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New Whaler owner, old boater here...
I normally drive a Malibu inboard ski boat on Lake Sammamish, but found a neato 17 Super Sport Limited, and just had to buy it...

A few questions:

- I plan to use it for local exploring; Lake Union, locks, over to the Sound, up in the San Juans, etc... What anchor type works best around here? I'm guessing around eight pounds, 15' chain, 100' rode?

- Rub Rail. I need to replace the rub rail. Any suggestions besides the one I see on specialty marine's website?

- I've got a Standard-Horizon handheld VHF, a new Lowrance GPS chart-plotter / fish-finder & one of those i-Phones. Any other must-have electronics?

- I installed a second battery & selector switch.

- The boat has a nice Johnson/Suzuki four-stroke 90. Opinions on getting a small kicker?

- Any recommendation for a good but reasonably priced upholstery shop to redo the seats?

- The trailer it's been on since new, is a roller trailer not a bunk type. I've read that these are not good for Whalers, because of stress points. Worth the trouble of switching it to bunks?

- Good places to day cruise to? We live in Monroe, want to explore Lake Union, locks, ship canal, etc. Good restaurants we can dock at? Stuff like that?

Thanks, see you on the water...

Ed

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There are many restaurants on the water in Pudget Sound and all say they are great.
A regular Danfort with 15' chain will do but 100' of rode is not enough scope. Just lake Union is 40' and Pudget a lot more.
I'm sure Seattle area members will chime in and know more.
i just boated there for a week in early May and what a nice area. A 17ft might be small in the narrows and San Juan areas there so pick your dates.
As for electronics I recommend an AIS capable plotter & VHF as there is so much commercial traffic there. You should have all safety equipment requirements as set forth by the USCG on board. https://www.uscgboating.org/images/42...es/420.PDF

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Hello!
Congratulations on your 17ft Super Sport Limited. ....it's a gorgeous boat.
Question : I am planning to move to Gig Harbor in a couple of years with my 13ft Super Sport Limited (from San Diego ) and i was hoping for advice on boat ramps on Lake Washington and Sammamish.
How good are they...are they free? Access to parking etc. Also how choppy do these lakes get?
I am not gutsy enough to venture into Puget Sound.....maybe only around Fox Island.

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Late to this, but on Lk. Washington there are good ramps with docks at Stan Sayres hydroplane pits on the west side south of the I-90 floating bridge.
Also another launch with dock at Sand Point further north on the lake, on the west shoreline a couple miles north of the 520 floating bridge.

Best launch on Lake Samammish is at the state park at the south end of the lake. It also has docks.

Your 13' will be fine on these lakes on MOST summer days. Other seasons - watch the weather closely like anywhere else.

On Puget Sound in a 13' boat of any kind watch the weather very closely all year around. Also very strong tidal currents in areas that when against the wind direction steep seas will develop very quickly and seemingly out of nowhere. The "Narrows" just outside Gig Harbor (on your way to Fox Island) are notorious for this. Get a tide and current book and pick your days and times well.

Nothing (including the ramps above and most other ramps) is free here. Sorry.