Port Angeles WA live aboard..

[Trusty]

New to the forums..Howdy...
Looking at taking a job in Port Angeles. The idea being buy a sailboat and live on it until retirement... This will help us decide if we are going to sail off at retirement or go a different route. Until I looked at the marinas in the area... and Google search of forums is just telling me all the ppl on the forum that are located there lol... mobile.
So..
How long is the wait list usually for live aboard?
How many sub leases are available at any given time?
Are there any private marinas I haven't seen?
Which is a better place to live? JW or BH?

Opinions, comments, and hazing, begin!
Thanks all...

[leftbrainstuff]

We've recently obtained a liveaboard slip in the Seattle area. We're relocating from San Francisco we're we've been living aboard for 2/1/2 years now.

We presented ourselves in person and provided references. Your ability to fit in is paramount.

When we first sought a liveaboard slip we visited the marinas, presented pics of our vessel and generally built a relationship.

We assimilated into our liveaboard community and demonstrated what good citizens we were.

We quickly realized how important community is. In fact we negotiated with the marina for a neighbour on our dock to take over our liveaboard slip when we depart. Many others on our dock also lobbied the marina.

With the replacement of the Emeryville marina harbor master in San Francisco bay the over subscription of liveaboards has seen an increase in liveaboard requests at other marinas.

The waiting lists are mentioned by marinas when liveaboard requests are submitted by pending boat owners. You dont want to be on a wait list. It generally means no.


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[Stu Jackson]

The generic answer provided here many, many times has been to present yourself as a yacht in transit. Just stick around...

[Trusty]

That's why the marina by laws say "we don't have e to assign live aboard permits by the order they are received" lol
Very insightful..ty

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[Trusty]

But the difference in cost is 3x as much? I could afford 350/mo but prolly not 1150/mo. Am I missing something?

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[uncle stinkybob]

Originally Posted by Trusty

But the difference in cost is 3x as much? I could afford 350/mo but prolly not 1150/mo. Am I missing something?

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I'm in John Wayne Marina, Sequim Bay. I love it here, it's been affordable for me, 30' with power, water, wifi, cheap showers and laundry room, I'm at around 350 per month. . I'm not sure if they have any liveaboards left but you could call and ask. They are very full now with the official boat opener this last weekend, LOL Boat opener? J.W. # 360-417-3440, Harbor Master is Ron Amundson, good guy.

[Larry T.]

I live in Pa with a boat at the marina. Checked after I saw your post. There are no open slips at this time but Terry in the office said there would be a lot of slips available in June when the commercial fisherie boats move out. He said their livaboard "quota" is full but like Stu said, if you just get a slip and keep a low profile you may be ok until there is an opening for such. If you are working in PA and get a slip at John Wayne, plan on a minimum 30 to 45 minute drive to work. In PA the rates are $5.91 a foot plus taxes for a 30 foot slip. $6.27 a foot for a 40 foot slip and $6.53 a foot if you need a 50 foot slip. You will find that PA is a working marina where as JW is more swanky and upscale. hope this helps. PM me and I will send the papers I picked up at the office or we can call. Good luck with the job and marina search.
Larry

[Trusty]

Thank you all very much for the help I really appreciate it.

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[exMaggieDrum]

I have found the advice to show up in person to the marina office to be the best way to get a good spot on a wait list. I have been moved up several spots before by coming across as someone who would be responsible and follow the rules of the marina. Also it helps tremendously if you come across as someone who can get along with the manager and staff and other tenants. Liveaboards can be a much bigger headache since they are there all the time. They also want to make sure you are a financially responsible type that they won't have to "remind" to pay the moorage each month.

You will also absolutely need liability insurance specifically naming the marina on a rider. Upon signing you'll have to show proof of insurance before you have the insurance company "name" the marina as an additional insured. Insurance companies know how to do that and it doesn't cost extra. You will also have to provide proof of WA registration whether you are USCG registered or not. If you are USCG registered you don't have to put on the WA numbers but you do need to pay annual fees and display an annual sticker. This is state law.

You also don't want to have a derelict (looking) boat IME. They don't want fire hazards or junky boats in most cases. There are the odd marinas which don't but they are rare.

[pdxsailordiver]

Originally Posted by exMaggieDrum

I have found the advice to show up in person to the marina office to be the best way to get a good spot on a wait list. I have been moved up several spots before by coming across as someone who would be responsible and follow the rules of the marina. Also it helps tremendously if you come across as someone who can get along with the manager and staff and other tenants. Liveaboards can be a much bigger headache since they are there all the time. They also want to make sure you are a financially responsible type that they won't have to "remind" to pay the moorage each month.

You will also absolutely need liability insurance specifically naming the marina on a rider. Upon signing you'll have to show proof of insurance before you have the insurance company "name" the marina as an additional insured. Insurance companies know how to do that and it doesn't cost extra. You will also have to provide proof of WA registration whether you are USCG registered or not. If you are USCG registered you don't have to put on the WA numbers but you do need to pay annual fees and display an annual sticker. This is state law.

You also don't want to have a derelict (looking) boat IME. They don't want fire hazards or junky boats in most cases. There are the odd marinas which don't but they are rare.

When I looked into moving my boat to Washington. I was told I needed to pay the sales tax on the value of my boat, to get Washington registration sticker.

Tim Hryciw
S/V Maria Victoria

[Trusty]

No state tax! Gubment gotta get their money somehow!
I will definitely check into that tho.. thanks for the heads up!

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[exMaggieDrum]

Originally Posted by pdxsailordiver

When I looked into moving my boat to Washington. I was told I needed to pay the sales tax on the value of my boat, to get Washington registration sticker.

Tim Hryciw
S/V Maria Victoria

It's an issue of terminology. If you bought the boat in WA, you would pay sales tax at the time of purchase. I paid 9.5% in Seattle. It depends on where you apply as it may be different in different towns/counties, but only a percent or less.

If you have paid sales tax on the boat in another state, you don't technically pay sales tax in WA again. But you do have to pay basically the same amount as an annual registration/use tax/fee and get your annual sticker.

You are supposed to register the first time you move the boat to the state on a permanent basis or after a period of 60 days (I think but it may be a little different) if the boat is physically here regardless if you think it is just "temporary" or not. There are a couple of exceptions for getting work done on boats here some of which only apply to yachts registered as LLCs. Pays to be rich I guess.

Here is the site for WA info: boat.wa.gov - Register Your Boat It is 60 days or less to not have to register.

This is a great place to live and go sailing/motorboating, provided you are okay with overcast, rainy,and cool winters. Basically only a couple of reliably sunny months and there is a ton of fog those months which burns off in the afternoon. Some areas are better than others. Sequim and Port Angeles have more sunshine than most anywhere else on the west side of the Cascades, i.e. where the ocean is. Everett is horrible, Seattle a little bit better but not much, Anacortes almost as good as Sequim. But 10 miles inland from Anacortes it is far more rain, cold, clouds. Lots of micro-climates here due to the mountains and waters.

This is a flat out gorgeous area though with lots of places to take a boat.

[Trusty]

I was stationed it whidbey for a time (I don't think the sun shines there from nov-feb?) And skwim :-p is alot sunnier your right. but we really enjoyed living up there and looking fwd to getting back and cruising. Only ever hit the water to drop or pick up pots.. which wasn't all bad! Thanks for the help with this everyone. We really appreciate everyone taking the time to help out...

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[exMaggieDrum]

Sequim has a lot of amenities - grocery stores, hardware stores, restaurants. It has a very large retirement community. Port Angeles is a bigger town and more commercial marine oriented. Port Townsend is a unique place nearby but very difficult to get a permanent slip, liveaboard or not.

The big issue for some, a plus for some and a minus for others, is the distance and hassle to any bigger towns/cities and of course the airport. To take your boat out, e.g. to the San Juan Islands or north you have to cross the Straits of Juan de Fuca - which can be a nasty wide-open piece of water at times and a calm, long, motorboat ride others. Not to be underestimated any month of the year, especially as it is a major ship highway into several large ship ports.

[kenL]

I had my sailboat in Sequim for 5 years and have now been in Port Angeles for the last three years. There are three livaboards on my dock to my knowledge and there could be room for more. Port Angeles is a much more happening place to be as it is an active working marina with commercial fisherman, Coast guard, visiting boats from all over, preparing to leave or just returning from years away. Also it is a 10 minute walk to the downtown where there is entertainment and restaurants. If you want to sail there is a prevailing westerly almost ever afternoon between 15-25 knots and the view is world class breathtaking with the snow capped mountains behind the town. I have a 32 foot boat but pay for a 40 foot slip for about 290. per month. A dockmate friend pays 360-400- per month total for slip and livaboard fees for a 40 foot sailboat. The east marina is new and best in my opinion as it is closer to everything and the walking distance to your car is much shorter. I prefer the activity in Port Angeles as compared to the sleepy fairly inactive John Wayne Marina. Contact the Port of Port Angeles Harbormaster for Details on both places. The E dock is best as it gets more sun where the dock closer to the bluff won't see the sun all winter. Good luck