News / Articles - Port Townsend Yacht Club

Upcoming Event - American Model Yachting Association

Published On 4/13/2025

Racing events coming up with the American Model Yachting Association. Regional races will be held in Port Ludlow on Saturday, April 19th...

Read More navigate_next

Whoa... Whales!

Published On 3/20/2025

Even though you may own a boat, escape with a friend for 3-4 hours and enjoy a trip that will deliver wildlife sightings!

Read More navigate_next

Fabulous Night with Ginger & Peter Niemann Circumnavigating the World

Published On 3/19/2025

You shoulda been there! At our nearly sold out event, hosted at Key City Theatre on Tuesday, March 18th, Ginger and Peter Niemann shared their four year adventure circumnavigating the world.
Their adventure begins in 2017 with successfully transiting the Northwest Passage aboard Irene, a 52-foot fiberglass ketch. Peter and Ginger encountered every element you can image from ice, snow, sleet, monsoons, winds, and brutal heat.

Read More navigate_next

PTYC’s New Adventures for Scholarship & Fundraising

Published On 2/18/2025

The clubhouse has been an amazing gathering place for over 50 years…and now, with changes afoot…

Read More navigate_next

2025! It's Time for your PTYC Scholarship Donations

Published On 11/20/2024

It is that time of year for donating to the PTYC Scholarship fund. This is our first year of a joint program with Jefferson Community Foundation (JCF) which provides a tax deductible way to donate to our scholarship fund. JCF is an authorized tax deductible organization so your donations are tax deductible. You say, "but we take the standard deduction so we don’t itemize our charitable donations anymore.” But you can! ...

Read More navigate_next

2024 PTYC Holiday Party A Delightful Evening for you!

Published On 10/16/2024

Joyful holiday fun will be had for the annual holiday dinner and gift exchange. Our theme this year will be "Cold Alaska Nights and Warm Hearts" as we celebrate the holiday season...

Read More navigate_next

2024 Boutique and Rummage Sale A Wonderful Success!

Published On 10/16/2024

First, before the results, we want to acknowledge that there were many hands that made these two events possible. Setup and events took place over a six day period. Please know that our organizers are so very grateful for your time, talents and energy...

Read More navigate_next

Ahoy Me Hearties! Smile for the PTYC Press!

Published On 10/8/2024

It is good to remember that our club provides each of us with life-affirming opportunities for adventures, deepening friendships, and maritime knowledge. We think it is important to capture these adventures and friendships through the creation of Club Photo Journal Albums...

Read More navigate_next

Boating Experience Workshop #8

Published On 9/25/2024

We had our 8th workshop for Boating Experiences on Saturday, September 21st in our clubhouse. Captain El Duano Madinger gave a great talk on boating from the perspective of a skipper of very large ocean going boats, i.e. tankers, container ships, etc.

Read More navigate_next

Scott Wilson...Featured Speaker On October 8th

Published On 8/21/2024

Scott Wilson, author of "Working Waterfront," was for almost 30 years the co-owner, editor and publisher of the Port Townsend Leader...

Read More navigate_next

Boating Experience Workshop Featuring Captain Duane Madinger

Published On 8/21/2024

On Saturday, September 21st at 10am at the PTYC Clubhouse, we will have the 8th Boating Experience session called "Boating from a Very Large Boat Perspective"....

Read More navigate_next

Phishing is back... Remember It's a Scam!

Published On 4/21/2024

As many of you know, variations on the publicly available club email addresses on our website have been used in an email scam that often results in someone asking you to buy a gift card or several gift cards. This is a SCAM...

Read More navigate_next

Washington Ferry to the Rescue

Published On 4/10/2024

What an amazing rescue story from March 10th! The Seattle Times this morning reporting:

A Washington State Ferries crew on Saturday helped the Coast Guard rescue six people and two dogs from a boat in Rosario Strait. A 37-foot cabin cruiser called for assistance during “nasty weather” near Decatur Island just before 1 p.m., the Coast Guard station in Bellingham said...

Read More navigate_next

WANTED! PTYC Members

Published On 9/25/2023

We need you to join in the fun and planning for our club and jump in on either of the following open board positions: Fleet Captain and Trustee 2 (programs and watch)....

Read More navigate_next

A Busy March 2025

Published On 3/4/2025

Today is February 22, and here on the ridge above Discovery Bay we had quite a blow. One old cedar took out one of our "horse walk-ins." I guess I should have reefed the main sail.

Read More navigate_next

Welcome 2025!

Published On 1/29/2025

Usually at this time, I would be commenting on how it is time to get back to business, now that the holidays are over. But I must tell you how wonderful the Change of Watch (COW) was...

Read More navigate_next

2025 Commodore’s Column: “Welcome 2025!!”

Published On 12/26/2024

As we approach the new year, I feel I must remark on the great Christmas party and thank all the volunteers for a job well done! One suggested rule change for the gift exchange, we don’t allow more than 2 steals from the same person!

Read More navigate_next

2024 December "A Time for Giving Thanks!!"

Published On 11/30/2024

Thanks to everyone who helped with the Crab Feed—Jane and Michael Asbury, Bill Baratuci and Linda and Bill James, our latest meeting and the Nominating Committee—Susie Gorski, Van Helker, Maggie Smith and Debbie Williams. Thanks also for the cruise captains (Robert and Gail Chanpong and Rhonda and Jim Turner) for their work on the December cruise to Kingston and Bell Harbor. This has become a special holiday tradition ...

Read More navigate_next

FALL—Plans Begin for 2025!

Published On 9/28/2024

Thanks to everyone who helped set up and greet people at the Wooden Boat Show. From those I have talked to, our presence at this event was worthwhile. We had 28 individuals asking us for more information and many more who took our brochures.

Read More navigate_next

Commodore Column: Boating on the Water!

Published On 8/28/2024

It was a wonderful summer cruising season, with pleasant weather, time with friends from the club, and a chance to enjoy some of our favorite boating destinations....

Read More navigate_next

Boating Season Begins

Published On 4/5/2024

Thank you to all who helped with our last general membership meeting. A few volunteers may not have heard my previous thank you (perhaps because we did not bring a microphone) but the set up and clean up crew and the Cannon’s, and anyone else who brought the food for the evening, are all very much appreciated...

Read More navigate_next

2024 ACTIVITIES ABOUND!

Published On 2/27/2024

Thank you to all who worked so hard on the Scholarship fundraiser “Wine Knot!” What a great event, with bidding in person and online. The event has quickly become a major contributor to our Port Townsend Yacht Club Scholarship Fund for maritime education or the marine trades, helping local students complete their education or trade certificates....

Read More navigate_next

2024 Is Underway

Published On 2/1/2024

“2024 IS UNDERWAY!” I am excited to see our club’s plans for the boating season falling into place. I am even more excited to participate in as many events and excursions as possible....

Read More navigate_next

Overview 2024

Published On 12/29/2023

I look forward to a New Year and serving this wonderful organization in 2024. We have been through some critical changes, driven by our membership and prior Board leadership...

Read More navigate_next

PTYC Wants YOU!

Published On 9/25/2023

"Only three more Commodore Columns to go!" That's what our illustrious Baggywrinkle editor, Ilona Bell said when reminding me of the deadline for October. What a perfect segue to this month's subject....

Read More navigate_next

Summer 2023 Ends!

Published On 8/23/2023

My, oh my, a lot can sure happen in two months! Much of it has been good, mind you, but some recent events have been catastrophically kaumaha (sad, depressing)....

Read More navigate_next

Safety & Peace of Mind

Published On 3/30/2023

It looks as though April is the month which gives us all ample opportunities to get ourselves and our boats ready for the upcoming season. As boat owners, we know there are many items to consider when properly preparing our vessels ahead of time. Yes, “safety” is and should always be the bottom line. But “knowledge and peace of mind” are certainly part of the equation.

Read More navigate_next

“A Future Full of Changes”

Published On 2/24/2023

As they say, “the results are in”. Our club recently completed a membership-wide vote on how we wish to collectively proceed regarding the clubhouse and associated land lease with the Port of Port Townsend. On the ballot were two options...

Read More navigate_next

"Ah, February..."

Published On 2/3/2023

Ah, February . . . The shortest month of the year foretells such promise. Days are slowly getting longer, and hopefully, a little brighter after the darkness of January. Hopefully, temperatures will be a bit warmer as well. But the best part of the second month? Love is in the air! Valentine’s Day will hold special meaning for many of us this year.

Valentine’s Day will hold special meaning for many of us this year. Our general member meeting is being held, as usual, on the second Tuesday of the month . . . which just happens to fall on February 14th.

Read More navigate_next

Welcome 2023!

Published On 1/1/2023

2023 is shaping up to be an exciting - and fun-filled - year for the Port Townsend Yacht Club.

Read More navigate_next

Thanksgiving and Gratitude

Published On 10/24/2022

We have much to be grateful for, in this month where we celebrate our many blessings and good fortune.

Read More navigate_next

Moving Forward in 2022

Published On 9/1/2022

Return from summer break to lots of club activities... monthly meetings resume, garage sale to benefit the scholarship fund is on, and weathering the covid-19 storm.

Read More navigate_next

From Ski to Sea

Published On 4/26/2022

May 2022: time to come out of hibernation and start thinking of getting on the water

Read More navigate_next

2023 Garage Sale Proceeds Net $2,800 to Fund PTYC Scholarships

Published On 10/22/2023

PTYC sponsors a public Garage Sale at our clubhouse, where PTYC volunteers sell items that have been donated by the membership as our annual fundraiser for our Scholarship Committee.

Read More navigate_next

BIG Win for the Scholarship Fund!

Published On 2/27/2023

Our PTYC Scholarship FunRaiser was a wildly successful event thanks to our many donors, remote bidders and participants at our Wine Tasting and Silent Auction on February 25th. We want to acknowledge (and support) both Marrowstone Vineyards and FairWinds Winery for their generous ...

Read More navigate_next

Scholarship Fundraiser a Huge Success

Published On 10/17/2022

The PTYC Garage Sale brought in $4,800 to benefit the Club's Scholarship Fund.

Read More navigate_next

February 14 Meeting: Renewable Diesel Boating

Published On 1/22/2023

PTYC's Valentines Gift to Members - Imagine powering your diesel engine with nothing but a renewable, affordable, environmentally friendly fuel made from waste products. Its Renewable diesel (R99), a green fuel that meets the same specs as petrol diesel (D975). Its already used in CA and at most cardlock fuel dealers in OR and in SW WA and whole government fleets have converted to it. Please join us for a presentation by Captain Peter Wilcox on this and other accessible ways to reduce the carbon footprint of boating in the incredible place we live.

Read More navigate_next

Membership Meeting

Published On 1/9/2023

PTYC Member Harriet Cannon will discuss her latest book, Exiled South." This is an amazing story of blockade running during the Civil War.

Read More navigate_next

January 10 Program: Western Flyer Restoration

Published On 1/2/2023

Thanks to John Steinbeck and Edward Ricketts and the "Sea of Cortez," the Western Flyer became an icon of American literature. Despite all this she was neglected for decades, fell into serious decline, and even sank twice. Hear about her history and restoration at the January Member Meeting

Read More navigate_next

Key City Public Theater to Perform at December 8 Meeting

Published On 11/21/2022

The December member meeting will include a preview of the KCPT's December production of "New Moon - A Dog's Tale" as our program.

Read More navigate_next

November Member Meeting Program

Published On 10/24/2022

Join Club member, Bob Bergstrom for an evening of traditional navigation information.

Read More navigate_next

October Meeting Program

Published On 9/20/2022

Don't miss our October membership meeting on October 11. Our program will be a sneak peak at the new Club website that integrates all member functions into a single, slick, format.

Read More navigate_next

2023 Club Cruise Schedule Plans

Published On 10/30/2022

A full set of group cruises is now planned for 2023 thanks to the members participating in the October 29 planning session.

Read More navigate_next

Club Social Calendar Set for 2023

Published On 10/30/2022

Get ready for a fun-filled 2023 with a full calendar of Club socials.

Read More navigate_next

Mark Your Calendar Now for the Holiday Party

Published On 9/14/2022

After the covid hiatus, the club holiday party is back! Join your friends and boating colleagues for a festive event on Saturday, December 10th. Details coming soon.

Read More navigate_next

American Red Cross Certification

Published On 1/24/2024

Update your American Red Cross CPR Certification at our PTYC Clubhouse...Wednesday, February 7 from 9am to 12:30pm. Click through for more information and registering for this event....

Read More navigate_next

Here to Alaska and Back-What Worked & What Didn't

Published On 12/8/2023

Tom Howard, PTYC Member, will share his experiences traveling to and from Alaska -- there are many lessons for folks who wish to commit to this adventure.

Read More navigate_next

Planning Your Boat Trip: Voyage Planning & Provisioning

Published On 10/25/2022

There is so much to consider when planning a cruise. Mark you calendar now for the next Boating Experiences Workshop on Saturday, January 14

Read More navigate_next

Informative Boating Experiences Workshop Held

Published On 10/11/2022

Lots of information was shared among members. Be sure to join the next session in January.

Read More navigate_next

Planning a Boat Trip Workshop Set for October 8

Published On 8/21/2022

The second in a series of Boating Experiences Workshops offers tips for planning for a long - or short - trip on your boat. Everyone is welcome.

Read More navigate_next

June 11 Boating Experiences Workshop

Published On 4/26/2022

So you have a boat... now what?

Read More navigate_next

PTYC Scholarship Committee announces 2023 recipients

Published On 3/17/2023

9 deserving candidates have been awarded a total of $8750 in scholarships for 2023. We look forward to meeting most of them at our April club meeting, and introduce them to the members.