New in 2024: A Major SMALL BOAT FESTIVAL
Bring Your Boat or Just Bring Yourself: July 26-27 in the Salish Sea
Ever since the start of Covid a lot of small-boat events have been cancelled, downsized or otherwise compromised in terms of participation. Even in 2023, when we anticipated a return of energy and enthusiasm for shows and small-boat cruising events, many were beached with Covid jitters.
The world has clearly changed since 2020, but we propose, right now, that in 2024 we need to get back on the water—locally, across state lines to favorite cruising grounds, or farther afield if necessary to reconnect with other small-boat skippers, get reenergized and start having fun again.
Our regional group, the Northwest Pocket Yachters, is trying to help by organizing the all-new Pacific Northwest SMALL BOAT FESTIVAL, a major event that’ll showcase 75 outstanding small boats in the water and an additional 25-30 on dry land. The dates are July 26-27 at Port Ludlow Marina, one of the Northwest’s finest venues for boat rendezvous and other watery gatherings.
Port Ludlow Marina is on beautiful Port Ludlow Bay, 13 nautical miles south of Port Townsend. With terrific views of the Olympic Mountain range, and protected waters, the bay is perfect for a small-boat gathering—and as a bonus, organizers of the first-ever SMALL BOAT FESTIVAL have secured virtually all guest-moorage slips in the marina, assuring that we’ll be able to display a wide range of small-boat designs along one contiguous dock, and in one upland area close to the boats that are in the water.
During the SBF, participants with in-the-water boats will be free to row, sail, paddle, pedal or motor their boats around the bay…offering rides if they wish, or having their boats photographed for a video documentary by Off Center Harbor, the Maine-based production company.
Even though nearby Port Townsend hosts its big annual Wooden Boat Festival, the SMALL BOAT FESTIVAL will absolutely not be limited to wooden boats. (Focus of the event will be on attractive and functional designs, so we expect a lot of older fiberglass production sailboats, along with homebuilt wooden watercraft. Everything from SCAMPs to slippery full-keel classics; and from rowing, paddling, pedaling and engine-powered boats to SUP’s, canoes, custom kayaks and other small watercraft.)
We’re already planning for a few areas of special focus: Electric small craft and human-powered small boats, so there will be areas set aside for those boats and some presentations made on subjects like the increasing practicality of electric power; comparisons between rowing, paddling and pedal-powered small craft; and tips on how to get beyond day use and start camp-cruising your smaller boat.
Boats will arrive at Port Ludlow on Friday, July 26, and the SBF will take place all day on Saturday the 27th, with the public invited to attend between the hours of 10 and 6. Registered skippers and their crews will enjoy dinner in the marina’s huge Pavilion tent Saturday evening, along with terrific raffle prizes and visits from some luminaries in the world of small boats.
Registration forms will be released in the coming week. If you would like to receive one of the first complete registration packets via email, please contact me ASAP at shallowdraftmarty@gmail.com (We expect this event will fill up, so make your plans soon!)
Launching trailer boats isn’t possible inside Port Ludlow Bay, but there are a number of ramps in the area—the best being the paved all-tides ramp at Port Townsend’s Boat Haven Marina. Boats can also be launched at smaller ramps next to the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding in Port Hadlock (7.2 nautical miles north of Port Ludlow), or the Mats Mats Bay ramp (4 nautical miles to the north). Overnight parking of tow rigs and boat trailers is very limited at Port Hadlock and Mats Mats Bay, and no empty boat trailers can be parked at Port Ludlow Marina, so the best bet might be launching in Port Townsend and cruising south to Port Ludlow on Friday…or even turning the transit into a slightly longer mini-cruise by—(just for instance)—launching in Port Townsend on July 24, overnighting in Mystery Bay on nearby Marrowstone Island that night, then Mats Mats Bay the second night (Thursday the 25th), before arriving at the SMALL BOAT FESTIVAL venue by Friday afternoon, July 26.
(We’ll have a lot more logistical details in coming weeks, including trailer-parking options, to share with those who register.)
Registration fee for the two-day festival will be $75, including in-the-water moorage or dry-land display, and the Saturday evening dinner. Check-out from SBF moorage slips will be noon on Sunday, unless individual boat owners wish to stay longer, paying regular guest-slip rates to extend their stay. If skippers wish to display an additional boat, either in the water or on land, a reduced $50 fee will apply for the second small boat registered.
The SBF is supported by a host of co-sponsors, including the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, Duckworks Boat Builder’s Supply, Port Ludlow Marina, Gig Harbor Boat Works, Small Craft Advisor, Glen-L Boat Plans, Off Center Harbor and others to be named in coming weeks.
We’re expecting the event will showcase small boats from western states and Canada’s British Columbia…along with some boats that are trailered greater distances to join in the fun. (Yes, there will be a prize for Boater From the Farthest Home Port.)
Finally, we scheduled this new event so that some skippers taking part in the annual Salish 100 small-boat cruise (Olympia to Port Townsend, July 18-25), might be able to finish that cruise and then row/sail/motor to Port Ludlow for the weekend SMALL BOAT FESTIVAL July 26-27. (Just to be clear, the Pocket Yachters’ SMALL BOAT FESTIVAL is not related to or an extension of the Salish 100—an event we started and organized in 2019, but turned over to our friends at the Northwest Maritime Center in 2020. So you can’t register for both events in one place or with one form.)
We’re excited about what promises to be the largest-ever boat show focused exclusively on small craft in North America, and we hope you can attend—with a boat, but if not, certainly as a happy dock walker. It’ll be a terrific opportunity to see all various boat designs; to meet other skippers, share information and rekindle some of the excitement we all shared before Covid put a damper on such gatherings.
Again, if you want more information or you think you might like to register, please email me, Marty Loken, at shallowdraftmarty@gmail.com
When registration forms are available, we’ll include a link to them here, but you can secure a spot just by emailing me this week, describing the boat you’d like to display, and if your preference might be in the water, or on land.
We look forward to seeing you in Port Ludow this July!
I'm planning on attending! What a great idea!
Great idea, and the timing after the Salish 100 is excellent. I'm planning on it too!