Relocating to Portland

[kbn]

Hi,
I am new to the forum and hopefully soon new to a Ranger Tug. We're moving from the SF Bay area, selling the old trawler, looking for a R31 and would love any insights to boating the Portland area--especially marinas and the advantages and disadvantages of different locations.
Thank you!
Kevin N

 

[scross]

Kevin,
Welcome to Oregon!
I’d highly recommend an Oregon side marina. WA will charge you big taxes and fees if the boat is on the WA side of the river for more than 60 days a year.
We liked staying at Columbia Crossings Marina on Haden Island but it is right under the takeoff landing path for PDX. Salpare Marina on Haden Island also gets good reviews but is also under the jets. Traffic to and from Hayden on I-5 can be problematic.

 

[JSoup]

It will be nice to have another R31 in Portland. We (partnership) just got ours in October but have been sailing/racing here for years. I second scross’s recommendation of staying on the Oregon side. Hayden Island has nice marinas at Hayden Bay, Salpare Bay and Tomahawk Bay, but the hassles of afternoon weekday traffic can’t be over stated. There are several marinas along Marine Drive, many OK but some pretty run down. We moved our sailboat from Tomahawk Bay to Portland Yacht Club which has nice docks, reasonable dues and very low moorage rates. When we bought our 31 we rented a boathouse and liked it so much we bought one at PYC. The one we rented is now for sale and is perfect for the 31 except you do have to take the tower down, at least on our CB. I highly recommend the club and if you are interested would be glad to show you around.

 

[kbn]

Thank you both, I will take you up on that. We want a covered slip and were wondering about PYC. Also, do either of you (or anyone out there) have experience with marinas in the Multnomah Channel by Sauvie Island?
Kevin

 

[scross]

Do Not recommend Rocky Point Marina. Great location but we think rickety facilities and uncaring staff.

 

[JSoup]

I have no direct experience with any of those marinas as a tenant. Even though they are closer to our homes we didn't consider them because of the relatively long no-wake zone and commute to get out to places we would normally want to go. I have been to many of them for work (fire extinguishers and boat systems) and some are pretty nice. I'd be happy to answer any specific questions.

 

[kbn]

That's good to know about the no-wake zone. Is the whole channel that way? Also, do you have experience with McCuddy's Big Oak marina?

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

We’ve stayed at Salpare several times over the last 9 years when visiting family in PDX for extended periods. Also check out Tybee Yacht Club on Marina Drive. They have covered slips, club house, etc. I know of one R29S owner who’s boat resides there.

Jim F

 

[JSoup]

BIg Oak Marina is a client of ours - I've been there several times. It's one of the relatively nice marinas on Multnomah channel. It's not fancy with gravel parking and wood docks, but is well maintained and clean. The houseboats there are well cared for, which is not the case everywhere.

As far as I know, the no wake zones are only adjacent to the marinas and houseboats, but there are several of those. It's nowhere near the whole channel though. There was a proposal to make about half of the channel a no wake zone, but I don't know where that ended up and if it's still an open issue.

I'd be happy to discuss more offline or even show you around if you find yourself in town.

 

[dpiano]

Nice to have another Ranger coming to town.
We have our R29 at St. Helens marina. There are 4 Rangers there. Been there for many years. They do not have covered slips, but the downside of covered is more bird dung and spiders. We did have our boat at Rocky pointe years ago, but the covered slips required lowering the mast each time. Also, the no wake zone on the channel makes for very boring rides before you get anywhere interesting. There is no air traffic noise, no issues with shallow water, fuel and moorage are less expensive, and the people are nice. It is a 50 minute drive from our house in SW Portland, with never any traffic issues. Any of the marinas on the Columbia in Portland involve the hellish traffic on I-5. There is very little to visit upriver from Portland, except Beacon Rock and docks by the 205 bridge.St. Helens is at the end of the Multnomah Channel so one is able to blast off downriver on the Columbia to various interesting places. For us those advantages outweigh no covered slips. We moor right beside the fuel dock, so stop by sometime to say hi.

 

[kbn]

Thank you for all this—it’s very helpful. I’ll be reaching out again when we’re settled in, and actually find a boat.

 

[Gin]

Hi Kevin,

Another Portland Tugnut here. Agree with everything others have said (a few have insights I don’t have about some areas, so I defer to them). Along with JSoup (shout out to Eric and Doug!), I too am a member of the Portland Yacht Club (PYC). Love the club and can’t say enough about the virtues of a boathouse. St Helens is a great option too, for all the reasons mentioned In dpiano’s post. I am a regular in the Portland Christmas Ships parade, so I have good friends in many of the local yacht clubs (Rose City, Tyee, Columbia) and moorages. I may be able to provide you with contacts in some of those clubs/moorage if you there are some that interest you. Meanwhile, if PYC interests you, reach out to JSoup or me for more info. And welcome to the neighborhood!

Gin

 

[Dock Walker]

Hi There,
A new Tug Nutter here, we just got ours in July. We live on a floating home in the North Portland harbor and dock the boat behind our house in the river. It doesn’t get any better as far as I am concerned.
I have docked a boat in the past at a covered moorage nearby called Rogers Marina. They were a good operation and have a retail electronics store up top and gated secure parking. I have also moored in the Multnomah channel also covered moorage at Larsons Marina (adjacent to the Sauvie Island Bridge on the mainland side).
A lot of the Multnomah Channel is a no wake zone which can get boring if you do it a lot. But it is a scenic rural channel Adjacent to some beautiful farm country. Yes I live very close to the airport and am near the flight path of two runways. And there is an Air National Guard Base here that fly F15’s on a pretty regular basis. That can be very loud. But it is a great community here. A lot depends on what you want to experience. Rural vs urban, etc.
One another note, my wife and I have coincidentally been looking at RCYC and others now that were are boaters again.
In any event, welcome!

 

[MV Toujours]

Hi,
I am new to the forum and hopefully soon new to a Ranger Tug. We're moving from the SF Bay area, selling the old trawler, looking for a R31 and would love any insights to boating the Portland area--especially marinas and the advantages and disadvantages of different locations.
Thank you!
Kevin N

Hi Kevin,

We just took delivery of our new RT31CB. In anticipation, we looked at just about all options and are very happy with our final decision to berth in a 40' covered slip at Jantzen Bay Marina on Hayden Island.

We were pretty insistent on covered moorage and considered Big Oak on Multnomah Channel, but after talking to some tenants there, decided that the agricultural activity across the Channel on Sauvie Island stirred up a lot of dust certain times of the year. Other than that, it's a nice facility but a bit far up the Channel for us, and we live in Northwest Portland.

I thought I was going to be doing more boating in the Willamette, which is why I initially didn't look at the Columbia, but soon discovered that while the sights of downtown Portland might be interesting, the way there is very industrial and I think the Columbia offers more.

There is no denying that Northbound I-5 in the afternoon is a pain, but I usually go there earlier in the day, or when we go together, the HOV lane helps a lot.

Our biggest concerns are security and a marina fire. Our berth has two locked gates to get through, so that made us feel better, and our boat can be seen from the nearby Portland Fire station, and their boat is three slips away. SOLD!!!!!

It's a bit pricey, but meets all our requirements. In addition, they have locked storage nearby for our boat trailer, and there is a pumpout and fuel at the marina. They have several of these slips available (I would recommend facing east so you don't get a lot of afternoon sun, and there is plenty of height available so we don't have to lower the CB mast.

Patrick and Joni

 

[FreeSoup]

Hi,
I am new to the forum and hopefully soon new to a Ranger Tug. We're moving from the SF Bay area, selling the old trawler, looking for a R31 and would love any insights to boating the Portland area--especially marinas and the advantages and disadvantages of different locations.
Thank you!
Kevin N

Hi Kevin,

We just took delivery of our new RT31CB. In anticipation, we looked at just about all options and are very happy with our final decision to berth in a 40' covered slip at Jantzen Bay Marina on Hayden Island.

We were pretty insistent on covered moorage and considered Big Oak on Multnomah Channel, but after talking to some tenants there, decided that the agricultural activity across the Channel on Sauvie Island stirred up a lot of dust certain times of the year. Other than that, it's a nice facility but a bit far up the Channel for us, and we live in Northwest Portland.

I thought I was going to be doing more boating in the Willamette, which is why I initially didn't look at the Columbia, but soon discovered that while the sights of downtown Portland might be interesting, the way there is very industrial and I think the Columbia offers more.

There is no denying that Northbound I-5 in the afternoon is a pain, but I usually go there earlier in the day, or when we go together, the HOV lane helps a lot.

Our biggest concerns are security and a marina fire. Our berth has two locked gates to get through, so that made us feel better, and our boat can be seen from the nearby Portland Fire station, and their boat is three slips away. SOLD!!!!!

It's a bit pricey, but meets all our requirements. In addition, they have locked storage nearby for our boat trailer, and there is a pumpout and fuel at the marina. They have several of these slips available (I would recommend facing east so you don't get a lot of afternoon sun, and there is plenty of height available so we don't have to lower the CB mast.

Patrick and Joni

Congrats, look forward to seeing you out on the river!