Join the Pocket Yachters and fellow boating enthusiasts at Port Ludlow Marina July 26-27 to celebrate small craft—from sailboats to rowboats and more.

The Pacific Northwest Small Boat Festival (SBF) will showcase 75 small boats in the water and an additional 25-30 on land. With terrific views of the Olympic Mountain range, and protected waters, Port Ludlow is ideal for small boat gatherings. As a bonus, SBF organizers have secured virtually all guest moorage slips in the marina, assuring that they’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.

Organizers are 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.

The SBF is open to wood and fiberglass, and the focus of the event will be on attractive and functional designs. They 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.

Boats will arrive at Port Ludlow on Friday, July 26, and the SBF will take place all day on Saturday the 27, with the public invited to attend between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Registered skippers and their crews will enjoy dinner in the marina’s pavilion tent Saturday evening, along with raffle prizes and visits from some luminaries in the world of small boats.

If you have a small boat and want to join the festival, fill out the registration form and the organizing committee will get in touch with you to work out final details.