Lowtide


Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival Culture, People & Passion Prove Sustainable


Left: The new improvements to the Port Townsend facility make it safer and more comfortable.


Below: Classic R-Boats “Pirate,” “Lady Van” and “Aloha” raced for the first time since 1929.


Photos by Jan Davis for WBF Three beautifully restored When a five year old defies his


parents and dares to make his first flight alone from Texas to Port Townsend, so he can be with his grandparents on their wooden boat like he has every other year since he was born, you have to smile. While so many in the world are


losing hope, when job’s are harder to find, when people become cynical and cultural events are watered down to nothing but cold economics, the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival held its course, tweaked its sails and again this year, cruised to record attendance. A record number of wooden vessels


packed Point Hudson Marina to the point of spilling over into Boat Haven, including 60 boats attending the festival for the first time. There were 45 boats over 50 feet, plus a record number of smaller boats, as well as boats on land. Charter or sail training boats, such as Adventuress, Mycia, Merrie Ellen and Odyssey, filled up early, sailing from all four waterfront


48° NORTH, OCTOBER 2010 PAGE 16


docks. Some, like Zodiac, anchored in the Bay, Carol M sold fresh tuna off her deck, and Lady Washington offered tours while hauled out in the boatyard.


R-Boats, two gigs built to the lines of American Star, three Thunderbirds, a huge fleet of schooners and a pod of classic wooden Pocock shells illustrated the grand variety within classes, designs, price range and lifestyles.The R-Boats hadn't raced since 1929. The T-birds, Pococks and schooners hadn't raced since last month. The gigs hadn't raced, well, ever. For race results, see www.woodenboat.org Despite


the crowded marina, enthusiastic talks are in the works for more regattas in Port Townsend, including


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