Hood Canal/Puget Sound Marina with Lift and Parking

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PNW_Wesley

New member
I am planning to expand my cruising horizons by dipping my toes into salt water, beginning with trips through Hood Canal and Puget Sound.

Since my trailer has all-new running gear (axle, hubs, disc brakes, wheels, coupler, etc.), I will not consider putting it in salt water. Therefore, I am looking for marinas that not only have a travel lift, but also have somewhere relatively safe where I can park my truck and trailer for a week or so.

When I look at the satellite view of various marinas online, I see where their travel lift is, but the area around the lift does not appear to have any long-term parking.

Can anyone recommend a Hood Canal/Puget Sound marina with a lift and parking? A wash-down would also be nice.
 
You probably don't want or need a "Travel lift". For launching your size boat. Travel lifts are usually used for bigger boats and are associated with boat yards where work is done on the vessels. Some have slings narrow enough to work with trailerable boats. They often are more expensive than sling launches.

There are a number of other types of hoists which can handle the four to five thousand pounds of a 19" or 22' C Dory.

Port Edmonds is a bit further up the coast, but has a sling launch as well as at the Port of Anacortes.

Do you have the cut out on the bunks for a sling launch? (Also marked on the boat's gunnels so the slings are put in the proper place for when the boat is placed back on the trailer?).

Launch in fresh water go to salt water, Lake Washington/ Lake Union.

Most of us, wash down the trailer every time it is dipped in salt water. That is what it is made for....
 
I know of no sling launches on Hood Canal. There used to be one at Seabeck but was removed several years ago. The closest would be Edmonds or as Bob says launch in Lake Washington. I live 5 minutes from Salisbury Point boat launch that is right next to the bridge you are more than welcome to store your rig at my house and use my hose. I have plenty of parking.
 
Standas":39k7an0q said:
I have plenty of parking.
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Hello Standas,

Thank you very much for that generous offer. Once this covid stuff is behind us, I just might take you up on that. That ramp would be a great place to launch.
 
thataway":2wp9r5d4 said:
Do you have the cut out on the bunks for a sling launch? (Also marked on the boat's gunnels so the slings are put in the proper place for when the boat is placed back on the trailer?).

Most of us, wash down the trailer every time it is dipped in salt water. That is what it is made for....
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Bob,

I have not had Zenith in a sling, and there are no bunk cutouts. I saw a video of a Dory at Cap Sante where they jacked up the stern to slip the strap under. I am not sure if that is a common practice at other slings.

I know that someday I may l have to dip my trailer in salt, but I'm looking for a sling with parking for now.
 
I used the sling launch at Anacortes Cap Sante marina a nunber of years ago and it worked out slick. My trailer did not have the cutouts, so they just jacked the stern up a bit to run the sling under. Bob, with the new trailer I'm getting for C-Traveler, it does have the bunks set up for slinging the boat. I've been thinking about how I'll mark the gunnel for installing the sling when I'm in the water. How are most boats marked with permanent markings? Is it high on the gunnel, or down by the water line? And are markings just placed aft, or should some be placed on the bow as well? Colby
 
Colby, I would use vinyl tape for marking. It does not have to be large. Some vessels actually have graphics or "slings here" marked.

I would mark the forward slings also-you don't want them under the target bunks.

Usually they will be about at the forward cabin bulkhead.
 
Wesley, there are tow marinas in Port Townsend that have travel lifts: Boat Haven and SeaMarine, the west and east ends of the waterfront respectively, There is parking at both places, but I don't know about fees. I park at the Boathaven launch ramp occasionally, no problem there.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Hi Harvey,

Thanks for the info. Have you left your truck and trailer overnight there for say a week? I'm leery of someone messing with my rig if they see it solo for days.

I am contemplating reserving an RV site for a week at Port Hudson. I could camp out of my boat and make day trips, or head south through Hood Canal. My rig would stay in the RV site. while I'm floating. The Hudson sling will keep my trailer fresh.

Zenith might even turn west toward your neck of the woods.
 
PNW_Wesley":2m7i8ag2 said:
Hi Harvey,

Thanks for the info. Have you left your truck and trailer overnight there for say a week? I'm leery of someone messing with my rig if they see it solo for days.

I am contemplating reserving an RV site for a week at Port Hudson. I could camp out of my boat and make day trips, or head south through Hood Canal. My rig would stay in the RV site. while I'm floating. The Hudson sling will keep my trailer fresh.

Zenith might even turn west toward your neck of the woods.
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I leave my truck and trailer at the Boathaven launch for about a week at leas once a year and several times a year for long weekends. No issues there. I have been into the Port Hudson marina many times, but never launched there. The RV site there should be very secure I would think. If you are just launching there to leave, I believe there is parking over by SeaMarine. It would be worth a call to them ahead of time. Their travel lift is much smaller than the one at Boathaven, and I know they have smaller boats there than up at Pt Hudson. PM me if you are there, and if you need anything I would have land based transportation.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Never thought about the Port Townsend lifts I considered them more of a maintenance yards. I am going to be getting a new trailer in the next year and I was interested in that option So I called them and they will lift your boat of the trailer for 7 dollars a foot one way.
 
Never thought about the Port Townsend lifts I considered them more of a maintenance yards. I am going to be getting a new trailer in the next year and I was interested in that option So I called them and they will lift your boat of the trailer for 7 dollars a foot one way.
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Ouch--that is more than for usual big boat haul out in many places. In our area a 30' boat will be $130, which includes blocking in its space. You will be North of $300 for an in and out....vs ramp fees of free to $10.
 
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