Sailing his Nacra 5.0 cat Whiteman clocked the fastest time for the race and took the overall honours, the placings based on personal handicap, not boat yardstick.

Race secretary Tim Corben reported the morning was magnificent for sailing with a strong steady wind and Lake Keepit looking an absolute picture.

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"It was catamaran weather, with a steady southerly blowing and a triangular race course with long reaches where they could high high speeds," he said.

The morning race was a handicap start event and saw Manilla sailor Dave Aylwin in his Mari cat 4.3 take the honours from Sally Lucas and, crew Jenny Croft and Keith Garrett, onboard "Slippery" a Spider 22 trailer-yacht.

Whiteman came in third with Lake Macquarie visitors Brian and Valerie Harrison, Tom Howe and Warren Parrot filling fourth, fifth and sixth.

The heat was then turned up for the Head of the River heat, which saw sailors complete a circuit of the normal race area then head north east over the Namoi river path and up past the Lake Keepit Sport and Recreation facility.

The morning wind had abated to a light south-easterly breeze.

Howe sailing a Windrush cat finished second behind Whiteman with Quirindi's Michael Juchau, (Gemini 20 cat) third.

Alywin came in fourth ahead of Parrot, Lucas and crew, Brian and Valerie Harrison, Corben and Kevin Overton, the latter winning the start.

This weekend will see a number of Lake Keepit members hitting the road with the New England Sailing Club hosting the first heat of the Thunderbolt Cup at Malpas Dam.