Current factors
There are some fairly big tides, sometimes as much as 16 feet. Even on a good day they'll be a factor to consider in the sailing plan.
As for the currents they generate, something around 2 to 4 knots is common and, like the wind, it always seems to be on the nose. Since the tides change in somewhere around 6 hours, give or take depending on a bunch of factors, what you started out with will, most likely, be different than what you end up with. That is, say, starting out on an ebb tide and part way along the trip you get hammered. This can be little frustrating. Let me re-phrase that: This IS frustrating.
There are tidal currents and then there are eddys. The eddys everywhere. There is the main current and then there are the side currents, and counter currents. In order to make the fastest passage it pays to know where and how all these currents interplay.
Check out this resource:
https://www.starpath.com/ebooksamples/9780914025160_sample.pdf
In some cases one can make better speed over the ground while catching a back eddy than with no current at all. Going south through the Tacoma Narrows on an ebb tide one can make excellent time by hugging the back eddy along the western shore, at least for a little way. Unfortunately, the backeddy always ends. But hey, it's better than nothing.
Another downside to currents is when there is an opposing wind. The wind that opposes the current can really make a mess out of an otherwise peaceful passage.
Bottom line, it is dooable but one just has to do some reasonable trip planning.
With regard to the cold water slowing down growth on bottom paint - in my opinion, not nearly enough. Copper-based paints are being eliminated shortly so we'll see how the new ones work out. I don't know anyone who has tried the newer, more eco-friendly paints yet.
As an editorial comment: it seems the lawmakers are really hammering the boaters so the environment can be fixed; however, people are a major contributor with development and sewage. There are numerous sewage system failures every year yet the boater, if he lets ONE DROP of the stuff go overboard, can be slammed with severe penalties. Heck, don't even have to have any go overboard, just the Y-valve unlocked! Sewage system failures, on the other hand, can be (and often are) in the hundreds of thousands of gallons. Don't get me going on this.
Our marina has put off doing any improvements for the next five years because the state lease expires and the handwriting on the wall is we'll be out in the middle of the bay so complete new design. Heck, this might not even be doable. On the other hand, Poulsbo (my town) has killed off all the fish in a salmon stream that goes up to a recent new shopping center. No enforcement. But the state is spending millions to "save the salmon". Okay, I'm off my soap box.