Boating and Water Access in Des Moines, WA
Des Moines' entire identity runs through boating access -- an 840-slip public marina, a public fishing pier, and direct Puget Sound launch access -- but real, current operational details (marina construction, guest moorage status) matter more here than in most markets on this site, and this page states them plainly.
The City of Des Moines Marina: The Core Facility
The City of Des Moines Marina -- 840 slips across a 25-acre site, opened in 1970 -- is the central boating facility for the town and one of the larger public marinas on Puget Sound, though not the single largest (Seattle's Shilshole Bay Marina and the Port of Everett Marina both exceed it in slip count). The marina includes a 670-foot public fishing pier, added in 1980, and is currently mid-renovation: a phased dock-replacement project is rebuilding the L, M, and N piers through early 2026, following an earlier bulkhead-and-breakwater rebuild that replaced failing timber structures with new engineered ones.
This page did not find confirmed current long-term wet-slip lease rates, and guest/transient moorage was listed as closed on the marina's own website at the time of this research -- a genuinely relevant operational detail for any visiting boater planning to arrive without a reserved slip. Confirm current slip availability, guest moorage status, and any wait list directly with the marina office (VHF Channel 16, or (206) 824-5700) before planning a visit or a purchase around marina access.
Puget Sound: Protected, Tidal, and Genuinely Deep
Puget Sound's water directly off Des Moines is protected from open-ocean wave action by the broader Sound's geography, but it remains a genuinely deep, tidal, and current-influenced waterway -- not a placid lake. Boaters here need to account for real tidal range and current on both a daily basis and when planning trips toward Vashon Island (visible directly offshore), Maury Island, or farther destinations across the Sound toward Seattle, Bainbridge Island, or Tacoma.
Marine weather in Puget Sound can change quickly, particularly during the region's fall-and-winter windstorm season, and boaters should check current NOAA marine forecasts before heading out regardless of season -- covered in more detail on this site's Cost of Storm Prep page for what real, seasonal storm preparation looks like for a boat kept in Des Moines.
Public Boat Launch and Non-Motorized Access
Des Moines offers public water access beyond the marina itself, including boat-launch facilities associated with the marina complex and shoreline access points along the Redondo boardwalk and Saltwater State Park for kayaks and paddleboards. Saltwater State Park specifically -- 137 acres with 1,445 feet of Puget Sound shoreline -- offers calm-water access suitable for kayaking and paddleboarding alongside its swimming beach and Washington's only state-park underwater artificial reef, a genuine scuba-diving destination supporting rockfish and ling cod reported to grow past five feet.
This page does not have confirmed current boat-launch fees or specific launch-ramp capacity figures and recommends confirming current details directly with the City of Des Moines Parks, Recreation & Senior Services Department or Washington State Parks before planning a launch.
Redondo: A Second Public Access Point
Redondo, at Des Moines' southern edge, offers its own separate public fishing pier along a 1.1-mile boardwalk, distinct from the marina's pier, plus direct beach access. The water directly off Redondo Beach is a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife-managed marine protected area (an octopus preserve), meaning specific fishing and harvesting restrictions apply there -- confirm current WDFW regulations for this specific area before fishing or shellfishing at Redondo.
The MaST Center Aquarium, right on the Redondo waterfront and operated by Highline College, offers a land-based way to engage with Puget Sound's marine ecosystem -- more than 250 native species on display, including a resident giant Pacific octopus -- for anyone interested in the water here beyond direct boating access.
What to Confirm Before Relying on Water Access
Because the Des Moines Marina is genuinely mid-construction as of this research pass, and because guest moorage status was listed as closed at the time of this research, any buyer or visitor specifically prioritizing boating access should confirm current, real-time marina conditions directly with the marina office rather than relying on this page's snapshot or any other online description that may not reflect current status. The same applies to Redondo's fishing regulations, given its marine-protected-area status, and to Saltwater State Park's launch and campground facilities, which can have seasonal availability changes.
None of these caveats are unique to Des Moines -- marina and park facility status changes everywhere -- but given how central boating access is to this specific market's identity, confirming current operational status directly is a more consequential step here than in a market where water access is a secondary amenity rather than the core draw.
Personal Watercraft, Kayaks, and Non-Motorized Boating
Beyond slip-based boat ownership, Des Moines offers real, practical access for kayaks, paddleboards, and other non-motorized watercraft, particularly around Saltwater State Park's calmer nearshore waters and along stretches of the Redondo shoreline. This kind of access doesn't require marina slip ownership or the Washington Shoreline Management Act permitting that a private dock or larger fixed structure would require, making it a genuinely lower-barrier way to get on the water here than either owning a larger boat or building private shoreline infrastructure.
As with any Puget Sound paddling, cold water temperature is a real, year-round safety consideration even during warm-weather months -- appropriate safety gear (a properly fitted personal flotation device at minimum) and awareness of current and tidal conditions matter regardless of how calm the surface looks on a given day. This page is not a substitute for standard paddling and boating safety training.
Personal Property Tax on Boats
Worth noting directly for anyone planning to keep a boat in Des Moines, whether at the marina or a private dock: Washington counties, including King County, generally assess boats as personal property separately from real estate, on a different valuation basis than a home's property tax assessment, covered in more detail on this site's Property Tax Guide page. This is a real, ongoing cost of boat ownership here distinct from slip fees or dock maintenance, and worth budgeting for as its own line item.
This page does not have a confirmed current King County personal-property tax rate or valuation method specific to recreational boats, and recommends confirming current rules directly with the King County Assessor's Office before finalizing a boat-ownership budget.
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Get a Free Agent Referral →Independent research. No ads. No sponsored listings. Data sourced from: the Des Moines Marina's own website (desmoinesmarina.com) for slip count, pier details, guest-moorage status, and current dock-replacement construction; Washington State Parks (parks.wa.gov) for Saltwater State Park's shoreline length, artificial reef, and launch access; the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for the Redondo Beach octopus preserve marine protected area; and TheWhaleTrail.org and Seattle Southside for Redondo's boardwalk, pier, and MaST Center Aquarium. Facts not independently confirmed and not invented here include: current marina wet-slip lease rates; current public boat-launch fees; and current seasonal availability for Saltwater State Park's campground and launch facilities. Confirm all current facts directly with the Des Moines Marina office, the City of Des Moines Parks, Recreation & Senior Services Department, and Washington State Parks before planning a visit. Nothing on this page is boating safety advice -- consult NOAA marine forecasts and standard boating safety resources directly.