Has anyone attended Seafair Weekend Festival (Seattle, WA) by boat?

[Hermano Samuel]

Hey folks,

Has anyone attended Seafair Weekend Festival (Seattle, WA) by boat?

I want to attend this year (2025). From a boaters perspective, how does it all work? I would love to hear someone's experience. Since it's on the lake (lake Washington) Is rafting up with other vessels required... should I just drift, etc.

Thanks
Sam Lewis (M/V Shuttle Tydirium)

 

[Sababa]

We do every year and it’s an absolute blast. We anchor up on a bank on the North side of the I-90 floating bridge near the Mercer Island end and get a great view of the air show. Friends with smaller boats raft up to us and we swim, eat, and drink all day. This year we finally sprang for a stern tie spot on the log boom in the middle of the hydroplane course. I’ve heard it can get a bit rowdy but you have to do it once. Tickets are still available and you can get them here.

 

[Bmarler]

I used to do it regularly, but haven’t been for a while now. Definitely worth doing, and a stern tie on the log boom is recommended. Just bring lots of fenders.
We did it on my brothers 52’ sport fisher one year and I watched the blue angels from the tower. I almost felt like I was higher than the jets at some points. Really fun to do, but plan on spending the night after, as the locks can be crazy.

 

[w8n4sun]

How do you stern tie to the boom? Are there rings or do you loop lines around the log?

 

[Retriever]

I grew up going but haven’t been back in a decade or more. It’s kind of like the 4th of July…everyone that has a boat is out, and many of them have no idea what they’re doing.

Is the practice airshow still on friday? That was usually a bit more sane than the weekend.

 

[Bmarler]

How do you stern tie to the boom? Are there rings or do you loop lines around the log?

We looped lines around the logs and placed big fenders to hold us off. Then tie to your neighbors on each side.
Easiest to jump in the water to get the lines around the logs.
I’ve also seen people drive spikes into the logs to attach to.

 

[tiltrider1]

I did the log boom regularly in the 90’s. Things may have changed since then. Only boats with logboom permits were allowed south of I90. Best to get there either the night before or extremely early in the morning to get a decent spot on the boom. The warmer the day the crazier it gets. You need lines long enough to wrap around the log and return to your boat.

I have very fond memories of crazy parties. Twice remember going home with more bodies than I showed up with.

 

[Ertyqway]

I live very close to the hydro course and been out on the log boom a few times over the years, going all the way back to the 80s. It's great fun if you approach it with the right attitude. Do be aware that if you are not on the log boom (have not bought a log boom permit), you will be required to vacate the exclusion area between I-90 and Seward Park during the day. You won't be able to stay anchored in Andrews Bay, though it does re-open for overnight anchoring after the air show is over (approx 3PM). It will be CROWDED, and lots of inexperienced (drunk) day boaters will be out. Though it's expensive, getting a log boom pass is really worth it if this is your first time doing it.

 

[slowgoesit]

Did it in the late '70's and '80's on a friends Tugboat. Tied up to the log boom and it was a blast . . . Just be aware that people will be boarding and crossing your boat all day (and maybe night) long. They will get out to one end of the log boom by swimming, dropped off by other boats, on small floats, or dropped off by alien spacecraft, and will spend the day partying along the log boom, going from one boat to another. We too often ended up with people passed out on the tug . . . and some really belligerent folks too occasionally. Never TOO many issues, as the owner and operator of the tugboat was a Sheriff, so people tended to get really cooperative once he displayed his badge!
Another point, leaving Lake Washington, the Ship Canal, and the Ballard Locks get really crowded, and REALLY
crazy, I mean interesting. We generally ended the trip with many different colors of gelcoat on the tug, but nothing a little black paint wouldn't fix, and the donors of the gelcoat were always worse off than we were!

 

[Sababa]

Here is where to anchor if you don’t do the boom.

 

[Ertyqway]

That's a really good point. If you have an exaggerated sense of privacy and are highly territorial about your boat, the log boom experience can be .... challenging.

It helps if you have a large swim step. Some friends of mine actually tow out a piece of floating dock and tie that to the log boom first, then tie their boats up to that. But doing so requires some planning and permissions.

 

[Phil Fill]

If you want to see the actual race than you have to be on the boom. Bring plenty of bumpers, protection the protect fend off the log boom and boats. Did it once, never again. The log boom is for adult, not recommended for children and adults for r rated some x.

Be prepared to Europe tie were you drop you bow anchor and back the stern to the boom. We did that to prevent our bow was swinging and maller boats raft to us.

Be prepared for people climb on the boat, using the bath room and sleep on the deck. Now we prefer watching the TV as you can actually see the race. Even on the log boom we watched on tv. Be prepared for many scratches and cougeous as it's quite wave and windy most days.

I recommend anchor close by and not on the boom and watch race on TV. You get the thrill and idea with out cost and hassle of the log boom.

 

[Phil Fill]

You might want to try opening day of boating first. Basically the same as seafair but a parade decorated boats. The location is behind Husky stadium and more protected. There is also a log boom a little better for children but still adult rated r. European tie is also recommend. Good first time to prepare for Seafirst.

 

[Mac2]

I’ve attended Seafair on the water several times over the last 30+ years. I’ve drited (huge mistake), anchored in Andrews and moved at 6 am when they clear the anchorage-huge mistake due to the hangover I swore I wouldn’t have. By far the best experience, if you can afford it and get a reservation, is the log boom. It’s much more controlled now then in the past. They create a no-go zone (patrolled by police) between the log boom and the utter chaos of floating humanity on every kind of “boat” imaginable. Consider eye screws for the logs as well. Your lines will go around the logs, but side motion will cause the lines to slide on the logs. I used the eye screws to spread my two lines (like spring lines). I don’t put the lines through the eye, just on the outside of the screw- the eye screws will limit damage/poking of boats/people. I use a screw driver in the eye to place/remove. I would stay a couple nights if I were you.

 

[Mac2]

Here is where to anchor if you don’t do the boom.

View attachment 163895

Great info! How crowded does it get there? Also, has there been issues with anchoring in a no anchor zone? I would be worried about snagging a bridge anchor cable.

 

[Ertyqway]

As long as you don't try to stay there overnight, it should be fine. Do stay well clear of the bridge buffer. Harbor Patrol WILL come after you if you get too close to the bridge.

 

[RedRascal]

If you break Seafair into 3 parts; the races, log boom party and air show you can "tip" your toe in the water by going for the air show on a practice day. If so I recommend the north side of I-90 and just drift around and enjoy the Blue Angels.

 

[Sababa]

Great info! How crowded does it get there? Also, has there been issues with anchoring in a no anchor zone? I would be worried about snagging a bridge anchor cable.

You need to get there by ten or eleven to get a good spot to anchor on the bank. There will be a patrol boat that will make clear how close you can anchor to the bridge. You won't get foul of the bridge anchor cables if you follow his directions. (And you will wind up in the pokey if you don't!)

 

[Sababa]

You need to get there by ten or eleven to get a good spot to anchor on the bank. There will be a patrol boat that will make clear how close you can anchor to the bridge. You won't get foul of the bridge anchor cables if you follow his directions. (And you will wind up in the pokey if you don't!)

I see I should have drawn my red circle to exclude the no anchor zone delimited by the pink line on the chart. You can anchor on the bank anywhere north of that line.

 

[Mac2]

I see I should have drawn my red circle to exclude the no anchor zone delimited by the pink line on the chart. You can anchor on the bank anywhere north of that line.

That’s great the patrol boat is helping you anchor rather than kick you out. I have 500 feet of chain, so the deeper water to the north looks attractive if that gets me away from the masses.

 

[Ken E.]

Born and raised in Seattle but I've never been on the log boom for the Seafair race. It's a huge party with the hydroplanes right next to you, and Blue Angels too. Maybe next year....

 

[Hermano Samuel]

Hey folks,

Has anyone attended Seafair Weekend Festival (Seattle, WA) by boat?

I want to attend this year (2025). From a boaters perspective, how does it all work? I would love to hear someone's experience. Since it's on the lake (lake Washington) Is rafting up with other vessels required... should I just drift, etc.

Thanks
Sam Lewis (M/V Shuttle Tydirium)

Thanks so much to everyone who responded. Lots of good information.

Sam

 

[Portage_Bay]

What is your interest in Seafair? The wild party? The actual race? The Blue Angels? Watching the hydros run?

If it's not the wild party or the actual race then practice days are more enjoyable. It's been a looong time since I went. How long? There were still some piston powered boats last time I went. I loved the roar of those old beasts. For a few years I lived aboard at Park Shore Marina. I got tired of the whole thing and would leave town during Seafair. I'd return to chicken bones, cigar butt's and beer cans on my boat.

 

[Ron Stevenson]

I grew up (wait, got older) in Seattle, loved the piston powered boats, and am a member of the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum in Kent. They run "mock" races the first weekend of October at Lake Chelan at the "Mahogany and Merlot" event. Sign up as a member, then buy a ride! You do a pre ride training event at the museum, get to start one up on the trailer, get fitted for your race suit, helmet, etc. In October,three laps, you only do about 130MPH... exhilarating! My other boating interest is the Antique and Classic Boat Society, we do our annual boat show at the park next to where they launch and run the hydros, we provide the Mahogany part!

 

[Pcpete]

We went a few years ago and ended up being around people who had excess as their plan for the day. The guy next to us got to be obnoxious rather quickly, two boats the other way there was a young group of people wearing just enough to get an R rating. By mid afternoon guy number one decided to show off his big stereo speaker. He found an obnoxious album, he cranked up the volume, aimed the speaker at our boat, then went boat hopping the other direction.
As long as you understand that, it is a good time and something to be experienced.
If you are coming in from the salt water, I suggest locking through a day or two early and waiting a day or so after to avoid most of the “crowd”.