This year was the 13th season of boating aboard Fiddler. It has been, and still is, a great cruising boat. At about 50′ in overall length, it is comfortably accomodating for up to four people and perfect for two. However, I spend a significant amount of time single-handing Fiddler and after 13 seasons I know every inch of it and have worked on or replaced every major system. It is a safe and economical way to enjoy the magnificent Pacific Northwest waters.
Fiddler left the dock twelve times in 2025, traveled 1,184 nautical miles (1,362 statute miles) at an average speed of 6.7 knots clocking 177 engine hours. At that speed the typical fuel consumption is 3 gallons per hour for an estimated 531 gallons of diesel. I cruised every month except February and October. On an average year I travel 1,019 nautical miles at 6.6 knots clocking 155 hours. So this year was above average for miles, speed, and hours.
I visited three new locations-Salt Spring Marina in the Gulf Islands, Union Steamship Marina on Bowen Island, and Pages Marina in Silva Bay also in the Gulf Islands. All are in British Columbia. Six of the cruises were with the Port Ludlow Yacht Club, for which I served as Commodore this year. While docked in Seattle either for an organized cruise, meeting with friends or family, or on the way to Blake Island for hosting, I attended six Kraken NHL games and one Mariners MLB game. Both venues, while in opposite directions from the marina, are fairly easy walking destinations. And as I have done for the past seven years, I was a marine park host at Blake Island State Marine Park for two separate weeks.
Major projects this year were the installation of a diesel heating system and a completely new head, both of which I wrote about in separate posts.
Fiddler 
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