Summer has arrived , and Hollingworth Lake is a wonderful place when the sun shines . Membership of HLSC costs £225 per annum for joint membership , that's an amazing £112.50 each add the £63.00 boat fee and for less than 50p a day you have 365 days a year access to the lake and clubhouse plus storage for your boat , organized racing with rescue cover , Sunday , Wednesday and Friday evening during the season , and beer at £2.00 a pint . A no brainer !! To put this in perspective in you were not a member it would cost £15.00 a day to launch a boat on the lake , plus you would have to transport it there and store it somewhere. Not always , but the warm sunny weather brings light winds , and this was the case on Wednesday 11th June Sunday 15th June and Sunday 22nd June . At midday on Sunday 15th there was no wind and racing was postponed for an hour . By 2 o'clock a small breeze picked up and we managed to get two races in . Light winds bring a new challenge , its a knack , some people have it . I tend to rely on luck . Never give up , 30 boat lengths behind , you get the wind first and you can catch and pass your competitors very quickly . There is no better feeling than creeping up un noticed , gliding past and waiting for the comments from your becalmed rival . Prepare to get the same treatment at some point in the race , but do enjoy it while it lasts . Light winds are a good opportunity to practice roll tacks , spinnaker gybes and catching up on the gossip with your crew ( if you have one ). I prefer a stronger breeze , as very light winds can be boring and frustrating as well as challenging, but you have the scenery to enjoy and none of the scary moments that strong winds can bring , so ideal for novices .
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