Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 2026: Full Schedule

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9:30am PDT

Friday September 11, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am PDT

"The Secrets of Tides and Currents", planning and navigating through Northwest waters. Powerpoint presentation followed by breakout groups, trip planning.

Planning a trip in the Northwest or any area that has extreme tides and currents can be difficult. Learn more about tides and currents and how to apply a system so you successfully use them to your advantage instead of the other way around.

Learn how to determine tides and currents and how to plan accordingly. Examples will be taken from Deception Pass and the San Juan Islands.

Some knowledge of chart reading can come in handy.

Speakers

Andree Hurley

WASHINGTON WATER TRAILS ASSOCIATION

Andrée Hurley, Executive Director, Washington Water Trails
Andrée has taught sea kayaking since 1985, and has led or been on kayaking trips in various countries such as Baja, Mexico, Belize, Chile, Bolivia and Hong Kong. She retired as an L4 sea kayak instructor trainer educator with the American Canoe Association after fifteen years. She w... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 9:30am - 10:15am PDT
Adventure Stage

Presentation

9:30am PDT

Bluewater Sail inventory

Friday September 11, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT

Discovery Stage

An overview of a Bluewater inventory of sails for a cruising sailboat. Deducing what sail is right for which boat, developing sail schedules, and a variety of vessel types will be covered in addition to sailing terminology, basic sail construction, cruising on your boat from calms to gales.

Speakers

Erica Georgaklis

Port Townsend Sails

Erica Georgaklis grew up sailing and racing in New England before moving to the Pacific Northwest. Once there she quickly found a 1938 Ed. Monk sloop, moved aboard and began exploring the Salish Sea. Smitten with boat life and all things cruising, she left work in arboriculture and... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT
Discovery Stage

Presentation

9:30am PDT

Paths of Stewardship: How Wooden Boats Endure

Friday September 11, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT

Cruising Stage

A live, moderated conversation in the style of Beyond the Boat — but not recorded — featuring four panelists:• A shipwright• A wooden boat owner• An operator/captain• A representative from a maritime education programDuration: 60–75 minutesAudience Q&A included.
ConceptWooden boats endure not simply because they are beautiful, but because people choose to carry them forward.
This session explores how different roles — ownership, craftsmanship, seamanship, operations, and education — intersect in sustaining wooden boats. Each panelist represents a distinct path, yet all share responsibility for continuity.The conversation centers on:• Why individuals choose to commit to wooden boats• How responsibility shapes that commitment• What continuity requires from each role• How these paths overlap in real life
The goal is not technical instruction, but reflection. Wooden boats are more than vessels. They are places where people learn patience, care, accountability, and stewardship.
This session invites the audience to see wooden boats not as isolated projects, but as living ecosystems sustained by interconnected choices.
Why This Fits the FestivalThe Festival celebrates craftsmanship, tradition, and community. This conversation highlights the human dimension behind that celebration.Rather than focusing on tools, techniques, or restoration specifics, this session examines:• The values that sustain wooden boat culture• The shared responsibility between builders, owners, operators, and educators• The lived experience behind preservationIt speaks to current owners, aspiring stewards, and younger generations entering the field.
Intended ToneConversational, thoughtful, accessible.Honest about challenges.Grounded in lived experience.
This is not a lecture. It is a guided conversation designed to invite the audience into the deeper story of continuity.

Speakers

Leroy Lewis

Leroy Lewis grew up in Northern Maryland, where he began sailing at age eleven on the Chesapeake Bay and nearby lakes, developing an early fascination with maritime history.After a 39-year career in engineering at Boeing, he returned more fully to that lifelong passion through wooden... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT
Cruising Stage

Presentation

10:00am PDT

Pattern Making, Spiling and Glue Tabbing

Friday September 11, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT

Boatbuilding Stage

During this demonstration we will work through the steps typically taken to pattern planks for traditional wooden boats. During each step, attendees will get a glimpse of the complexity involved in shaping rough sawn lumber into compound curved planking.

Speakers

Tucker Piontek

Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding

Tucker’s relationship with boats started young with canoes and fishing boats on the rivers of Oregon and lakes of Wisconsin. That relationship quickly transferred into racing modern sailboats on the Columbia river and ocean races along the Pacific Northwest and Canadian coastlines... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Boatbuilding Stage

Presentation

10:00am PDT

Plug in Boats: Planning the conversation

Friday September 11, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT

Innovation Stage

There is an increasing interest in powering boats with electricity but the technology of electric power is quite different from that of gas or diesel. Most boat builders and manufacturers are not yet capable of providing an “off the shelf” electric boat or do the conversion. This presentation provides a framework for the planning that needs to be done for a conversion when doing it yourself. The main topics are:Power and Energy NeedsSpace Needed Voltage, BatteriesMotors and Motor ControllersSwitches and MonitoringRecharging

Speakers

Thomas Hruby

Tom is a retired aquatic ecologist and a hobby boat builder who has built 20 boats ranging from Rob Roy canoes to the St. Pierre Dory. I built my first electric dory 30 years ago at a time when the only technology available was golf cart batteries and fork lift motors. I also converted... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Innovation Stage

Presentation

10:00am PDT

Sharpening - Chisels and Planes

Friday September 11, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT

Boatyard

Sharpening is a fundamental skill that every woodworker needs to know. Tim breaks down sharpening into a simple sequence of steps and shares tips and tricks to help you develop and refine your technique.

Speakers

Tim Lawson

Port Townsend School of Woodworking

Tim is one of the founders and was the founding Executive Director of the Port Townsend School of Woodworking based at Fort Worden.

Friday September 11, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Boatyard

Presentation

10:00am PDT

What's in the Water? Live Plankton Collection Demonstration

Friday September 11, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT

Marine Science Stage

Swimming and floating silently through the beautiful waters of the Salish Sea, microscopic plants called phytoplankton and animals called zooplankton form the basis of food chains leading up to orcas and to humans through salmon. As microscopic plants, phytoplankton use the nutrients in the water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight to grow until they are, well, eaten by zooplankton. Different species of zooplankton can either stay small or can undergo a series of changes to become the larger animals we are more familiar with (including fish, mussels, crabs, worms, and barnacles to name just a few). Come and prepare samples of live freshly collected plankton and observe these beautiful organisms on our microscopes. Experts in plankton identification will be available to talk to you about what you see as you are looking at the samples!

Provide Feedback

Speakers

Lee Bebout

Lee worked as a microbial ecologist / geobiologist, spending lots of time near water, but is enjoying being out on the water even more in retirement. She enjoys looking at water and sediment samples under the microscope and always learning more about the Salish Sea. She also enjoys... Read More →

Brad Bebout

Brad and co-presenter Lee Bebout met while studying harmful algal blooms on the Neuse River in North Carolina. After short postdoctoral stays at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany, and at the University of Maryland’s Horn Point Lab, they both went... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Marine Science Stage

Presentation

11:00am PDT

All about Dovetails

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Boatyard

In this presentation, John will discuss Dovetails: through, half-blind, compound angled, sliding and housed-tapered. He will cut some simple dovetails. He will have examples of these, with a set of parts showing the steps to cutting the various sorts.

Provide Feedback

Speakers

John P. McCormack

John P. McCormack Furniture

John P. McCormackwww.johnpmccormackdesign.comI've paddled the complete Canadian portion of the inside Passage solo, including a circumnavigation of Princess Royal I. and a trip from SG̱ang Gwaay to Queen Charlotte City. Our coast as you go north, reminds me of Yosemite Valley (I... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Boatyard

Presentation

11:00am PDT

Fire Extinguishing Systems on Boats

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Boatbuilding Stage

Fire on a boat is one of the biggest risks owners manage. Fire extinguishing equipment and technology is evolving - learn about the different types of extinguishers and extinguishing systems, and what is best for your boat. Taught by Evan Bailly, Lead Marine Systems Instructor at the Boat School.

Provide Feedback

Speakers

Evan Bailly

Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding

Evan is a Seattle native who joined the army as a helicopter mechanic right out of high school. During his tenure in the military, Evan started sailing any time leave would allow, and worked off and on as an engineer and deckhand on Gray’s Harbor Historical Seaport’s tall ships... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Boatbuilding Stage

Presentation

11:00am PDT

Shellfish Safety: To Dig or Not to Dig

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Marine Science Stage

Are you a shellfish eater, digger, shucker, or admirer? Have you ever wondered why shellfish are one of the safest proteins you can put on your plate? Washington is renowned for bivalve production and harvest opportunity, from geoduck to razor clams, but shellfish shouldn’t be harvested willy nilly anytime or any place. From marine toxins to bacteria, come learn about the work that goes into knowing where, when, and why you should, or shouldn’t, eat shellfish.

Speakers

Tracie Barry

Washington Department of Health

Tracie Barry is a lifelong clam digger and the Marine Biotoxin Specialist for the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), where she coordinates shellfish marine biotoxin surveillance testing. Prior to regulating marine toxins in shellfish, she studied marine microalgae and documented... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Marine Science Stage

Presentation

11:00am PDT

Traditional Sailmaking Demo

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Sail Stage

Speakers

Alan Prichard

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Sail Stage

Presentation

11:00am PDT

Chasing the light on the water - Wooden Boat Photography

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

Discovery Stage

The water has its own light — and it changes everything. Jeff Eichen leads this on-the-water photography workshop during the Wooden Boat Festival, sharing the techniques and instincts he's honed over a lifetime. We will touch upon The History and the digital darkroom as well. All skill levels welcome.

Speakers

Jeffrey Eichen

Rawmaste® Productions & Goods

Jeff Eichen was born in California in 1958, and photography found him early. At seventeen, he studied under Ansel Adams at the legendary Yosemite Workshop in 1975, then continued his training with at the University of Oregon in 1976 — In 1979, Jeff ventured to the Netherlands as... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Discovery Stage

Presentation

11:00am PDT

PNW Marine Weather

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

Adventure Stage

Whether it’s sailors griping about lack of wind, or powerboaters fearing steep and dangerous seas - the conditions in the Pacific Northwest present special challenges, due to the complexity of the many weather systems that interact in this region. Captain Phyllis Woolwine owns Shearwater University - Maritime Education. Speaking from 50 years of experience on the Salish Sea & Inside Passage, and 11 years providing custom training for hundreds of boaters of all types in these waters, she will provide a highly practical, science based, and interactive seminar on Pacific Northwest Marine Weather. This topic is presented in a conceptual, non-technical manner that all boaters can understand and apply.
- What makes PNW marine weather so complex - and how can we make sense of it?
- Strategies to ensure that sailors get wind, powerboaters avoid dangerous seas, and all boaters use knowledge & strategies to stay safe, advantaging our crazy conditions.
- Best sources & apps for marine weather - and the best ways to use them

Speakers

Phyllis Woolwine

Shearwater University

Captain Phyllis Woolwine is a leader in Maritime Education in the Northwest, and owner of Shearwater University in Anacortes, Washington. “Captain Wooly” and her crew specialize in custom instruction on boats of all types and sizes. Outstanding instruction on the water, online... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Adventure Stage

Presentation

11:00am PDT

Wooden Boats, Regattas, the Living Maritime Heritage of the Bahamas

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

Innovation Stage

Traditional wooden sailing vessels remain central to the maritime culture of The Bahamas. Built by hand and sailed competitively across the islands, Bahamian sloops represent a living tradition that connects craftsmanship, community, and cultural identity. This presentation explores the history and contemporary significance of wooden boat building and regatta sailing in The Bahamas, examining how these vessels function as both technological achievements and cultural symbols. Drawing on archival research, oral histories, and field documentation of regattas throughout the archipelago, the talk highlights the builders and sailors who sustain this tradition and the communities that gather around it. Particular attention is given to the role of wooden boats in national regattas and island competitions, where rivalries, local pride, and generational knowledge intersect on the water. The presentation situates Bahamian sloop sailing within broader discussions of maritime heritage, demonstrating how wooden boats continue to carry cultural memory and identity across generations.

Speakers

Michael Pateman

Sustainable Resources

H.E. Dr. Michael P. Pateman is an archaeologist, cultural historian, and Ambassador-at-Large for History, Culture, and Museology for The Bahamas. His work focuses on documenting and interpreting Bahamian heritage through community engagement, filmmaking, and storytelling. His research... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Innovation Stage

Presentation

11:00am PDT

Riggers Panel: Inspiring the next generation of Riggers

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm PDT

Cruising Stage

Panel discussion of how various riggers stumbled into the field, some of their experiences, how they pass along the knowledge to newcomers

Panelists: Jamie White, Chance Bates, Lola Morgan, Danielle Southcott, Tanith Anhaiser, Odin Smith

Provide Feedback

Friday September 11, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm PDT
Cruising Stage

Presentation

12:00pm PDT

Adventure sketching

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT

Boatyard

Prepare for sketching on your adventures, whether exploring Port Townsend or sailing around a far-flung island! Join expeditionary artist and Art Toolkit founder Maria Coryell-Martin to explore fundamental sketching techniques and essential tools for creating colorful and expressive sketches. We’ll practice gesture, contour, and thumbnail sketches to quickly capture a sense of place and to encourage creative flow and inquiry. We’ll provide Art Toolkit travel palettes and brushes to try out, and all levels are welcome! Bonus: show off your Festival wristband at the Art Toolkit shop on 1003 Water Street for a 10% discount!

Speakers

Maria Coryell-Martin

Art Toolkit

Maria Coryell-Martin is an expeditionary artist following the tradition of traveling artists as naturalists and educators. Maria’s travels have brought her face-to-face with polar bears, leopard seals, emperor penguins, and narwhals. A memorable experience juggling clumsy sketching... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT
Boatyard

Presentation

12:00pm PDT

Capt Cooks 1772-75 Circumnavigation of Antarctica

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT

Innovation Stage

During 1772-1775, Captain James Cook on the HMS Resolution circumnavigated Antarctica for the first time. Because his cruise determined latitude and longitude from the Kendell K1 clock combined with sextant observations, Cook's data described the spatial distribution of Antarctic icebergs and sea ice. His insistence that the ship be kept scrupulously clean and the men offered varieties of food meant that only two of his 112 men died, none from scurvy. The ship carried an artist, William Hodges, where his iceberg drawings will be compared with our photographs. Although the Resolution came within 100 km of Antarctica and crossed the Antarctic circle three times, it did not find land. In its furthest south, it was the first ship to reach Pine Island Bay, which was filled with massive icebergs and is now known to contain the outflow of the critical Thwaites Glacier. Comparison of Cook’s 250-year-old observations of iceberg and sea ice with ours shows that although there is less sea ice now, the iceberg distributions are about the same.

Speakers

Seelye Martin

Seelye Martin worked for thirty years at the University of Washington in Seattle, studying sea ice, icebergs, and the giant ice sheets. From 2006-2008, he served at NASA Headquarters in Washington DC as program manager for the cryosphere, where he helped develop the IceBridge aircraft... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT
Innovation Stage

Presentation

12:00pm PDT

Rigging tool Specifics and Application

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT

Sail Stage

A breakdown of the basic and more niche tools used while doing rigging and how you can make them fit your needs or project specifications.

Speakers

Tanith Anhaiser

Tanith Anhaiser is a journeyman in the rigging, maintenance, and sailing of historic wooden vessels designed between 1780 and 1920’s. She’s been involved in the US Tall Ships fleet since 2020 and in the 6 years since she started sailing she’s sailed on several boats internationally... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT
Sail Stage

Presentation

12:00pm PDT

Shipwrecks and Derelict Crab Pots: Finding Lost Stuff on the Ocean Floor

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT

Marine Science Stage

There are numerous historic ship and plane wrecks on the deep seafloor in the Pacific that resulted from accidents, wars, and purposeful disposals. Locating and surveying these wrecks benefits the understanding of our cultural heritage and provides reasons to resurrect their history and stories of heroism and tragedy. I and others have found wrecks thousands of feet below the surface by beginning with a review of available information on their sinking. This is followed by the use of various types of sonar and software to identify potential targets to investigate. Describing these techniques is the topic of this presentation.

Speakers

Christopher Kelley

Dr. Christopher Kelley retired from the University of Hawaii in 2018 after serving 18 years as the program biologist for the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL) and as graduate research faculty for the Oceanography Department at the University of Hawaii. His responsibilities... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT
Marine Science Stage

Presentation

12:00pm PDT

Steam Bending

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT

Boatbuilding Stage

Steam bending involves exposing wood to heat and moisture from steam, which softens the lignin and cellulose fibers, making the wood pliable. Once bent around a form or jig and allowed to cool, the wood retains its new shape. This method has been used in boat building for centuries and is still used today.

Speakers

Orrin Webb

Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding

Orrin’s path to boatbuilding was shaped by a lifelong passion for working with his hands. Before finding wooden boats, he built custom homes, worked with timber framing, cabinetry, and furniture, and honed his skills in high-end residential construction and finish carpentry, all... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT
Boatbuilding Stage

Presentation

12:30pm PDT

10 Secrets to Navigating Your Wooden Sailboat Restoration

Friday September 11, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT

Discovery Stage

1) Finding the Right Girl
2)What to Look For – What to Look Out For
3)The Importance of a Good Survey
4)Listen to What She Says
5) Boatyard Survival
6)Shipwrights and Ship Wrongs
7)Keeping Your Mate on Board
8)Don't Lose the Dream
9)The Difference is in the Details
10)What We Do For Love

Speakers

Michael Effler

Sea Sensations

The architectural design team behind Sea Sensations, Michael and Erin have owned and renovated wooden boats and classic yachts for over 35 years.
In his early 20's Michael Effler bought and restored an 18' centerboard Cat boat. Later he restored a 33' Kings Amethyst center cockpit... Read More →

Erin Leader

Sea Sensations

Friday September 11, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Discovery Stage

Presentation

12:30pm PDT

The Thrill of Building the Viking Ship

Friday September 11, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT

Adventure Stage

The program will illustrate Viking culture and traditional ship construction, from harvesting trees to launch. Aspøya Boats in Anacortes, Washington drew a community of volunteers and shipwrights to accomplish a nearly insurmountable challenge. Valkyrie was launched in the spring of 2024 and now sails the Salish Sea in Washington State.

Speakers

Jay Smith

Aspøya Boats

Over the last 35 years Jay Smith has researched and built Nordic lapstrake boats, beginning in a small boat shop on a fjord in western Norway. A seven month apprenticeship in the Faroe Islands, sponsored by the Danmark-America Foundation, established a firm footing for future work... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Adventure Stage

Presentation

1:00pm PDT

Fiberglassing Techniques

Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Boatbuilding Stage

Learn the basics of fiberglass laminating techniques. Presentation and demo.

Speakers

Bruce Blatchley

Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding

Bruce has been teaching at the boat school since really late in the last century. He has been other places and done other things as well. As a life long learner he realizes that the old adage: "the more I learn, the less I know" is apropos. Plus, crafting sentences that flow and/or... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Boatbuilding Stage

Presentation

1:00pm PDT

Protecting Vital Eelgrass Habitat through No Anchor Zones

Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Marine Science Stage

The Jefferson County Marine Resource Committee is an advisory group to the Jeffco Commissioners. In addition it's members undertake projects, with financial support from the Northwest Straits Commission to maintain and improve the Jeffco marine ecology. The No Anchor Zones is one of our persistent projects, started in 2004. We have installed buoys, that ask boaters to moor outside nearshore areas, to protect Subaquatic Vegetation and shellfish beds in 3 areas in Jefferson County.

Speakers

Gordon King

Taylor Shellfish Inc

Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Marine Science Stage

Presentation

1:00pm PDT

The Development of the Square-Rigged Ship

Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Sail Stage

From the daring voyages of the Golden Hinde to the graceful 19th-century sailing vessels ELISSA and STAR OF INDIA to the powerful brute strength of the 1904 four-masted barque MOSHULU, the square-rigged ship evolved into one of the most influential technologies in maritime history.
Beginning with the compact, heavily-built galleons of the Age of Exploration, we follow the transformation through towering clouds of canvas of the Clippers, and ultimately the iron and steel windjammers that represented the pinnacle of square-rig efficiency. Along the way, we examine how advances in naval architecture, metallurgy, and seamanship allowed square-rigged vessels to grow larger, faster, and more specialized—culminating in the powerful deep-water sailing ships like MOSHULU that closed the age of commercial sail.
This presentation traces that development across three centuries, exploring how changing trade routes, naval warfare, materials, and shipyard innovation shaped hull design, rigging complexity, and sail plans.

Speakers

Jamie White

The SquareRigger

Since the early 1980s, master rigger Jamie White has sailed over 30,000 miles as bosun, mate, or master on square-rigged and traditionally-rigged vessels. He is currently master rigger on the 1938 topsail schooner SWIFT OF IPSWICH rig restoration, and has served as master/chief... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Sail Stage

Presentation

1:00pm PDT

The Resourceful Sailor: Creative Solutions to Boat Modifications and Repairs

Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Innovation Stage

Preparing a small boat for big adventures takes creativity. Joshua Wheeler shares practical, sometimes unorthodox solutions he used to ready his Flicka 20 for offshore cruising—offering thoughtful, outside-the-box, and affordable approaches to keep you sailing. As seen on Latitude 38 and Small Craft Advisor.

Speakers

Joshua Wheeler

Sailing With Josh

Joshua Wheeler has sailed and lived on small craft for 15 years and 25,000 nautical miles. Credits include a 2019 transit of the Northwest Passage, two solo circumnavigations of Vancouver Island in 2018 and 2023, the Inside Passage to Alaska in 2022, and a Pacific tour in 2023-24... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Innovation Stage

Presentation

1:00pm PDT

Sailmakers panel

Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm PDT

Cruising Stage

Moderated by Mark Shiner
Panelists: Allison Wood, PT Sails; Emiliano Marino, The Artful Sailor and author of The Saiilmakers Apprentice; Carol Hasse, Founder PT Sails; Wayne Chimenti, Force 10 Sails, Nahja Chimenti, Force 10 Sails.

What does it mean to devote your life to making sails?
Part craft, part engineering, part problem-solving, sailmaking sits at the intersection of tradition and performance — shaping the way boats move through the world. Join a conversation with working sailmakers as they share stories from the loft, discuss the evolution of the craft, and explore what it takes to build sails for everything from traditional wooden boats to modern voyaging vessels.
In many parts of the world, traditional sailmaking is becoming increasingly rare. Here in Port Townsend, it remains a vibrant and active part of the working waterfront.

Speakers

Mark Shiner

Orkney College Maritime Studies Dept. University of the Highlands and Islands.

Mark Shiner has been on the water since around the age of 6. He holds a commercial skipper’s UK Certificate of Competence which is similar to the US Coastguard “Six Pack” and is also qualified to instruct skippers to that level.Mark began sailmaking in the Orkney islands, Scotland... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm PDT
Cruising Stage

Presentation

1:00pm PDT

Doing Round Work: Making a Ship's Wheel and turning parts for Boats

Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Boatyard

In this presentation, John will discuss how turning is useful for boatbuilding. Making a Ship's Wheel and turning boat parts like belaying pins, stanchions, serving and caulking mallets will be discussed.

Speakers

John P. McCormack

John P. McCormack Furniture

Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Boatyard

Presentation

2:00pm PDT

Care and Feeding of the Jointer

Friday September 11, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Boatbuilding Stage

How to tune up and use your jointer safely and effectively.

Speakers

Seb Eggert

Rain Shadow Woodworks

In 1977 Sebastian Eggert rowed a lapstrake launch built by Peter Lentini of Olympia at the first
Wooden Boat Festival. He is the owner of Rain Shadow Woodworks, a general contracting,
woodworking and millwork business that employs ten people. He has crewed on the Hudson
River Sloop... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Boatbuilding Stage

Presentation

2:00pm PDT

Copper Free Bottom Paint: Regulations, Reality and What's next

Friday September 11, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Innovation Stage

Copper-based bottom paint is facing increasing regulation—but what does that mean for boaters? Get up to date on current laws, emerging alternatives, and what’s really changing in the world of marine coatings.Non-copper - it's the law! Or is it? Let's get up to date on the latest history, regulations, and developments as we march forward to a cleaner, more innovative future in controlling marine fouling.

Speakers

David Atwater

AkzoNobel

Friday September 11, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Innovation Stage

Presentation

2:00pm PDT

Derelict Vessel Removal Program

Friday September 11, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Marine Science Stage

Discuss the derelict and abandoned vessel program

Speakers

Jerry Farmer

WADNR DVRP

Jerry Farmer works for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as a Natural Resource Specialist for the Derelict Vessel Removal Program; a position he has held since August 2012. Jerry honorably retired from the United States Coast Guard in June 2012 after serving... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Marine Science Stage

Presentation

2:00pm PDT

Rigging the Dublin 21's 7 Sisters, and How They Changed My Life

Friday September 11, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Sail Stage

Sue has been the rigger on an audacious project to rebuild the Dublin Bay 21 class. This class comprised seven boats built to an Alfred Mylne design between 1903 and 1908. Five of boats have now been rebuilt with number six to be launched in 2026 and number seven in build. The five boats are racing regularly in Ireland and are operated by a class association with access for all. This is their story.

Speakers

Sue Pennison

Rigging and Ropework

A lifelong sailor with experience ranging across a variety of sizes and rigs, Sue has always had a fascination for knots and the maritime tradition of Marlinspike Seamanship which links craftsmanship with functionality. Sue now operates as a yacht rigger and professional rope maker... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Sail Stage

Presentation

2:00pm PDT

Self Reliance in Sewing - Save Money & Keep Sailing

Friday September 11, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Discovery Stage

It is best not to assume that professional help is available for canvas work and sail repair while out cruising. Having the skills to be sewing-self-reliant can make or break a cruise. This presentation details how attaining the skills and resources for canvas work and simple sail repair is not difficult for cruising sailors. It provides insights into the materials and supplies required for a variety of projects to be sure you have them available when you leave the dock.

Speakers

Philip DiNuovo

Philip DiNuovo & Leslie Linkkila began sailing together in 1991 when they bought a small aging weekender sailboat from a neighbor and set about to learn to sail on the chilly waters of the Puget Sound of Washington. With just one idyllic summer cruise in the Salish Sea, their dream... Read More →

Leslie Linkkila

Leslie Linkkila & Philip DiNuovo began sailing together in 1991 when they bought a small aging weekender sailboat from a neighbor and set about to learn to sail on the chilly waters of the Puget Sound of Washington. With just one idyllic summer cruise in the Salish Sea, their dream... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Discovery Stage

Presentation

2:00pm PDT

Stars to Steer by: Celebrating 20th Century Women Who Went to Sea

Friday September 11, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Adventure Stage

The sea doesn't care what gender you are. But other people do — or did. Grand yacht clubs banned female members, the Royal Navy rejected the WW2 Wrens, and even when leisure sailing was opening to a wider public, women's social and economic inequality made participation harder. My presentation will focus on some of the inspiring women, throughout the c20th, who went to sea anyway. They were the pioneers whose spirit of independence led the way for others. Some names you will have heard of but too many were invisible or forgotten. We can change that.

Speakers

Julia Jones

Golden Duck

Julia has been sailing all her life. That doesn't mean she's a particularly talented or adventurous sailor, just that it's an integral part of who she is. Her boat, Peter Duck, is also a part of her identity. PD is a wooden ketch built in 1946 for the Swallows and Amazons author... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Adventure Stage

Presentation

3:00pm PDT

Composting and Diversion Toilets

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Innovation Stage

Geoff Trott will explain the science and practicality behind urine-diverting composting toilet systems, including how they work, what they require, and where they fit best on boats. The seminar will review recent developments in the technology and compare these systems with conventional marine plumbing and holding tank arrangements, with a focus on odor control, installation, maintenance, reliability, and real-world use.

Speakers

Geoffrey Trott

Air Head Composting Toilet

Geoff Trott is the designer of the first mobile urine-diverting composting toilet system and the founder and manufacturer of Air Head Composting Toilet. A lifelong sailor, inventor, and hands-on problem solver, Geoff has spent decades developing practical sanitation solutions for... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Innovation Stage

Presentation

3:00pm PDT

Port Townsend Foundry

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Boatbuilding Stage

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Boatbuilding Stage

Presentation

3:00pm PDT

She Takes the Helm

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Boatyard

I would like to do a reading and discussion of my book. If there is a writer's presentation, I would like to attend, present, and participate in any book signing.

Speakers

Mary Jacobs

Fishing Vessel Renaissance

Moving to Alaska for adventure, Mary Jacobs’s job—and pay—at the cannery fails to excite. When she begins working on a fishing vessel, she is hooked. But in this man’s world, if women get hired, they usually cook, clean, and do unimportant jobs. Mary aspires for more. Much... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Boatyard

Presentation

3:00pm PDT

The Seabirds of Port Townsend, Where the Strait Meets the Sound

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Marine Science Stage

Speakers

Steve Hampton

Rainshadow Bird Alliance

Steve Hampton has been seeing the world through birds since he was seven years old. With a PhD in natural resource economics, he worked for the California Department of Fish & Wildlife for 25 years, where he was involved in oil spill response, seabird restoration, and coordination... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Marine Science Stage

Presentation

3:00pm PDT

Traditional Sailmaking Demo

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Sail Stage

Speakers

Alan Prichard

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Sail Stage

Presentation

3:00pm PDT

The Compelling Power of Adventure

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Cruising Stage

What do most adventurers have in common? How do they ensure they get to base camp fit and ready to take on the actual challenge they set out to accomplish? How do they handle fear? And how do they handle the fear of failure? This talk is for a more general audience but of course is based on my sailing experience.
Possible other topics – Storm Tactics, preparing for and handling storms at seaHow to encourage your partner to share your dream?Creating an unstoppable boat.

Speakers

Lin Pardey

L Pardey books

Lin Pardey literally wrote the book—many books—on cruising, inspiring generations of sailors to embrace the ethos of go small, go simple, go now. Over several decades, she and her late husband, Larry, built two boats—the 24-foot Seraffyn and the 29-foot Taleisin—and sailed... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Cruising Stage

Presentation

3:30pm PDT

The Slow Build of La Belle Sauvage, A father/daughter team spend 6 years building an 11 foot dinghy

Friday September 11, 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm PDT

Adventure Stage

Solianna and her father Bruce spent six years —from the time Solianna was age 13 to 19 — building a sailing dingy from scratch. They will recount the project from the design process to the harvesting of wood from the forests and beaches of Orcas Island to the construction of the standing lug sail.

Speakers

Solianna Halabisky

Solianna Halabisky is a second year student at the University of Washington where she is studying ornithology. She was born in New Zealand when her parents Bruce and Tiffany Halabisky were two years into an 11 year circumnavigation on their Atkin cutter, Vixen. When not at university... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm PDT
Adventure Stage

Presentation

3:30pm PDT

Wooden Steam Powered Mosquitos of the Salish Sea

Friday September 11, 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm PDT

Discovery Stage

A short history of the steam-powered Mosquito boats of the Salish Sea. From that time, the best way for freight and travel was on one of the 1000 or so steamboats. Not just pretty pictures of boats, but rather just how they operated. Evolution of steam engines from Watt atmospheric to the triple expansion. Fuels, “Bell boats”, and how they worked. Ships that operated year-round with no navigation instruments, accurate charts, and manned by men who understood neither.

Speakers

Stewart Pugh

Virginia V

Stewart is crew on the last passenger steamship, the 104-year-old SS Virginia V. He loves old work boats, marine engines, and their history. He is the captain of a Salish Sea research vessel.

Friday September 11, 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm PDT
Discovery Stage

Presentation

4:00pm PDT

Hands on - Great Tug 'o Peace Hammock Pull

Friday September 11, 2026 4:00pm - 4:45pm PDT

Sail Stage

Friday September 11, 2026 4:00pm - 4:45pm PDT
Sail Stage

Presentation

4:00pm PDT

The Secret Lives of Harbor Porpoises

Friday September 11, 2026 4:00pm - 4:45pm PDT

Marine Science Stage

Harbor porpoises are one of the most abundant marine mammal species in the Salish Sea, however there is much we don't know about this often elusive species. Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) has spent over 10 years conducting behavioral and photo-identification research on harbor porpoises to learn more about their behavior, ecology, movement patterns and more. Did you know that individuals can remain resident to an area, that they sometimes eat salmon, or that they wake surf? Recently we have added the aerial perspective of a drone and are getting even greater insight into their foraging and social behavior. PacMam is one of the few organizations in the world conducting this type of long-term work on harbor porpoises, focusing on knowing the individuals. Come and dive into the secret lives of harbor porpoises in the Salish Sea, there is more to them than meets the eye!

Speakers

Cindy Elliser

Pacific Mammal Research

Dr. Cindy R. Elliser is a marine mammalogist with over 25 years research experience. She received her B.S, M.S. and PhD in Biological Sciences and Integrative Biology from Florida Atlantic University (FAU). Before moving to the Pacific Northwest she spent 10 years working with Dr... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 4:00pm - 4:45pm PDT
Marine Science Stage

Presentation

4:00pm PDT

40 Years on the Waterfront

Friday September 11, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Boatyard

Speakers

Joni Blanchard

Leatherwood Finishing Company

Joni Blanchard has been varnishing boats in and around Port Townsend for 40years. She authored a varnishing book titled 'Tricks, Cheating & Chingaderos' - A Collection of Knowledge and TIps for Varnishing/Painting Wooden Boats.in 2010. Her book will be available at the workshop.

Friday September 11, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Boatyard

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