Now at the 1-year mark of taking delivery of our boat, I’ve been thinking about all the projects done, all the cruises we did, what went wrong and what I would’ve done differently.
A year of perspective changes things a lot for first-time boat owners, and some things I worried about I realize I shouldn’t have, and some things I didn’t worry about I should have.
What I would have done differently:
This Valentine’s Day will be the 1 year anniversary of delivering our boat (from Vancouver to Seattle).
It’s amazing how far we’ve come in a year.
A year ago, I didn’t know how to change engine oil, how to crimp electrical wires, how to epoxy pot or how to use sealants, and didn’t know that drill + tapping was even a thing.
A year ago, we were spending most of our project time battling mildew and mold (just a mild case, but still a lot of work), doing lots of cleaning, replacing head plumbing clogged by petrified poop, and triaging only the most essential safety projects / upgrades needed for our summer cruise. Continue reading
We’ve been at Elliott Bay Marina (EBM) for six months now. EBM is well known for being beautiful, peaceful, and, to me, a bit pricey (it’s 11% more expensive than Shilshole, making it the most expensive major marina in the Seattle area). We’ve had a great experience here, yet at times I’ve been torn by a calling towards Shilshole. We’ve been on the Shilshole wait list for a year with no word, so we might just give up on that.
A year ago when I needed to find a home for our new boat, I had assumed Shilshole would be it – Shilshole is where we had always sailed with the Seattle Sailing Club, and it was the hub of all sailing activity as I knew it. But when I found out Shilshole had a 1+ year waitlist it was a scramble to find an alternative option; and I found there are surprisingly few reviews of marinas – even though lots of little details can make all the difference.
We enjoyed our stay at Fisherman’s Terminal, but wanted to get outside the Locks for better sailing.