4th of July Raft Up in Poulsbo

Skipper: Scott Karren
Guests: Tom Karren, Sue Karren, Rob Karren, Mike Roddy, Roberta Roddy
Weather: Clear and hot
Seas: Calm
Engine Hours: 97.5 to 103.5
Date: July 2nd and 3rd

Joint the Sloop Tavern Yacht Club for their annual raft up for the fireworks on the 3rd of July in Poulsbo. As we cruised up to the sail boats in the raft, the commodore of the club said "for a power boat, that is not even offensive." About 15 boats rafted up for the show.

We cruised over on the 2nd and spent the night. Tom and Rob and I were the only ones aboard. The next day we cruised back to Kingston and picked up Sue and cruised back to Poulsbo, about a 3 or 4 hour round trip. There was a large no wake zone that took about 30 minutes or more to get past.

We borrowed a dinghy from a neighboring boat and picked up the Roddy's at the dock in Poulsbo for dinner on the boat. The fireworks were great and lasted until about 11 PM. We slipped out of the raft after the fireworks and headed home along with thousands of other boats. Once clear of Liberty Bay and the crowd of boats, the night cruise home was delightful. The phosphoresce behind the boat left a trail in our wake that lit up the night.

We arrived home in Kingston by 1AM and had the boat washed and trailered and stowed by 2:00. Another great night on Quay Cat.

Sea Trials in March

Skipper: Scott Karren
Guests: 4 Potential MC30 Customers
Weather: Clear and Windy, 20 to 25 Knots
Seas: 4 - 6 feet
Engine Hours: 97.6 to 102.0
Date: March 19

Had an Open House for North Sound Cruising Center today. Four potential customers came to see how the MC30 handled in the water. Although the seas were very high and choppy, we had a great afternoon. We went out from Kingston about halfway across the sound to Edmonds and then north about halfway to Point No Point. We slowed down to about 10 knots in waves that were 6 feet or mor high. Everyone thought that this was much smoother than thier other boats.

New Year's Eve Cruise

Skipper: Scott Karren
Guests: Tom Karren, Rob Karren
Weather: Clear and cold
Seas: Calm
Engine Hours: 95.0 to 97.6

Cruised outside Kingston for an hour or two before taking the boat out of the water.

Maintenance Issues:

Cleaned and detailed the boat for the boat show. Took all bedding and food off. Scrubbed the hull. Need to replace faucet Rob broke when he sat on it. Need to replace safety line on bow.

Quay Cat Poses for the Local Newspaper

Showed Quay Cat to Tiffany Royal of the North Kitsap Harold this morning. It figures it would get sunny about an hour after we were at the boat. Quay Cat looks great regardless.

Video of Quay Cat

Check out the video we shot on Quay Cat. Click on the video on the right.

We spent the day with Jerzy Kostanski and his friend Gosia shooting video of Quay Cat all over the North Puget Sound. Alternately, send us an email and we will send you a DVD. Send the email to Scott@NorthSoundCruising.com

Trailer Modifications

Skipper: Scott
Guests: None
Weather: Sunny
Seas: n/a
Destination: Kingston Guest Slip
Engine Hours. 92.2

Put the boat at a guest slip in Kingston so we could modify the trailer. Boat is fairly easy to handle with just one person. Put it into the slip with no problems. Also took it in and out of the water several times after the wheels on the trailer were moved. Readjusted the center guides and the from bow stop on the trailer. Had to get the boat positioned just right before the welder came over to make the guides and bow stop permanent.

Fueled up. Put in 26 gallons. Last fuel was at 82.5 hours. That is 9.8 hours in 26 gallons; 2.6 gallons per hour. Fuel usage is lower than the averse of 3 gph, probably because of slow speeds while fishing.

Maintenance Issues:

Had local metal shop move axles on trailer forward two feet. Boat now sits properly on trailer with just the engines hanging over the back of the trailer. Trailer bucks when empty at about 30 MPH, but handles much better than before with the boat on. Tongue weight now under 500 pounds.

Also had the center guides, bow stop and winch stand welded in place. Lowered stops so they meet the kevlar beach shoes on the bows. Boat fits very tight now. Now side to side sway.

Fresh Sushi Courtesy of the MC30

Salmon Sushi we made from the fresh salmon we caught. We used to joke that we could not afford hamburger in Seattle and head to settle for buying salmon. Since we got the Motorcat30, we have not even had to buy salmon.

Fishing with Friends

Skipper: Scott Karren
Guests: Mike Roddy, Roberta Roddy, Sue Karren
Weather: Sunny and Clear
Seas: Calm
Destination: Apple Tree Point
Engine Hours: 92.2 to 94.6

Boat was much stiffer coming off the trailer. Had to tap the breaks two or three times to get it all the way off. Cruised near the ferry run fishing for salmon again. We did not catch any keepers, but had a great time on the water in the sun. Got new fishing gear of my own so I do not have to borrow Dicks tackle any more.

Sue and Roberta each brought enough food for a three day cruise. After about the third picnic basket, I asked Sue how many people she thought were coming aboard. Then Roberta showed up with just as much. We did not catch any fish, but we at well.

Cross wind at the boat ramp made docking a bit of a challenge. Took me three tries and still was not real slick when Mike jumped ashore. Not much room to maneuver at the ramp and it makes me nervous. With the supports welded in place, we can just drive the boat onto the trailer. No more winching or wet feet.

Maintenance:

None.

Weekend fishing with Robert

Skipper: Scott Karren
Guests: Robert Karren, Dick Anderson
Weather: Calm and cold
Seas: 0-2 feet
Destination: Apple Tree Point
Engine Hours: 86.1 to 92.2

Cruised the tide rips off of Apple Tree Point just outside of Kingston trying to catch a Salmon. Dick managed to hook a small fish about every 3 minutes. All of the action kept Robert entertained and the bait never got old. However, we still did not get to keep a fish. Dick thinks we may have a fishing curse on the boat. I think there are just not as many salmon as there used to be.

Maintenance:

Tied up in the guest Dock so we could work on the trailer. We are moving the wheels forward and welding the center boat guides in place.

Making Memories with the MC30

We Caught a Salmon! Rob and Tom both happy with another day spent using the MC30.

Point No Point Fishing Trip

Skipper: Scott Karren
Guests: Sue Karren, Thomas Karren, Robert Karren, Dick Anderson
Weather: Clear and cold, 15 knot wind
Seas: 2-3 feet in the AM, calm in the afternoon
Engine Hours: 82.5-86.1
Destination: Point no Point

Went Fishing off Point No Point with Dick. Dick and his friends hooked over a dozen chum salmon the day before during the Kingston fishing derby and kept the 6 largest. Gloria Tupper won the derby with a 14 pound 8 ounce fish and Dick cam in 5th or 6th with a 10 pound 10 ounce fish. We were not as lucky the next day though.

We muched in the tide rips most of the morning. Robert hooked one right before lunch, but it broke the line before we could net it. After sitting for a few hours with no action, Thomas asked me to hold his pole for a minute while he went below. As soon as he handed it to me, a fish hit hard. I landed it, an 8 pound chum that looked pretty nice. This time we had the net ready and brought it aboard easily.

Maintenance Issues:

No big issues. Need to work on finding a heating system. Light on mast worked fine this time. Must have a short. Will need to un assemble and rewire.

"Quay Cat" with Cockpit Enclosed

Quay Cat now has a full enclosure for the cockpit. We took her out yesterday to try it out. Great room and visibility. We were amazed at much it changed the feel of the yacht. The enclosure is spacious and tall. Although it was windy and cold out, the heat from the sun made it warm enough to cruise without coats or sweaters, at least until the sun set.

Halloween Fishing Trip

Skipper: Scott Karren
Guests: Chris To, Sammy To, Dick Anderson
Weather: Clear and cold
Seas: 1 to 2 feet
Engine Hours: 78.6 to 82.5
Destination: Edmonds, Possession Point, Point No Point, Kingston

Launched "Quay Cat" at about 1:00 PM to try out the new cockpit enclosure and go fishing. We met Chris and his son Sammy at Edmonds and then headed north to try our luck at fishing. Nothing at Possession Point so we headed over to Point No Point to try the tide rips. Immediately we had three hits. Dick was on first and mine was next. However, mine was a hit and run that stole the bait. Suddenly, Chris was yelling too. His was much larger and broke the line. We knew we would get some fish because I had forgotten the net. I had to grab the salmon by the gills to bring it aboard. Glad we did not loose it.

We got back to shore about 5:30 and sent Chris off to catch the ferry back to Edmonds while Dick and I cleaned up the boat. It is about 14 feet high now on the trailer with the enclosure. We had to watch for power lines on the lane into Dicks yard where we keep the boat. Tight fit. We will have to trim some lines from the trees to make it easier to get in and out.

Fueled up before the trip at 78.6 hours. Put 20.5 gallons in the right tank and 8.6 gallons in the left. Not sure why there was such a big difference or why the right tank was so low. Last fuel was at 74 hours. That is about right for the left tank. Fuel use per hour was 6.32. This is a record high. Will check the right engine to see if there is a problem if the fuel use remains uneven.

Maintenance: The aft white light on the mast does not work. We will have to drill the rivets out of the mast and redo the wiring. We had to extend the mast by about a foot when we added the Bimini and enclosure.

Need to decide on a propane heater now too and get it installed before the boat show in January.
Will make final alterations to the trailer this week. Need to move the wheels two feet forward and then place the forward stop in the right place. Then it needs some sanding and repainting.

Getting a Bimini

Eastern Ontario Canvas starts the stainless steel ribs for "Quay Cat's" bimini and enclosure. Canvas goes on tomorrow! Should be done this week.

"Quay Cat" at the Beach

We beached "Quay Cat" at Shilshole. While not eliminating the need for a dinghy on longer cruising trips, the beaching capability is a great way to get to shore for quick visits.

Sea Trials and Video Shoot

Skipper: Scott Karren
Guests: Jerry Konstanski, Gosia, Pawel, Grahame
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 65 degrees
Seas: Calm
Engine Hours: 74.2 to 78.6
Destination: Agate Pass, Alki Beach, Elliott Bay, Shilshole and Kingston

Cruised south around Bainbridge Island. Had video camera and a second boat so we could get 360 degree shots of "Quay Cat" in action. We had hoped for some rough weather to demonstrate the Motorcat 30's stability, but water was very smooth. We will put links to the video up as soon as we edit it.

Beached on Alki. A Seattle cop started chewing out some men playing football near where we landed. When he came over to us he demanded to see a permit for beaching the boat. I had never heard of the need for a permit to take video for two minutes, but try not to argue with people with guns. Clearly he had nothing better to do than pester people playing football. Maybe they did not have a permit either. Seems to be my week for run ins with authority figures. Last Sunday it was the Coast Guard.
Except for the Seattle Police Department, we had a great day. We got our video up at Shilshole and cruised home.

Had dinner with Jerry and crew and discussed a 22 foot MotorCat for day cruise and fishing and a 34 foot MotorCat for long cruise and live aboard. This will give us a great family of MotorCats.

Fueled up with 38 gallons. Engine hours were 74.2. Since last fueling was Last fueling was at 63.8, that is 10.4 hours. That is 3.65 gallons per hour this time, a little higher than usual. Cruising at 20 miles per hour, this translates into 208 miles at 5000 RPM, about half of the range with the MC30.

Maintenance Issues:

Fiddled with the hot water. Restricted the inflow and perhaps that will give hotter water (but less volume. We need a much better hot water system.

We discussed propane heat and venting during the cruise. There is a double cooktop propane heater that I like. The biggest issue is where to vent the unit. Perhaps we can vent it under the step on the port side. Need to check into that.

Decided where to put the speakers in the cockpit for the stereo.

Title: Ready for Cruising at Edmonds Guest Dock

Quay Cat at Edmonds before our cruise with Robert Scoble. The Motorcat30 is a sleek boat that always looks great. No matter where we go, people always want to see more of the MC30.

Check out the new North Sound Cruising website for more information.

Seattle Day Cruise

Skipper: Scott Karren
Guests: Bill Weir, Robert Scoble, Maryam
Weather: Sunny and clear
Seas: Smooth
Engine Hours: 69.6 to 74.2
Destination: Edmonds, Seattle, Alki, Bainbridge Island

What a great day for a cruise! After several days of rain and fog, we took Quay Cat out for a cruise with blogger Robert Scoble. We had scheduled this a couple weeks earlier and crossed our fingers for a nice day. We will have to cross our fingers more often. The weather was spectacular.

Picked Robert, Maryam and Bill up in Edmonds at 12:30pm. I put the boat in the water at about 11:00 with Thomas helping out and left solo for Edmonds at 11:30. I stepped onto the dock in Edmonds with the stern line, but the wind had pushed the bow out too far. I climbed back aboard and tried again. After about the third try, I made it. I led a line aft and jumped ashore with both bow and stern lines in hand. Docking solo in wind is tricky.

We were boarded by the Coast Guard in Elliot Bay. This was a first for me. The were doing safety inspections and had chosen us at random. Random was a bit of a funny thing though, because we were one of only two boats in Elliot Bay at the time and they had just finished boarding the other one. Robert was surprised they could board us without any probable cause.

The check took about 15 minutes and we discovered we were deficient in the following areas. First, the life jackets sent with the boat by Bond Yachts, although nice with the MC30 logo and all, were not Coast Guard Approved. We will toss them and get real jackets. Second, the fire extinguisher is also from Poland and is not USCG approved. We have to replace it. They were nice about it and did not write us a ticked, but gave us a written warning to keep in the log.

Beached the boat at Alki. A little girl asked us if we had wheels on the boat. She also asked if she could look inside, how much it cost, and finally, Why we had come onto the beach at Alki. I told her that we beached it because we could. As she came aboard with her grandma, she told me that her dad needed to get a boat with a cabin and that perhaps they could sell their house and just live on the boat. Very Cute.

We stopped at the City Dock in Bainbridge Island and had a late lunch at Doc's. Great burgers. Sunset was spectacular as we cruised back north to Edmonds, dodging the gill netters. I dropped Robert, Bill and Maryam off at Edmonds at around 6:00 and was back in Kingston a half hour later. I still like cruising at night. The water was glassy smooth and the lights from the other boats, fisherman, commercial freighters and navigational markers are beautiful.

We all commented over and over during the day about what a great place Seattle was to live and how lucky we all were to be able to enjoy this place. The Motorcat definitely adds a larger perspective to the beauty of Seattle.

Maintenance Issues:

The GPS mount seems loose. Need to tighten it.
Need new life jackets and fire extinguisher that are USCG approved.
Condensation still in the two fuel gauges from Poland and the trim gauges from Honda, replace at 100 hour service.

Photo: Heading into the Fog

Heading into the fog with Thomas on lookout. We slowed down and kept a keen eye out for other boats. Keeping a straight course is much harder when you cannot see the land.

Photo: Spawning Salmon

My boys show me what they think of the smell of rotting salmon along the Dosewallops River. Each of the little dots on the right bank is a 3' salmon that has spawned and died.