BB75,

Congrats!

Your 16'r is just fine for the entire sound- even Sekiu. However, weather conditions dictate common sense. I fish out of a 16'r year around.

As enticing as PD can be, I would recommend trying other areas until you feel comfortable with the operation of the boat and DRs (if you plan on getting them). The weekend brings well over 200 boats trying to catch a couple handfuls of fish. So.. QMHabor would be a good bet, as well as the Gig Harbor area. Don't worry, there's a ton of fish over there too. Plus a lot less traffic. People just don't realize they are there! Too many chase the lore...

If you plan on mooching or jigging, you should do just fine. Just get in and mingle with the rest... Make sure at the end of your drift, you travel back to your spot on the outside of the boats- not through them. The common drift is from out in front of Owens down to the cut (which is the rip line depending where you are at in the drift- 100-140 feet is perfect)

If you haven't .... practice backing.. patience runs very thin at the PD launch.

Try: Saltwater Tides

Hope this helps!