Mornings during the Spring Season are focussed on getting members back out on the water refreshing and building their sailing skills. There is also 
coaching and the Corsair is on-hand for the very beginners. Sunday the 3rd October started with very very light winds. It wasn’t looking favourable for a day of sailing however it didn’t stop the rigging area from filling up with 6 Lasers and a Tasar. Being a long weekend, there were a few of the regulars away.

It was wonderful to welcome Michale White to his first day of racing at Cooby. Michael has recently joined the club and also has his own nicely rigged Laser (ILCA) dinghy. DDSC is quickly becoming a Laser dinghy club with nine of its own boats and seven privately owned. Michael brings with 
him an extensive sailing background and will prove to be a valuable member at our club. We should see more Tasers on the water in the coming weeks.
It was also great to see Ayden Roberts back again and out on a club Laser. Ayden brings with him sail-board experience and is keen to be a competitive club racer.

During the morning period, Terry and Peter rigged the Corsair with Terry taking out the Jensen family who were having their very first sailing experience at Cooby. Chau, who was the designated Rescue and Support boat driver and I, his maybe capable assistant, laid the rounding marks with great hopes for a successful afternoon of racing. The good news was the breeze was picking up and looked promising. 

As the first two Spring races in September were either cancelled due to lack of wind or lack of entries it was decided to have two afternoon races and get the Spring Championship point-score underway. As we move nearer to our Invitation Sprint Series in December, it was an opportunity to try out the 
Sprint Series format with two races in quick succession. This seemed to work very well with favourable feedback from the competitors. The course 
provided a reasonable work with a couple of off-the-wind runs. As usual Cooby tested the sailors with some good wind-shifts and light spots but in 
the end, we saw some close racing.

Race 1 was led away by Peter on his Laser with a great start, closely followed by Terry in the Tasar with the remaining Lasers, Gary, Nathan and 
Ayden in hot pursuit. Unfortunately Michael had a gear failure as he left shore and missed race one. There was close racing but in the end Peter took the Gold with Terry and Leigh in the Tasar coming in second followed by Gary, Ayden and Nathan.

Race 2 commenced in similar conditions to race one. Michael in his Laser got the pick of the start, along with Peter and then Terry and Leigh in the Tasor, followed by Nathan, Gary and Ayden. The lead changed a little through the first work and downwind runs, but in the end Terry and Leigh eventually showed their heals with a great second work to windward acheiving a nice overall win, with Michael coming in second followed by Peter, Gary, Nathan and Ayden. 

So it will be back on the water at Cooby on Sunday 18th October, gates opening at 9.00am, for more practice and keen racing, and hopefully some good wind. 

Cheers,

Mark Stevens OOD