It’s the third Saturday in October and that wonderful time of year when the historic district of the quaint little town of Georgetown, South Carolina is transformed into a wooden boat lover’s dream. The Georgetown Wooden Boat Show is a showcase of nautical history and craftmanship. Front Street is closed and becomes the main corridor for the show, open only to foot traffic. The street is lined with everything from restored Chris Crafts to custom wooden kayaks and stand up paddleboards. There are also vendors of all things nautical, historical, outdoors, and artisan.
As you stroll down the street admiring these functional works of art, you notice that the only thing larger than the crowd is the excitement of the owners to tell you about these vessels. Their body language is practically begging you to ask them about their particular craft. As they explain every detail of the project to you, it becomes apparent that many man-hours went into this creation and much of it at a great personal cost. The involvement in the process becomes uniquely personal for them and contributes to everything from the whimsical name that is assigned to the craft to finding and rebuilding the period correct outboard motor for the boat. Even if you are not into wooden boats, the enthusiasm of the owners leaves you with dreams of finding that next project in the backyard of some random old salt and working to make it uniquely yours.
Just as you think that you have reached the end of the show, you notice a mass of folks headed towards the Harborwalk. As you infiltrate this conglomerate, you recognize that the rest of the show is at the docks adjacent to the Harborwalk. The marina is filled with larger historic wooden boats with the owners sitting on board. Most of the folks at the docks walk through and randomly admire different aspects of the boats but there are a select few that look at these boats a little differently. They are intently calculating the number of hours that went into the build or restoration. They are counting the number of coats of varnish that it took to achieve that mirror-like finish on the hull and woodwork. No matter how you look at these boats, you will most assuredly walk away with an appreciation for the workmanship that went into them.
In addition to the actual show, there is also a boatbuilding competition that is worked into the event. Teams are given plans for a row boat and four hours to build the boat in front of all of the boat show attendees. There is a litany of the sound of saws, hammers, and planers. At the end of the four hours, the teams who have completed the boat race them across the Sampit River at the Harborwalk. The whole affair creates a carnival-like atmosphere that is enjoyed by young and old.
The Georgetown Wooden Boat Show is a great southern event for several reasons. One, it still maintains its identity after twenty nine years of existence. The larger contemporary of this lowcountry show, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, lost track of its meaning years ago. The Georgetown show was created to celebrate the maritime history of this community and still maintains that theme to this day. Two, the whole thing can be done in a day and does not really take any advance planning. Attendance and parking are free. This is also good because it really only lasts a day. The schedule also includes Sunday but none of the locals I have spoken with know why.
The only issue I have with the show is the ticketing system. There are several food and beverage vendors with wonderful regional cuisine along Front Street but they can only accept tickets for payment. These tickets have to be purchased separately from yet another tent. This minor issue can be quickly remedied, however, by visiting one of the trendy eating establishments along the waterfront.
In closing, if you are into boats, maritime history, and good people, then go ahead and mark the third Saturday in October on your calendar and make the trip to Georgetown, South Carolina. If you see me, give me a holler. You can learn more about the Georgetown Wooden Boat Show at woodenboatshow.com/.
The Waterman Diaries 