Small-Boat Gatherings

With smells of spring sailing in on the floral breeze, it’s time to brush off the sawdust and start thinking about which of the many wonderful small-boat events you’ll want to attend this year. It hardly matters where you call home—there are great little-boat gatherings all over the planet. The Everglades Challenge just ended, but here are few other especially fun events on the horizon:

Cedar Key Florida’s small boat meet is May 6-8. Contact Hugh at huhorton@gmail.com.

Want to sail Scotland? Sail Caledonia is May 28 to June 4.

The Texas 200 sets off from the windy shallows along the Texas coast June 13-18.

John Goodman’s custom Puddle Duck at the Texas 200

Festivities including the Pocket Yacht Palooza and the associated cruise Palooza Crooza begin in Port Townsend, Washington on June 11th.

Boat gathered at the start of the Pocket Yacht Palooza

And the thrilling and challenging Race to Alaska leaves Port Townsend for Ketchikan Alaska on June 22nd.

Tired but jubilant R2AK racers arrive in Ketchikan.

For a more complete list of small-boat events, see the next issue of Small Craft Advisor.

If you’re looking to build a boat so that you can join-in all the fun, consider the upcoming RowCruiser Workshop in Port Townsend in October, or the SCAMP Camp events around the country.

The Colin-Angus-designed RowCruiser—a sleep-aboard rowing boat that can also be converted to a sailing boat.

A gathering of SCAMPs at the annual Red Lantern Rally