Hood Canal Chinook

Lower Hood Canal Boat Launches

We are blessed with no real minus morning launching tides this year

Where to Launch: One thing common with most launches here is that the water off the shores are not deep & there is usually a problem launching or reloading at a low tide. There are few to choose from in this area, but the main ones will be as follows.

(1) Hood Canal Saltwater Park is across the road from the Tacoma Public Utilities powerhouse & operated by them at the Potlatch area. (A new launch constructed August 2006), 2 lane concrete ramp with lots of gravel parking, with the preparation area in the parking lot on the north side of the ramp. Overflow parking behind the restrooms.

At a minus 1' tide you will encounter deep holes off the end of the concrete where boats have apparently power-loaded & the gravel is blown out. There is enough room to launch & recover on the north edge away from the actual concrete for 4 wheel drive vehicles & not that large a boat. Do not back far enough down to get the vehicle wheels off the concrete as the gravel is loose.

During the peak fishing times the parking lot can become full. No loading dock, but a decent large gravel shore on both sides of the launch to beach the boat on. But at a tide of near Zero if you do not have a roller bunk trailer you will very likely have problems launching.

It is suggested that at these low tides if the water is any lower than one concrete pad under water, that you when backing down at the last 30', to angle the trailer off to either side & onto the gravel at the side of the concrete while keeping the vehicle tires still on the concrete, but the trailer wheels will be lower than the humped up gravel showing in the photo below on the right. However IF you have a 4 wheel drive you can let the vehicle out onto the gravel to the sides, but be careful loading a large boat.

There are well maintained public restrooms (but not open until 8:00AM because of vandalism) Picnic areas also available outside the perimeter of the parking areas.

Hood Canal Saltwater Park (Powerhouse) at Potlatch, 2004 (old ramp)	Hood Canal Saltwater Park, at Potlatch, with a - 2.0' tide, 2007 (new improved ramp??)

(2) There are a couple of private launches on the west side of the canal, one being at Mike's Beach Resort (N 38470 Hiway 101) about 15 miles north of Hoodsport. This launch you have to let him back your boat down his road thru his cabin & diving area & then onto the launch with his jeep that he has a hitch on the front. And a low tide may be a hindrance here. He mostly caters to scuba divers & persons who rent his cabins & moorage on his docks.

(3) There is a sling at Rest-A-While campground, however it can only be utilized at a high tide because of shallow waters & even more shallow water after the December 2007 flooding. This photo was at a high tide, at a low tide gravel extends out a considerable distance.

(4) Trident Cove State Park is located on the west shore about 19 miles north of Hoodsport. It is a wide single lane concrete ramp with a dock. The paved parking area is up on the same level as the Hiway, while there is a road from there down the hill to the launch area. There is a picnic area. $5 launch fee

(5) Union Ramp, operated by Mason County. A 2 lane concrete ramp with no dock, that is immediately West of the Hood Canal Marina. VERY limited parking.

Close by, the Union Marina has some moorage and the fuel dock, which is open 8 AM to 5 PM daily.

(6) Twanoh State Park. This launch has a 2 lane concrete ramp with 2 loading docks, however the Parks Dept. may pull docks for the winter by the time Chum are in. No water off the concrete ramp at a minus tide & don't try to back out on the gravel, as it is soft. Plenty of paved parking. There is a picnic area. $5 launch fee. This park is 12 miles east on the road to Belfair from Hiway 101.

South Sound PSA has made arrangements with the Twanoh park ranger to leave the gate to the launch unlocked during the days of our derby for your convenience early in the morning before they officially open the park. The request from the ranger is to please close the gate behind you for this early usage after you get inside, before the official park opening hours.

Twanoh State Park launch

(8) Misery Point (WDFW) south of Seabeck, on Seabeck-Holly Rd .6 mi; R on Miami Beach Rd, go .6 mi; L to paved parking area; boat ramp.

There are 4 others north of Trident Cove, but they are so far out of this open fishing area for the derby that we will not cover them here.

The Port of Hoodsport public dock in downtown Hoodsport has about 14 slips that are on first come first serve basis. It also has a marine sewage pump station on the end of the dock. However there is no launch here.

This Page Under Construction & pictures of other launches will be added

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