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Ahoy, Stitchmate!
Welcome aboard The Artful Sailor’s Summer newsletter. The warm, fair weather has seen lots of adventure, creativity and growth in our whole Earth enterprise. So much so, that here we are finally getting the newsletter out when, at times, we are seeing little hints that Fall is not far away. Never the less, we have lots to share and are grateful for your time, interest and enthusiasm for the sailor’s arts.
RECENT EVENTS
OFF TO THE RACES
For The Artful Sailor there were glorious dory days in the early summer when we sponsored Team Artful Sailor, Speedo Marino and TASWENS, for the second year, in the Seventy/48 human-powered race from Tacoma to Port Townsend, WA. Again, it was a round trip voyage south to Tacoma and back.
This year, with improvements in the boat and crew, the overall journey, particularly the race, was vastly improved. Immediately following that race, The Artful Sailor’s sponsee, Team Funky Dory in Look Far, embarked upon the notorious Race to Alaska. Their voyage, was fraught with challenges and difficulties: valiantly they completed the first leg of the race but then, in the second leg ran out of time, energy and food and were compelled to withdraw.
 The Artful Sailor held a contest in which people were invited to guess how much time it would take Speed Marino to complete the Seventy/48. It took him 28 hours, 56 minutes. Happily, four contestants tied to win with guesses of 30 hours and all received beautiful Artful Sailor logo hats as a prize.
A mere two weeks after the race, we sent Speedo Marino out on a circumnavigation of Kitsap Peninsula: down Hood Canal, portage over to South Sound and back around up to Port Townsend. In South Sound, he met up with the Salish 100 camp cruise fleet and they all traveled together. It was an arduous journey for our intrepid mariner, but everything went smoothly and according to plan with fair weather and obliging winds and tides.
 SHIPS IN A BOTTLE
Our July Art Walk exhibit featured Jeff Simmons from Olympia who is renowned for his skill and creativity putting ships in bottles. And, not just in bottles, almost any small mouthed glass container, such as a light bulb.
Moreover, he’s a delightful, entertaining and informative showman!
His show at The Artful Sailor was fun and well attended.
 HONELY THE LONELY
By popular demand, Port Townsend’s King of Cutlery, Alex Moro, returned to The Artful Sailor for another knife and shear sharpening workshop.
Meister Moro is a fantastic teacher and the full house of eager beavers with their dull blades had a grand time honing their sharpening skills and swapping knife stories.
Knives and shears are essential tools for a sailor and their maintenance is so important that we will surely host more sharpening workshops in the future.
NEW PRODUCTS
 HAT IN HAND
Hat in hand, we humbly ask do you have a head? No, not a potty, bucket or loo onboard, that thing above your shoulders! We guess, if you’re reading this, that you probably do and that it would be a good place to hang one of our new Artful Sailor logo hats.
Available in carob and salmon colors, our salty, practical, all cotton, adjustable ball caps look and feel good ashore and on the water.
They are available in the store, online, and at our Wooden Boat Festival booth.
 RAGS TO RICHES
Since The Artful Sailor’s Sail Exchange was launched in January, this new aspect of our business has seen tremendous growth and development. So much so, that we’ve taken on new loft space above the shop just for storing our burgeoning inventory and have been able, with proceeds from the sale of the sails, to provide NW Maritime Center with a check for $500.
Recycle, reuse, promotion of sailmaking and repair skills and fundraising for maritime education, those are the purposes of the Sail Exchange. Your old sails are welcome and your sail and canvas needs can be met at a cost far below that of new sails.
Give us a call, or stop by the shop with measurements. We’ll go aloft and see what’s in store for you!
THE CRYSTAL BALL
Some products in the offing: used sailing and canvaswork books, machine sewing tools and thread, pine tar soap, new DIY kits; local, custom-made rigging knives, and more.
ON THE HORIZON
 WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
September 6, 7 & 8, 2019
9 am – 5 pm Daily
Salty Sue and Emiliano Marino bring the Artful Sailor’s floating store and delightful traditional sail work demonstrations to the 43rd Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival.
By popular demand, the notable and dynamic duo of traditional sail and rigging, Salty Sue and The Sailmaker’s Apprentice author, Emiliano Marino, return to the Wooden Boat Festival for three days of demos, hi-jinx, prestidigitation, and the vending of old-time sail merchandise.
From the festival entrance, follow your nose as the smells of tradition: pine tar, bee’s wax and hemp lead you to the Artful Sailor’s booth but a few paces ahead in the NWMC Boat Shop.
All the tools, kits, books and clothing on the Artful Sailor website will be available at the festival plus the opportunity to see and hear a living display of sailmaking as it was in the early Victorian days of this glorious seaport.
PEDAL & TREADLE
 The Artful Sailor’s Guide to Sewing Machine Maintenance, Adjustment and Sewing Skills.
Many sail and canvas projects can be sewn with a basic, domestic sewing machine. Heavily built, yet portable, vintage machines are inexpensive and can be hotrod-ed for smallcraft sailmaking and sail repairs; as well as bags, sail covers and awnings.
By popular demand, The Artful Sailor Whole Earth Nautical Supply is excited to offer a basic course for machine-oriented Stitchmates who want to learn how to put that old machine that's been collecting dust in the closet to use both onboard and ashore. Details & Registration.
BEYOND THE HORIZON
December Art Walk Exhibit with Jacob Borkowski’s knotted bottles and, in February, Sea Tales on a Winter’s Eve.
Way enough,Stitchmates! The ship’s clock on the bulkhead says it’s time to go ashore. See you aboard next time for the Fall issue. In the meantime, smooth sailing and catch ya in the shop, at the website, on Facebook and on Instagram. Wishing you good health and fair winds! —The Artful Sailor
No chimps were harmed in the making of this newsletter!
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