PORT TOWNSEND — Landlubbers wanting to try out their sea legs are encouraged to fill open crew spots on sailboats as they race around Port Townsend Bay on Saturday.
People less inclined to climb aboard and man the sails will still find plenty of entertainment on the waterfront as the Wooden Boat Foundation’s Shipwrights’ Regatta turns the bay into a race course.
This is the 12th year the regatta has plied Port Townsend waters.
Vessel owners and crew will meet at the Otter Crossing Cafe in Point Hudson at 7 a.m. for breakfast and free coffee.
Those interested can sign up there to be a crew member on a boat.
The race will start at 11:30 a.m., depending on the wind.
An awards ceremony will take place at 4:30 p.m. at The Public House, 1038 Water St.
Last year, about 40 skippers and their crew cut through the waters just off the city’s historic downtown district, Foundation Executive Directory Chris Kluck said.
Depending on wind and water conditions, the courses can be as long as two miles and take racers from Point Hudson across to Indian Island and every place in between, course designer Steve Chapin said.
Good places to watch the race include Union Wharf and the city dock off of Water Street, or the Point Hudson jetty on the north end of town.
For a broader perspective, spectators can observe the race from Washington Street, on the hill overlooking downtown, Kluck said.
The courses are usually triangular in shape. They’re drawn up the day of the race to provide optimum sailing conditions, Chapin said.
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