Published bimonthly for The Center for Wooden Boats 1010
Valley
Street
Seattle, WA 98109
Volume XVII Number 4 November, 1996 ISSN 0734-0680 1992, CWB
BOAT FEST 96 Twenty years of Boat Festivals! People who came to the first ones as toddlers are now bringing their toddlers. The first show was an experiment. Fresh as paint out of the can. The spirit of spontaneity was still there in '96. The visitors and volunteers all told me so. They found at least one bright moment that was so intense that they had to tell me about it. There were boats all around them, over 100, but it was the activities connected with the boats and the people connected with the activities that created the buoyant mood. One could paddle an umiak, sail an 18th century longboat, attend Steve Philipp's show and tell of Salish Maritime skills, watch Lee Ehrheart caulk, get tips on tool sharpening from Steve Osborn, half models from Don Knappett, laminating from Art Thomas; go for steamboat rides on CWB's Puffin, learn oar and spar making from Rich Kolin, outboard motor care from Mike Oswald, how to buy a wooden boat; watch the Quick and Daring boatbuilders, the kid's toy boat building; listen to mellow picking and strumming music, the pokata-pokata of antique engines.
The technical expertise and blinding bright finish of Swiss boat builder. Art Kleiners's canoes; Diana Talley of Port Townsend, crying with joy when she received the first place award for the Ed Clark Yacht Race in her Kettenberg 38' Scandia; The Garden designed 16' tug Thug (perfect name!) with 2 cylinder Easthope make and break engine thump thumping visitors around the lake; The gaff rigged Friendship Sloop Amie crossing tacks with the dipping lug longboat Hewitt R. Jackson, passengers beaming with pleasure.
The Festival was a happy place. Blue skies and warm air helped, but the volunteers upbeat attitude give the Festival its panache. Volunteers scurried over the spread-out Festival grounds handling the set-up, parking, merchandise sales, toy boatbuilding, water taxis, gate donations, music, ice cream, beer and Sunday morning breakfast. Key volunteers managed special areas. Trip Zabriskie organized toy Boatbuilding, the Beer Tent, the Talent Show and the Exhibitors and Volunteers Dinner. Our First Aid tent was stocked and manned by Fire Department EMT's Milt Footer and Rob Vargas. Jim Nason recruited and scheduled the musicians. Judy Schwan solicited food donations for the Friday Exhibitors and Volunteers Dinner. The exhibit of C W B ' s history was designed and setup by Bev Marshall.
Some watched Brion Toss demystify double braiding. Some took sails in CWB's Blanchard Jr. Knockabout. For a while on Sunday it was skippered by 85 year old Norm Blanchard, the boats designer and builder. Talk about luck! Some had a chat with 101 year old Capt. Adrian Raynaud skipper of some of the last commercial sailing vessels. If you wanted expert advice, the Boat Festival was the right place to be. Advice from builders, designers, sailors, supplies of wood, gear, paints and adhesives were there. Even the source of sources: the Seattle Public Library. My snapshot memories; The teenagers from Sound Opportunities proudly rowing their student-built 23' dories, Patience and Spirit, to the show. A 4 day passage from Olympia. The Quick and Daring boat Ex/Siding, by Don Henderson and Jim Hendrickson. Clever in design, elegant in appearance and lightening quick by paddle and sail.
The support of our local business was a key factor in the Festival's success. Our Corporate sponsors were KMT, The Mountain, who gave us mountains of pre-show publicity, REI, who sponsored the always endearing Toy Boat Workshop, Hale's Ales and the United State Naval Reserve Readiness Center.
Neil and Darlene Allen hustled food donations for the Sunday Breakfast and cooked it too! Dan Boren was the piper who woke us all up for the breakfast. The Ed Clark Yacht Race was organized by Vern Velez. The trash was removed with alacrity by Bud Ricketts. Chuck Edwards supervised the Water Taxis. Caren Crandell manned the Southlake Lighthouse where people were enlightened about CWB and Boat Festival happenings. Favorite boats were chosen by the public through ballots. The best sailboat under 25' was Peach Phuz, a 3 Meter trimaran designed and built by John Marples. This peachy vessel is owned by Robert Kukuk. The people's choice for best Sailing vessel over 25' was the 1913 Schooner Adventuress, designed by Crowninshield and owned by Sound Experience. At ease, sailor. Photo by J.B.H. Smith.
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