The Victorian States were held over the weekend with 10 boats competing. It was a fantastic weekend with congratulations to Michael Quirk and Jordan Spencer taking home the first Victorian championship in quite a few years.

There were 5 heats sailed over the two days with 2 heats Saturday afternoon and then 3 races back to back on Sunday morning. Temperatures where in the mid 30's both days with light winds in the mornings before the typical McCrae sea breeze started to fill in. Heat 1 started in 5-8 knots and when the sea breeze settled,  we raced in flat water and 15-18 knots for Heat 2.  Perfect conditions for racing the 505.

Glenn Collings conducted a training session on Saturday morning for those boats ready for the water. The other half like us were still bolting bits on our boat after winter refits or rigging new boats working out were everything goes. Glenn also tailed all the boats during the afternoon racing session and provided a valuable de-brief on the lawn after racing. All in all, getting Glenn involved was good value for everyone.

Saturday night there was a BBQ at our place and we followed up with a coffee and breakfast across the road from the club Sunday morning. I think everyone was pretty well fed and watered! Sunday's racing in Heat 3 started in light conditions around 5 knots but by the time we were into Heat 5, all crews were trapezing upwind and starting to think about de-powering the rigs. Bloody pleasant sailing and racing which ever way you look at it.

It was great to see 5 Victorian boats competing and actually meeting some of the newcomers to the class for the first time. There is a real push on with the 505s at Royal Brighton YC which used to be 505 central in Victoria. There are now 5 boats there at last count with Michael Quirk having sold 8886 to another RBYC member on the weekend. There were at least 4 Vic boats missing for one reason or another so we will be looking for a good turnout of around 10 Vic boats at the Nationals.

It was also interesting to note the number of people we had come down over the weekend that have either sailed 505s in the past or are interested in getting into them. The 2011 Worlds in Hamilton Island is a real carrot to get people interested so as a class we should be doing all we can to get boats out of garages and into the hands of people sailing them.

Last but not least, thanks to the interstate sailors for making the effort to come down to McCrae. Your presence really made it worthwhile and turned it into a regatta.