Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 2026

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.

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.

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

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.

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.