Learn. Try. Build.

Presentations to level up your seamanship, craftsmanship, and offshore readiness at Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival.

The Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival is more than just beautiful boats—it’s a world-class gathering of maritime minds. This is your chance to learn from the best, with hands-on skill-building opportunities and expert instruction in everything from traditional craft to cutting-edge seamanship, navigation, and emergency prep.

Whether you’re dreaming of an offshore adventure or just want to get more confident on the water, there’s something for every curious mariner.

Sharpen Your Seamanship

Master the essentials with classes and presentations taught by pros from Starpath School of Navigation, Shearwater University, US Maritime Academy, and more.

• Understanding tides, currents, & charting
  • Tides & Currents: Science and Survival, Saturday, 9:30 AM, Technical Stage
  • Charting: Electronic and Paper Best Practices, Friday, 10:15 AM, Cruising Stage
• Marine weather
  • Marine Weather in the Digital Age, Friday, 12:30 PM, Discovery Stage
  • Marine Weather in the Pacific Northwest, Sunday, 9:30 AM, Adventure Stage
• Docking techniques
  • Docking: Two people, One line, Full Control, Friday, 2:45 PM, Adventure Stage
• Celestial Navigation
  • Celestial Navigation with a Noon sunshot!, Friday, 11 AM, Innovation Stage

 Offshore Prep 

Get ready to go beyond the breakwater with expert tips on offshore medical prep, rigging, and trip planning—from Backcountry / Maritime Medical Guides, Port Townsend Rigging, Port Townsend Sails, and more.

• Emergency and remote medical skills 
  • Injuries, Illness, and Decision-making: When to Treat, When to Evacuate, Saturday, 3 PM, Innovation Stage
  • Five Things Everyone Should Know Before Leaving Port, Saturday, 12 PM, Innovation State
  • Advanced Medical Prep: the Role of Telehealth, Equipment, and Prescription Medicines, Sunday, 11 AM, Innovation Stage
• Rigging & Sails
  • Prepare Your Boat for Offshore, Saturday, 12:30 PM, Discovery Stage
  • Reefing in Five Minutes or Less, Saturday, 3:30 PM, Discovery Stage
  • Bluewater Sail Inventory, Friday, 9:30 AM, Discovery Stage
  • Sail Trim & Handling, Friday, 3:30 PM, Discovery Stage
• Trip planning, gear checks, and more
  • Your First Trip to Alaska Demystified, Sunday, 11 AM, Adventure Stage

Hands-On Craft & Boatbuilding

Get your hands on the craft of boatbuilding with demos and workshops in traditional ropemaking, carving, joinery, and more—featuring experts from Hardanger Fartøyvernsenter (Norway), Northwest School of Wooden BoatBuilding, Port Townsend School of Woodworking, and more!

• Traditional Skills
  • Learn Traditional Ropemaking, all weekend long at the Ropemaking tent!
• Woodworking
  • Turning for Boats: Mallets, Belaying Pins, and More, Friday, 11 AM, Boat Yard Stage
  • Spiling for Carvel Planking, Friday, 10 AM, Boatbuilding Stage
• Joinery
  • Chopping Rabbets, Saturday, 10 AM, Boatbuilding Stage
  • All About Dovetails, Friday, 2:30 PM, Boat Yard Stage

Tune up your Mechanical Skills

Level up your mechanical know-how with hands-on sessions in diesel and outboard troubleshooting, marine electrical systems, and lithium battery setups.

• Engine Maintenance & Troubleshooting
  • Diesel Engine Troubleshooting, Friday, 11 AM, Boatbuilding Stage
  • Outboard Maintenance & Troubleshooting, Friday 12 PM & Sunday 10 AM, Boatbuilding Stage
  • Engine Troubleshooting, Saturday, 2 PM, Boatbuilding Stage
• Electrical Systems
  • Intro to Marine Electrical, Saturday, 11 AM, Boatbuilding Stage
  • Lithium Batteries & High Energy DC Systems, Friday, 2 PM, Boatbuilding Stage 

Come ready to learn, get your hands dirty, and walk away with new skills, tools, and confidence. Don’t just attend. Immerse.