Local Boat Charters

This is a good list of places that do bare boat charters.

Mooring rules

In response to this email:

I'm trying to figure the rules regarding mooring balls on Lake
Washington. I've asked the towns, the police, the government, the
marinas without much luck (or, at best, contradictory information).
One marina said someone in the sherrifs department commented on taking
action in this regard in Yarrow Bay a few years ago. I know there
were some live-aboards there - so, I still didn't know what this
meant.

I have a small 17' sailboat that I'd like to put on a mooring ball.
If it matters I'd use the boat at a minimum once a week.

Is this allowed? If not then what about all of the existing mooring
balls in Lake Washington?

Is this illegal but seldom/never enforced? What are the consequences
for "getting caught" doing this?

I got this response:

Mr. Wiseley, Please call our office or e-mail me your phone number so we can discuss your question about mooring buoys. There is no one answer so it would be pointless to try and e-mail a response. If I am not in, any of our marine deputies should be able to assist you. Our office hours are 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM but we are in and out all day long. Thank You. Deputy Heath. (206) 296-7558.

Been trying to call all day without much luck. But I'll post their response when I get one.

In the mean time - I found some "rules". I'm not sure the order of importance but marine stuff seems to be regulated on a town, county and state level. Kirklands rules seem to not allow moorings but there are tons in the lake. The counties rules seem to allow them but there appears to be some permitting procedure (that's why I need to call).

Some links to the rules are on the King County Sheriff's Office Marine/Dive Unit page.

Working on the boat

Put on the tiller tamer mentioned below. Nothing like drilling holes in a perfectly good boat... always hate doing that.

Also rerigged the sail as it was rigged completely wrong... added a reefing line.

Added a sail feed - but, unfortunately, this will need to be taken on and off with each rigging - adding yet another step.

Put the letters on the boat to meet the beaurocratic requirements.

And - when I was all done - it was 2pm - kind of late to start sailing seeing as how it still takes me 1.5 hours to get to the launch site, setup and launch. Must find a mooring.

Solo Rigging/Reefing/Raising

The Windrider 17 is kind of a bitch to raise the main sail solo. Aparently trimarans don't stay into the wind like most monohulls. From a post on Kim's Windrider Yacht Club page I gather this is the solution. Haven't set this up yet though.

First, you install a tiller tamer: $30.99. Good instructions on how to do this here.

Then you install a Boomkicker K0400. Which is pricey but can be had at PYacth for $111.

To use the boomkicker you also need to have a boom vang. Which can be had at WestMarine for around $82.

Then, for procedure:

I've had luck with a boomkicker and vang. You can learn more about this product at the site below. It makes reefing and hoisting easier, but there's still the whole issue of heading up. For that I use a Davis tiller tamer (see other site below) mounted just behind the aft cockpit and just in front of the tiller shaft. This device allows me to hold a course without attending to the boat. Then I engage my 2hp Honda and head up without any crew to assist me.

So - total cost is about $223. What was that about a hole in which you throw money into? :)

NW Water Trails

Northwest Discovery Water Trail