Included in "all the comforts of home" boating is hot water. So it is unfortunate that our water heater sprung a leak. But it is fortunate that it occurred toward the end of the fair weather boating season. The water was slowly leaking from the bottom of the heater which, according to internet researching, is... Continue Reading →
Elliott Bay Marina is convenient for getting fuel. Simply take the boat to the next dock over and fill it up. The cost for this convenience is paying about a 30% premium over the prices of less convenient fuel docks in the area. For example, the Port of Poulsbo is 16 miles away and sells... Continue Reading →
This is very exciting! We use the powerful wash down pump to spray the mud and debris off the anchor and chain when it is retrieved. If we didn't do that, the mud and debris would get all over the bow and collect in the chain locker that is located at the head of our... Continue Reading →
I keep a log of all trips and record the distance, destination, hours on the engines, and activities/events along the way. We have had Fiddler for six seasons of cruising and I was interested to look at some statistics. Over the six years we took a total of 95 trips, from just a few hours... Continue Reading →
Fiddler is a DeFever 46 Raised Pilothouse. It was designed by Arthur DeFever who is often credited with introducing the concept of trawler-type yachts for pleasure cruising. Design features duplicated from his early commercial tuna clippers include a high bow, raised pilothouse, Portuguese bridge, long keels, weight and stability. He died in 2013 at the... Continue Reading →
It was only a week after returning from the Labor Day cruise and I felt the pull to go back out on the water. September offers some of the best boating as the summer crowds are gone, anchorages and marinas are open and accessible, the weather is nice, and the days are still reasonably long... Continue Reading →
The final organized MBYC cruise of the season was held over the Labor Day weekend at the Port Ludlow outstation. Most of the boats tie to the dock or tie to another boat at the dock, sometimes four deep. Only the people on boats directly tied to the dock have direct access to it. Others... Continue Reading →
Cathleen and Jenn have been lifelong friends. They grew up together in Utah and see each other several times a year when Cathleen visits Utah and when Jenn visits Washington. Jenn and two of her children, Sid and Bella, recently spent 10 fun-filled days with us on their summer vacation. Their arrival started off on... Continue Reading →
Visiting Washington's San Juan Islands is always a welcome treat. The islands are beautifully serene with lush landscapes, calm waters, and blue skies. Well, the blue skies were a little smoky for a couple of days due to the many forest fires in British Columbia and Washington. We had hoped to see the Perseid meteor... Continue Reading →
Hood Canal is a body of water that forms part of Puget Sound and the Salish Sea. It is about 50 miles long and a couple of miles wide in places. It separates the Kitsap Peninsula and the Olympic Peninsula. During the very short shrimping season, Hood Canal is swarming with small fishing boats. The... Continue Reading →
Fiddler 