So I was laying over in Sydney for the first time on this past Saturday. On advice from a friend I went down to the Double Bay Sailing Club and they let me have a Laser for the day. I went out for a couple hours of blasting around, just getting re-aquainted with what it's like to sail a Laser again, which was a hoot.

I have never seen so many sailboats out racing at once though, the harbor was packed with boats of every type, length and vintage. From old gaff rigged classes all the way up to an America's Cup boat doing sight seeing tours. There must have been at least 200 sailboats out racing, along with harbor ferrys going through the courses at high speeds.

But I did not see a single beach cat out. They told me the 18' skiffs race on Sundays, is that when the cats come out too? Where do they launch from if they do come out?

You won't see many Cats on the harbor. You'll need to travel north or south (to the next bays).

Is that because there's not too many places to store them, mast up, around Sydney Harbor? Or not enough beach to launch out of? Or both? I did see 5 Moths out flying (foiling) round, that was fun to watch.

Too many boats on the harbour. So the cats moved to places where there are less boats.

And only 5 moths out? Must be the post-worlds hangover. Before the worlds there were close to 20 training.

There were a LOT of sailboats in the harbor, most were racing, it was great fun trying to pick my way through their spinnaker runs! Nothing like having about twenty 50 footers coming at you full on, under spinnaker, while I was tacking my way up the harbor.

But they were all great about sharing the water, no yelling, just some friendly waves as I tacked and sped under their kites and they went on by. Great fun and what a sight! Take the most boats you have ever seen out racing on San Fran Bay, and tripple it, then cut the water way in half. That's how it was.

You could not sail in a straight line for more than about 30 seconds before you had to duck or tack someone coming at you. But no yelling. All smiles and waves. What a hoot. I guess that's why the cats go somewhere else.

The majority of Sydney Harb clubs are not interested in a significant Cat fleet. Room issues in yards and rigging areas.