BEAUFORT – The 35th Annual Wooden Boat Show will take place on Saturday, May 2, in downtown Beaufort. Activities are scheduled throughout the week leading up to show day. Enjoy activities and exhibits on display at the museum, the museum’s Watercraft Center and at the museum’s expansion site at Gallants Channel, where free parking is available. Free water taxi service and van transportation between the museum’s expansion site and downtown Beaufort will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
Experience a mix of traditional and modern acoustic maritime music during an evening ticketed concert on Thursday, April 30, which features Pyrates Royale and Bob Zentz, from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 for general public and $13 for Friends of the Museum and Down East Folk Arts Society members. The concert is co-sponsored by Down East Folk Arts Society and will be held at the museum’s expansion site at Gallants Channel.
A variety of small wooden boats will be on display on Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy sailboat races and rides, displays, historic vessels, nautical vendors and re-enactors, boat models, a kids craft and activity village, book sale and multiple music performances, opportunities to go sailing, and much more.
The Wooden Boat Show weekend opening event on Friday, May 1, includes a reception and live music from 6 – 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person.
This year’s special guest is Walt Ansel, Chief of Instruction at the International Yacht Restoration School and former shipwright at Mystic Seaport. Ansel is the featured speaker at the boat show dinner on Saturday, May 2, and also serves on the panel of judges that selects the winners of Best-of-Show and the Row/Paddle, Sail, and Power categories.
Those who would like to receive an application to exhibit their boat or vendor space should contact the museum at 252-728-7317 or email maritime@ncmail.net. Applications are also available for download at www.ncmaritimemuseum.org. The registration fee is $40 per applicant and includes registration of one boat/space, a 2009 Wooden Boat Show t-shirt, reception ticket and dinner for one participant. The same applicant may register additional boats for $5 each. Vendor space is limited to maritime related arts, crafts, or commercial products.
The N.C. Maritime Museum is located at 315 Front Street in Beaufort. It is part of the Division of State History Museums in the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture. Museum hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call (252) 728-7317 or go to www.ncmaritimemuseum.org.
EVENTS:
Sunday, April 26
1-5 pm Traditional Watercraft Exhibit
The North Carolina Maritime Museum
1-4 p.m. Go Sailing in a Traditional Wooden Boat
($5 per person)
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
Monday, April 27
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Traditional Watercraft Exhibit
The North Carolina Maritime Museum
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Traditional Sailor’s Crafts Demonstrations
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
1-4 p.m. Go Sailing in a Traditional Wooden Boat
($5 per person)
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
Tuesday, April 28
9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Traditional Watercraft Exhibit
The North Carolina Maritime Museum
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Traditional Sailor’s Crafts Demonstrations
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
1- 4 p.m. Go Sailing in a Traditional Wooden Boat
($5 per person)
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
Wednesday, April 29
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Traditional Watercraft Exhibit
The North Carolina Maritime Museum
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Traditional Sailor’s Crafts Demonstrations
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
1- 4 p.m. Go Sailing in a Traditional Wooden Boat
($5 per person)
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
Thursday, April 30
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Traditional Watercraft Exhibit
The North Carolina Maritime Museum
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Traditional Sailor’s Crafts Demonstrations
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
1 - 4 p.m. Go Sailing in a Traditional Wooden Boat
($5 per person)
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
5:30 - 7 p.m. Sponsor Event - by invitation only
NCMM Expansion Site at Gallants Channel, Gate 3
Sponsored by: Sharpies, Crab’s Claw, Beaufort Grocery,
Floyd’s 1921 and Sandbar Restaurant
7:30 - 10 p.m. Ticketed Concert Event
Featuring Pyrates Royale and Bob Zentz
Co-sponsored by Down East Folk Arts Society
NCMM Expansion Site at Gallants Channel, Gate 3
Friday, May 1
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Traditional Watercraft Exhibit
The North Carolina Maritime Museum
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Traditional Sailor’s Crafts Demonstrations
Jim Goodwin - Making Ships in Bottles
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
1 - 4 p.m. Go Sailing in a Traditional Wooden Boat
($5 per person)
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
6 - 8:30 p.m. Kick-Off Party ($10 per person)
NCMM Expansion Site at Gallants Channel, Gate 3
Join us for great company, food, wine and beer. Admire the traditional boats and listen to live music while you enjoy the view of Gallants Channel.
Saturday, May 2
8 - 9 a.m. New Boat Launchings
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
8:30 -10 a.m. Registration of Boats
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
Sponsored by: Panera Bread
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Traditional Watercraft Exhibit
The North Carolina Maritime Museum
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Exhibit of Wooden Boats
North Carolina Maritime Museum-Front St. and Parking Lot
NCMM Expansion Site at Gallants Channel, Gate 3
Sponsor Hospitality Tent - by invitation only
NCMM Expansion Site at Gallants Channel, Gate 3
NCMM Library Book Sale
The North Carolina Maritime Museum Front Patio
Traditional Sailor’s Crafts Demonstrations
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
Carolina Maritime Model Society Ship Model Exhibition
The North Carolina Maritime Museum Auditorium
Children’s Boat Model Making
The North Carolina Maritime Museum Auditorium
Radio-Controlled Model Boats
The North Carolina Maritime Museum Parking Lot
Children’s Model Sailboat Making and Races
The North Carolina Maritime Museum Parking Lot
Repository for Artifacts: Shipwreck Exhibit
NCMM Gallants Channel Annex Program Area, Gate 1
War of 1812 and Civil War Naval Re-enactors Encampment
NCMM Expansion Site at Gallants Channel, Gate 3
Breeches Buoy Lifesaving Demonstrations
NCMM Expansion Site at Gallants Channel, Gate 3
9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. FREE Park & Ride Services
Water Ferry between downtown Beaufort and NCMM Expansion Site at Gallants Channel (Gate #3)
Ground-Shuttle between downtown Beaufort and NCMM Expansion Site at Gallants Channel (Gate #3)
10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Live musical performances
NCMM Expansion Site at Gallants Channel, Gate 3
11 a.m. - Noon Spritsail Race
Taylor’s Creek
Noon - 3 p.m. Go Sailing in a Traditional Wooden Boat
($5 per person)
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
3 p.m. Sailboat Races
Taylor’s Creek
4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Wooden Boat Show Reception
($5 per person)
NCMM Expansion Site at Gallants Channel, Gate 3
7-10 p.m. Wooden Boat Show Dinner and Awards Ceremony ($15 per person)
Dinner and awards ceremony for exhibitors, sponsors and guests.
NCMM Expansion Site at Gallants Channel, Gate 3
Sponsored by: Texas Steakhouse
Sunday, May 3
8:30 - 10 a.m. Traditional Small Craft Association Breakfast & Meeting
The North Carolina Maritime Museum Auditorium
10:30 am - Noon Race around Carrot Island
Taylor’s Creek
1 - 5 p.m. Traditional Watercraft Exhibit
The North Carolina Maritime Museum
AWARDS and JUDGING
People’s Choice Award
Visitors can vote for their favorite boat. Voting forms will be available at the Wooden Boat Show. The winner will receive the People’s Choice award at the Boat Show dinner Saturday evening.
Judging
An expert panel of judges will determine the winners of the show’s awards in the following categories:
Best Sail & Best Classic Sail
Best Power Inboard, Best Power Outboard & Best Classic Power
Best Row & Best Classic Row
Best Paddle & Best Classic Paddle
Best Cruiser
Best Houseboat
Most Original Boat
Oldest Boat
Farthest Traveled
Up & Coming Boatbuilder
Best Boat in a Day
Other Awards
Additional awards will be presented for the farthest traveled, the winners of the Spritsail and the All-comers races as well as several surprise awards throughout the show. Members of the Carolina Maritime Model Society also will vote for the best model on show in their exhibition in the museum auditorium. Registered exhibitors will also vote for the winner of “Captains Choice.”