and check out boats, we wanted to know where those were in Fort Lauderdale. I texted a broker I know and he said to go to Bahia Mar or Harbour Towne. Since he was showing his boat at Harbour Towne, we decided to go their first.

Bobby had a gorgeous Manhattan at the dock that he was showing. We could have gotten a quick tour, but he had a full day and we didn’t want to intrude on him.

Hoping to find a boat we might be able to board, we walked up and down a few docks, but unfortunately there wasn’t much to see.

Ironically, Charles & Jess from Folsom Ocean Views had just had their catamaran worked on in Harbour Towne on this dock and we missed them by just a few weeks.

As we were waiting for our Uber, I was excited to see this Intrepid 47 that had just arrived. You can do some serious fishing on this beauty!

Bahia Mar Marina in Fort Lauderdale

Since this is Fort Lauderdale, there has to be a huge public marina we can walk around. Right? Well, taking Bobby’s advice, Scott and I headed to Bahia Mar Marina. This marina is home to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show held every October. The Uber driver dropped us off at the hotel and we decided to first grab a drink and a snack at Bo’s Beach Bar.

From Bo’s, we walked back towards the Double Tree hotel, hoping to find some boats we could check out. Looking at where we walked, we managed to miss the brokerage docks. However, we did get to see some mega yachts, up close!

Even the Restaurants are Boat Themed

That evening, we walked across the street and grabbed dinner at the Boatyard. We had tried making reservations online, but they were full. Luckily, we walked right on in!

The food was fantastic! This is a definite stop if you are in Fort Lauderdale.

Touring a 1980 Hatteras 53 in Fort Lauderdale

The following morning we met with a local broker (she is also the owner of Luxury Yachts Int’l), to tour a 1980 Hatteras 53 liveaboard. The oldest yacht we have toured (for purchase) would be a 1995, so we were curious to see this particular boat. It was located on a canal and was a current liveaboard. She stated that the owners of the dock were willing to negotiate another liveaboard contract if we were interested in making an offer.

This yacht has a beautiful profile, one that will never go out of style. As we boarded, she had warned us that it was not tidy and man, she was not kidding! As a clean freak AND a marketer in the marine business, I had a hard time looking past the mess. Then Scott reminded me that is all cosmetic and to look at the architecture of the boat.

The Interior

The salon offered the comforts of home and the covered aft deck offered plenty of entertaining space. From the salon, we headed down to see the galley and staterooms. The galley was a bit tight and I was shocked to find a dishwasher under the stovetop!

The front V berth offered bunk bends and is currently being used for storage and as a work shop. It had a large hanging locker too.

Walking down the hall, you’ll find engine access on both sides, allowing you to easily work on them. This yacht is equipped with twin Detroit diesel 871-TI engines and each engine has 2500 hours.

Moving down the hall, you’ll find another guest stateroom with twin beds. There was also a washer and dryer located in the hallway.

The guest bath had plenty of counter space, storage and a separate shower.

This Hatteras has a nice large master aft cabin with plenty of storage, a makeup vanity and a hanging locker that is larger than some apartments!

In the galley, there was a hatch for battery and tank access.

Since we couldn’t do an official tour with proper photos (because the broker and her assistant were with us), I ended up not going up to the fly bridge. However, Scott did a full tour in the YouTube episode, so be sure to watch the complete tour below.

Overall, this was a great layout and could be an awesome project boat. However, we live in Seattle – not Florida, so this was not an option for us today. We certainly appreciated Linda for taking time to meet with us and let us tour the boat. It was an interesting three days in Fort Lauderdale and surely not to be our last. We had planned on attending the Tampa Boat Show in September, but due to the fact that the virus is now rampant again in Florida, we’ve decided to cancel and figure out a different adventure – so stay tuned.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Please be sure to subscribe to our blog and vlog to stay updated on our search. In the meantime, we’ll continue to bring you adventures on the water. Check out our social pages @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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Tour a 1994 Bayliner 4587 Aft Cabin M/Y

Bayliner 4587

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

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

The Cockpit

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

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

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

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

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

Bayliner 4587 Salon & Galley

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

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

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

It also had a trash compactor and a HUGE microwave!

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

The 4587 Living Space

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

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

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

Overall Impression of the Bayliner 4587

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

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

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