A group of us have done a downwinder from Woodman point to South Beach and it was awesome. Going from Rockingham will be a hard work if the wind kicks in.

As I have been off the water to 3 months I think I will be pushing my luck to bit fit enough for next week.

Count me in Ado, sounds like fun......I think...........

Glad to see you're interested Nebs.

I reckon this should be easier (assuming a normal 15 - 25 knot seabreeze) than the Lancelin Ocean Classic for two reasons;

1. You don't have to worry about sailing a specific course. There are couple of marks to stay inside of, but other than that you gybe whenever you want, and you are always sailing deep off the wind. If you start to cramp up, you can just gybe off. Lancelin doesn't afford you that luxury as you have to sail the course.

2. The waters in Cockburn Sound are really nice; a bit like off the end of Peli Point. The water is relatively shallow and the bottom is flat so you get about a 2 -3 foot chop which all lines up neatly and it's quite easy to pick a line down along the troughs and just gun it. Once you get past the end of Garden Island it does get a lot messier as there is swell coming through, but then you also have the section in the lee of Woodman Point which is pretty nice too.

Definitely worth a go, and it will stand you in very good stead come Lancelin time. You may also achieve a "one hour" PB, if it takes you that long!

The race has just been called off due to a poor forecast.

I must admit I was having serious reservations about sailing out off shore in an Easterly.

They may re-schedule in coming months, fingers creossed.