I've been meaning to put this up for a while. The 'Gong lads headed to Tassie for Australia Day. This dingy was just sitting there. The weather was tranquil and I had just smacked the tennis ball out into Opossum Bay. Beach Cricket, on Australia Day, who'd have thought? How Australian. Anyway, so off I went, Snorks the sailor. My first solo sailing adventure.

After a brief initiation, I ended up sitting on the floor, not on the transom seat. It gave me better balance, and I could then fully manoeuvre the tiller. Outing #1 was fine, a leisurely breeze, say 7 knots? Collected the ball, returned it and headed out for a cruise.

Later in the morning, outing #2 was not particularly clever. By this stage the wind had picked up, I'd guess 20-25 knots. I had trouble launching off, a conspiracy between the wind, the rudder and the centreboard. I can be stubborn, so I persevered. With some help from Muzza and Big A, I was away!

To exaggerate the mental picture, think of Truman, trying to escape via the ocean. Well, it wasn't that bad, but I couldn't tack, couldn't jibe and the boom was held on with cable ties. At least I didn't capsize. Somehow, I ended up getting back in to the shore, a few shades paler than I left! I think I'll stick with trailer sailers.