Round the County 2025 Aboard the Schooner Martha
More from Chance Bates, this time aboard the schooner Martha during the 2025 Round the County Race held in November.
Sailing Latifa
Another nice video by Chance Bates aboard the recently refitted classic schooner Latifa.
New Event: Wooden Boat Buoy Run – Sunday October 16th!
Don't put your boats away after the Festival! We will continue the celebration of wooden boats by having a new event: The Wooden Boat Buoy Run. It will be held Sunday 10/16 and will be a casual sail around the buoys and marks (and the Tower) on Port Townsend Bay. Sailing Rules of the Road will be followed. This event is open to all sizes and types of wooden sailboats. There will be two classes: one for boats 25’ and under and one for larger boats. This will provide the opportunity for vessels of similar size to sail with [...]
Bertram Levy’s Murrelet: The Wooden Boat Tradition is Alive and Well in Port Townsend
By Roland Nikles Port Townsend, Washington, is proud of its wooden boat tradition. At the twilight of the commercial sailing era it was a bustling seaport, strategically located at the entrance to Puget Sound. Shipyards, boatwrights, foundries, shipping agents, a majestic customs house on the hill, and a busy waterfront have left their mark. Today Port Townsend identifies as a Victorian sea-port and arts community. The wooden boat tradition has shifted from the utilitarian to the aesthetic. […]
Racing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (June 3rd, 4th, 5th, 2016)
The PTSA summer Catspaw series starts this Friday June 2nd. The race begins at 6pm. On Saturday and Sunday racing in the Northwest Maritime Center Classic Mariners Regatta gets underway at noon each day. There are several social events associated with the regatta. See all the details about signup, skippers meeting and parties at the regatta web page. The weather looks like it is going to be great on all three days. There are no excuses not to get out there and have some fun on the race course. And don't forget there is lots more great racing coming up this [...]
October 11th PTSA Fall Nightcap Races Canceled
There will be no races held on October 11th so that PTSA members can attend the memorial service for Ted Pike, scheduled from 2pm to 5pm on Sunday, October 11th, at the NW Maritime Center. Ted was an extraordinary mariner, and an extraordinary friend. No one had a better smile or gave it so often, or freely. Below is lovely remembrance of Ted by Anna Nasset in Three Sheets Northwest. Ted in a PT11. Photo from the Port Townsend Watercraft blog, photo by Ashlyn Ecelberger Brown On Monday, August 24, there were more tears on the docks of [...]
VIXEN’s Voyage
A lovely poem to cruising an old wooden boat. VIXEN and her crew were at the 2015 Wooden Boat Festival. Thanks, Jak, for the tip. Vixen's Voyage from Nicole Halabisky on Vimeo.
Annie Too
Ted Pike on Annie, Too.
MARTHA Gearing up for Monday Transpac Start
Ted Pike made the journey from Port Townsend to visit and sail on MARTHA, It’s good to see friends from Port Townsend. Edensaw Woods has been a strong supporter of our endeavors at the Schooner Martha Foundation and we thank them for their support. MARTHA is preparing for a San Francisco departure and the crew have all gathered for a Friday evening dinner at the Saint Francis Yacht Club. Special thanks to the Saint Francis for hosting MARTHA the week before our departure for Longbeach. We find it an interesting fact that as MARTHA and crew prepare, we [...]
Photos from the 2015 Classic Mariners Regatta
Click any image to open the picture viewer. Photos by Ace Spragg, NW Maritime Center..
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' [...]
SPARKLE, The Boat to Beat
A video from OffCenterHarbor.com
24th Annual Shipwrights’ Regatta – February 28, 2015
Post courtesy of the NW Maritime Center The 2015 season starts February 28th with the Shipwrights' Regatta. The sailboat racing season in Port Townsend opens with the Port Townsend Shipwrights’ Regatta in February. The Northwest Maritime Center & Wooden Boat Foundation, in conjunction with the Port Townsend Sailing Association, present the 24th Annual Shipwright’s Regatta! Boats of all construction are welcome. As always, the race is open to folks who would like to try sailboat racing but do not have a boat. Non-boat owners are encouraged to show up at the Skippers’ Meeting and be connected with skippers [...]
Rupert Broom’s Iconic Boat AFRICA Remembered
From the log of Saltwater People Historical Society by way of Three Sheets NW. Rupert Broom's AFRICA designed by Bill Garden and "beefed up" by Frank Prothero. Photo by Jim Williamson, mid 1940s. AFRICA Owned and sailed by master sailmaker, rigger Rupert Broom, at helm. Shared by support crew Miles McCoy. Photo by Jim Williamson, mid 1940s. AFRICA was designed and built by Bill Garden for Rupert Broom, shortly after WWII. She was lightly framed and planked and proved unsound. Rupert took her to Frank Prothero who beefed her up a bit. Rupert commuted to Port Madison with AFRICA [...]
The ANDREW FOSS and the Coast Artillery
The Coast Artillery target towing tug ANDREW FOSS
Classic Mariners Regatta Results
Lovely weekend well spent for the boats that came out for the 2014 edition of the Classic Mariners Regatta. All the classes saw close racing and in more than one there was a one point difference between first and second, and one more point between second and third. We had good conditions, if a bit spotty on Sunday for the longer race. 27 boats participated. Because there were only three 6 Meter entries and only 4 T-birds, they got the first start together (though scored as separate classes). There was only one schooner that didn’t want to sail in A [...]
Classic Mariners Weekend
SPARKLE at Swiftsure 2014
Farewell SIROCCO
One our Bay’s quickest and loveliest boats, Steve Scharf’s SIROCCO. by Larry Fisher It’s often said that all boats are for sale, yet it was hard to believe the rumors we started to hear a few months ago. Could it possibly be true that Steve Scharf was preparing to part with Sirocco? For even in a town blessed with more than its share of special boats, Sirocco was a standout: beautiful, fast, meticulously maintained, and possessed of an esprit de corps that the rest of the fleet could only envy. But after 10 years Steve has sold Sirocco [...]
23rd Annual Shipwrights’ Regatta
Saturday, February 22, 2014 Time to go chase MARTHA around the Bay, again. Entry Fee $20 before February 15, $25 after February 15 Registrations accepted until 9am on race day. To register, pick up a form at the Wooden Boat Chandlery or call 360.385.3628 x 104.
Working Sail
via Old Salt Blog
A Treat for the Club
So I have been working on a video that has been posted to Youtube, It was originally a "Super 8" series of movies taken during the 1968 Acapulco race, and the 1963 Transpac race, aboard Ted Pike's beautiful Annie Too. It is over 50 minutes long, but is pretty epic sailboat racing offshore, Turn up the sound, youtube allowed the audio which is great, and period correct for the most part. The only way to see this video is to use the link, or go to my youtube channel. ( Beercanracer ) Here is the link: Have fun, and hope [...]
Old Ships, Big Waves
Photo by Gilles Martin-Raget posted on pressure-drop.us Halsey Herreshoff in his excellent talk at the NW Maritime Center identified the south of France as today's epicenter of historic sailing vessels. If you are going to be in big Mediterranean seas, these look like the ships to be in. Photographed at the ongoing Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. More pictures and complete story here
2013 Wooden Boat Festival Friday Races
Photo by Wendy Feltham Great photo set follows the break. Thanks, Wendy. […]
2013 Wooden Boat Series Starts Up this Saturday
Headed to the windward mark. Photo by Wendy Feltham This Saturday, May 25th, marks the start of the 2013 Wooden Boat Series. Saturday's race will be a great tune up for the Classic Marniers Regatta which happens on June 8th and 9th and is scored as part of the Wooden Boat Series. We're calling all wooden boats - now's the time to get out on the Bay again, dust off the your sailing skills, have a great day on the water with like-minded sailors, and show off your hard work. The series is open only to wooden boats. [...]
The Long Leg (1935) by Edward Hopper
Thanks to Libby Atkins for posting this on Facebook. Sailing season has arrived.
Flash shanty to mark schooner’s launch 100 years ago
The schooner Adventuress sails past downtown Seattle. Photo courtesy of Sound Experience A story from Deborah Bach on ThreesheetsNW There have been flash mobs singing pop songs, performing dances and rallying around various causes. But this Friday, Port Townsend will be home to what may be the world’s first flash shanty. The nonprofit group Sound Experience is organizing the event to mark the day a century ago when the schooner Adventuress splashed in East Boothbay, Maine. Anyone who wants to join in is asked to gather at 12:30 p.m. Feb 1 at the stern of Adventuress, which is [...]
Shipwrights’ Regatta – February 23, 2013
Time to wash the green off your deck and your crew, the first event of the 2013 sailing season is right around the corner. The Northwest Maritime Center & Wooden Boat Foundation, in conjunction with the Port Townsend Sailing Association, present the 22nd Annual Shipwright's Regatta! Door Prizes! Perpetual Awards! Chance to win a free haulout for two lucky racers! Boats of all construction & crew without boats welcome. • Skipper’s Meeting at 9 am at the NWMC • Complimentary coffee provided by Sunrise Coffee • Race starts at 12 noon on Port Townsend Bay • Awards ceremony & refreshments [...]
HMS BOUNTY: How Sound Was She?
Posted by Charles J. Doane on SAILfeed AS I NOTED in my last post on the loss of HMS Bounty during Hurricane Sandy, one of the big unanswered questions is: why was the ship taking on so much water? That she was leaking enough to sink is especially puzzling in that just 11 days earlier she'd been relaunched at Boothbay Harbor Shipyard in Maine (see photo up top) after spending a month in drydock for repairs. It may or may not be relevant, but my eyebrows did rise up a bit when I learned this week that the very same [...]
Memories of Summer
Click for bigger image. Northwest Maritime Center Photo by Kim Carver
Northwest Nautical History – M/V Westward
Thanks to ThreeSheets NW and John Sabella for this post on a ship with close ties to Port Townsend. The Ted Geary-designed M/V Westward is arguably the most famous motor yacht ever launched on Puget Sound. Built by Campbell Church, Sr. in 1924, the vessel pioneered the Alaska excursion trade from the 1920s to the 1950s as she ferried early 20th-century business leaders and celebrities as far as the Pribilof Islands to hunt bear, mountain goat, even whales. Impressed into military duty during World War II, she languished in the Sacramento River Delta throughout the 1940s. After being purchased by [...]
2012 Wooden Boat Festival Schooner Race
[slideshow id=50] Thanks to Wendy Feltham for some great shots from the schooner race, plus one of some folks having a heck of a good time.. Pretty impressive how big PACIFIC GRACE is. She makes our local suspects look almost petite. Fun weekend.
2012 Wooden Boat Festival Sail By
[slideshow id=49] A front from the south came through on the Sunday Sail By and gave a good rollicking ride. It was a fun day to sail and no one showed more pleasure in it than the big boats who are made for days like this. But it was not just big boats; all kinds of boats came out to parade around the Bay. What a treat to have the tug ELMORE chug by. As a friend said, "That's how boats are supposed to sound."
The “In-Between” Wooden Boat Festival at Deer Harbor
Deer Harbor Washington Hosts Wooden Boat Gathering – photo by Chris Thomerson The Victoria Boat Festival, always held on Labor Day weekend, is coming up fast.(August 31-Sept 2. Go to classicboatfestivel.ca ) Always an enjoyable festival, in the heart of Victoria, going on simultaneously with their Jazz Festival on the waterfront…whats not to like! Thousands of casual spectators, some boat -savy, some not, but all appreciative of the boats. Then there is our own Wooden Boat festival, Sept 10-12th this year. Thousands of curious visitors and a busy fun-packed long weekend! All in our own backyard. Go to the [...]
CMR 2012, Light Air Saturday
[slideshow id=45] Photos of the 2012 CMR on light air Saturday. Photos by Satch Yarbrough
Spring PTMTA Newsletter Is Out
The latest issue of the Port Townsend Marine Trades Association Spring 2012 Newsletter is out and as always full of interesting stories on the projects and talented trades people who work in PT’s marine trades. You can download your own copy here. Here’s a small sample to wet your appetite. More pictures and stories on the work being done on MARTHA are available here. The Schooner Martha By Rick Petrykowski In the aftermath of the mid-January snowstorm, we sat down with Robert D’Arcy and Chris Grace to get the skinny about Schooner MARTHA’s current restoration at the Shipwright’s [...]
New Photos of SPRAY and Slocum Found
My wife’s grandmother Virginia was over 90 years old when she pulled a yellowed envelope containing four film negatives out of one of her many photo albums. Like we’d done many times before, she was sharing the memories of her adventurous life captured in those albums, and I was always enthralled with the places she’d been and the people she’d met, but the writing on the envelope: “Slocum 1906,” gave me goose bumps. “Oh my God,” I said as I held one of the negatives to the light. “These are photos of Joshua Slocum and Spray.” [...]
Skipper’s Meeting Saturday at NWMC, Shipwright’s Regatta Racing Saturday or Sunday
You may have noticed it was a little windy lately and one forecast showed gusts to 50 for Saturday. That's good weather for fresh Sunrise Coffee, pastries and a skipper's meeting Saturday at 9 am at the Northwest Maritime Center. The Shipwright's Regatta race date isn't as certain. Myron and Ace have said that, “The forecast is pretty dismal for tomorrow, but everything has been checked out to be able to postpone racing until Sunday where the weather looks a little frosty but the wind is forecast to lighten up." "The plan is to have the skipper's meeting as planned [...]
MARTHA, Making Wood Look Good…Again!
[slideshow id=38] MARTHA cleaned up in her division in the 'Round the County Race this weekend, and possibly overall as well. MARTHA was the only boat from Port Townsend that attended (that we know of). The weather forecast kept many boats at the dock and slammed a number of the ones that went out. Check out roundthecounty.com for race results and stay tuned for the race stories! Until Kathy and the crew update their story, you can read a fun story from Ben Braden whose Moore 24 finished second in class behind MARTHA and 6th overall here. Photos lifted from [...]
SLIVER Build at Boat School Coming Along
[slideshow id=37] From Pete Leenhouts, NorthWest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, www.nwboatschool.org, an update on the Perry designed 62' day sailor now under construction at the new Jeff Hammond boat shop. SLIVER's owner has said that he wants his boat built using the best, most cost-effective construction methods possible. For that reason, he chose the School to build the hull using strip planking covered by fiberglass. We can teach our students these methods using his boat as the instructional vehicle. Contemporary Instructor Bruce Blatchley is leading the hull and deck construction team at the Boat School. SLIVER is 61 feet 11 [...]
R Boats at the 2011 WBF
Now there are four. A fourth R Boat has joined PIRATE, ALOHA and LADY VAN, welcome ACE to her first Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. Thanks to Lin Parks for these great pictures. [slideshow id=35]
A bevy of first-time boats to check out at Wooden Boat Festival
Story by Deborah Bach at Three Sheets Northwest The man knew exactly what type of boat he wanted. He approached with plans in hand, asking Dale Nordlund to build him a 30-foot schooner. “He said, I’ve always wanted a schooner and I’m getting old,” Nordlund recalled. So Nordlund and his partner built the scaled-down schooner, outfitting it down to the dishes as the man, Eugene Woodward, requested. The boat was launched in 1969 in Sidney, B.C., and Woodward sailed it until his death about 20 years later. Woodward’s wife donated the boat to a nonprofit sailing organization, which [...]
CMR 2011 – Thank You Mr. Weatherman
MORNING FLIGHT at the 2011 Classic Mariners’ Regatta We waited a long time for a weekend like this last one. Sunny, clear, warm, and absolutely perfect wind. Like they say, it doesn’t get any better than that. There were 38 registrants for the Classic Mariners’ Regatta, as well as 7 for the rowing race on Sunday. Two were from Canada and a number from out of town. The race results are as follow Committee’s Choice Award: Lady Van (R-Boat from Canada)for sailing the perfect race, for coming down from Canada to do it, and for practicing all last [...]
Classic Mariners Regatta
[singlepic id=298 w=640 h=480 float=center] 2010 Classic Mariners Regatta, photo M. Berman They are calling for Sun and temperatures in the 70’s this weekend. We hope you are planning to come for the Classic Mariners Regatta. If you don’t have a wood boat of your own, there are plenty of people looking for crew (and we are talking about some fast boats here!) Come to the skippers meeting to connect with the skippers in need: Saturday morning at 9:30 am at the NW Maritime Center above the boat shop. You can still register at the Welcome Party Friday night 6:30-10. [...]
The R-Boats Are Coming
We hope to have the R-boats in Port Townsend for this June’s Classic Mariners Regatta. R-Boat racing started on the West Coast in 1912 and was very active up until 1940. Most major Yacht clubs had at least one in their stall and they raced for the Seattle Lipton Cup, the Isherwood Trophy, and others, with Seattle Yacht Club’s R-Boat, Sir Tom, dominating the fleet for over 14 years. The fleet racing died on the West Coast after WWII and was not seen again until our own Wooden Boat Festival in 2010. There are now three completed, restored, [...]
Matthias Pliessnig Show at the Renwick
What looks like a knockout show the Renwick Museum of American Crafts in DC. Matthias Piessnig using boat building techniques to produce some sculptural seating units. More images at his site here.
Wooden boat owners come play with us!
Saturday was the first race in the new Sirens' Wooden Boat Series which takes place on various Saturdays throughout the season. The next race is on Opening Day - Saturday, May 7th. See below for the results of Race One. Six lucky woodies enjoyed epic conditions: Plenty of sunshine and great breeze!
CALLING ALL WOODEN BOAT OWNERS
CALLING ALL WOODEN BOAT OWNERS Port Townsend Sailing Association is reviving wooden boat racing on the Bay this year with the First Annual Sirens Wooden Boat Series. Working in partnership with the Wooden Boat Foundation/NW Maritime Center, there will be 6 races this spring and summer open only to our amazing fleet of wood hulled sailboats. The races will be held on: Saturday April 2 at noon Saturday May 7 at approx. 1:30 following the Opening Day Sail Pass Saturday June 5- 2 races in the afternoon as part of the Classic Mariners Regatta Sunday June 6-1 race [...]
Dhow Racing in Dubai
Filed under wooden boat racing. Interesting looking hull when you see it on the trailer. Look for some exciting upcoming information about next year's PTSA sponsored racing series for our local wood boats.
Missing Miss Annie
Since this spring's Round-the-County, Annie Too has been sitting at the dock with her stick out. According to Ted Pike, the mast cracked in the high winds of the race and he's been working hard to put it back together. You got to love a town where folks take a classic, race the hell out of it, and if it breaks, know how (or know someone here who knows how) to put it back together again. Hopefully, she'll be back out on the Bay soon. But until then, a gallery of pictures to remind us what great lines Bill Lapworth [...]
Erik Tries a Swift Solo at the Gorge
I recently was given the opportunity to attempt to race a Swift Solo skiff in the Columbia River Gorge. When my 505 crew and good Colorado buddy Philip Ryan told me of the possibility of getting a loaned boat I thought, “Go down to the Gorge to sail an overpowered singlehander with a main, jib and a HUGE kite all while hanging on a trapeze? Sounds like what I call fun!” In the back of my mind I knew there was a distinct possibility I would be blown off the river. I’ve sailed there three times previously and [...]
Upcoming 6 Metre North Americans in PT
Exciting news from Adam Henley, the 6 metres are coming back to Port Townsend Bay for their North American regatta. Dates are August 13 - 15th, so far 10 boats are signed up. The host club is the Port Townsend Sailing Association.
Classic Mariners Regatta Results
Three cheers for Kathy and the folks who put on the 27th annual Wooden Boat Foundation & Northwest Maritime Center 2010 Classic Mariners Regatta. Two great days of racing that started with light wind that built in the afternoon. Two rockin’ parties – the Friday reception and the Saturday dinner and dance (with 123 dinners sold) – and a rowing race. And we can state from experience that being rolled by a schooner flying every sail and bed sheet on board may not be fast, but it is pretty spectacular. Thanks to Elizabeth Becker and Michael Berman (more [...]
Classic Mariners Regatta
Just a reminder, the Classic Mariners Regatta is this weekend. Welcome party at 6:30 at the NWMC boat shop. Last minute sign ups for the Regatta accepted.
Vote For the Boat!
In case you didn't get Kiwi's email this morning, Vote For the Boat! Only three days left and we're in a tight race with a building. Three More Voting Days Left!! We can't do this without your votes so please try and vote every day up to and including this coming Wednesday. Let all your email contacts know that we are down to the wire and need to really put on the pressure to win this competition and $125,000 from American Express. Any non voters who want to join in and help us obtain this goal please feel [...]
Vote for the Boat!
From a nice note from Elizabeth Becker ... Hello, PT Sailors! For those of you who haven’t heard, I’m delighted to announce that Adventuress is one of only twenty-five historic sites in the Puget Sound region vying for a portion of one million dollars in grant funds from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express. It’s an online voting campaign and if Adventuress wins, Sound Experience is guaranteed $100,000 to spend on restoration (and shipwrights!) next winter. And right now, Adventuress is in FIRST PLACE! It's all about who gets the most votes, and we need [...]
For sale: Neil Young’s exquisite old boat
From Three Sheets NW, the Ragland is for sale again including some nice photos and a recent history of this former resident of Boat Haven. By Deborah Bach on April 26th, 2010 Walter Wallace makes one thing clear from the outset: he doesn’t like to talk about Neil Young. Yes, Wallace bought the sailboat he’s now selling from the Canadian rock legend. Yes, he’s met him. But if you’re looking for stories about when Neil Young owned the boat, how he used it, what rock luminaries might have been entertained onboard or anything along those lines, well, you’re out of [...]
Bringing Back American Classics
From Kimball Livingston’s always interesting blog, Blue Planet Times, Published: March 8, 2010 With classic American racing yachts, there’s more than one meaning to the phrase, bring’em back. Any wood boat that’s been out there a while will surely have been “brought back” one time or more through restoration procedures that we can reasonably hope are unreasonably fanatical. There’s also: Bring’em back home. Dorade, courtesy Sparkman & Stephens Association For a while it seemed that all our classic raceboats were off to the Med. Lately, less so. I knew I had to write about this when I heard that Dorade [...]