The Fire Truck is back again for another season of punishment from the 18's. We must be crazy.

 Our first race was the Bias Boating Warehouse Humpy Bash, hosted by the Humpybong Yacht Club over the weekend of the 20th and 21st of September. Six races were held over the weekend.

 Saturday greeted us with 15 to 20 knots of breese from the north east with a lumpy sea . "Fire Truck" sailed out to the start and promptly had to ditch it to avoid ending up at Sandgate. During the swim, some idiot who steers the boat landed on the main and pulled it out of the track, so day over early but no real damage done.

 Sunday started with a nice 8 to 10 knot North Easter that was predicted to build during the day. We were joined for these three races by the "Queenslander" skiff skippered by Darryl Dignam.

 "Queenslander" got the better of the start in race one and led up the first work. The "Queenslander" crew made a navigational error and sailed to the wrong top mark, letting the "Fire Truck" in to take the lead. The speed between both boats was fairly even all the way around the track. At the final top mark, "Queenslander" capsized and the skipper went through the mainsail, therefore ending her day. In the mixed fleet of fast monohull dinghys and catamarans, "Fire Truck" finished 10th out of 13 on VYC Yardstick and first monohull across the line.

 The second race started in 10 to 15 knots from the north east. "Fire Truck" got a good start at the boat end and sailed a good race to again finish as the first monohull across the line and 7th this time on VYC Yardstick.

 The big win for the Sunday was having no swims at all for the two races. We are looking forward to the first points race of the season.

 Laurie Williamson