Location

Salmon Bay Marine Center

2284 W. Commodore Way, Seattle, WA 98199. Just 10 minutes from downtown Seattle.

47° 39.67 N, 122° 23.06 W

Directions By Land

Directions By Sea

Salmon Bay Marine Center aerial view with Ballard and Interbay area

NOAA nautical chart

“Dealing with Washington State tax laws can be easy and inexpensive” —Maritime Attorney Cris Wenthur

Don’t let Washington’s confusing tax laws keep you from visiting! As maritime attorney Cris Wenthur explains, “Getting a repair affidavit or cruising permit is an easy, quick, and inexpensive process.  Just call me while you’re still in California and we’ll have the paperwork ready by the time you arrive in Seattle.”

All vessels owned and operated by non-Washington State residents are welcome to stay in Washington waters for 60 days tax-free. If you are interested in staying longer while cruising, extensions are readily available by following a prescribed process.

Vessels undergoing maintenance, repairs, and refit are eligible for exemption from Washington State use tax while having work performed in Washington (must fill out Non-Resident Vessel Repair Affidavit). Obtaining an extension permit is straightforward and inexpensive.

For complete details of the exemption process, we recommend contacting one of the following experts:

Monique Webber | yacht agent | monique@pacificyachtmanagement.com| 206-285-1449 | $250 flat fee for handling exemption

Cris Wenthur | attorney | cris@wenthurlawgroup.com | 619-398-9050

West Coast Yacht Agents

We recommend the following yacht agents:

California & Oregon | Mark Drewelow | C2C inc.info@c2csandiego.com | 619-630-4626

The Ballard Locks

The Ballard (Hiram M. Chittenden) Locks, 760′ x 80′, separate saltwater Puget Sound from the
freshwater of Lake Union and Lake Washington

  • A single large lock (760x80 foot) or small lock (150x30 foot) lock lifts boats 8 to 12 feet (depending on tide level) to the Ballard Ship Canal. Salmon Bay Marine Center (SBMC) is on the freshwater side, just 1000 yards from the locks.

Ballard Maritime History

Settled in 1880 by Scandinavian fishermen, Ballard remains home to the thriving North Pacific fishing fleet. These fishing vessels represent the diversity of our fishing industry, operating in some of the most demanding conditions at sea while catching halibut, crab, salmon, and more. To service these fishing vessels, Ballard has the largest concentration of marine repair facilities and manpower in the United States.

  • 150 year old fishing industry - $8.5 billion a year industry - 1000+ commercial fishing vessels homeported in Ballard’s freshwater. The highest concentration of maritime repair professionals in the USA.