Norm Blanchard W.O.O.D. Regatta: September 22nd, 2024
Registration is open for our Norm Blanchard W.O.O.D. Regatta:
Join us for a day of racing in our Norm Blanchard W.O.O.D. Regatta. We will be accepting registrations for racers 12 years old and up starting August 5. The regatta will be a day long event including a BBQ after the racing (tickets sold separately).
About the Race:
The Center for Wooden Boats’ annual Norm Blanchard W.O.O.D. (Wooden Open & One Design) Regatta honors the best-known name in wooden boatbuilding and yachting in the Pacific Northwest. Norman C. Blanchard’s Blanchard Boat Company turned out more than 2,000 boats in 60+ years during the past century. Quality, performance and longevity are the hallmarks of Norm Blanchard.
You are welcome to use our boats during the race if you have an active sailing livery card on file or completed Youth Sailing 2 or equivalent. You can also bring your own boat. If you choose this option, be sure to let us know your boat rating (if possible) when you finalize your registration.
Separate prizes will be awarded for each class. A class is defined as 3 or more of the same type of boat. If you are bringing your own boat, but do not know the rating/handicap number of your vessel, you are still invited to race. Unrated vessels will not be competing for ranking in the races. However, we will be awarding prizes to unrated boats for a variety of categories (e.g. Best dressed, coolest boat, etc.) Stay tuned to our website for more information!
Who Can Participate?
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Racers
Youth: Ages 12 to 18. (Parents must complete the Youth waiver form. Sailors must have completed Youth Sailing 2 or equivalent)
Adult: Ages 18 and up. (Must have a Blue Livery Card) schedule your check out here.
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CWB Boats
You can register to participate on CWB a boat. Boats will be assigned on the day of the race on a first come first assigned basis
CWB's LARGE Sailboat Regatta Fleet Includes:
1 Thunderbird
4 Blanchard Junior Knockabouts
2 Lightnings
1 Kitten
1 Great Pelican
CWB's SMALL Sailboat Regatta Fleet Includes:
El Toros
Pelicans
Cat boat
Port Madison Pram
Lake Union Swifts
RS Fevas
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Bring your own Boat and Crew
Open to all wooden boats - from El Toros to large racer cruisers
Non-wood versions of traditional wood one-designs (e.g. Lightnings, Thunderbirds, San Juans, El Toros)
Tentative Race Day Schedule: Sunday, September 22, 2024
9:00-10:00 Registration will take an hour to complete
10:00-11:00 Skippers meeting
11:00-12:00 Rigging and practice time
12:00-2:00 First races (2 races in 2 hours)
2:00-3:00 Break
3:00-5:00 Final races
4:30-7:00 BBQ & Awards
Stay up to date on registration and race information by checking our social media and this page! You can also get information by subscribing to our monthly newsletter. If you have immediate questions, please reach out to adultsailing@cwb.org
After Race BBQ
Our Regatta BBQ Tickets are sold separately.
Please be sure to purchase yours before Race Day! Grab additional BBQ tickets now or later for dock-based family and friends. ALL ARE WELCOME! The BBQ will kick-off around 4:30 or 5:00 after the last race.
2023 Norm Blanchard W.O.O.D. Regatta Results
A little bit of Seattle rain did not dampen the spirits of our W.O.O.D. Regatta racers this year! It was a fun day of sailboat racing with PLENTY of wind. We had a total of 21 boats in the regatta, 12 small boats and 9 large boats. Out of the boats who participated, 15 were part of CWB’s fleet.
The day began with two races starting at noon, followed up by a lunch break. After the lunch break, there was one more race which was followed up by our end-of-the-season BBQ! Due to the challenging weather and winds, there were a total of 10 finishers for all three races, including 5 small boats and 5 large boats.
Our end of the season BBQ was supplied with plenty of beverages to celebrate with courtesy of Republic of Cider and Georgetown Brewing Co. Once everyone settled into the Bill Garden Boat shop to dig into their food, the cloudy skies cleared up for a beautiful evening of awarding the regatta winners and reminiscing on another fantastic boating season. Thank you to Capt. Gary Bangs and all volunteers who assisted in making the W.O.O.D. Regatta possible.
2023 Winners:
Big Boats
Matthew Upton on Thunderbird Makima
Audrey Hersman on Sterling
Paula Williams and Natalie Mo captains of Pamela
Small Boats
Tom Dorrance on Swallow El Toro; WINNER of W.O.O.D. Trophy
Otto Roesler on Feva (“I otto win”, Otto is one of our Junior Instructors!)
Yun Ma on Maroon Swift
Thank you to Melanie Masson our Development Director and volunteers Jig Wiley and Toby Briggs for caputuring these photos of the W.O.O.D. Regatta.
Want to join the volunteer photography team? Email volunteer@cwb.org
THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY SPONSOR, Fisheries Supply!
2022 Regatta Highlights
Video produced by CWB volunteer J.A. Wiley
The 2022 Regatta was one great, wonderful adventure with good breeze and bright skies.
We were joined by over 30 boats and 150+ community members for a full day of racing. All 13 boats from our own livery participated plus 5 Norm Blanchard-built wooden boats (each 70+ years old!) sailed in this homage to the formative boatbuilder and designer. The fleet was diverse, ranging from 8 to 32 feet across Pelicans, Thunderbirds, Lightnings, and El Toros, with sailors ages 10 to 70+, some bringing decades of experience and some brand new SailNOW! grads.
Thank you to our community for coming out, helping out, and enjoying this beautiful lake we call home!
2021 Regatta Highlights
Congratulations to the 2021 overall champion:
Kemp Jones! (Thunderbird - Barbaree)
