I am planning to trailer my Catalina 250 to either Anacortes or Everett Washington during the second week full week of July this summer. I have a friend in Iowa who will be speaking at the airshow in Arlington, Washington that week, and we would like to do some daysailing during the week of the airshow, and then perhaps take a short weekend trip afterwards. Everett is the closest physically, being about a 20 min drive from Arlington. Anacortes is about an hour away. I want to stay on my boat during the week, and I would like to try to find a place where I can get a slip or sidetie, as I probably won't have a dinghy yet. Can anyone suggest where the best place to go might be - and where it might be possible to reserve a spot? I am very new to keelboat sailing, so if this seems like a stupid question, that would be why... ;-) Thanks.
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My impression
is that Everett might be more friendly to your situation but I have no direct personal experience. They have a big launching facility and lots of parking for trailers. I do not know too much about Anacortes except that I have stayed at the marina to the south side for a few days and it was expensive. I did not notice any trailer facilities there but moorage was available. It may be tough to find space anywhere so I would check well in advance. La Conner is another option for you but I do not know about trailer facilities there. La Conner is a tricky place to get to by boat so watch the charts and follow the daymarks carefully to stay in the channel. We did find it was ok then to stay on the fuel docks after hours and then leave early with no charge. It also helped us to get fuel earliest in the day. You might want to leave the trailer at Everett and take the boat to somewhere else for the night. That can quickly become a logistics problem.
is that Everett might be more friendly to your situation but I have no direct personal experience. They have a big launching facility and lots of parking for trailers. I do not know too much about Anacortes except that I have stayed at the marina to the south side for a few days and it was expensive. I did not notice any trailer facilities there but moorage was available. It may be tough to find space anywhere so I would check well in advance. La Conner is another option for you but I do not know about trailer facilities there. La Conner is a tricky place to get to by boat so watch the charts and follow the daymarks carefully to stay in the channel. We did find it was ok then to stay on the fuel docks after hours and then leave early with no charge. It also helped us to get fuel earliest in the day. You might want to leave the trailer at Everett and take the boat to somewhere else for the night. That can quickly become a logistics problem.
W
Windwalker
Anacortes has the dockside appeal
Everett is an easier drive, and has a very nice launch facility. La Conner has a fairly narrow long channel you'd need to navigate before you could sail in more than two specific directions. Anacortes has all the amenities within two blocks (marine, hardware, groceries, restraunts, bars, etc.). Great San Juan Sailing (but watch the currents). Launching is via sling, with trailer parking. The town has a very salty, quaint, yet touristy charm. That would be my choice... See the link
Everett is an easier drive, and has a very nice launch facility. La Conner has a fairly narrow long channel you'd need to navigate before you could sail in more than two specific directions. Anacortes has all the amenities within two blocks (marine, hardware, groceries, restraunts, bars, etc.). Great San Juan Sailing (but watch the currents). Launching is via sling, with trailer parking. The town has a very salty, quaint, yet touristy charm. That would be my choice... See the link
Anacortes
I'm with Windwalker; while Everett may be closer and has nice facilities, Anacortes is the gateway to the San Juans and provides many more options for a weekend getaway. Have fun! Trevor
I'm with Windwalker; while Everett may be closer and has nice facilities, Anacortes is the gateway to the San Juans and provides many more options for a weekend getaway. Have fun! Trevor
Let me muddy the waters - Port Townsend
If your primary purpose is to sail, you're probably better off at Anacortes, however if you want to do some sailing with a wonderful nautical town thrown in, consider Port Townsend. I've done a lot of tourism from Seattle up to the BC boarder and my favourite town is definitely Port Townsend. The town is quaint with great shopping, home of the wooden boat festival and a host of other festivals. You can trailer your boat on the ferry (I've included a web cam link so that you can see that the ferry handles large trucks). The ferry is cheap and only a half hour ride. The ferry slip is about an hour drive beyound Anacortes on Whidby Island. I have grabbed a number of links for you to check this place out. And I don't live there, nor know anyone there - I'm Canadian - but I love it there: Web Cam of Ferry in Port Townsend: http://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/webcam/FerryCam.htm Data on Port Townsend with map showing area you can sail http://www.city-data.com/city/Port-Townsend-Washington.html Link to Port Townsend Yacht Club (and better chart of area): http://students.washington.edu/sailing/recip/PortTownsend.html History of Port Townsend (very nautical town, the bordello’s are gone): http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/01-12/port-townsend-washington-a-visual-delight-port-townsend-washington-usa.html A link to events for each month in PT (click on July): http://www.ptguide.com/ A link to boating around Port Townsend with a hint that there is actually moorage there: http://www.ptguide.com/recreation/boating.html
If your primary purpose is to sail, you're probably better off at Anacortes, however if you want to do some sailing with a wonderful nautical town thrown in, consider Port Townsend. I've done a lot of tourism from Seattle up to the BC boarder and my favourite town is definitely Port Townsend. The town is quaint with great shopping, home of the wooden boat festival and a host of other festivals. You can trailer your boat on the ferry (I've included a web cam link so that you can see that the ferry handles large trucks). The ferry is cheap and only a half hour ride. The ferry slip is about an hour drive beyound Anacortes on Whidby Island. I have grabbed a number of links for you to check this place out. And I don't live there, nor know anyone there - I'm Canadian - but I love it there: Web Cam of Ferry in Port Townsend: http://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/webcam/FerryCam.htm Data on Port Townsend with map showing area you can sail http://www.city-data.com/city/Port-Townsend-Washington.html Link to Port Townsend Yacht Club (and better chart of area): http://students.washington.edu/sailing/recip/PortTownsend.html History of Port Townsend (very nautical town, the bordello’s are gone): http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/01-12/port-townsend-washington-a-visual-delight-port-townsend-washington-usa.html A link to events for each month in PT (click on July): http://www.ptguide.com/ A link to boating around Port Townsend with a hint that there is actually moorage there: http://www.ptguide.com/recreation/boating.html
B
Bud
Kevin, Everett has two large guest moorage...
docks that are available on a first come basis. Summer rates are high IMHO, but you have access to a first class marina, plus Port Gardner, which is great for day sailing. Several nice stops heading into south sound make for great weekend trips. These include Langley, Kingston, Edmonds, Port Townsend and many others. Everett has a nice public boat ramp and dry moorage if you choose. I would consider it one of the better full service marinas on the Pacific coast. Bud
docks that are available on a first come basis. Summer rates are high IMHO, but you have access to a first class marina, plus Port Gardner, which is great for day sailing. Several nice stops heading into south sound make for great weekend trips. These include Langley, Kingston, Edmonds, Port Townsend and many others. Everett has a nice public boat ramp and dry moorage if you choose. I would consider it one of the better full service marinas on the Pacific coast. Bud
Everett etc
I keep my sailboat in Everett and have been there for over 20yrs and have been to Anacortes many times as well. Both have great facilities and restaurants. Since you have a car you can get to supermarkets in Everett and there is one in walking distance at Cap Sante in Anacortes. If you want to day sail I think Everett might be a better choice since you won't have to deal with currents or the very shallow water of Padilla bay. I race every other week in Everett and there is generally wind. July can be a little sporadic but the weather is generally good the second week on. Crabbing is very good in both locations. A nice one or two night stopover from Everett is Langly on the west shore of Whidbey Is. Fun small town and about a two hour trip. Other locations are Seattle (5-6 hrs), or Port Ludlow 4-5 hrs and as menitoned above Port Townsend which is a real jewel. Times are dependent on sail/power and current. Currents are only an issue traveling up Puget Sound toward Pt Townsend. On the other hand Cap Sante Boat Haven in Anacortes is close to town and is a gateway to the San Juan Islands. You can sail in the bay and around some local islands but you have to watch the currents. A two hour trip out Guemes channel, across Jan Juan Channel and through Thatcher pass and you are in boating heaven with lots of places to anchor or dock at Marinas. If you don't get to Washington often it would be worth a few extra days to explore the San Juans.
I keep my sailboat in Everett and have been there for over 20yrs and have been to Anacortes many times as well. Both have great facilities and restaurants. Since you have a car you can get to supermarkets in Everett and there is one in walking distance at Cap Sante in Anacortes. If you want to day sail I think Everett might be a better choice since you won't have to deal with currents or the very shallow water of Padilla bay. I race every other week in Everett and there is generally wind. July can be a little sporadic but the weather is generally good the second week on. Crabbing is very good in both locations. A nice one or two night stopover from Everett is Langly on the west shore of Whidbey Is. Fun small town and about a two hour trip. Other locations are Seattle (5-6 hrs), or Port Ludlow 4-5 hrs and as menitoned above Port Townsend which is a real jewel. Times are dependent on sail/power and current. Currents are only an issue traveling up Puget Sound toward Pt Townsend. On the other hand Cap Sante Boat Haven in Anacortes is close to town and is a gateway to the San Juan Islands. You can sail in the bay and around some local islands but you have to watch the currents. A two hour trip out Guemes channel, across Jan Juan Channel and through Thatcher pass and you are in boating heaven with lots of places to anchor or dock at Marinas. If you don't get to Washington often it would be worth a few extra days to explore the San Juans.
K
Kevin
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