Getting started in northern Washington.

[bent-grill]

Long story short I have a little piece of property on Harstine Island in the sound and I'm about 5 minutes from the boat ramp. I did a little boating with family when I was a kid and got to pilot the old boat and helped launch and load from time to time but other than that I have no experience. I now have this romantic idea that I want to get a utility boat for making a family run to Olympia which is roughly 5 miles as the crow flies, camping up further in the sound, and general ripping about. I'd like to take 4-5 people, I'd like to hit speeds in the high 20's loaded up and not blow inordinate amounts of cash doing it. My limited experience tells me to go simple if I want to keep maintenance and upkeep low. From poking around the internet for a few days I think the right answer is roughly a 16 foot Lund ssv16 with a 40 horse outboard or something roughly that class. What are your opinions on this?

 

[southkogs]

Welcome aboard: I can't quite speak to the sound itself, never been close to it. But some of the bigger impounds I boat on get pretty rough. I did a Google Map look at a couple of the marinas in the area and there are a few boats under 18' ... but not many.

If you knew the water, and understood how rough it can get, the 16 will handle it. But maybe not comfortably. I'm not sure you'd get your upper 20s with a full load out of it either. You may want an extra foot or two of boat, and another 30-50HP in motor.

Not that this boat can't do it ... just may not be the best ride.

 

[bent-grill]

Thanks. Again, I'm guessing at this point and just looking for some more experienced recommendations.

 

[dwco5051]

I agree with Southcogs. Five people plus camping gear, food, coolers and what ever else would be pushing it for that 16 footer. Your're on the right track as far as the type of boat. There is a disease well known to boaters called "two foot-itis." Look closely at different boats in showrooms or at marinas and try to visualize the space and your desired loading. Good luck, having never been to the sound it looks like a great place to boat.

 

[southkogs]

I did a look at two marinas near Olympia on the sound using the satellite image on Google Maps. Might be worth while to 1) go walk through a couple and see what most people are running out there, and 2) rent one or two and give 'em a try. See what you learn from using them and motoring around the area.

A training course from the local USCG Aux or other group might help too.

 

[bent-grill]

Uscg training sounds like a great idea for an over ambitious guy like myself. I'd be doing great, clipping along, and sink my boat because I hung a port turn through a northwestern tide or some other boaty nonsense. I should totally go rent a boat. Thanks.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Uscg training sounds like a great idea for an over ambitious guy like myself. I'd be doing great, clipping along, and sink my boat because I hung a port turn through a northwestern tide or some other boaty nonsense. I should totally go rent a boat. Thanks.

"hung a port turn through a northwestern tide"?

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

I wouldn’t consider anything smaller than 20 feet and deep and an enclosed cabin or at least helm with a windshield wiper. the sound can be really flat and easy boating then there’s the other 360 days of intense fog and cold air. The hottest and coldest days of the year might be six hours apart. We joke about heading to the sound to get our face sun burned and our feet and legs frost bit on a beautiful august day. If you can’t get most of your crew covered out of the wind and rain your not going to have company that often.
five miles doesn’t seem that far until your forced to run it diagonal in big waves then it triple the actual distance and I can tell you some fife mile boat rides in the NW will end up in your permanent memory banks. You also have whales giant logs not that a 20 foot boat cant be turned over by them but a smaller boat flips much easier.

 

[bent-grill]

Thanks for the cautionary tales. It's unfortunate that my local body of water is expert level. I'm a native to the area and familiar with the swings in weather but it sounds like being on the water really amplifies it's effects.

 

[kvkon]

Don't let these post scare you. There's guys out there in 12' tinnys. Just don't challenge the weather. You'll be fine if you pick your spots with some intelligence and run when the weather looks to be changing.

 

[bent-grill]

Thanks for the reality check. What's the standard safety gear I should pack? I would assume flotation for all onboard, radio, flaregun, food and water?

 

[Sprig]

For the sound, that many people and for safety you should get a minimum 18 to 20’ boat. You can’t always pick your weather. Winds and squalls can come up very quickly. Especially the winds. It can be calm out there when you start out and an hour later the wind has turned the sound into a maelstrom. For easy care, low maintenance, rugged, safe boat look into heavy gauge aluminum boats like Alumaweld, North River and others . Most of those boats are built in the northwest and there are a zillion of them on your waters.
If you have to ask about safety gear you really need to take a USCG boating/safety course.

 

[dwco5051]

Thanks for the reality check. What's the standard safety gear I should pack? I would assume flotation for all onboard, radio, flaregun, food and water?

Here are the basic minimum requirements for a pleasure boat in Washington. I have no idea if the Coast Guard also has jurisdiction in the sound which may add additional equipment. I know some of the terms may be confusing and that is the reason for taking an approved boating safety course. Don't let all that scare you. You will be missing out on a lot of good times.

Required Equipment; https://parks.state.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/9369/WA-Required-Boating-Equipment-Checklist?bidId=

Adventures in Boating Washington Handbook;
This is the study guide for the state boating course. Available as an ebook for 1.99

WA Boating License Handbook for Online Boater Safety Course

The Official WA Boating License Handbook. The boater safety handbook of Washington State Parks. Boat Ed provides print and internet boating safety courses for 49 states, including the Boaters Safety Online Course for the State of WA.

www.boat-ed.com

 

[76SeaRay]

I have sailed a 12 foot sailboat, a 16 foot sailboat, a 24 foot sailboat and an 18 foot Glastron with a 65hp Merc outboard on Puget Sound out of Edmonds and Everett. I have been in waves up to about 5 or 6 feet. I wouldn't go with anything less than an 18 foot with a deep hull 65hp and above with at least 18 gallons of gas for the load and cruising you are describing. I had one cruise that was flat on Saturday, overnighted on Blake island, and had the 5 to 6 foot waves the next day as a storm blew in... Don't be afraid of Puget Sound but think ahead, have the right gear and plan ahead...

Oh, don't forget (depending upon your age) that Washington State requires a safe boating course and card... You have to be really old like me to not need one.... I think that is why they called it grandfathered in....

 

[bent-grill]

is this what I'm looking for as far as hull shape?


21 foot, center console, 115hp 2 stroke?

21ft starcraft aluminum fishing boat - boats - by owner - marine sale

Fresh tune up on motor. 115hp two stroke. New floor. Fresh tags Comes with trailer. Clean title in hand. Throttle cable needs adjusted Call Bill at

portland.craigslist.org

 

[dwco5051]

That is what you are looking for. I would not buy that boat or any boat without taking along someone who is very knowledgeable to point out things you may miss. The seller says it is in excellent shape but just needs the throttle cable adjusted. I have a feeling that he is not doing a fifteen minute job but is covering for the fact it runs like crap.

 

[bent-grill]

As a connoisseur of 3000 dollar craigslist cars I would expect a "Poorly adjusted throttle cable" to be masking something else. That said the overall the shape of the boat is good for my purpose, decent length, fairly deep hull near the bow, aluminum construction, I dont know if I need 115 hp, I would think 60 would be plenty but who knows. I think I may want to save some more and raise my budget from 5k to 8k-10k the pickings seem like more boat, less project.

 

[dwco5051]

The other key words are "It ran good the last time it was run (fill in the blank) years ago."

 

[The John]

Having some experience running up there, you may want to look for a cheaper Arima or similar. they have great floatation and can handle rough seas.

You would also need to figure out your going to shore maneuver as a lot of the sound can be quite shallow for a long ways. if you land your boat on shore at high tide you will be waiting a while for the water to come back.

 

[bent-grill]

good things to think about, the arima boats look really nice. As far as going to shore maneuvers what are the options? I was thinking with a lighter aluminum boat I would basically be able to beach it for camping overnight and shove it back out at high tide. I'm not not sure if this is a bad idea but it was what I had envisioned. I gathered that aluminum boats would be more tolerant of that sort of abuse than a glass boat.