It started with some friendly ribbing about whose boat was faster and led to the creation of one of Seattle’s most beloved and enduring sailing events.

Ron Lloyd and Bruce Gilbert weren’t planning on starting Duck Dodge that spring night in 1974 when they set sail on Lake Union for a casual competition. They followed a makeshift course around a few buoys on the lake, with Lloyd and boat partner Mike Rice in their 26-foot Blanchard Senior Knockabout and Gilbert on his International 110.

“It was such fun and it seemed like such a great venue for a boat race that I went back to my office and made up some handbills,” Lloyd said.

They advertised for a race the following Tuesday night, dubbing the event “Tenas Chuck Duck Dodge,” combining the Native American name for the lake and their rule that any sailor coming into contact with or “substantially frightening” a duck had to turn 270 degrees out of its way and apologize before continuing.

The handbill that started it all. The first Duck Dodge course used the Aurora Bridge as a mark.

Lloyd posted the handbills on telephone poles around Lake Union and from those humble beginnings, a great Northwest tradition was born. Duck Dodge, which starts its 35th season on Tuesday and runs through Sept. 8, has become as integral a part of the regional boating scene as Opening Day.

It’s attracted international attention, drawing heavyweights such as Roy E. Disney, who sailed his $7 million, 86-foot yacht, Pyewacket, in the race, and was named by Fodor’s travel guide as among the Top 100 Things to Do in North America.

Despite the higher profile, Duck Dodge has remained resolutely volunteer-run and sponsorless. In the early years, “We were constantly approached about sponsorship and we decided we didn’t want any sponsorship,” Lloyd said. “We just wanted to keep it casual and friendly.”

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Over the decades, Duck Dodge traditions have become firmly ingrained. Winners receive coveted gold, silver and bronze duck decals that are proudly displayed on masts and transoms. Crews dress according to themes, such as prom night, pirate night, toga night, tropical night (and a new one this year—economic recovery/boat stimulus night).

The boats raft up together after the races and Duck Dodge “virgins” must complete assigned tasks, such as kissing the mast of every boat. And invariably, there’s an end of the night salute from the crew of Shoot the Moon, who give a pants-down farewell as the boat departs.

Shoot the Moon’s skipper, Don Wills, has been racing in Duck Dodge since its inaugural year and sees it as a great way to introduce people to sailing while keeping his crew’s skills honed for more serious races

“It’s a social event,” Wills said. “You almost get a better turnout for Duck Dodge than you do the serious racing, because anyone and everyone can do it.”

Wills acknowledges that the mix of seasoned and rookie sailors can make for some tense situations. “It’s somewhat organized chaos, because you get a pretty good mix of people trying to do the races and they may or may not know the rules,” he said. “It can be stressful. But it’s a lot of fun.”

Even a proposal isn't out of the question at Duck Dodge.

Boats race under four categories: fast boats, half-fast boats, cruising and slower boats, and dinghy class. And there are rules, however loosely they’re enforced. Rules 3, 5, 7 9 and 11 are “no hitting,” Rule 6 prohibits bribing the committee “while anybody is looking,” and regular marine rules of the road apply. There have been fender benders over the years—Wills’ boat once t-boned another boat in the dark—but organizers and police say they haven’t heard of any serious injuries.

The Seattle Police Department’s Harbor Patrol unit recently met with city of Seattle representatives and the Duck Dodge committee about safety concerns around the races. Lt. Marc Olson, head of Harbor Patrol, said there’s no move afoot by police to prevent rafting up, though anchoring on the lake is officially prohibited.

“When they have 19 or 20 boats rafted up, that’s not safe,” he said. “We fully support all of the marine events that go on. It’s just, how do we make it as safe as possible?”

And while Duck Dodge has a reputation for being as much about partying as racing, Kim DuBois, who’s headed the Duck Dodge committee for the past 12 years, says it’s much more than that. There’s no charge to participate, and Dubois says the inclusive nature of the races brings together a broad cross-section.

“It’s not just one group of people. It’s woven through the fabric of different economic groups, different age groups and different cultural groups,” she said. “It’s a way for us to get out and enjoy our environment and what makes Seattle great.

“When the sun goes down and it’s reflected on the water, it’s just beautiful. That’s Seattle.”

Don Wills holds his granddaughter, Abby, the next generation of duck dodger.

Lloyd gave up Duck Dodge after its first few years and now favors cruising in his 1943 wooden powerboat, Snoose, a converted 37-f0ot salmon troller. He and Gilbert raced against each other again in a Duck Dodge reunion about 20 years ago, with Gilbert winning. As for who won the race on that night 35 years ago, well, it depends who you ask.

“Bruce says he did and we said we did,” Lloyd said, laughing. “The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.”

And those ducks that serve as moving course obstacles? They got wise.

“I haven’t seen too many out there lately,” Wills said. “I think they know to avoid Tuesdays.”

Additional race information and a full schedule is available on the Duck Dodge website.

About Deborah Bach

Deborah Bach is the editor and co-founder of Three Sheets Northwest. She is an avid sailor and long-time professional journalist. You can find Deborah aboard Three Sheets, an Island Packet 38, with her husband Marty and their cat Lily.

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