One of the first things Hugh Evans did when he moved to Tamworth early last year was organise to get his boat out to Lake Keepit.
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For almost as long as he can remember the 25-year old has loved being out on the water.
"I started at the age of eight and haven't stopped," Evans said.
Growing up on Lake Macquarie, he had the water on his doorstep.
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He recalled going out sailing with his dad "on various boats" and him encouraging to him to join a local sailing club.
It has mostly been a weekend hobby, but he has occasionally done some bigger events.
"For me it's the tranquility, and the freedom to go anywhere and explore the waterways and lakes," Evans explained about what it is about sailing that he loves.
"It's a very peaceful mode of transport".
By the same token he loves the desire to go quickly on the water with "the spray going everywhere". Like chess on water, another element he enjoys about racing is that you always have to be thinking - about tactics, your next move....
He said moving to Tamworth at the start of 2020 with his wife, who was finishing off her medical degree at the hospital, he was "pleasantly surprised" to find out that there was a local sailing club.
"So it wasn't hard to convince me to move here," he added.
Almost as soon as he could, he hit the water, racing the second half of the season.
"There was a lot of learning the waterway and learning the dam and learning how things are done," Evans said.
"It all culminated in the Keepit Kool regatta. I got a fourth in that, which was really satisfying."
Continuing on from that, Evans and his laser, which he has had for about eight/nine years, have been in hot form to start this season.
He won the vice-commodore's plate, and has picked up a couple of seconds placings (on corrected time).
"It's all about sailing as quick as you can and pushing yourself," he said.
"I'm constantly learning and constantly getting better."
He added that it is good having other laser sailors to compete against.
Sailing though isn't just about competing against the other boats, but also the conditions, which can greatly differ between waterways.
For Evans, the biggest difference he has found is the wind strength.
"The wind strength (at Keepit) isn't particularly strong and often quite flukey; all that adds to the challenge," he said.
"The lighter winds make you more aware of the wind movements on the lake," he continued.
This weekend will be a mini-regatta over two days, the first race getting underway at 2pm on Saturday.
