SEASON FINALE AND PIZZA PARTY ON A-DOCK!
Frostbiting last winter. The 2021 racing season on Port Townsend Bay will come to a glorious end this Saturday, October 30, 2021. The weather forecast algorithms predict glorious sun, winds of 7-14 knots from the NW and they promise the mountains will be out in their full glory. The Orcas, eagles, seals and gulls will be there to cheer us on. Calling all Port Townsend racers. Come one, come all! We'll put an exclamation point on a fine season of sailing. Come join us on A-dock, Thunderbird row, after the racing at 3:30 p.m. to tell tall tales, [...]
Bush Point Race Reminder
Watmough Bay Race Reminder Not your usual sort of race This one's pretty Casual Sat. June 26 10 am. - Race ~20 nm from City Dock to Watmough Bay (Lopez Is.) Stay overnight. (Party or whatever). Sunday 27 th. time TBD, Race back to City Dock. Sailing Instructions available here -- Watmough Bay Race SI's (Printable pdf).
Less Than a Week Until Whitecap Series Starts
** GET READY TO RACE ** The PTSA Racing season is getting underway with the Whitecap Series and a triple first. The first Friday Random Leg/Casual Race is April 2nd at 18:00 hrs. The first Wednesday Windward/Leeward races are April 7th. at 18:00 hrs. The first Distance Race (Smith Island) is Saturday April 10th. at 10:00 hrs. The full Schedule is the first item under the "Racing" tab, above. Any Sailboat can play with us. PTSA membership is not required - just check in with the Race Committee well before the start. No race experience? - read the [...]
The Ted Pike Memorial Regatta is this Saturday August 22nd — Get Your Sailing Instructions Here.
The annual Ted Pike memorial regatta is this Saturday. Due to the Covid 19 restrictions the format has had to change somewhat but the modified Sailing Instructions should still provide a fun race as Ted intended. There will not be a Skippers meeting on the beach for passing out copies of the SIs and Course Chart so get them here! Scans of the SIs and Course Chart are below. A printable PDF of the SIs is at Ted Pike Memorial Regatta Instructions 2020REV A printable PDF of the Course Chart is at Race-Marks-Chartlets2020Rev
New Friday Casual Race Series
A new race series starts on Friday, July 10th at 6pm. It is open to all boats, big and small. Due to the pandemic we are keeping it simple: no flying sails, starts will be off of city dock, and courses will be longer with reaching legs. There will be one start for all boats and finishes will be calculated using your boat's rating. But if you don't have a rating don't worry you can still race. Due to the pandemic there are special rules for crew size, social distancing, etc. See the pandemic rules. These rules apply to [...]
Limited Racing to Resume
Good news! Since Jefferson County has gone to Phase Two of Governor Inslee's Safe Start plan we believe there is an opportunity to restart limited racing. Phase 2 allows for groups of up to five to get together out of doors. However it also says that in all phases "...individuals should continue to engage in physical distancing, staying at least six feet away from other people". The guidelines also say that when distancing is not possible masks should be worn. In a nutshell, we are planning on restarting Wednesday night races with the following caveats: For smaller boats, crews are limited [...]
**REMINDER**Tour-de-Bay Distance Race on Saturday**REMINDER**
The popular and challenging Tour-de-Bay has moved from July to September in a search for better (any) wind. The race is open to any and all sailboats. Just check-in with the race committee, on City Dock, before noon. The race Course will round most of the marks in Port Townsend Bay for about 13 nm. This will appeal to those requesting longer courses and those longing for PHRF starts (and those that have admitted they like dock starts). No need to hunt for a link to the Sailing Instructions, they are right below.↓ A printable PDF is here tourdebay2019 SI's [...]
First Warning: Midsummer Regatta 6/15/2019
The mid-summer regatta, held to celebrate the longest day of the year has become a fun tradition. A full day of racing with a dock party and trophies after. All boats are welcome PHRF and Thunderbird. This year it is being held on 6/15/2019. You can find all the details and register on line at our US Sailing Regatta Network page. Note, however, that there is a ten boat minimum in order to hold the race. If that number of boats have not registered by 6/5/2019 the race will be cancelled and all registration fees refunded. So talk to [...]
Dock Party After Racing This Wednesday (5/22/2019)
To celebrate the completion of the Wednesday Sunshine Series, and the PHRF Whitecap Series, all racers (and all members of PTSA) are invited to a dock party after racing this Wednesday. Bratwurst will be provided. Please bring your own drinks and any side dishes you would like. The location is Boat Haven, A-dock, on Tbird row. Please help get the word out - it's going to be fun.
Racing This Wednesday and Friday (4/3 and 4/5)!
It's here - the start of the racing season! On Wednesday there will be two starts; one for Thunderbirds and one for PHRF boats. Friday is dedicated to the PHRF fleet - all boats are welcome, including Thunderbirds, but all boats will race according to their PHRF rating. If you don't have a rating yet come on out anyway and the race committee will assign one for you. The race committee is ready, are you?
New Friday PHRF Race Series
Since a number of the boats in the PHRF fleet could not make the Wednesday evening races we have added a new series that will run on Fridays starting at 6:15pm. The first race is 4/5/2019. All boats are welcome. If you are not sure what PHRF means and want to know more click here. And don't forget the kickoff party this Thursday!
The Ted Pike Memorial Regatta – Next Saturday
Next Saturday, August 18 th., is the third Ted Pike Memorial Regatta. Here PTSA celebrates and honors Ted's life and contributions to the sailing community. The format of this regatta is as unique as Ted was. The key features are:- ● 12:00 - Boats arrive and anchor off the beach in starting area. ● 12:15 - Skippers arrive on beach by any un-motorized means. -- Entry Fee of one (1) fifth of good quality Rum deposited in keg. (Non alcoholic beverage OK if necessary). -- Racing and Cruising classes assigned. -- PHRF ratings invented for those without. Modified for various [...]
Protection Island Race – Saturday
The 2017 Protection Island Race is scheduled for April 29 th. That's NEXT SATURDAY. At 11:00 hrs., from City Dock. The date has been chosen for favorable currents. Printable SI addendum is available at Protection Island SI's. Print out a couple so you have a spare to hand out on the dock or water to a friend who has not read this.
First Spring Whitecap Series Race Friday April 7th, 2017
If the forecast holds true, a gale warning is already in effect, there will be a lot of whitecaps! You may be wondering if the race will be cancelled. Here is the section from this year's sailing instructions regarding weather cancellations. WEATHER CANCELLATION - If NOAA posts Gale Warnings for Admiralty Inlet covering race time the race may be canceled depending on local observed and predicted conditions. Skippers will gather at the Boat Haven two hours before start time to consider the advisability of racing and inform the RC. UPDATE April 10th, 2017 - The race committee met with the [...]
PTSA Smith Island Race – Saturday April 1st.
The first race of the new season starts at 11 am from City Dock and rounds Smith and Minor Islands. The currents are favorable and it should be great fun to get out of the bay for a change. Everyone is invited to join us, just show up and check in at City Dock. If you don't have a PHRF rating we can invent one for you. A printable copy of the sailing instructions is at Smith Island SI's
Summer Cat’s Paw Series – Race 7
Race 7 was scheduled as a "make-up" should we not be able to run six successful races in the regular series to permit a throw-out of each boat's worst performance. This year we had six completed races but had not celebrated the series with a BBQ as tradition dictates. As the RC tends to loiter around the Boat Haven Friday evenings (needs to get a life) we went out for a race. The only ingredient missing was the wind. Occasionally a 2.5 kt breeze would spring up (with gusts to 3) but never from the same direction. So the RC [...]
Weather looks promising for Smith Island Race tomorrow
National Weather Service Forecast EAST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 857 AM PDT FRI MAR 25 2016 SAT SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. SAT NIGHT S WIND 5 TO 15 KT BECOMING W 15 TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. Mostly cloudy with a high of 55 and 0% chance of rain. See the distance race page for more information.
Radio-Controlled Sailboat Regatta
On Saturday April 16, the Port Townsend Yacht Club will host the 2016 T37 Regional Championships at Port Ludlow. This annual race, which is typically held at the Seattle Yacht Club, will be the first time these radio-controlled sailboats have raced in a Championship event on the Quimper Peninsula. At present, there are over 2,750 boats worldwide, 750 in the Puget Sound area, and 50 boats registered to our local fleet. These 37-inch long wooden boats are built from a kit available from Tippecanoe Boats, modelsailboat.com. The T37 RC Racing Sloop is a fully sanctioned one-design class in the American Model [...]
Upcoming Events!
Racing is almost here! The following three events will all happen within the next two weeks. Smith Island Race, the first PTSA race of 2016 is this Saturday March 26th. It is the first of five long distance races scheduled for 2016. Let's get a good turn-out for this one! The start of racing kick-off party at 6:00 pm on Thursday March 31st at the Northwest Maritime Center. Beer and wine will be available. Besides being a celebration we will discuss the various events planned for the year and race committee chair Dave Burrows will go over the revised sailing [...]
25th Annual Shipwrights’ Regatta
25th Annual Shipwrights' Regatta, February 27, 2016. 25th Annual Shipwrights’ Regatta to be held February 27th! The 2016 sailboat racing season opens with the Port Townsend Shipwrights’ Regatta on February 27th. A well-loved regional tradition is celebrating its 25th year. This year we look back and celebrate 25 years of winter sailing, in snow and sleet, gale force to flat calm, Port Townsend Bay has seen it all. This friendly regatta is sponsored by The Northwest Maritime Center (NWMC), Wooden Boat Foundation (WBF), Port Townsend Sailing Association (PTSA), and Edensaw Woods. Boats of all construction are welcome. As [...]
Schedule Reminder
There will be a race on Sunday, November, 8th at 1pm. Plan on attending the PTSA Annual Awards Dinner & Party at the Maritime Center on Thursday, November 12th. Lots of fun planned, dinner $16 a person.
REMINDER – Fall Nightcap Series This Sunday
The Fall Nightcap Series starts this Sunday (Sept. 20 th.), not next week (27 th.) as shown on the calendar. The start time is 13:00 if the Committee Boat is available or 13:10 if starting from City dock. As Orca have been sighted in Discovery Bay twice this week you are advised to check the last paragraph of the Sailing Instructions. We hope to see everyone out on the water.
Thunderbird Northwest Regional Regatta – Saturday and Sunday
With up to 15 boats expected for the T-Bird regional regatta this Friday and Saturday, September 5th and 6th, the Bay promises to be filled with action. Just to get the mood going, a video of the 2012 Thunderbird Internationals.
Schedule Changes to Note
The Sequim Hospice Regatta is actually on September 12th, not the 19th. Changing our calendar to reflect that allowed the start date of the PTSA Fall Nitecap series to be moved up to Sunday, September 20th from the 27th. So..... Sequim Hospice Regatta - September 12th. First PTSA 2015 Fall Nitecap race - September 20th. and, remember... Thunderbird Northwest Regional Regatta – Sept 5th and 6th 2015 The Thunderbird regionals will once again be held on Port Townsend Bay. We can look forward to two days of exciting racing and a tasty dinner at the Pope Marine building at 6pm [...]
Midsummer Regatta, Saturday, June 20th
Spend the longest day the Swedish way, racing on the Bay. Skipper's meeting 9am in the courtyard of the NW Maritime Center First race starts at 11am. 4 or 5 short course windward/ leeward races. Dock party and awards ceremony on the end of A/B dock after the races. Traditional Swedish liquid and culinary treats, and some tasty chow. Entry fee only $25 per boat. .... and a there's a full day to recover on Sunday.
PTSA Summer Catspaw Series Kicks Off Friday the 12th
PTSA's Summer Catspaw Series starts Friday, June 12th. Photo by Craig Wester Come out and join in the fun. First series start is this Friday, June 12th at 6:30 PM.
Don’t Miss Classic Mariners’ Regatta This Weekend
********************************************** CMR The CMR is Jun 5 th, 6th, & 7th. Classic, traditional and historic boats of all description come from all around the region for this event. Unfortunately, On-line Details have been eclipsed on the WBF and NWMC websites by the R2AK and the Wooden Boat Festival. CMR details can be found here: http://nwmaritime.org/events/mariners-regatta/ . There is a rumor, unsubstantiated but worth checking out, that FG T-birds may be allowed to slip in. (though not eligible for awards). In spite of what they say - they have in the past accepted late registrations at the skippers' [...]
Schedule Reminder – “Tour-de-Bay” Distance Race – May 30 th.
Let's get a turnout like this! Only two weeks to the Tour-de-Bay Race. On Saturday May 30 th. we will start at City Dock at 11:45 am. and sail a 13 -15 nm. course back to the dock, depending on the wind. The course rounds almost all of the permanent and temporary marks listed on "Marks and their Labels" at least once, hence the trip around the bay that some have been lobbying for. You should check you have the latest edition of Marks and their Labels and the Mark Location diagram aboard - you can download them [...]