PORT TOWNSEND – The 31st annual Wooden Boat Festival continues today at Hudson Point Marina at the end of Water Street.
Both large and small wooden boats are crowding the waters of Port Townsend Bay, including the state’s own tall ship, Lady Washington, the tall ship Hawaiian Chieftain, the 135-foot environmental education schooner Adventuress, operated by Sound Experience, and the schooner Martha.
A sail-by of all the festival boats is planned at 3 p.m. today.
The festival will open today at 9 a.m. and continue until 5 p.m.
A new Boatyard Stage demonstration area has been added. It will have five wooden boat examples and the public will be invited to “Ask a Shipwright” questions, from the simple to complex.
The boats on display will illustrate strip, carvel and lapstrake construction, for example.
Wooden boat schools, marine trades training programs and government education organizations from across the country are represented at the festival.
Displays are to be set up by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Coast Guard – which is celebrating its 200th anniversary – the Youth Maritime Training Association and Washington State Shellfish programs.
About half of the exhibitors are located outside the main gate in the free education area. The rest are inside the gate.
Musical performances today will include:
11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.: Joe Euro, playing solo guitar.
Noon to 12:50 p.m.: The Cutters, performing folk songs.
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.: Tania Opland, playing acoustic music.
2 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.: Dwyer Family Band, playing a blend of bluegrass, dawg, old-time and blues.
3 p.m. to 3:50 p.m.: Whateverly Band, performing maritime music.