Fans of full-masted historic sailing vessels will have to wait until 2014 before the Tall Ships Festival returns to Tacoma’s waterfront, according to local organizers.

On Tuesday, Stan Selden, president of the Tacoma Waterfront Association, told members of Tacoma City Council’s community and economic development committee the city should aim to host the next Tall Ships Festival in 2014 and host smaller maritime events in the interim.

Tacoma hosted the Tall Ships Festival in 2005 and 2008.

He cited several reasons for holding off on the big event: outstanding debt from the last festival, a longer lead time necessary for fund-raising and event planning, and the need for a multi-jurisdictional event organizer.

According to Selden, 44 vendors are still owed $424,000 for services provided during the festival in 2008. “With the debt that’s still out there, it’s a challenge,” he observed. “We should be prudent right now.” He also encouraged committee members to consider creating an organization composed of the City of Tacoma, Pierce County, Metro Parks, the Port of Tacoma, and other waterfront cities that would staff and provide office space for organizing future maritime activities.

“What we’re saying in so many words is let’s not focus on 2011 Tall Ships and instead develop the facility to have it in 2014,” he added.

That doesn’t mean Tacoma won’t host a maritime event for four years. According to Selden, the Tacoma Waterfront Association, which is responsible for bringing the Tall Ships festival to town, and the Puget Sound Schooner Association have reached an agreement to bring 10 to 15 private schooners to Tacoma’s waterfront for a “Schooner Rendezvous” to be held April 23 to 25.

“It’s a smart strategy,” said Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland. “It’s very strategic. It builds up for the bigger event and allows us to continue using our waterfront.”