Author Archives: Rusty

Rendezvous Registration Opens March 18th

Greetings everyone. The 25th anniversary Rendezvous at Roche Harbor is May 6-10. Time for an update on the largest and greatest Grand Banks rendezvous in the world – as far as we know. 😉

First, and  foremost, registration for the 25th anniversary Rendezvous will open on or about Wednesday, March 18th. We will send out a note as soon as we get ourselves sorted out.

Early bird registration this year is $225 per boat. First timers will receive a $25 discount. After April 15th, the cost will go up $25 per boat and the first timer discount twill end. Register early! Roche Harbor gives us a free night Wednesday for those staying until Sunday. Don’t miss out on your free night – join us Wednesday.

OK … now for some important details.

  • Brian Smith from American Diesel will join us to answer any and all questions you may have about our engines.
  • NW Exploration’s very popular Women on the Water events are back again. Book early as these fill up fast. Your $20 donation goes to the Orca Network this year.
  • Courtesy vessel safety inspections and fire extinguisher inspections.
  • Roche Harbor doughnuts each morning, Yum!
  • We’ve got some great swag again this year.
  • Mark Bunzell from the Waggoner Guide will be with us Thursday.
  • Lots of great seminars are scheduled.
  • The dinner Thursday night will be better than last year. We promise. 🤞🏻
  • The Friday BBQ lunch was well received last year so we are bringing it back again.
  • Beer and cider tasting, and sponsor fair Friday afternoon.
  • The Recreational Boating Association of Washington (RBAW) will talk Saturday about their legislative efforts on our behalf.
  • The Dangerfields will provide our Saturday evening entertainment with a mix of blues, rock and funk, original tunes and classic covers.
  • And much more …

As always, a big, big thank you to our sponsors. We could not put on this event without their generosity and support! Please think of them first when you need help with your boat. 

And a special thank you to this year’s Rendezvous Committee, Carol Harriman, Janice McLaughlin, Byron and Sue Richards, JJ and Kathy Jones, Brad Larson, Ross Tennant, Mary Ann Savinsky, Koelle Leenstra, Gary Law, and Ken Bowles!

As always, email us rendezvous@psgbowners.org with all of your questions, comments, suggestions, and so on.

We are looking forward to seeing all of you at the 25th Rendezvous at Roche Harbor! You won’t want to miss it. 

More to come soon …

Rusty

Rendezvous Update

Greetings and happy Saturday! This is a quick Rendezvous update. It’s still a bit early for the Rendezvous committee to have the details sorted out, but rest assured, we are working tirelessly to make this another great event. Here is what we know so far.

The Rendezvous begins with early arrival Wednesday, May 6th and concludes Sunday the 10th. This is the 25th anniversary of our Rendezvous at Roche Harbor and the 250th anniversary of the United States. We expect to see many old friends and make new friends this year at the largest Grand Banks Rendezvous in the world (at least as far as we know. 😉) Rendezvous registration will be live on or about March 18th.

We asked for feedback after the rendezvous last year. Thank you all for responding to our survey. The feedback we received is very helpful to our planning process.

The Rendezvous will follow the same general format we have come to expect each year. Popular events like Women on the Water, vessel safety inspections, interesting and informative seminars, and fresh doughnuts will be back. We are working with long time sponsors and a few new ones too. I am going to go out on a limb and say we are expecting a special guest from the east coast this year.

Expect to see more from us as we get closer to registration and the Rendezvous. We will also update this website at https://psgbowners.org with all information as we sort out the details. If you have not attended the Rendezvous in the past, the postings from last year’s event will give you a good idea of what to expect at our annual Rendezvous. It is a great event at a wonderful location and we look forward to seeing you there.

As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us at rendezvous@psgbowners.org with questions, comments, suggestions, and ideas.

More to come soon …

Rusty

Rusty Lewis
2026 PSGBOA Rendezvous Chair

The 25th Anniversary of our Rendezvous at Roche is May 6-10 2026

Welcome to 2026! This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of our Rendezvous at Roche Harbor. Mark your calendars for May 6th-10th and join us for another great Rendezvous. 

We are looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

We are just beginning the planning process. If you have ideas, suggestions, or questions, shoot us an email at rendezvous@psgbowners.org.

More to come as we move forward with the planning process ….

Highlights from the 2025 Rendezvous at Roche Harbor

We had a great time at this year’s Rendezvous. Once again, it was beautiful at Roche Harbor. The weather cooperated nicely. The folks at Roche Harbor were great again this year too.

Thank you again to all who attended and special thank you’s to our Rendezvous sponsors. Their generous contributions in money and time are what make the Rendezvous possible.

A few random photos from the Rendezvous …

Aerial photos courtesy of David Sampson, Grand Banks.

Roche Harbor Doughnuts. Breakfast of Champions.

Ross Tennant from NW Explorations mans one of the BBQs for our Friday lunch.

Ted from Grato works his magic on another BBQ.

The line for Hamburgers and Brats – fresh off the grill.

Hotel De Haro just because it is so pretty.

The buffet line at our Welcome Dinner.

The Welcome Dinner crowd in Roche Harbor’s event center.

Our golf competition. We were all terrible.

Allison from the National Park Service was kind enough to give us a personalized American Camp tour.

It was a beautiful day at American Camp

Peter Ricks and Courtney Wingard from Novamar Marine Insurance.

John Meek from Life is Good Detailing.

The beer and cider tasting table at the Sponsor Fair.

JR Russell provided the magic and humor at our Saturday evening dinner.

2025 Rendezvous Schedule and Important Details

The Rendezvous is less than a week away and we are looking forward to seeing and meeting all of you.  

Important details

  • Dinner Saturday night is a potluck. We are providing lots of ham. Please bring a side dish of your choosing suitable for sharing with others. Also, please bring your own plates and utensils. That helps us keep the cost down and decrease waste.
  • Friday’s lunch is burgers, brats, and sides. Please bring your own plates, utensils, and drinks. We’ve got the rest of it covered.
  • Friday afternoon’s beer and cider tasting – Please bring your own glasses. Recent Rendezvous attendees should have fancy beer tasting glasses with the PSGBOA logo. We will have extras if needed.
  • Fresh Roche Harbor doughnuts will be available Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings in the Rendezvous tent.
  • Fire extinguisher certifications – 1:30-5:00 Wednesday afternoon. $15 each for inspection, certification, and recharge if necessary.
  • Vessel safety inspections – 8:30-1:00 Thursday and Friday morning. Sign up when you check in at the Rendezvous. There is no cost for the inspections.

Download the complete Rendezvous schedule here. We will have a tri-fold printed version in everyone’s welcome packet when you check in.

Thank you again to all of our sponsors this year! Their continuing generosity and support are what make the Rendezvous possible. See the sponsor list here. Thank you Ross and Northwest Explorations for providing the boat and training captain for the Women on the Water sessions.

And a special thank you to everyone on the Rendezvous committee. Carol, Byron, Janice, JJ, Kathy, Ross, and Ken. This is the first time I have been involved in Rendezvous planning. They are the folks that know how everything works and what needs to be done. They are also the ones that made sure I did it. 😀

For those attending for the first time, the Rendezvous takes place on the guest dock. Most activities take place in and around the tents on the guest dock. Contact Roche Harbor on 78A for your slip assignment when you arrive. Wander over to the tents and check in with us when you are docked and settled. 

I think that’s all the important stuff. Please let me know if you have any questions. We will see you all in a few days. Have a safe and wonderful trip to Roche Harbor.

~ Rusty

Rusty Lewis
Aboard Archimedes
2025 Rendezvous Chair

Rendezvous Update – Procrastinators Take Note 😊

Hello again! I hope you all are having a great Sunday. It is a beautiful day in the Pacific Northwest. Just a quick update. We want to remind everyone “early bird” Rendezvous registration ends at midnight this Tuesday, April 15th. Register before the 15th and save a few bucks. Rendezvous registration ends at midnight Tuesday, April 29th.

Demand for our ever popular Women on the Water sessions is high again this year. The additional sessions we added on Saturday are full and we are taking names on a waiting list. Thank you Ross and NW Explorations for providing the boat and the training captain for these sessions!

See our site for the latest Rendezvous schedule updates.

Saturday evening’s entertainment will feature a dazzling extravaganza of prestidigitation featuring JR Russell. 

Have I mentioned Roche Harbor doughnuts lately? Each morning? 😊

Click the link to the registration form for complete information and important details. 

Click Here to Register

or https://psgboa.wufoo.com/forms/2025-grand-banks-rendezvous-registration/

Thanks again to our sponsors. Their continuing generosity and support are what makes our Rendezvous possible. See our sponsor page for more information. Please support our sponsors when you can.

Questions? rendezvous@psgbowners.org or visit our website at https://www.psgbowners.org.

We hope to see you all at the Rendezvous!

Rusty

Rendezvous Update – What We Have Planned So Far

Hello and happy Saturday. Rusty here again with the latest Rendezvous update. We’ve had a chance to sort out most of the schedule and want to bring everyone up to  speed. Don’t forget … early bird registration ends April 15th. Registration closes April 29th.

We have a number of first time attendees joining us this year. Welcome! We are looking forward to meeting all of you.

Our “Women on the Water” boat handling sessions are filling up fast. In fact, we’ve added additional trainings on Saturday to accommodate demand. We donate the $20 fee to the San Juan Island Preservation Trust.

We have some great events and seminars planned this year. While we are busy finalizing the schedule, here are a few of the highlights so far. All are included with your registration.

  • Three days of seminars conducted by our sponsors on subjects ranging from boat handling, boat care, cruising, electronics, marine sanitation, dinghies and davits, and others. Dr. Robertson, a marine biologist from San Juan County, will be there Friday morning to talk about marine mammals in the area, whales, and the new regulations. Mark Bunzell from the Waggoner Guide will update us on cruising in the area and this year’s changes at our favorite destinations. Folks from Grand Banks are coming all the way from Florida to visit with us.
  • Thursday night is our big dinner catered by Roche Harbor in their event center.
  • Saturday’s bus adventure this year is to American Camp. Most of us have been to Garrison Bay, but few have visited American Camp. An interpretive guide will give us a talk on the history of American Camp and Garrison Bay.
  • Roche Harbor doughnuts each morning. 😀
  • The association is hosting a burger/brat lunch on Friday. We’ve got all the fixings too.
  • Our popular beer and cider tasting is back on Friday.
  • Thursday’s “owner’s forum” where we get to talk about anything related to our old boats with folks that have owned GBs for years. 
  • Swag. We’ve got some good gifts lined up for attendees.
  • A potluck dinner on Saturday night. We bring the ham. You bring your favorite sides to share.
  • Movie night Friday evening. We will provide the popcorn!
  • And whatever else we can come up with between now and May 7th. 😉

Attendees can expect more details as we get closer to the Rendezvous.

See the registration form for complete information and important details. 

Click Here to Register

or https://psgboa.wufoo.com/forms/2025-grand-banks-rendezvous-registration/

Thanks again to our sponsors. Their generosity and support are what makes our Rendezvous possible. See our sponsor page for more information.

Questions? rendezvous@psgbowners.org or visit our website at https://www.psgbowners.org.

We hope to see you all at the Rendezvous!

Rusty