Croweaters to tackle Dash

A group of South Australian dinghy racers are preparing for a swell time on the Ord River when they make the 3700km journey from Renmark to Kununurra for this year's Dam 2 Dam.

Take a humble aluminium dinghy, strap on an outboard motor and toss into the vessel some competitive dinghy racers and you have Dinghy Dash; the prime category of the Kununurra's Dam 2 Dam.

The group, eight boats' worth of members of the Riverland Dinghy Club, are preparing to put their dinghies on trailers and drive from Renmark to Kununurra early next month.

It's a long shot and a long way from the club's annual Dinghy Derby, held on the Murray River, but co-ordinator Reece Glazbrook said the group was "excited to get to Kununurra".

Mr Glazbrook is a keen participant in the Riverland Dinghy Derby, an event that since 1981 has grown a reputation of one of the fastest and wildest events on Australian waters.

But he said the Dam 2 Dam had been on his radar for a few years.

"We have all types of racers coming up for this event - people that have been racing for 35 years to another that this will be his first race," he said.

Mr Glazbrook said the group had briefly considered trucking or freighting the boats up.

"The prices we got back were a real eye opener," he said.

"We thought we would bite the bullet and make a road trip out of it."

The Dash will be held on June 20.

It will start at Ski Beach and run to the Lake Argyle Dam wall and back, a total of 110km, instead of travelling from Lake Argyle to Ski Beach.

With a 25hp maximum outboard allowed, the Dinghy Dash is a test of speed; while entrants with clever minds or families are encouraged to enter the River Rally.

Entry forms can be picked up from East Kimberley Marine or via email and can be submitted until June 19. For more information contact Kununurra Water Ski Club at kununurrawaterskiclub@hotmail.com.