Houseboats on Puget Sound?

[F.H.B.]

Hi, All,

Sorry I have been away so long. Bad health.

We are curious if a pontoon-style houseboat or other "hull-type" houseboat could handle the Puget Sound. Any takers? I know in some areas the currents and swells can be a little rough.

Cheers,
- J

[rasorinc]

No pontoons. Catamaran hull--yes with careful design to keep weight light above and heavy low. Or, perhaps a catamaran hull RIB. Same on the weight distribution.

[TollyWally]

There are a few guys that run around quiet harbors in lake style pontoon boats. Under calm conditions for day use you could get away with it most of the time in a lot of places. You'd eventually get your ass in a crack but the beach isn't usually that far away.

I guess the short version is, in summer I 'd do it on a nice day but I wouldn't recommend it.

[alfbennett]

Hi F.H.B

I am new to the forum, but have lived near the Puget Sound for nearly my entire life.

Even in July a storm can sneak up on you. Lotsa folks live in house boats, but I think hangning out on the sound in a pontoon boat would not be the best idea.

I love living here, I'm sure you will as well.

[Joe Petrich]

I wouldn't run a pontoon style houseboat on Puget Sound except in the very protected areas.

A full hulled houseboat like the Cruise-a-home (see picture) would do Ok and many of them are used on Puget Sound. Not the best for heavy weather, but you can always duck int port easily.

Oh, by the way, as much as the media likes to say "The" Puget Sound, it's Puget Sound (a pet peeve of mine).

[alfbennett]

Originally Posted by Joe Petrich

Oh, by the way, as much as the media likes to say "The" Puget Sound, it's Puget Sound (a pet peeve of mine).

HA, must drive you CRAZZYY! I just usually call it the sound anyway

Well, it comes from "the Puget Sound area"... I used to let things like that bug me, too. (ATM Machine, PIN Number, etc.) but RAS syndrome, or Redundant Acronym Syndrome syndrome and tautological/grammatical slip-ups fly right past as a sign of the times. I had a neighbor who was a teacher that would call kids "stupid dumb". The same one calls Cook Inlet "the Cook Inlet". I don't know the mechanics but I believe this comes from learning through verbal communications and cathode ray tubes to the detriment of time spent reading. When one sees one of these things in print, it causes thought. Sometimes an immigrant to the area simply picks up what he hears without knowing...Nobody above said that, did they?

[alfbennett]

I Did!

My Daddy didn't learn me how to talk no gooder English.

I see. Well, we all make mistakes - I, more than most, I'm sure. For example, I scanned through the above to check before I hit "send" and didn't see it! All in fun anyway.

[alfbennett]

Yes, I know that Puget Sound is a proper noun, But ther vernacular, even locally realy is "The Puget Sound", wheter or not it is proper English.

However you are right, It shouldn't make it into print (neither should all of these awful contractions). I'll be sure to leave the article out from in front of it when I write my book!

The moral of the story is.... Pontoon boat on open sound bad... Pontoon boat in protected harbor good.

[Joe Petrich]

I've lived here 57 years and "The Puget Sound has only come about in the last 5-6 (or so) years. I attribute it to Californication. They started calling freeways "the five" etc and it has spread here. I think I'll drive to the Seattle Tonight and go sailing on the Elliot Bay

I didn't mean to turn this into a hijack.

[alfbennett]

No worries,

I've only lived here for thirty years or so (since I was 4) so it must have snuck in on me.

[CamperCat]

Hello out there in boating land.
I have a houseboat that goes in the ocean extremely well. I designed and built it myself and now have a business selling them in kits. Called Camper Cat
www.campercat.com.au I use inflatable pontoons and an inflatable cabin. The windage is quite good, but the speed and weight holding is amazing. They are also cheap. Take a look at the site. I can ship from China to anywhere in the world. I have been in some pretty rough seas. Caoght in storms and have gotten home. Amazing alternative.
Greg