PORT TOWNSEND — Landlubbers and sea salts can mingle ashore or afloat during the 28th annual Classic Mariners’ Regatta and Rendezvous taking place Saturday and Sunday.
Kathy Grace, regatta coordinator, said she expects about 35 wooden boats to compete in the various classes from the smaller T-Birds to the large schooners in four races, two each day.
Boaters who just want to socialize rather than race are welcome to join the crews for several events scheduled over the weekend.
Landlubbers welcome
Non-boaters also may attend the welcome party at 6 p.m. today as well as other onshore events.
Sailors without vessels also may be able to get out on the water by coming to the Skippers’ Meeting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the Chandler Education Building of the Northwest Maritime Center, 431 Water St.
The meeting will take place in the rooms above the boat shop.
“They love to talk about their boats,” Grace said of wooden boat owners.
“They will bend your ear off.”
From throughout region
The event, one of two regattas each year sponsored by the Wooden Boat Foundation, draws sailors from throughout the Puget Sound as well as British Columbia.
Some participants have come to Port Townsend every year since its inception, Grace said.
The Port Townsend Sailing Association also is helping to coordinate the weekend’s festivities.
Spectators may line the planks of the maritime center’s pier to watch the many races or quaff an ale at one of the shoreline venues.
They will see the plywood T-Birds, the 6-meter sailboats, schooners, R-boats, rowboats, kayaks and any other wooden boat that registers by this evening.
Grace said the schooners Alcyone, Martha and Ceridwen will sail the seas.
All three ships are moored locally; Alcyone and Martha are based in Port Townsend, while Ceridwen is moored in Port Hadlock.
The weather forecast calls for clear, warm skies over the weekend, though with light winds, which will favor the smaller boats such as the T-Birds, Grace said.
Races Saturday, Sunday
The racing gets under way at noon Saturday with two back-to-back races among the various classes of boats.
As the sailors and rowers ply the water, a Sea Shanty Song Circle will entertain spectators from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the plaza of the maritime center.
A dinner commences at 6 p.m., with admission $15 per person, in the Chandler Building, followed by a performance of the Stout Pounders, an Irish band from Seattle.
Sunday’s racing gets under way at 9 a.m. with a rowing race for wood dinghies, racing shells and kayaks.
The final race, for sailboats, will be at noon.
In that one, sailboats in Port Townsend Bay will run against a heavy tide toward Fort Worden State Park, Grace said.
“Those with motor boats or sailboats who want can just participate in the party and dance Saturday night or maybe just motor around the bay,” Grace said.
“That would be perfectly wonderful, too.”
An awards ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday in the Heritage and Resource Building of the Northwest Maritime Center.
For descriptions and photographs of boats that participate in the regatta, visit www.woodenboat.org, click on “Boats,” then on “Regatta boats.”
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Philip L. Watness is a freelance writer and photographer living in Port Townsend. He can be reached at whatnews@olypen.com.
