The full recap starts here. Read on for more candid shots and this year's award-winners.
Our colleague Bill Cave was joined by his one-year-old grandson, Wyatt, here modeling a Wood Duck kayak.
Once again the model boat kits we cut on the CNC machine were a big hit with the little ones.
Nick Schade demonstrated that, while the Shearwater Sectional can be paddled without its bow and stern, you'd rather not do so.
A Shearwater Sport Hybrid by John Pratt
On to the Awards!
John presents awards on Saturday afternoon.
Laszlo Morocz has brought this fine little stitch-and-glue sailing skiff to OkoumeFest for several years. He MEANT to bring his new 20-foot schooner, but wasn't ready. Laszlo won Runner-Up Best Smallcraft for his efforts.
Steve Judson brought several smallcraft with him, including this Skerry dressed up for pillaging, complete with striped Viking square sail. The judges noted that without shields hung on the sheer strake, the effect was not quite complete. But they awarded Steve Best Smallcraft for this and for his Iain Oughtred sailing canoe (with the tan mizzen sail, below).
Young Mark Williams and his grandfather Rick Prothero built this fine Wood Duckling, named "Moby Mark."
Rick Prothero and Mark Williams. Mark won Runner-Up Best Kayak.
Dan Thaler won Runner-Up Best kayak for his Great Auk 14, on the left here. In the center is a beautiful Night Heron Hybrid by Christopher Harlan, and on the right a custom racing kayak by Tim Clarke.
Dan paddling his Great Auk 14.
Detail on Tim Clarke's custom racing design, which won Best Kayak.
The hungry bow on Tim Clarke's racing kayak.
Best in Show this year went to Damian Wentzel, for his Night Heron Hybrid.
It's very hard to get across in web photos the quality of fit and finish in Damian's work. No one single feature knocks you on the head. Rather, the overall impression is of elegant, thoughtful craftsmanship.
Nick Schade, a perennial OkoumeFest judge, studies Damian's Night Heron. Nick designed the boat. Congrats, Damian, on singular work.
Congratulations to all of this year's winners. Thanks so much to EVERYONE for bringing such beautiful boats.
As the sun got low Saturday evening, John and Ed were seen to vanish down the Bay at 11 knots in Madness-the-proa.