Luanne Highlander

When my husband Charley and I decided to get into boating, we figured out how much we wanted to spend and then started trolling along the marinas, looking at boats with ‘For Sale’ signs. We walked marinas every weekend, spent days on the internet and finally decided on a new 25 foot sailboat that came with a new trailer. After an hour with the boat dealer sitting on the boat …in the trailer, he decided that this was not the boat for us. “What? How can you say such a thing?” I thought, more hurt than mad. No, he decided! After quizzing us on how much time we wanted to devote to sailing each week, the time it would take to trailer this cute boat to the marina, set up the mast and rig the sails, we would be out of time for the day to actually sail!

After my disappointment subsided, I saw the wisdom of being realistic about our boating expectations. Due to our obvious lack of experience, I decided to get some help from a friend. He is a very experienced ‘boat guy’ named Jack DeCook.

In High School Jack worked on a charter boat in California . He started as a deck hand in Sausalito . He has years of fishing experience in Alaska . Jack actually was on those boats they feature on television, The Deadliest Catch! He also went to the Caribbean to charter boats for a year. He is Certified Master Technician as a boat mechanic…he knows boats! The following are excerpts from our conversation.

Ski boats

 In or out board. He prefers the in board/out board. A stern drive block of cast iron gives a solid platform, and a softer ride. Gas or diesel engines are fine. Diesel engines are safer as diesel won’t explode.

Lake boats, and crabbing boats to around 20’ are great as a ‘fair weather’ boat.

Salt water boats should be at least 22-24 feet. They are easy to trailer. Stay away from drop bow boats as they can swamp. Because the waters in the San Juan Island areas have tide induced wave action, get the Canadian Hydrographics book. It gives you an accurate tide guide.

24-28 feet. A 28 foot boat can be difficult to manage when docking. It is big enough to be safe in difficult weather in the San Juan ’s, within reason. Also, slips are easier to secure in marinas to 30 feet. You can be years waiting for a slip over 30 feet in Bellingham ’s Marina .

The Pacific Northwest has weather, so a flying bridge is recommended. That way you and your guests can get out of the rain, in a cabin which has ample space, windows and heat. A very nice, used flying-bridge boat will cost you $25,000-$30,000. Look for a boat engine with less than 600-800 hours of previous use. Diesel engines usually are reliable, if maintained, up to 1000 hours.

“In closing, what bit of advice would you want to convey?”

• If you want to overnight in a boat, spend a lot of time looking.
• Don’t buy a new boat.
• Spend a couple hundred dollars having a mechanic look at it and also have a marine surveyor look at it.
• If you are not going out when it rains, get a sun bridge on the boat.
• Take a hard and realistic look at your boating style.
• Find the models and years that you like before being tempted to purchase.
• Get the kids on board to see how they are on the boat. Some boats just don’t work with several people on it.
• Once you have nailed down the model and then have the owner/dealer sea trial it to show you what the boat does. This is customary when you are ready to purchase.
• Take the Power Squadron boat safety classes.
• Don’t get too emotionally involved in the process.

Jack DeCook currently is a Senior Loan Officer at American Home Mortgage.

If you have any questions, you can contact him at: www.americanhm/jack.decook.com

Luanne Highlander is a travel writer and Relocation Specialist for RE/MAX in Bellingham, WA . For area information you can visit her website at: www.RelocateNW.com.

.