Launch ramps on the South Sound

[Rebel]

We are planning to take our R-25 up to the Puget Sound at least twice this summer. We live in Oregon so will be approaching from the south on I-5. One of those trips will be to Bremerton to the Rendezvous. Does anyone have any good ideas on where an R-25 can be easily launched in the South Sound and then also near Bremerton. Considering how many folks are planning to be at the Rendezvous it might also be best if some of us were parking someplace other than in Bremerton if there are other places close by. My wife and I are new to boating and want to check out the best launch ramps during a reconnaissance mission in the car before we head north with the boat. Would appreciate any and all comments. thanks in advance.

John Turner
John's Folly

 

[sportner]

John,
Swantown marina in Olympia is supposed to have a good launch and long term parking. I spoke with them at the Seattle boat show and it sounded nice. We plan to use it sometime this summer and work our way slowly to the San Juans. If you get there before we do please post your findings.

 

[wynn 'n anniedear]

For last years rendezvous we launched at the Port of Brownsville. The ramp was easy and uncrowded. They let us park for free for the whole time we were there. We had to unhook the trailer and park separately because the spaces were too short, but that worked out fine. It was a short half hour run down to Bremerton.

 

[Rebel]

Thanks to both of you. Any other ideas out there?

John Turner

 

[johnniethek]

Boston Harbor Marina, just north of Olympia, is a classic NW waterfront environment, complete with a restaurant serving locally caught seafood. Just point your browser here for more info: bostonharbormarina.com

 

[Stella Maris]

John,
The best place to launch for the rendezvous is at Port Orchard. You can see the Bremerton Marina from the launch ramp. When you tell them that you are with the rendezvous, they will let you park for free.

We left our truck and trailer in the lot last year for nine days and had no issues as it is directly across the street from the police station. At that time we had Solitude our R-25. The other nice thing about this location is there is a pumpout and fresh water wash down right next to the ramp.

We also keep Karma at the Port Orchard Marina and have no issues with leaving a vehicle parked in the lot for over a week at a time.

 

[Rebel]

thank you very much for the information. Now my next big effort is to obtain the charts that I need for the Puget Sound area. We hope to bring the boat up to the south sound for at least a week during July. If we do that we will most likely launch at Olympia, or nearby, and then see some of the sight of the south sound. HOpe to have both the compact flash card for the chart plotter and a book of paper maps by then. I have a book of charts for the Columbia River by Evergreen Pacific and see that they also publish two books of charts for the Puget Sound but it is not clear which might be best. Do you have any recommendations for what is best? I'm sure that all of us new boaters appreciate all the help we can get from those of you with more experience. thanks again for your comments.
John Turner, John's Folly