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?

  • 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.

  • 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

  • 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.

2024 Norm Blanchard W.O.O.D. Regatta Results

We got through the 19th annual Norm Blanchard W.O.O.D Regatta with high clouds and NO rain! Eight boats registered from outside of CWB.  The remainder were CWB boats.  Boats ranged in size from 8’ to 29’.   

We completed a total of 4 races over the course of the day.  There was good wind for the start of the first race.  However, the southerly wind slowly died away so that the second race was shortened to allow time for lunch.  After the break, a breeze had come up from the north to provide good sailing for the last two races of the day. 

Special thanks to Lavengro for being our committee boat, Gary Bangs our fearless race committee leader, and all the volunteers that contributed time to make the regatta possible! Next year we will be looking to hold 3 regattas at CWB.  The Tiny Boat Regatta and W.O.O.D. Regatta will have their usual places in June and September respectively.  We would also like to add one in late March so please stay tuned!

Final overall standings for the regatta are as follows: 

2024 Winners:

1st Place - Matthew Upton on Makima (Thunderbird)

2nd Place - Ken Rasmussen on 11017 (El Toro)

3rd Place Allan Johnson on Sommerfugl (Dragon)


 Want to join the volunteer photography team? Email volunteer@cwb.org

Makima

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!

FULL RACE RESULTS HERE

REGATTA PHOTOS HERE

2021 Regatta Highlights

Congratulations to the 2021 overall champion:

Kemp Jones! (Thunderbird - Barbaree)

Kemp Jones, winner of the 2021 Norm Blanchard Wood Regatta holds a trophy