Report Review
I made my first visit to Kingston Marina via my boat on Monday afternoon July 16. I had earlier made a reservation and received back an assigned slip. Getting an assigned slip ahead of arrival is unique for area marinas and I welcomed that. However, I encountered great confusion upon entering the marina as to where my assigned slip was to be found. I had downloaded the dock chart to my smart phone, but it lacked clear information. Upon entering the marina and encountering no explicit directional signage I did a slow speed tight u-turn just off dock C and immediately ran aground, despite being well within all nav buoys.
I was able to twist and get free and then exited the marina. I called the marina office and got confusing directions but got the idea that I should proceed with the breakwater to starboard. Later I learned that another sailboat from my club (Seattle Sailing Club) had also run aground upon entering the marina. No doubt the low tides were the culprit. But it’s most unacceptable for insufficient depths to be un-marketed in the navigation paths inside a marina!
Additionally your marina map and signage is grossly insufficient. A guest boat entering a marina should be able to immediately understand from abundantly clear signs what direction to go for “guest mooring”, “fuel”, and “pump out”. You should send a link along with confirmed reservations to a map with color coded “GUEST MOORING” and the other critical information. It does not need to show where trucks are parked or any other information not useful to arriving boaters.