Re: [Paddlewise] A Personal Kayak MotherShip

On 11/7/07, Tord Eriksson <tord_at_tord.nu> wrote:
>
>
> You could definitely charter a sizeable sail boat for a three-week
> vacation for that kind of money!


You can charter a 34 foot Trawler-style power boat in the San Juans Islands
of Washington State for about US$3000 per week (high season rate - typically
June thru August); not including fuel. These boats are typically powered by
a single 120HP diesel and burn about 1.5 gallons (US) per hour at a cruising
speed of about 7kts. They typically have a vee-berth cabin and head forward,
a double-berth cabin aft with head and shower and a salon midships which
contains the galley, dinette, and inside steering station. Food is not
included.

Now, for some comparison. A 34-foot covered moorage in Oak Harbor, WA (about
15 miles inside Deception Pass and 3 or 4 hours from the San Juan Islands
costs about US$300 per month. This, of course, doesn't include the cost of
the boat or the fuel to run her.

Covered moorage in Anacortes runs somewhat higher.

If you trailer a boat it's unlikely you can tow anything larger than about
28-feet. Fuel for the towing vehicle varies but generally 10 miles per US
gallon would be considered good. From my house in Moses Lake to Anacortes is
about 200 miles or 20 US gallons in fuel at $3.70 (current) for US$74 each
way. Launch is about US$10 (depends upon where you launch) and parking for a
week would be about US$35. Fuel for the boat is available at roadside
service stations rather than at more expensive marine fuel stops. Storage
for the boat and trailer when you are not using it varies depending on
location but you can depend upon at least US$30 per month.

A 28-foot trailerable cabin cruiser typically has a vee-berth forward and a
cabin which includes an inside steering station just aft and a cockpit at
the stern plus a flying bridge. The dinette would convert to a (tight) berth
for 2. There would be an enclosed head (possibly with shower); a cooking
stove, a refrigerator (or ice box). You could cover the stern cockpit and
that might provide a sheltered area for two to sleep depending upon how the
engine compartment uses up space.

For one week in the San Juan Islands I would be paying about $553 (based on
yearly storage) for my own trailered boat; $3600 for my boat moored at a
covered dock in Oak Harbor (not including fuel to get the 25 or so miles to
the San Juans or travel costs to get to the boat); and about $3000 (not
including travel costs including possible ferry fees) for a chartered boat.
Of course, with my own boat either trailered or in Oak Harbor I could use it
more and bring the costs per week down. I could also charter a boat in the
off-season for much less money (about 1/3 less).

None of these include operating or maintenance costs for the boat nor boat
payments. A 34-foot trawler would carry 3 or 4 kayaks on deck relatively
easily. A 28-foot trailer boat would need some permanent rack fabricated in
order to keep 3 or 4 kayaks from being in the way or, at worst, dangerous.

So, for my purposes, it sure looks like a trailerable boat.

Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
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