Let your kids captain their own pint-sized rigs – 39-inch pond sailboats, to be exact. The Center for Wooden Boats at Lake Union Park rents the model R-class Pirate boats which kids (young and old) are invited to sail on the park’s 100-foot diameter pond. The pond, which is two feet deep, was designed specifically for sailing model boats and is one of only a handful in the country. It is open to the public year-round and all types of boats are welcome to sail there. The exception: No gas-powered hydroplanes. the hand-crafted model pond boats are available at the desk of the Wagner Education Center and cost $20 per hour.
Center volunteers give a brief tutorial on how to sail the wooden craft, with its adjustable sails. The boats are “free sailing” because they have no motors. When we went to rent, volunteers talked to my kids about judging wind direction (flags around the pond help with that) and how to bail out the miniature wooden crafts when they take on water.
Thus armed, the kids set off with boats in arms. (Young kids will likely need some hauling help). The wide flat rim around the pond makes it easy for children to scramble up to get the most leverage for smooth sailing. Even in light winds, these boats have no problem making it across the pond. Floats around the pond perimeter help cushion the crafts from fatal crashes.
On our sailing excursion, my son spent most of the afternoon zooming from one side of the pond to another in hot pursuit of his boat and challenging other kids to boat races.
The Center or Wooden boats has more than a dozen model boats for rent, so there are usually plenty to go around. But they have been known to run out, so be prepared to wait a bit (the good news, if you’re waiting: There’s plenty to distract here, including seaplane landings and take-offs happening on Lake Union, exploring the Center for Wooden Boats itself and, of course, the Museum of History and Industry just a few feet away from the sailing pond.
Open hours at The Center for Wooden Boats changes seasonally:
Winter/Spring: January 4, 2023 – March 12, 2023 | 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. | Last boat out @ 2:45 p.m.
Spring/Summer: March 15, 2023 – September 24, 2023 | Wednesday to Friday 12:00 p.m.-7:00 pm Last boat out @ 5:45 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday 10:00 a.m.-6:00p.m. Last boat out @ 4:45 p.m.
Autumn: September 27 – October 29, 2023 |10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.| Last boat out @ 4:45pm.
Autumn/Winter: November 1 – December 10 | 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m .| Last boat out @ 2:45pm
Call 206-382-2628 or visit the Center for Wooden Boats website to confirm model sailing hours and ensure model boats are available to sail.
More at Seattle’s Child:
On the water with kids: Guide to Seattle boat rentals, cruises and tours
