Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 2026: Full Schedule

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9:30am PDT

Puget Sounds Golden age of Yachting through the Lens of photographer Ken Oiler

Saturday September 12, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT

As 20th century designers and builders created our area’s maritime history, photographer Ken Ollar was there to record it. For over half a century, he sped through the Salish Sea aboard his motor vessel Shutterbug, capturing the action at Swiftsure, fleet and PIYA races, Opening Day celebrations, unlimited hydroplane races, and yacht club cruises. His collection of over 10,000 negatives, slides, prints and ephemeral, is now part of the Gig Harbor BoatShop’s Northwest Fleet Photography Collection. Using archival protocol, a team of volunteers are digitizing images for a publicly accessible database. As the body of work grows online, the historical importance of it becomes more apparent. Ken Ollar’s stunning work is filling our maritime past with narratives and details never heard before. We will share gems and highlights with you through projected images and stories.

Speakers

Jan Hein

Gig Harbor BoatShop NW Fleet Photo Collection

Jan Hein is a freelance writer/photographer and ocean sailor. Her work has appeared innumerous publications including Classic Boat, Wooden Boat, All At Sea, 48° North, andSail. She served as press reporter for Antigua’s Classic Regatta, and is a frequentphoto contributor for Northwest... Read More →

Richard Gray

Gig Harbor BoatShop NW Fleet Photo Collection

Richard Gray is professor emeritus in the Department of Art, Art History & Design at the University of Notre Dame. He has exhibited his artwork in solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally for forty-five years. Gray is also former chair of the National Board of Directors... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT
Cruising Stage

9:30am PDT

Sailboat Standing rigging 101

Saturday September 12, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT

Technical Stage

Learn the basic parts and functions of your standing rig. Understand how it is built and sized along with knowing the questions to ask when replacing it.

Speakers

Lisa Vizzini

Port Townsend Rigging, Inc

Lisa traces her interest in boats to a pond sailboat program at her elementary school in Westchester/Playa del Rey,California. She & her father finished and rigged a wood sloop which Lisa raced in a county-wide competition where she came away with a blue ribbon. That experience sparked... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT
Technical Stage

9:30am PDT

Traditional Navigation in the age of electronics, Compass and Sextant

Saturday September 12, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT

Discovery Stage

Getting the most out of your compass; repairing and adjusting; integrating with GPS, Chartplotter and Radar for safe and fun boating.Demystifying the Sextant and reasons why it still matters.

Speakers

Bob Bergstrom

NW Compass Adjusting

Bob has been adventuring by boat for over 45 years in many parts of the world. Mostly in the pacific northwest and from Alaska to Central America. He is a retired firefighter/fireboat pilot, and former delivery boat skipper. He is also a licensed Coast Guard captain. Long ago he learned... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT
Discovery Stage

9:30am PDT

Viking Age voyages - transatlantic encounters before Columbus

Saturday September 12, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT

Adventure Stage

Long before the famous voyages of the 15th century, Scandinavian sailors had established a reputation as intrepid navigators and explorers. These seafarers, which today we call Vikings, are most famous for their raids upon the churches and towns of western Europe, but this was only a small part of their adventures across the Atlantic Ocean. Recent research suggests a much wider extent of exploration and settlement than previously thought, with intriguing new evidence appearing across a vast expanse of the northern hemisphere. In this talk I will introduce some of the lesser known aspects of the Viking Age, including their key contributions to maritime technologies, and discuss some ongoing mysteries regarding potential Viking presence in the high Arctic, Spain, and the Azores.

Speakers

Greer Jarrett

Lund University

Greer Jarrett (Bristol, UK, 1992) is an archaeologist specialised in Viking Age navigation and seafaring. His research focuses on reconstructing Viking Age sailing routes using a combination of experimental archaeology and digital analyses. For his PhD (published in 2025), he undertook... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT
Adventure Stage

10:00am PDT

Plug in boats - Planning the conversation

Saturday September 12, 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 →

Saturday September 12, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Innovation Stage

10:00am PDT

Sailing 1877 barque Elissa - A Square-Rigged Primer

Saturday September 12, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT

Sail Stage

Master rigger and licensed captain Jamie White will give a presentation on “Sailing ELISSA – a Square Rig Primer.” He will speak about the dynamics of setting sail aboard and maneuvering the official tall ship of Texas, ELISSA, and how ships of the Age of Sail would have been similarly handled underway. The 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA is a three-masted riveted iron-hulled barque based in Galveston, Texas, and is one of only three such vessels in the world that still actively sails. As a barque, her rig features square-rigged sails on the fore and main masts, while the mizzen mast is fore-and-aft rigged.
Having worked in the traditional rigging and square-rig sail training industries since the early 1980s, Jamie has built an extensive knowledge and understanding of traditional sailing ships and their operational and restoration/maintenance and sail training requirements. Jamie sailed over 30,000 miles as bosun, mate, or master on many square-rigged & traditional vessels. Before he sailed aboard traditional boats and tall ships, he taught sailing aboard modern sailboats at one of the largest charter companies in Southern California.
If you have ever wondered how much more different and difficult tacking a square-rigger is than a modern sloop – this presentation should be of interest to you.

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 →

Saturday September 12, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Sail Stage

10:00am PDT

Sharpening - Chisels and Planes

Saturday September 12, 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.

Saturday September 12, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Boatyard

10:00am PDT

What's in the Water? Live Plankton Collection Demonstration

Saturday September 12, 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!

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 →

Saturday September 12, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Marine Science Stage

11:00am PDT

Building a Marine First Aid Kit: Improvised Versus Commercial

Saturday September 12, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Innovation Stage

Not all marine first aid kits are created equal. Case in point- take a look at a $50.00 "Offshore" kit. This lecture breaks down what belongs in a practical onboard medical kit — how to build them from scratch or customize a commercial kit. Learn how to match your kit to your cruising style, crew experience, and distance from help, with guidance on organization, essential supplies, and common gaps seen in commercially available kits.

Speakers

John Taussig

Maritime Medical Guides

John Taussig is a paramedic, maritime educator, and Executive Director of Backcountry Medical Guides and its seafaring division, Maritime Medical Guides, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on wilderness and marine medicine. With more than two decades of experience in prehospital... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Innovation Stage

11:00am PDT

Diving Into Kelp; the Forests of the Salish Sea

Saturday September 12, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Marine Science Stage

The southern Salish Sea is rich with kelp, hosting a diversity of species that form magnificent forests along our shorelines. In and amongst these forests, you can find seals and sea lions, orcas, salmon, rockfish, forage fish, crabs, snails, nudibranchs, and countless other species. Since time immemorial, kelp forests in the Salish Sea have provided cultural, ecological, and economic value to human communities. But our kelp forests are declining, with some areas of Puget Sound experiencing near total losses. Thankfully, there are collaborative efforts underway to conserve and restore these vital ecosystems. In this talk, we’ll introduce you to Salish Sea kelp forests, the changes that we’re observing, the efforts underway to save and restore the forests, and how you can get involved.

Speakers

Gray McKenna

Nearshore Habitat Program, Washington State Department of Natural Resources

Gray McKenna (they/them) is a marine ecologist, freediver, artist, and former tallship sailor. Gray has spent the last 6 years working on kelp forest research and recovery in Washington. As a scientist with Nearshore Habitat Program at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Marine Science Stage

11:00am PDT

Sail trim and handling

Saturday September 12, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Sail Stage

A detailed presentation on trimming your headsail and mainsail for a variety of conditions seen while cruising. Sailing terminology, the dynamics of light and heavy air sailing, primary and secondary trim tools, sail care, and the nuances of getting the most out of your sails will be covered.

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 →

Saturday September 12, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Sail Stage

11:00am PDT

Schooner Adventuress' fiber topmast rig

Saturday September 12, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Boatyard

Schooner Adventuress has topmasts again! In part due to our synthetic fiber topmast rig. The replacement of the galvanized wire with fiber removed approximately 180 lbs from her rig. This, in concert with the new hollow topmasts, has greatly improved her stability, and reclaimed her license to fly the tops'ls. Another precedent-setting standard with fiber rigging on inspected vessels.

Saturday September 12, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Boatyard

11:00am PDT

Bluewater cruising Why Wait?

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

Discovery Stage

Many sailors dream of casting off and leaving behind the things that keep them bound to familiar moorings. Only a small percentage of those who dream actually get to do it. Philip & Leslie recount the story of making their dream cruise happen, what they learned, special places visited, and who they met along the way.

Speakers

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 →

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 →

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

11:00am PDT

Catch a Rising Star! Celestial Noon Shot by Sextant

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

Technical Stage

Capt. Sanders of U.S. Maritime Academy will tackle and simplify the process of finding your latitude at noon by the use of Sextant. and the Sun. Following the presentation, he will conduct a real time noon shot (1pm local time) out on the wharf where participants will "find themselves" using provided sextant.

Speakers

Captain Jeff Sanders

U.S. Maritime Academy

Captain Jeffrey Sanders founded United States Maritime Academy in 1987 and has since trained over 5.000 thousand students for their Coast Guard Master Captain’s License. He was among the first instructors in the country certified to teach Coast Guard Approved License classes offering... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Technical Stage

11:00am PDT

Coast salish canoes & history of Tribal Journeys

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

Adventure Stage

From a wooden boat and waterborne perspective, Leslie will take her audience on a voyage of Native history, loss and into our recent tremendous renewal of Native Canoeing strength as communities gather and traveling on the local Salish Sea waters once again. From research in library and museum photo archives, early explorers journals and ethnographies; as well as from searching to find and then make lines drawings from older representative canoes; right into recording Native Elders' own stories and hearing of community needs; she will share how communities found old growth, learned to carve and steam the great cedar into transformed canoes as the old masters knew how to do. She'll present the excitement of "Bringing them canoes back" during the first PADDLE TO SEATTLE in 1989; and then a remarkable challenge for a 500 mile canoe pilgrimage ~ pulling all the waty up to Bella Bella, Canada. And then land this presentation, by moving it forward to the rich gatherings of more than 100 canoes and six thousand Native folks now as the Tribal Journeys have matured.

Speakers

Leslie Lincoln

A lifetime maritime, Leslie Lincoln lived, worked, studied and voyaged her sailboat in support of a Native Canoe Renaissance. Recording oral histories with the elders, documenting fine lines of the representative cedar canoe forms of our bigger coast and as an escort vessel to Bella... Read More →

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

11:00am PDT

Docking for 2 people, 1 line, Any Conditions, Full Control

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

Cruising Stage

Docking with dynamic springlines has become a lost art - with tragic results in marinas all around the world, not the least in the Pacific Northwest. Captain Phyllis Woolwine is leading a charge to bring these powerful skills & strategies back. Owner of Shearwater University - Maritime Education, “Captain Wooly” specializes in training boaters of all types to use springlines for maximum safety and boat control while leaving and returning to the dock - every time, in any conditions, with just two people. This seminar provides an overview on the physics of the core springline strategy we apply on all boats, every time, no matter the boat type or scenario.

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 →

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

12:00pm PDT

Bringing Back the "Oly" Collaboratively Restoring the Native Olympia Oyster

Saturday September 12, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT

Marine Science Stage

The west coast's only native oyster, the Olympia oyster, once formed large beds of millions of oysters in the Salish Sea. These populations crashed due to habitat loss, overharvest and water quality issues and are largely absent from their historic range. Today, these oysters are being back by tribes, non-profits, state agencies and Marine Resource Committees working together. I'll speak to our experience and success using several strategies to restore native oyster beds on the northeast Olympic Peninsula and in the larger Salish Sea.

Speakers

Neil Harrington

Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe

Neil Harrington is an Environmental Biologist with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. In his fourteen years with the Tribe his work has focused on harmful algal blooms, shellfish safety, native Olympia oyster restoration, invasive European green crabs, and outreach and education. Previous... Read More →

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

12:00pm PDT

Buying and selling a boat - a how to conversation

Saturday September 12, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT

Boatyard

Thinking about Buying or Selling a boat? We'll talk about the Buying and Selling Process, the Benefits of Working with a Yacht Broker, How to Prepare your Vessel for Sale and How to Buy the Right Boat for You!

Speakers

Rob Sanderson

Port Townsend Boat Company

Rob Sanderson is a 100-ton USCG Captain, ASA and US Sailing Instructor and has lived in Port Townsend for over 20 years and worked in the maritime industry for over 30 years. In 2018 he started the Port Townsend Boat Company which is now one of the top rated Yacht Brokerages on the... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT
Boatyard

12:00pm PDT

Rigging for Hollywood

Saturday September 12, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT

Sail Stage

How I ended up working for the film production business making traditional rigging, and how that rigging compares with the real thing! Anecdotes of some of the crazy sets and people involved!

Speakers

Courtney Andersen

Courtney Andersen was born in Minnesota of good Viking heritage. Water has always been in his blood: first the small and Great Lakes, then travels following the Mississippi in the wake of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. As a child his family moved down to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi... Read More →

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

12:00pm PDT

The Joys and Challenges of owning a Wooden Boat

Saturday September 12, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT

Innovation Stage

How might we best support and provide long-term stewardship to our wonderfully disparate wooden boats and the skills it takes to preserve and maintain them? The Dolphin Swimming & Boating Foundation has a way with the renowned Dolphin wooden rowboat fleet that plies the San Francisco Bay waters daily; San Francisco Master Mariners is an organization whose members are the boats, individually-owned wooden sailboats ,largely built before December 1941 and whose main events are the annual Memorial Day Regatta and the mid-June Wooden Boat Show at the Corinthian Yacht Club. Diane, who serves as President of the Dolphin Foundation and Membership Director of the Master Mariners, will regale us with how they're doing what they do and the challenges they are facing, and asks that you bring what you're doing so we can get better, together, at this extraordinary, complex, time-sensitive, quirky, highly-rewarding work.

Speakers

Diane Walton

Dolphin Swimming & Boating Foundation

Diane Walton, President of the Dolphin Swimming & Boating Foundation, and Membership Director of the San Francisco Master Mariners, keeps two wooden sailboats at the Berkeley Marina — Gerda, a 25' Spitzgatter built in the late 30's by the grace of Auge Uzon, and a 38' Ingrid... Read More →

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

12:30pm PDT

Around the World in a Shoebox, what it's like to circumnavigate solo on a small home-made-boat

Saturday September 12, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT

Adventure Stage

It would be a slideshow presentation featuring descriptions of the class event, what it was like to build the boat myself, launching and sailing across the Atlantic to Antigua, the event itself and what it took mentally and physically to complete a circumnavigation on such a small vessel, systems, design and outfitting, as well as anecdotes from the high seas, followed by Q&A

Speakers

Josh Kali

Josh Kali Ocean Racing

Hello, I am Josh Kali of Josh Kali Ocean Racing. In March of 2025 I became the first American to sail solo around the world on a boat under 20ft, by completing the first ever Mcintyre Mini Globe Race. I built my boat ‘Skookum’ myself from plywood and timber finished in fiberglass... Read More →

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

12:30pm PDT

Chasing light on the water tips & tricks

Saturday September 12, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT

Discovery Stage

Jeff Eichen has spent decades photographing wooden boats on Puget Sound. In this workshop, he'll show you how to work with natural light on the water, compose for motion and mood, and capture the craftsmanship that makes these boats extraordinary and the digital darkroom as well. All skill levels welcome. enjoy Jeff's Photography Tips and Tricks.

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 →

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

12:30pm PDT

Sailing through life

Saturday September 12, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT

Technical Stage

Power point presentation exploring 60 years of boatbuilding, sailing

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 →

Saturday September 12, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Technical Stage

12:30pm PDT

Yacht Designer Panel

Saturday September 12, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm PDT

Cruising Stage

Every boat begins as an idea.
Join a conversation with yacht designers as they explore the balance between beauty, seaworthiness, performance, and practicality in designing boats for real people and real waters. From traditional wooden craft to modern interpretations, this panel offers insight into the thinking, creativity, and experience that shape the boats we admire — and the lives built around them.
What makes a boat feel “right” on the water? Come find out.

Speakers

Sam Devlin

Devlin Designing Boatbuilders

Sam Devlin has been in business as a boat designer and builder for 45 years and is widely regarded as one of the world's leading designers of Stitch-and-Glue boats. His design catalog includes more than 100 pleasure and commercial watercraft from a 6'6" dinghy to a 62' blue water... Read More →

John Harris

Chesapeake Light Craft

John C. Harris designed and built his first boat, a rowing shell, at age 14. John is celebrating his 30th year at Chesapeake Light Craft. As CLC's owner he's designed some of the most popular wooden boats in the world, and shipped more than 50,000 build-your-own-boat kits. His interests... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm PDT
Cruising Stage

1:00pm PDT

Bottom Paint Types with Comparative Analysis

Saturday September 12, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Boatyard

Join a SEA Marine Bottom Paint Expert in an interactive Bottom Paint presentation, likely to include a boat-yard walk! Presentation will include standard preparation with a review of types of bottom paint and comparative performance of each.

Speakers

SEA Marine

SEA Marine of Port Townsend, Washington is a full-service boatyard, providing recreational and working boat owners with a full spectrum of services for outfitting and maintaining motor and sailing vessels. Our dedicated staff handles a broad range of services including bottom paint... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Boatyard

1:00pm PDT

Designing a Solar Boat

Saturday September 12, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Innovation Stage

A voyage through the process of designing a small long range micro-cruiser.

Speakers

Joe Grez

PropEle Electric Boat Motors I

Saturday September 12, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Innovation Stage

1:00pm PDT

Sail Survey and Repair

Saturday September 12, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Sail Stage

Alison will demonstrate surveying cruising sails, what to look for, how to determine their working condition, and then give an overview of reinforcing said sails for offshore cruising. Sailing terminology, parts of the sail, sail making tools, and techniques will be covered.

Speakers

Alison Wood

Port Townsend Sails

Alison grew up sailing the Intercoastal waterways of the Southeast. She was part of an all female crew to deliver an Irwin 43 from Key West to Annapolis for the famous Tanya Abei. She completed an apprenticeship with Brion Toss Yacht Riggers before joining the crew of Port Townsend... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Sail Stage

1:00pm PDT

Tsunamis in Washington: It Keeps Happening

Saturday September 12, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Marine Science Stage

Three thousand years of tsunamis—hidden in the mud. Buried sand layers at Discovery Bay reveal when these waves struck, how big they were, and clues to where they came from. Understanding this history helps us prepare for the next tsunami in Washington.

Speakers

Dr. Carrie Garrison-Laney

Washington Sea Grant

Dr. Carrie Garrison-Laney spends an unusual amount of time digging in mud and getting excited about sand in places it definitely shouldn’t be. She reads layers of sediment the way others read novels—except the plot involves catastrophic waves, coastal chaos, and the occasional... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Marine Science Stage

2:00pm PDT

Medicine at Sea — 5 Things Every Sailor Should Know

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Innovation Stage

When emergencies happen on the water, simple principles often matter more than complicated techniques. This session focuses on five key concepts that improve outcomes during onboard medical situations, including patient assessment, early recognition of serious problems, stabilization, communication, and decision-making under pressure.

Speakers

John Taussig

Maritime Medical Guides

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Innovation Stage

2:00pm PDT

Science at the Leading Edge of the European Green Crab Invasion

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Marine Science Stage

The early detection of European green crab in Washington has provided extremely rare opportunities that are not often available in the management of biological invasions. In addition to offering the best chance for effectively slowing the spread and impact of a worldwide invasive species, tracking the leading edge of green crab expansion has also presented a broad horizon for high-impact scientific research questions that can directly inform management action. This talk will highlight some of the Crab Team collaborations over the last decade that have illuminated the process of the invasion, potential impacts, and even potentially offer opportunities for new technological intervention strategies.

Speakers

Emily Grason

Washington Sea Grant

Emily Grason is a marine ecologist and Principal Arm Waver at Washington Sea Grant, in Seattle, WA. Since 2014, she has led Crab Team, a comprehensive program focused on supporting statewide efforts to manage the invasion of European green crab, one of the world’s most damaging... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Marine Science Stage

2:00pm PDT

In the wake of Vikings - Reconstructing seafaring routes through traditional practice

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Adventure Stage

The Viking Age (800-1050 AD) was a period of maritime expansion and transformation, shaping the lives of coastal communities from the Caspian Sea to Newfoundland. Explorers, fisherfolk, raiders, traders, and settlers travelled incredible distances over some of the most dangerous seas on earth, often multiple times within individual lifetimes. Although archaeological, linguistic, and genetic evidence provides us with the origin and destination points of these voyages, we know very little about what happened on the sea: what sailing and navigation techniques were used? What routes were followed? And why were the Vikings such successful seafarers?In this talk I will try to answer these questions by drawing on the results of my doctoral research project, in which I reconstructed Viking Age seafaring routes by conducting experimental voyages throughout Scandinavia onboard traditional Norwegian clinker boats. These voyages also helped establish the seafaring capabilities of the Vikings, allowing us to make more informed judgements about the geographical extent of their travels, and identify potential areas for future archaeological excavations. Finally, my research evaluated the relationships between indigenous North Americans and Viking settlers in and around Greenland, where the common pursuit of key resources led to cross-cultural tensions, just as it does today.

Speakers

Greer Jarrett

Lund University

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Adventure Stage

2:00pm PDT

Reefing in 5 min

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Technical Stage

When your sailboat is struggling to stay on her feet and sail to weather efficiently do you wonder if you should have put in a reef?The solution is a quick and easy reefing process.This seminar demystifies common hurtles to reefing. If you can reef quickly you will be more inclined to reef early and often. Conversely shaking out the reef is a piece of cake

Speakers

Lisa Vizzini

Port Townsend Rigging, Inc

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Technical Stage

2:00pm PDT

The Way Boats Build Us: A Journey of Resilience and Finding Home

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Discovery Stage

Embark on a personal journey exploring the how spirit of courage and endurance is passed down through generations of women. This presentation follows an immigrant family shaped by the sea, illustrating how the strength and determination of women on the water continue to ripple forward. From a rural village river in Vietnam to the icy waters of the Northwest Passage, this is a story of searching for home and how resilience, heritage, and the ocean itself can transform a family’s legacy.

Speakers

Sandy Lam

Sandy is a Pacific Northwest sailor who continues to find inspiration and purpose on the water. As a first-generation Asian American, she has charted her own path, shaped by curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to say yes to the unknown. Though she didn’t discover sailing until... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Discovery Stage

2:00pm PDT

Varnishing tips and Tricks

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Boatyard

I will be discussing products, tools, strategies and answering questions to help you learn how to apply your varnish and keep it maintained with efficiency and minimalize problems and intimidations about doing it.

Speakers

Joni Blanchard

Leatherwood Finishing Company

Joni Blanchard has been varnishing boats in and around Port Townsend for 37 years. 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... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Boatyard

2:30pm PDT

Spar Makers Panel

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm PDT

Cruising Stage

Moderated by Ernie Baird,
Brad Seamans, Pete Stein, Daniel Hawkins
Wood spars are at the heart of traditional sailing craft — shaping the way a boat moves, balances, and feels at sea. But what exactly goes into designing and building a wooden mast or spar?
Join a conversation with experienced spar makers as they explore the art, engineering, materials, and traditions behind these beautiful and highly functional structures. From selecting wood to shaping spars for vessels that sail everywhere from local waters to Cape Horn, this discussion offers a rare glimpse into a craft still actively practiced here in Port Townsend.

Saturday September 12, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm PDT
Cruising Stage

3:00pm PDT

Exploring Life in Puget Sound's Hidden Depths

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Marine Science Stage

Much of Puget Sound lies beyond the shallow waters we see from shore. Beneath the surface is a largely hidden world of complex reefs, soft sediments, and the fish and invertebrates that live there. This talk offers a look into these deeper waters through underwater video from remotely operated vehicle (ROV) surveys and insights from WDFW's long-term monitoring efforts. With a focus on fish populations, it highlights species that are rarely seen, shares stories of population decline and ongoing recovery efforts, and explores what they can tell us about the health of Puget Sound’s deepest ecosystems.

Speakers

Kathryn Meyer

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Kathryn Meyer is a senior research scientist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, where she leads the Puget Sound Groundfish Program. Her work focuses on studying the marine fish communities of Puget Sound using tools like remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and other... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Marine Science Stage

3:00pm PDT

How a marine surveyor inspects a wooden boat

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Boatbuilding Stage

Hauling a wood boat and repair procedures - plank replacement, fasteners, caulking, repair and installing new framing both steam bent and sawn frames and correct diesel engine installation - using posters with hand -drawings from my book 'The Art Of Wooden Boat Repair-How To Save Wood Boats" in print for 41 years.

Speakers

Allen Taube

Marine surveyor/shipwright

Architecture graduate from Rhode Island School of Design and MIT. Professional shipwright.
NAMS/GLOBAL Marine Surveyor for 30 years. A wooden schooner captain/sailor/owner for 50 years. He wrote and illustrated "The Boatwright's Companion" and "The Art of Wooden Boat Repair-How to Save Wood Boats" which has been in continuous print for 41 years, as well as many features... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Boatbuilding Stage

3:00pm PDT

Copper-Free Bottom Paint: Regulations, Reality, and What’s Next

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm 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

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Innovation Stage

3:30pm PDT

Haida Sails Resurgence Project

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:30pm - 5:30pm PDT

Adventure Stage

Sharing about the last year of learnings about woven sailmaking, the completion of the first sail and how it performed on the 33ft canoe. Sharing an update on the beginning process of the great voyaging canoe.

Speakers

Jaad Tl'aaw, Paula Varnell

Haida Sails Resurgence Project

Jaad Tl'aaw, Paula Varnell belongs to the G̱aw Git'ans Gitnee, Masset Inlet eagle clan, on Haida Gwaii – homeland to the Haida Nation, this archipelago is 90 nautical miles off the coast of British Columbia, and 27 nautical miles from traditional Haida territory along the coast... Read More →

K’ujuuhl, Evelyn Vanderhoop

Haida Sails Resurgence Project

Evelyn belongs to the G̱aw Gitanee clan of Old Massett. She is a master weaver specializing in Northern Northwest Coast textiles of Naaxiin (Chilkat) and Ravenstail weaving. A daughter of Ilskyalas Delores Churchill and granddaughter of Ilst’ayaa Selina Peratrovich, Evelyn continues a powerful lineage of Haida weavers dedicated to the revitalization and preservation of ancestral arts. Throughout her career, Evelyn has been committed to teaching Naaxiin and Ravenstail weaving, generously passing on her skills to future generations. She has... Read More →

Ḵayd Guudang, Jaalen Edenshaw

Haida Sails Resurgence Project

Jaalen is a Haida artist from the Ḵayahl ‘Laanas Clan, renowned for his monumental red cedar carvings, design work, and dedication to cultural resurgence. Mentored by master carvers Guujaaw and James Hart, Jaalen developed a deep understanding of Haida formline and traditional... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
Adventure Stage

3:30pm PDT

Intro to Memoir writing

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:30pm - 5:30pm PDT

Discovery Stage

Join marine mammal biologist, boater, and author Beth Ann Mathews for a dynamic presentation on turning life at sea into compelling personal stories. We all know how even the best laid plans for long-term expeditions at sea can lead to exciting adventures, formative challenges, and personal revelations and reckonings worth sharing. Beth draws on her journey from associate professor of biology at the University of Alaska in Juneau and field research biologist in Glacier Bay, Alaska—teaching, publishing scientific papers, being a mother, and sailing with her husband for three decades—to writing Deep Waters, her award-winning memoir with over 200 reviews.
Her upcoming memoir (2027) has been described as a “candid reckoning with choices the author never imagined she would make—one that resonates with readers who value honesty, vulnerability, and the search for meaning when life diverges from our ideals, while also exploring how we build lasting human connections.”
Beth’s presentation will explore how to capture and revitalize memories, tap the power of vulnerability in storytelling, and offer practical tips for getting started. Attendees will receive a resource list for taking their work to the next level, along with guidance on creating or finding a memoir-writing critique group.This session is for boaters who want to write personal stories for family and friends—or for publication.

Speakers

Beth Ann Mathews

She Writes Press

Marine biologist Beth Ann Mathews is the author of the award-winning memoir Deep Waters: A Memoir of Loss, Alaska Adventure, and Love Rekindled (She Writes Press), a story of relationship and family resilience tested—and strengthened—through boating after her husband’s medical... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
Discovery Stage

4:00pm PDT

Humpback Whales of the Salish Sea

Saturday September 12, 2026 4:00pm - 4:45pm PDT

Marine Science Stage

A century ago, humpback whales were nearly lost from the Salish Sea forever. Fortunately, decades of protection have resulted in a "humpback comeback", with hundreds of humpbacks now visiting the region each year. We'll take a deep dive into humpback whale behavior, diet, culture, and more. We'll also discuss how you can contribute as a community scientist, and ensure humpbacks never disappear from the Salish Sea again.

Speakers

Erin Gless

Pacific Whale Watch Association

Erin Gless is the executive director for the Pacific Whale Watch Association, a community of ecotourism professionals dedicated to education, conservation, and responsible wildlife viewing in British Columbia and Washington state. She holds a BS in Biology with Marine Emphasis from... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 4:00pm - 4:45pm PDT
Marine Science Stage

4:00pm PDT

Tips for a dry boat

Saturday September 12, 2026 4:00pm - 4:45pm PDT

Innovation Stage

The presentation will feature ideas on keeping your boat dry, as well as other tricks we have learned living aboard our boat. You will learn fun facts and easy logical ways to keep your boat clean and dry as well as other fun facts.

Speakers

Chuck Laguna

AVD PLus/H2out

Chuck is the owner of AVD Plus/H2out. Chuck has been boating for years in the Pacific NW, and lived aboard "Hydrotherapy" for years. Living aboard gives you a totally different outlook on boating compared to the weekend boater.

Chuck will share tips on keeping your boat dry, and other interesting tidbits he picked up living abord his boat. Chuck will also share a video from Practical Sailor that shares 3 tips for a dry boat... Read More →

Saturday September 12, 2026 4:00pm - 4:45pm PDT
Innovation Stage

4:30pm PDT

Spars Rigging and Sails- working together

Saturday September 12, 2026 4:30pm - 6:00pm PDT

Cruising Stage

Moderated by Allison Woods
Megan Hudson, Mark Shiner, Chance Bates, Justin Lathrop, Ossian Smith, Bruce Tipton

A sailing rig only works when every piece works together.
Sails, rigging, and spars are deeply interconnected — each affecting how a boat performs, balances, handles, and endures at sea. It’s far more complex than simply ordering a sail or stepping a mast. Sail shape influences rig loads, rigging affects sail trim, spars bend and flex under pressure, and every detail must work in harmony.
Join working sailmakers, riggers, and spar makers for a fascinating conversation about the collaboration, craftsmanship, and problem-solving required to bring a successful sailing rig to life — from traditional wooden boats to modern voyaging vessels.

Speakers

Alison Wood

Port Townsend Sails

Saturday September 12, 2026 4:30pm - 6:00pm PDT
Cruising Stage

6:00pm PDT

Pete Seeger Sing-Along

Saturday September 12, 2026 6:00pm - 8:00pm PDT

Adventure Stage

The Pete Seeger Sing-Along returns to the Festival for the 4th time. Pete was a wooden boat guy, so we decided the Wooden Boat Festival would be a good place to sing his timeless songs. Each year we fill the room with song and life, where every voice is welcome, lyrics are provided, and the spirit of Pete Seeger fills our souls. Songs are led by Tom Shindler and other Peninsula Musicians, but all of you are the real stars.

Speakers

Tom Shindler

Saturday September 12, 2026 6:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
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