Inside the bay at PA isn't the straits...I've seen it crazy in there when the winds kick up in the afternoons, but that shouldn't be an issue in the a.m. Around birch bay isn't the straits either...you've got all of the San Juans blocking the wind and waves coming in from the straits. You should be fine fishing anything protected from the westerly winds, at least earlier in the day.
In terms of the straits, I've fished quite a bit out of a 15' aluminum at Sekiu and Neah Bay clear out to Tatoosh Island, which is right off the corner of the straits/ocean. The key is to fish the mornings, as the winds generally kick up in the afternoon. But you should be able to hug the shore back in a smaller boat with a skinny draft if/when the winds kick up. The winds are just as bad at PA or further east...don't get caught away from shore in the afternoon in a bass boat. It kicks up pretty much every day.
