FIBERGLASSICS NORTHWEST

2008 Calendar of Events (revised 7-14-08)

For details, e-mail Marty@islandboatshop.com

Saturday, March 1 – The Slough Run. Participants in the run launch at Lake Sammamish State Park, run the length of the lake and down the 11-mile-long Sammamish Slough, emerging at the north end of Lake Washington. In recent years, a number of FGNW members have used the occasion to cruise Lake Washington, meeting Slough Runners as they emerge into the lake at Kenmore…and then running with them down to Coulon Park. (Slough Runners are then shuttled back to Lake Sammamish State Park, to fetch their tow vehicles and trailers.)

(NEW) Saturday, March 15 – Hot Stove League Meeting, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham. The museum is organizing a substantial exhibit on the history of boat- and shipbuilding in Whatcom County, to run for 13 months starting June 1, 2008. Featured will be Bell Boys, Norsemans, Uniflites and others built in Bellingham—including some FGNW boats. Todd Warger, who’s organizing the exhibit, will give us a tour of the facility and a rundown on the upcoming exhibit. Included, if he’s available, will be a visit with Art Nordvedt, who managed production at Bell Boy and Uniflite. We’ll also make a field trip to Pacific Marine Exchange, a large local “keen-junk” paradise.

Saturday, May 3 – Seattle’s Opening Day Parade. Last year we had the largest classic-watercraft fleet in the parade, with 31 FGNW boats. We’ll do it again in ’08, and try to shorten the amount of time we’re in a holding pattern prior to start of the event. Theme of the 2008 parade is “Three-Ring Circus,” so if we want to win an award we’ll need to illustrate the circus idea—and we’ll want to form a parade committee to help pull it off. We need volunteers--any takers?

Saturday, May 17 – Lake Tapps Poker Run, organized once again by Brian Franchini.

(NEW) Saturday, May 31 – Cruise Up the Willamette River, starting in the Portland area. This could develop into a two-day event, to include side trips up and down Multnomah Channel, and up the Columbia River to nearby sandy-beach islands. David Lemon, organizer.

(NEW) Saturday, June 14 – Alder Lake Treasure Hunt. Joe and Amanda Bistryski are organizing the event, to include a treasure hunt and potluck. Alder Lake is near Elbe (Highway 7, south of Eatonville, southeast of Olympia) with a stunningly close view of Mt. Rainier, good launching ramp, day-use marina, lots of beautiful little inlets and only a few homes on the entire lake. (Joe and Amanda say that everyone will win some kind of treasure-hunt prize, and Alder Lake sounds beautiful so this should be a great, new event.)

(NEW) Saturday, June 28 – FGNW’s first-ever Northwest Classic-Glass Boat Festival, with glassics displayed at Coulon Park, Renton. Included will be a Fifties-themed dock party Saturday evening, and informal welcome event Friday evening…for those who arrive early with their boats. The show will officially run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, with dock party to follow.

Saturday and Sunday, July 12-13 – Cruising Puget Sound, End to End. Some of us did this last year and had a ball. Members can participate in the entire run, or any segment they wish to join. The July 12-13 period was selected because of favorable tides and currents—critical when you’re running from Port Townsend to Olympia, and back.

Saturday, July 19 – Eagle Island Rendezvous, a one-day outing in South Sound with boats meeting at picturesque Eagle Island. See FGNW message board for details, or contact organizer Chuck Carey. (This even replaces Lake Roosevelt, which was cancelled.)

Saturday, July 26 – Lower Hood Canal Rendezvous with Sande Ace owners. (The Sande Ace group—focused on beautiful and fast plywood runabouts that were built in Belfair in the 1950’s--meets every summer at about this time; 2008 date will be confirmed soon.

Saturday and Sunday, August 16-17 – San Juan Islands Cruise, with most members launching Saturday morning at Anacortes and meeting at a designated bay in the islands. (Some members will arrive in the islands Friday.)

(NEW) Saturday, August 23 – ‘Round Bainbridge Island Cruise, with stops at Miller Bay (Bruce and Eileen Drake’s place, just north of Bainbridge), and Blake Island Marine State Park, south of Bainbridge. Note: This date was chosen as one of the ONLY perfect dates in terms of tidal action. It’ll allow members to launch and retrieve with plenty of water at the ramps, and to get into shallow Miller Bay at mid-day without a problem. In addition, and importantly, this is a date that works for our Miller Bay hosts, Bruce and Eileen. (Members can launch at any number of ramps for this event: Edmonds, Shilshole Marina, West Seattle, Kingston, Poulsbo, Manchester, Bremerton, Port Orchard or even Bainbridge itself…at the ramp on the Winslow waterfront.)

Saturday and Sunday, September 6-7 – Lake Whatcom Rendezvous. (Note: This is not Labor Day weekend, which takes place Aug. 30-Sept. 1.) FGNW returns to Wildwood Resort after a two-year absence, for what might be the final time. (The resort has been sold, and may be reconfigured before the 2009.) Accommodation options in 2008 include tent camping, RV spaces, cabins or nearby motels. Members can also just come for the day. Early birds arrive Friday afternoon or evening, and stay until mid-day Sunday. This has been one of FGNW’s “anchor” events in the past, so if you’re picking and choosing events to attend in 2008, don’t miss this one!

Saturday, September 13 – LaConner Classic Car and Boat Show. Another edition of this popular annual event. (FGNW members: Contact Chuck Carey for details, or go on the LaConner Chamber of Commerce website to register your boat.)

Saturday, September 27 – Mason Lake Rendezvous. Repeat of our end-of-season event, southwest of Bremerton, near Allyn and Belfair.