Yachts and power boats from Perth and Mandurah gather every year following Christmas for social, frivolous camaraderie, after making the journey south and many Bunbury boats join them.

Dunsborough Bay Yacht Club always warmly welcomes these visitors. The club provided their annual beach party for the boaties to enjoy tall stories, good wine and excellent food. The balmy evening was enjoyed by over 170 people. Many a glass was raised to the new fortunes of the Dunsborough Bay Yacht Club as everyone was delighted to hear of the recently approved building license and to see the cleared site for the long awaited boatshed. And how timely was the clearing. It has certainly saved the shire a lot of embarrassment about the overcrowded parking area at Quindalup over the holiday period and beyond.

The visitors were extremely generous with their donations for the building and promises of assistance with building, when it commences. DBYC is very grateful for their support. Many new members and associate members were signed up. The club looks forward to a momentous year ahead as the eight-year dream starts to materialise.

There was a carnival atmosphere on the beach at Quindalup on Sunday, as the first junior race was held in the splash dinghies. Heats of three were held in the morning, with junior sailors who had completed three of their four training sessions during the previous weeks, plus some new trainees who had barely stepped into a boat.

The whole atmosphere was buzzing as young sailors gathered to test their skills against one another, with a huge contingent of parent supporters watching. A helmsperson and one crew sailed together in the splash dinghy and raced out to a buoy off the beach and back again. The recently acquired skills were well and truly put to the test, as capsized yachts were righted and rights were called around the buoys.

The end of the race was worth seeing as sailors, complete with buoyancy vests, joined parents in the water for a celebratory splash. This is what the club had been waiting for, for a long time – juniors and parents all involved in the fun.

Sailing results for the GP14 race:

First over the line: Ragged Edge (Peter/Rick Wagner)

Second: WhizzBang (Jim Major/Peter Ranford)

Third: Tamzine (Joan/Mark Embry)

Fourth: Flasheart (Peter Godley/Darren Uren)