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Outdoor Activities

Seattle’s Shilshole Bay Marina Wait List Not So Long These Days

Back when my husband and I were young sailors, we dreamed of owning a small sailboat and mooring it at Shilshole Bay Marina. The Seattle marina was beautiful and offered easy access to Puget Sound and beyond. Best of all, we would not need to traverse the Locks every time we wanted to enjoy the saltwater.
But back in the 1970s and 1980s the waiting list was unbelievably long and the wait times seemed forever. However, these days acquiring moorage at one of the West Coast’s premier marinas is not forever. Indeed, checking the list it looks like slips of most sizes are anticipated to become available with great regularity.
However, I suspect the best wisdom is still to connect with the marina staff to learn how many others in your boat’s length are ahead of you on the list. Pay the deposit and hope for the best.
Marina Costs and Wait Times
According to a chart on the website, given the marina’s “location, location,” it looks like moorage hasn’t really increased all that much in 20 to 30 years.
For example, a 30-foot vessel costs $333/month and a 65-foot vessel runs about $950/month. Wait times appear to be in the 2-6 month range for the smaller boats and six months to a year for the larger ones. Now, of course, when you get your boat a slip totally depends on when you paid your deposit and how many others are ahead of you.
Shilshole Background
In 1962, Shilshole Bay Marina offered moorage for 1500 boats, and was formally dedicated during Seattle’s World Fair – Century 21. In 1962, the Port dedicated the Leif Erikson statue, which has since done a 180 from the original direction it faced.
In 2008, an $80 million renovation was completed. The 23 new docks offer wider slips in more sizes, plus generous fairways, Internet, cable, and up to 240 amps of shore power. Shilshole earned a 5-star rating from the King County Envirostars program and is a certified “clean marina” using environmental best practices, recycling, waste disposal and more. The new administration building makes use of natural light to reduce energy costs.
Other amenities include a public plaza, children’s play fountain, fishing piers, public boat launch, parking and services for boating customers and visitors. In 2010 a new garden area was created adjacent to the plaza that provides an open, grassy area for events and is maintained using 100% organic landscaping.
Marina Information:

  • Year-round on month-to-month basis
  • Vessels up to 250′

RATES:

  • Based on slip size
  • Rates apply to recreational & commercial moorage

POWER:

  • 30, 50, and 100 amp
  • More power available upon request
  • Metered at each slip

Shilshole Bay Marina Information:
VHF: Channel 17
Phone: (206) 787-3006
Outside of Seattle:
(800) 426-7817 ext. 3006
Fax: (206) 787-3391
Address: Shilshole Bay Marina, 7001 Seaview Ave. N.W., Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98117
24 hour phone:(206) 601-4089 [email protected]
Office Hours:
Mon-Fri: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Saturday: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Sunday: closed
For more information: http://www.portseattle100.org/properties/shilshole-bay-marina