The first Festival saw 32 boats in Victoria’s Inner Harbour, overseen by judge and Honorary Commodore Frank Fredette – sealer, boat builder, naval architect, and Thermopylae Club member. Pulling boat races were a hit with young and old, sea shanties were sung, Jim Saul played his saw, and everybody had a great time. One award was given — Best Sail — at a seafood dinner at the White Eagles Hall in James Bay. After much dancing the participants were loaded on to double-decker buses and returned to their boats in the Inner Harbour in front of the Empress Hotel.