IT wasn’t the sort of publicity they’d banked on before tomorrow’s open day, but the Fremantle Sailing Club got plenty of attention this week as a power boat went up in flames.

A thick pall of black smoke hung over the club’s jetties for about an hour after lunchtime on Monday as the cruiser Odds-On went up in flames. An old salt from FSC told the Herald no one was on board the boat when it caught fire. The club’s vice commodore Michael Walker told the Herald tomorrow’s open day (Sunday, March 31) was a chance to attract new members and win over neighbouring residents after several years of tension.

The club has seven on-water activities including dinghy sailing for kids and adults, stand-up paddles, diving and fishing. On-shore there’ll be a splicing workshop, a photo exhibition, food tasting, live music and a kids zone. There’ll be free ferry boat rides between the club and Fishing Boat Harbour during the day, with everything kicking off at 10am and running till 3pm.

Photo courtesy ex-pollie Bob Kucera, whose own boat was just a couple over from the doomed Odds-On.