Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 2026

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.