Center for Wooden Boats

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The "lagoon", with several wooden rowboats

The Center for Wooden Boats is a place where urban residents of Seattle and the greater Pacific Northwest can watch their sails instead of their cells. The public is invited to explore maritime history, by rowing, paddling or sailing a diverse collection of classic boats, participating in events from the annual Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival to regattas to boat shows, taking a free Sunday afternoon sail, attending a maritime skills workshop, volunteering, or simply by walking the docks. Admission is always free.

1 Overview
2 Mission
3 Programs
4 Collection
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Overview

The Center for Wooden Boats has its origins in architect Dick Wagner’s fascination with wooden boats. Dick, and his wife Colleen, first began a traditional boat rental out of their own houseboat in 1968. By 1976 the idea of a small craft museum was born and 1977 saw the first Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival. In 1981 the Center was formally established at Waterway #4 on South Lake Union in Seattle, Washington, USA, and building began. Boat livery (rentals) began in 1983, with the SailNOW! Sailing instruction program beginning in 1989.

CWB has had IRS non-profit 501(c)(3) status since 1978. In 2006, the Center’s operating revenue was $1 million. A 17 member elected board governs the Center, while operations are overseen by the Executive Director. Founding Director Dick Wagner remains active in decision making processes and sits on the board. CWB has around a dozen paid staff, a few Americorps volunteers, half a dozen full or half-time volunteer positions and several interns.

A second campus is planned for Cama Beach State Park on Camano Island, to open in May of 2008.

Next door to the CWB is Northwest Seaport, which endeavors to restore several bigger historic ships, including the schooner Wawona.

[edit] Mission

To provide a gathering place where maritime history comes alive through direct experience and our small craft heritage is enjoyed, preserved, and passed along to future generations.

[edit] Programs

The Center’s many programs are made possible by a vast cadre of volunteers– more than 1000 people – who teach sailing, work in the boatshop, help with special events, run the livery (boat rentals), man the front desk, and provide docent interpretation to the public. CWB has continued to grow in its programs for the public and now annually has 1800 youth program participants, 160 adult sailing students and more than 200 people taking part in other workshops and classes. The various educational programs are a major part of CWB’s goals to preserve small craft heritage through direct experience, to provide comprehensive info on historic small craft, and to be an integral part of the community. They rent sailboats and rowboats from their large collection, and provide free public rides on Sunday afternoons.

The Center for Wooden Boats works with many different members of the local community, including various schools, provides internship opportunities to students from several schools and universities, has sailing programs for the disabled, people battling AIDS, and disadvantaged youth, and works with numerous other local maritime heritage organizations.

[edit] Collection

The CWB collection includes over a 100 vessels, mostly small sailboats and rowboats^[1]. The boats are divided into several sections. The livery fleet includes day sailers, rowboats, and one pedal boat. The twenty foot Blanchard Junior Knockabout is the mainstay of the CWB’s rental fleet, they have five or six which are used for teaching as well as taken out by renters.^[2]. The El Toro fleet is used mainly for youth programs. The non-floating collection is comprised of historical craft, many of which are less sea-worthy, which are partially on display in the main Boathouse, partially in storage. The CWB also owns or has stewardship of a number of larger sailboats, and two steam launches, which are used for public rides.