If you’ve ever gazed upon Holmes Harbor on a Tuesday, you may have noticed a slew of small sailboats, racing at high speeds, out of Freeland Park.

These are “Lasers,” a single-person, Olympic-class sailing dinghy that is popular in many countries. Lasers are just one of several fleets connected with South Whidbey Yacht Club, or SWYC. Laser fleet co-captains Zak Malbin of Langley and Carol Dean of Freeland coordinate the weekly race series that runs from mid-May through mid-September, according to a press release.

Malbin hopes to “pull in a few more people” to join their Laser racing fleet.

“It’s a cool opportunity that’s fun and competitive,” said Malbin, who for many years was a U.S. Sailing certified instructor and racing coach.

Until 2014, he wasn’t even aware that any racing program existed on Whidbey. Then while “sitting in line, waiting for a ferry,” he noticed someone towing an older wooden sailboat and struck up a conversation with the owner, Michael Scott. Scott informed him that he co-founded SWYC’s Laser racing program along with Brad Rice. At that time, there were only three or four boats competing. Now the Laser program has an average of eight to 12 boats on the water for every race peaking recently at 19.

Malbin emphasizes the wide range of sailors involved in the Laser program, from new Laser sailors to one Olympic medalist, Jeff Madrigali, who won a bronze medal in the Soling class at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. A small number of SWYC Laser Fleet club boats allows those starting out, who do not yet have their own boat, to “rent” and get out sailing with the fleet while they look for their own Laser.

“I still have fun doing it, everyone’s out there for the love of sailing, to learn and to get better. We help each other,” Malbin said.

Learning to race at age 13, he went on to compete in the Columbia River Gorge, coach on the East Coast at Beach Point Yacht Club on Long Island Sound and sail for the University of Washington sailing team in Seattle.

Youth sailors are also involved. Malbin’s 13-year-old son helps run the Race Committee and is starting to sail himself. During races, a safety boat operator and a race committee aboard an anchored Catalina ’22 sailboat keep tabs on the sailors.

The SWYC Laser fleet hosts an annual Laser Clinic designed to introduce participants to Laser sailing; the focus is on improving sailing skills. Recommended prerequisites for the Laser sailing program include taking the “adult beginning” sailing class through the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District or presenting a sailing resume that shows a basic understanding of sailing fundamentals.

SWYC offers sailing lessons for all levels in partnership with the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation program. Its catalog is expected to go online by April 15 at https://swparksandrec.org.

The educational sailing programs include: “Learn to Sail” for youth and adults; the youth program offers three one-week long day camps of “Beginning Sailing” and three weeks of “Intermediate Sailing” (limited to youth students who have a Level 2 competency at the beginner level and are 12 years of age or older). “Sailing Camps” at Deer Lake (near Clinton) for youth, both beginning and intermediate, is designed for ages 10 to 16 and teaches sailing basics.

Adult sailing lessons take place on Lone Lake near Langley and are offered on weekends: Session 1 – May 31, June 1; Session 2 – June 7, 8; and Session 3 – June 14, 15. No prior sailing experience is required for these lessons.