By Roy Kauffman

Fall boating is a gem in the crown that is PNW sailing. The air is crisp. The leaves are turning… time to get out on the water! What? Oh, yes… Add a fleece or two, put the kettle on for tea and don’t forget the hot buttered rum at the end of a beautiful day.

Fall is an ideal time to get out on a boat. Don’t ignore one of the most gorgeous times of year in our region. You’ll find yourself looking at snow capped mountains and the changing colors of the trees. If you sail, you have the added bonus of more frequent “enough wind to sail” kinds of days.

Before we bought our boat, the fall would be the time when we would charter and take off for overnights in Puget Sound and beyond. Rates are cheaper and there are always boats available. There is nothing better than pulling into one of your favorite anchorages for the evening and finding that you have it to yourself. As the sun sets, you frequently have a crisp clear sky and the stars out in all their glory. Added bonus: you don’t have to stay up into the wee hours of the night to stargaze - it’s dark early!

Favorite Destinations for Fall Boating

If your home port is Seattle, there are plenty of lovely anchorages within a few hours of your slip. We typically will head for places like Port Ludlow, which offers a beautiful, protected anchorage with good holding in sticky mud. Or, you can typically find space in their well-appointed marina, which includes a store for light provisioning and good food and drink in their lodge. They have a nice, long beach for walking, as well. If you have a shallow draft, or if you’re brave, you can head to the back of the bay and slip in behind The Twins - two islets on the west side of the bay which obscure a beautiful little anchorage. Access the back bay by going between the two islets. As you enter the cove, the first thing you will notice is that there are high banks all around, which makes this a wonderful place to hide out during a storm. Be sure to check your charts and watch your depth. Put a person on the bow to watch your way in, if you have a spare person. We suggest entering and leaving only during a high tide if you are in a boat with any significant draft.

Another favorite getaway spot is Blake Island. It may be just a short trip from Seattle, but it feels like 100 miles away. The whole island is a State park with campsites, great hiking trails and several long, walkable beaches. There is a small marina that has power hook ups and water. The Ranger is present, as are the racoons and deer. The park has shelters with tables and fire pits for an evening fire. You can watch the lights from downtown Seattle twinkling across the water. Try New Years Eve at the park - fireworks on the Needle! If the marina is full or if you prefer even more seclusion, there are numerous mooring balls all around the island. We like the west side if it’s not too stormy. There is very little ferry wake and a quick paddle will land you on a beach and to the hiking trails that criss cross the island.

You might enjoy a sled ride to Vashon Island if the wind is from the north. Quartermaster Harbor is a nice, long sail from Seattle with a great little harbor to pull into at the end. The bay is shallow, so you can put out 7:1 scope with 140’ of chain out. Great holding makes for a good night’s sleep. The wind will get into the bay, but you’ll sit steady tucked up next to shore. In a northlerly, we like the east edge of the harbor, behind the little point, right below the antenna towers on Maury Island.

Planning for Fall Boating

It does get blustery this time of year, so be sure to check your favorite references for current and predicted weather. We check at least two sources to confirm what we are getting into. Our favorites are a combination of NOAA, Wind Alert and/or Predict Wind and/or Windy. If their forecasts all match - BINGO! If not, make your best preparations for the worst of the forecasts and anything less will be gravy.

Remember to take extra layers and extra clothes so you have dry things to put on if you get wet. Refresh your safety procedures for crew overboard, especially if you have guests aboard. Test your heater and, above all, fuel up. We have heard way too many times that someone ran out of fuel. Whether it happens in the middle of a passage or while you’re running the diesel heater overnight, running out of fuel is not cool. Check your navigation lights, too. Days are much shorter this time of year, so you might just need to turn them on.

Provision for a hearty meal plan - your crew will thank you for that pot of chili or chowder. Make it a component of the party plan, if you’re so inclined. Assign ingredients for a pot of chowder with all the fixings to your guests and create the meal together. It’s now called The Chowder Run!

Basically plan, plan, plan, and your fall boating excursions will be great. Have fun and be safe out on the water.

Share your fall boating experiences with us - send me pictures!

Roy@seacraft.com