NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, June 3.
PORT TOWNSEND— This weekend’s 33rd annual Classic Mariners Regatta is an opportunity to celebrate wooden boats without a crowd.
“This proves that the racing spirit is alive and well,” said Barb Trailer, Wooden Boat Festival director.
“There are a lot of people in classic boats, and they’re outside having a great time.”
The races are open to classic sailboats of all sizes,from small craft such as kayaks, dinghies and rowboats to larger vessels such as the schooner Martha.
Wooden motorboats are welcome to participate in the event as part of the spectator fleet.
“We have a very high caliber of sailors who will be participating,” Trailer said.
“It will be another beautiful racing day on Port Townsend Bay.”
All of the activities take place in and around the Northwest Maritime Center, 431 Water St., but the races will be observable at many locations, Trailer said.
“You can be anywhere in town,” she said.
“The race is for everybody.”
Tonight
The weekend will kick off with a welcome gathering and late registration at 5 tonight.
Beverages will be available.
It will be the last chance to register for the regatta and purchase tickets to Saturday’s chowder feed. Tickets will be $10 each for chowder, salad and bread.
Saturday
A mandatory skippers’ meeting begins at 9 a.m. Saturday. Coffee and light snacks will be available.
The first Classic Mariners Regatta race will begin at noon.
The day’s second race will start immediately after the first.
The chowder feed will be at 5 p.m.
Sunday
The final race of the weekend will be at noon Sunday.
At 4 p.m. will be the awards ceremony at the Northwest Maritime Center Commons and Boat Shop.
If the weather turns bad, the awards will be presented on the second floor of the main maritime center building.
Racing participation requires a $45-per-boat entry fee, which covers all three races along with the welcome party, coffee and pastry at the skippers’ meeting and beer and snacks at the awards ceremony.
The race draws participants from throughout the Pacific Northwest, Trailer said.
“Since 1984 the Classic Mariner’s Regatta has animated Port Townsend Bay with the Wooden Boat Foundation spirit that is quintessentially Port Townsend,” say organizers on the website at www.nwmaritime.org.
“With hand-sewn award pennants and dinner in the Wooden Boat Foundation Boatshop, this is a regatta weekend not to miss.”
The races provide a taste of the upcoming annual Wooden Boat Festival.
The 40th annual Wooden Boat Festival will be from Sept. 9-11, with tickets going on sale July 1.
For more information about the regatta, go to http://tinyurl.com/PDN-regatta, call 360-385-3628, ext. 104, or email registrar@nwmaritime.org.
________
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
