Jet Boat Commuter Club Forming in Gig Harbor

Kitsap Sun – October 1, 2007

Ed Friedrich

A Gig Harbor couple hopes to start a jet-boat commuter service between Gig Harbor and Seattle next month.

David and Marcy Joseph, who own Pacific Northwest Marine Services in Tacoma and Gig Harbor Rent-A-Boat and Charters, are searching for a dozen commuters who would commit $800 per month for the ride, said Scott Easton, who would manage the operation.

The trip from a dock below Anthony's restaurant in Gig Harbor to Seattle's Bell Harbor Marina would take about an hour, Easton said. Coast Guard approval is days away, he added.

"We're offering to get there in about the same amount of time as if there was no traffic (on the highways)," Easton said. "We think there are a dozen people in the area it might appeal to. That's what we're betting on."

Instead of driving to a state ferry at Bremerton or Southworth or all the way to Seattle, the Josephs' belief is that some Gig Harbor-area commuters would pay more to pop downtown and climb aboard the 38-foot boat.

"They can use that time to wind down or consider the work day ahead of them," Easton said.

The plan has a few similarities to one proposed by the Kingston Express Association for a route between Kingston and Seattle. That service would start relatively small with an 80-passenger boat. Seventy-two of the seats would be committed ahead of time to co-op members. Eight would be available for walk-ons. And there would be one round trip per day to begin with.

But the Kingston Express proposal would require a public subsidy, albeit a relatively small one, to get started. The fare would be less — $9.50 per round trip for members. And the co-op members would be expected to perform volunteer work.

For more information, call Gig Harbor Rent-A-Boat & Charters at (253) 858-7341

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