McGray | 24' Raider Coastal Boat Rental

Built for active anglers

The McGray is a 24-foot Raider Coastal 2484 — a sportier, trimmer hull than the Gondola, with a self-bailing deck and 250-horsepower Suzuki main engine. It moves quickly, responds well, and is the right boat for anglers who want to cover ground, run out to the Compass Rose, or make the most of an early-morning window before the day-breeze builds.

Like the Gondola, the McGray lives in a permanent slip at Homer Harbor. No towing, no trailer, no ramp. Meet us at the boat the evening before for orientation, and you’ll be ready to launch at first light.

Navigation and electronics

Two Garmin GPS chartplotter/fishfinders run navigation and sonar. The larger unit is a full touch screen typically used for chart navigation; the smaller unit handles sonar and serves as a backup chart plotter. Both can do either function. The boat icon in the center of the chart is you — keep it in the white (deep water) and zoom in around rocks and reefs marked with asterisks. Previous renters and K-Bay staff have entered fishing spots into the GPS, marked with orange goldfish icons — built-up local knowledge from seasons of use.

Three VHF radios are on board: two hard-mounted GPS-linked units with built-in distress buttons, and one handheld with an independent battery. Channel 16 is the Coast Guard channel. Adjust squelch counterclockwise until the radio scratches, then up just enough to silence it — that’s maximum sensitivity. WX channel 2 is local NOAA weather on a continuous loop.

Cannon downriggers

Two manual Cannon downriggers are stored in the port seat box. To let line out: unscrew the handle — the handle works like a clutch, so the more you unscrew it, the faster line goes out. Crank forward to slow the descent and lock at depth. To retrieve: reel up. The manual counters can get off — if the depth reading looks wrong, disengage the counter from the gear and spin it by hand to zero it out. Pivot the arm by pulling the release pin; mount and dismount by unscrewing the base screw.

Engine, anchor, and safety systems

Start the main engine with the engine fully down, then just turn the key. No choke needed. Let it warm up before leaving the slip — if you shift out of the stall before it’s warm it can die and leave you coasting across the harbor. The kicker lowers with a gray lever — press down, then lift and release to drop it into place. It has a primer ball; if it won’t start, try pumping that first. Press and hold the red button to shut it down. Tilt it back up before running the main engine.

Anchor safety is serious on Cook Inlet. Run the anchor off the bow only — never the stern. The anchor is rigged with a zip tie breakaway; if it gets stuck, pulling hard enough should release it. The anchor knife is at the bow. If you’re ever in trouble with the anchor in a building tide, cut the line — you can get a new anchor. The electric windlass uses significant battery, so have the main engine running before you use it.

Bilge pumps are automatic and self-bailing — the deck is designed to drain on its own. Two fire extinguishers, one behind each helm chair. EPIRB is mounted at the stern — twist the blue dial counterclockwise, lift the lid, pull the unit out, press transmit. In any real emergency: activate the EPIRB, hit the VHF distress button, call on channel 16, fire the flare gun, and use your cell phone if you have signal. Use everything simultaneously.

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