Adrenaline-charged fun

Fancy getting your adrenaline kicks by speeding to 90km/h just four inches off the ground?

If your inner thrill-seeker has responded with a resounding thumbs up, land sailing may just be the activity for you.

The dedicated Sandgropers Land Yacht Club meets at Lake Walyungup, off Safety Bay Road, to indulge their daredevil passions on a weekly basis.

Up to eight races are held around a 1.5km track which is tailored to the wind conditions.

Commodore Barry Mason said the wheeled sport had a cult following in Rockingham.

“This is a pretty adrenaline-charged sport,” he said.

“The club’s been here for 20 years. Being out of the way means it’s not very obvious but we’re trying to change that.

“We’ve got the diehards and part-time members who sail every Sunday during summer.”

Long-term sailor Merv Sherwood described land sailing as “the best thing you could do lying down”.

“I saw some guys sailing down here, I came down, had a sail, went away and bought a yacht to come back the next week,” he said.

“I’ve been coming ever since.”

Mr Sherwood said the competitors were good mates off the track but extremely competitive when it came to race time. Fellow enthusiast Howard Fryer likened the speeds to those reached in a clubman go-kart.

“They’re environmentally friendly, go as fast as a kart in a straight line and are about 5 per cent of the cost to run,” he said.

“Some guys here, with sat navs with them, say they have hit 90km/h on blustery days.

“You can get them up on two wheels as well.

“It’s a bit of thrill.”

For more information call Barry on 0423 506 283.