Unlike a lot of areas where nothing can happen until after the spring thaw, boating is a year ‘round activity on Puget Sound. That’s super, but when the season never really closes it can be hard to find an excuse to celebrate the annual opening. Never at a loss of imagination when it comes to planning a party, Seattle area boaters have designated the first Saturday in May as the annual “Opening Day” for boating season.

The date coincides with the historic opening of the Seattle Yacht Club clubhouse on Portage Bay, many years ago. The SYC clubhouse is now on the National Registry of Historic Buildings, and Seattle Yacht Club takes a lead role in designing and organizing annual activities. Other yacht clubs from the area, (notably Queen City and Tyee) participate in hosting visiting boaters and staging celebratory events.

Opening Day activities on the water include the Windermere Cup Regatta, followed by the Opening Day Parade of official and decorated boats.

Chuck Gould, Editor

Pacific Nor’West Boating Magazine

For the complete set of photos by Mike Penney and Ozzie Wiese from the whole day go to their Opening Day 2013 website HERE.

Here is a Crownline coming at us at 30+ miles per hour… I bet he cannot see us….

Here some shots of a Westbay Sonship for sale by Chuck Hovey Yachts….

You don’t often, if ever, see a super yacht on Lake Washington… Here is the 145 foot Christensen built Aghassi out for a cruise on Lake Washington.

Here is the rough water indicator on Ozzie’s new HewesCraft:

A few days later we were out for a romp with a 43 foot Tiara… Soon to be a cover photo on a well known magazine….

Then there was the last good 70 degree evening for the year… October 8th at 7PM… Coulon Park boat ramp…