After last weeks Power Boat course, this week I returned to my normal routine of OnBoard Club in the morning and Race Club in the afternoon.

Saturday morning dawned dry and sunny with barely any wind although this wasn’t apparent until after we left home as at Tophill we had thick fog!

Once at SailLaser we were briefed about the morning and then Jack and I went to get the picos out and rig them for the OnBoard session. We then took time out from sailing matters to don our red noses for a photo for the Dorset Echo to promote our activities for Red Nose Day on the 19th March.

This is now a regular yearly event with previous activities including a sponsored sail with me dressed as a pink fairy, which would have been embarrassing if it weren’t in the name of charity, and last year's event saw me and fellow members doing a tri-mile which consisted of a mile run, a mile swim and a mile sail dressed as a shipwrecked sailor. Photo call over, we briefed the members of OnBoard Club and headed out into the harbour.

This week I was using my newly acquired skills and drove the power boat for the session which enabled Jack to devote his time to teaching.

The serious side of the session saw the OnBoard members undertaking a beam reach course and then we played ‘follow the leader’ in the boats.

As the picos went in, I went to put the power boat back in its berth on the pontoons. As I pulled in I spotted (and he spotted me) Ben, one of the instructors from last weeks course so I knew I was under pressure to manoeuvre the boat correctly. Safely moored up, I headed off for lunch.

The afternoon started by changing and rigging up a Laser with a 4.7 sail. By this time the wind was variable which tested our ability using the controls of the boat. We had two races, in the first I came 4th and in the second I improved my position to 3rd in a field of 8 which I was quite pleased about.

We headed back to the slipway and derigged out boats. After a quick shower we were debriefed and made our way home for a well earned rest and tea. It was a great day, with the academy buzzing, just the way it should be!

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