The visit to Chaffey was to highlight the absence of a sailing club there and to test the waterway’s suitability for sailing races to be held. It was a resounding success.

“This experimental day of races at Chaffey was highly successful and needs to be a fixture on our sailing calendar,” Lake Keepit Sailing Club vice commodore Tim Corben said.

“Combining with the New England Sailing Club provided an opportunity sailors to pit their skills against other competitors and to share go-faster ideas and tactics.”

Over four tightly contested races the overall winner was Keith Garrett from Lake Keepit Sailing Club, who became the “Chaffey Champ” of the day.

The morning produced two races with a variable south-easterly wind and saw six laser dinghy combatants facing the starter.

A good start proved the order of the day as early leaders generally lead the fleet from start to finish.

The first race was won by Tamworth’s Tim Corben, with the Garrett, who hails from Quirindi, getting home in the second race.

The club’s two new comers to sailing, Robert Kelly and Robert Maslen completed the testing courses to finish both races. Both sailors completed the five-week Yachting Australia “Discover Sailing” course the club ran recently.

After a lunch break the wind was punching down between the surrounding hills that circle the dam and bullocking across the water.

The fleet struggled to reach the starting line unscathed with several capsizes occurring. Three boats started races three and four under very trying conditions and completed the course.

Garrett showed his skills in all of the dam’s moods and won both races with Tamworth’s Matt Whiteman and Armidale’s Andy Sawyer close behind.

The next away series will be the regatta at Malpas Dam on December 2 and 3 to contest the first round of the “Thunderbolt Cup”. This regatta is an annual interclub event between New England Sailing Club and Lake Keepit Sailing Club.

Overall results were: Keith Garret 1, 2nd Matt Whiteman 2, and Andy Sawyer 3.