The Lake looked at its best last Sunday as the fleet gathered around the “start boat”, ready to commence the four-race sprint series. The ideal picture of the lake not enjoyed as much by the frustrated sailors due to the fickle breeze. Ten boats had entered for the series and three of these lasers were being helmed by three beginning sailors who had been working hard for several weeks now on get an understanding of how boats sailed and how to keep them upright.

 Having to put all of their new-found knowledge/skills thus far into keeping their boats moving in fluctuating conditions, and in a race situation, was very challenging! But, they all did extremely well applying their newly learned skills and faced with the next 5 minute countdown of the Race Starter in getting the fleet away once again for the next encounter.

Great work and congratulations to Des Harrison, Brendon Hiley and Darcy Barker! You all did really well! Keep up the practice.

 The afternoon sailing programme was a series of four short-course races around just three buoys, one lap and finish. The fleet was then given a new count-down of five minutes after the last boat had completed the first race. It was great fun out on the water even with the variable wind….. it would gust from another direction and then a complete 90 deg change again, and then disappear!

 These sprint series are valuable for positioning your boat for the start and then sailing in close quarters to others and observing what the experienced skippers were doing to their rigging and sails and trying to keep up with them.

 The best of the laser skippers, Tamworth’s Hugh Evans, showed us in a ”master-class” how it is done with three 1st placings and a 2^nd for the four races.

 Kevin Overton also featured with a sound collection of three 2nds and a 4^th.

Our “Elder-of –the-fleet”, Quirindi’s Michael Juchau, scored a 1^st, two 3rds and a 4^th! An excellent effort in his Gemini 20ft catamaran!

 Next Sunday’s Club race is another heat of our Club Championship Series and will commence closely after 1300hours (1.00pm).

 See you all on the water!