Race Report - Saturday 16 November 2024

Sprint Racing

Those who weren’t playing an away game down at George’s River for the NSW State Championships on the weekend, were treated to a relatively empty harbour and some champagne sailing.

The race team comprised of Nick Pellow (PRO), Conor Roche (COTD), Tory Epworth (CoCOTD), David Devlin, Samuel Devlin and David Da Costa Enes. Blessed by a relatively stable 10-18knot North Easterly gradient breeze, 4 races each of about 20-25 minutes were well sailed by a strong fleet of about 25 boats.

In the ILCA6s - Scott Hunter and Alistair Sutherland fought it out for the gun, whilst in the ICLA7s the racing was tight however a highlight was watching Commodore London score a gun on the final race.

After rounding the top mark sailors were rewarded with a short but hot reach to an offset buoy, backdropped by the best view in the world.

WHAT'S GOING ON

NSW/ACT States

Results from last weekend’s Open and Youth State Championships at George’s River are posted here. DBSC was well represented, so hopefully we will get a report for next week’s newsletter.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Wednesday 20 November: Twilight Sailing (5:00pm-ish splash, Sailing ‘til 7:00pm)

• Thursday 21 November: Twilight Racing (5pm Splash, Racing between 5:30-7:30pm)

• Saturday 23 November

  • Learn-to-Race (9:00 am)

  • Spring Point Score Races 9 & 10 (1:00 pm briefing, 2:00 pm warning)

• Tuesday 26 November: REACH Youth Training with Zac West (4:30 - 7:30pm)

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Thank you to the members who are sending through information for the newsletter. If you have content for the newsletter, please email it to newsletter@dbsc.com.au by Monday evening.

View all racing results here.
The club’s calendar can be viewed and subscribed to here.
Make a tax deductible donation to DBSC here.

Race Report - Saturday 9 November 2024

Spring Point Score Races 7 & 8

What a day on the water for the Spring Pointscore Races 7 & 8 last Saturday! The conditions were challenging yet beautiful, with a steady 12-15 knot easterly breeze keeping sailors on their toes with some tricky shifts throughout the afternoon. It was a fantastic turnout with over 45 boats competing, including an impressive fleet of 7 in the 4.7s.

The winners, after handicapping, were as follows:

• Race 7:

• Standards: Peter D'Arcy-King

• Radials: A tie between David Murphy and Michael Morris

• 4.7s: Zoe Allen

• Race 8:

  • Standards: Rod Barnes

  • Radials: David Murphy

  • 4.7s: Charlotte Jenkins

Congratulations to all the winners for their perseverance in such shifty conditions!

A huge thank you to our fantastic volunteers who made the day run smoothly. Our PRO, Kirk Marcolina, was expertly assisted by Paige Caldecoat and Andrew Foote, while our COTD, Daryl Lawrence, and CoCOTD, Isabelle Wilkins, kept everything on track out on the course. Special thanks as well to David Airey and Michael Morris, who helped Shirley and Paul in the canteen.

A Few Reminders

It’s crucial to sign on to the Sailor App before heading out on the water. Unfortunately, 7 sailors missed this step last Saturday, which creates extra work for the race committee. Remember, it's not just a rule – it's a way to ensure everyone’s safety and make life easier for our volunteers!

New Tech on the Water

We’re also excited to share that the committee trialled a new app called Voice Sail Start Timer to manage the starting sequences. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with smoother and clearer starts, so it comes highly recommended for anyone looking to streamline their race management.

Thanks to everyone who came out to sail, volunteer, or cheer on from the shore. Let’s keep this momentum going as we head into the final races of the series!

Photos by Kirk Marcolina and Isabelle Wilkins

Healy Ryan is Australian Youth Sailor-of-the-Year 2024

Recognising his outstanding campaign especially over the last 12 months - The current Under 17 Champion in Australia and his performance at the Laser Youth Europeans in Northern Ireland, Australian Sailing has awarded Healy this honour. Here’s the announcement: Youth Sailor of the Year - Australian Sailing

Regatta Report - 2024 European Masters

Peter Heywood Reports from Villamoura, Portugal

The regatta

This is a favourite location for the ILCA European championships with 200-300 Euro sailors competing. Vilamoura is a seaside location on the Atlantic with usually sunny weather. We had a nice apartment at the marina with a short walk to the sailing club.

The well-organised regatta was 7 days (5 days sailing) with at least 10 races about 2-3 miles offshore in the Atlantic. Courses were trapezoid with windward return to accommodate the multiple fleets common in today’s apparent wind downwind sailing.

Social events were often with after sailing drinks and nibbles. Local restaurants were taken over to feed us with local food. It was great to meet old combatants to laugh and make new friends to discuss all things sailing.

There were 330 master sailors from all over the world in five age groups from 30 years to over 75. 330 boats at the start on two racecourses (i.e. busy).

Sailing

Day 1 - one race in 0-5kts and many calm spots then wind died. The fleet was tight with the best sailors from around the world not giving an inch. I sailed in 2nd place and was rolled for 3rd and finished 5 m behind the American who won.

Day 2 - one race 5kts then the wind died. Started on the pin bias and tacked to cross the fleet - at the same time as a 30% right shift clocked in pushing me back to last! Finally got a bit back but a big number. Race committee did not restart I guess because they knew the wind was dying.

Day 3 - no sailing - storms or no wind.

Day 4 - no sailing – storms or no wind.

Day 5 - no wind. On the water at 9am then paddled ashore. Left the ramp again at 4pm for 2 short races in 0-5 kts. In both races I was in the front bunch on the 1st / 2nd mark, but the top European and US sailors just were faster in 0-5 kts.

Overall

1st regatta - prep for worlds.

So, I finished 5th in my races. Just not fast enough in very light, bumpy water. We expected 10 races but achieved only 4 short races in 5 days, but still a good indicator for me that I’m fast enough in wind but need to do work on light weather and race plan (anticipate shifts).

The organisers were disappointed with no wind. Lots of bad weather in Europe this season. The English couldn’t sail their nationals some days at Hayling Island with strong/poor weather. So, you get poor regattas and get poor performance - just have to deal with it!

Organised training has improved amongst the top Euro and US Master sailors with sailing training nonstop during the season. US sailors go regularly to ISA in Mexico or ILCA Cabarete for training with top coaches - it is cheap for them to go to these locations. UK ILCA provides training throughout the season.

After the regatta my wife and I took a ferry trip to see Norway from the Artic Circle down the Norwegian coast and experienced gale force winds – plenty of wind up there!

Next Steps

• Get faster. Get more master coaching.

• More competition - NSW States, Sail Sydney, Nationals at RQYS, Oceania Masters in VIC, then worlds at Forma in Italy.

Peter Heywood, Legend (i.e. +75) sailor

WHAT'S GOING ON

NSW/ACT States

Results from last weekend’s regatta at Georges River are posted Sailwave results for NSW/ACT State Open & Youth Championship 2024 at Georges River Sailing Club 2024

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Wednesday 13 November: Twilight Sailing (5:00pm-ish splash, Sailing ‘til 7:00pm)

• Thursday 14 November: Twilight Racing (5pm Splash, Racing between 5:30-7:30pm)

• Saturday 16 November

  • Sprint Racing at DBSC (1 pm briefing, 2pm first warning)

• 16-17 November: NSW & ACT Open & Youth Championships @ Georges River Sailing Club
  Don’t forget to fill our the entry form and read the NoR and Sailing instructions HERE.

• Tuesday 19 October:

  • REACH Youth Training with Zac West (4:30 - 7:30pm)

  • Laser hoist training (7:30pm Sharp). Please email  commodore@dbsc.com.au if you wish to attend.

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Thank you to the members who are sending through information for the newsletter. If you have content for the newsletter, please email it to newsletter@dbsc.com.au by Monday evening.

View all racing results here.
The club’s calendar can be viewed and subscribed to here.
Make a tax deductible donation to DBSC here.

Race Report - Saturday 2 November 2024

Club Championship Races 7 & 8

Although the forecast promised a 15 kt nor’easter, when we arrived at the club the breeze was essentially nil. Nevertheless, our trusty COTD team dropped the marks for a course to suit where the wind was supposed to be. This was also about “staking out our turf” on the harbour.

Craig Ryan and special guest PRO Mark Bethwaite on station. All photos by Chris Tattersall (except the BBQ).

The breeze did arrive more-or-less as predicted, perhaps a little more easterly, and so after tweaking the marks we started getting Race 7 underway with a total of 47 Lasers. With six ILCA-4’s afloat, we ran three separate starts. The 4’s got away cleanly, followed by the Radials. The Standards proved a little less well-behaved, and needed a general recall followed by a black flag sequence to get them away cleanly.

The course was long and the wind shifty enough to provide “passing lanes”. The breeze did freshen over the course of the afternoon to and a everyone had a good workout.

For Race 8 the length was reduced to ensure sailors got ashore in time for the BBQ. At the start, the 7’s again showed their enthusiasm by requiring another general recall and black flag start. The other two fleets were better behaved.

Race winners:

Thanks to the on-water team: PRO Mark Bethwaite assisted by LTRaR Chris Tattersall and Elisabeth Tattersall in the Jazzman, with COTD Pia Hattersley and Craig Ryan in the Bergman. In the canteen Shirley and Paul were assisted by Yves Stening and Hadrien Bourely. Special thanks to all those that assisted with the BBQ and clean-up.

Winners get to cook! Photo by Steve London.

Laser Hoist Training Tuesday, 19 November 7:30pm

We will hold a training session on Tuesday, 19 November at 7:30pm sharp. Training will take 30-40 minutes. Please email  commodore@dbsc.com.au if you wish to attend.

The Genie Laser Hoist at DBSC is only used at the club on non-race days, and allows a member to get their Laser down from its rack location (and put it back again) usually after mid week training, where no other members are available to help. In order to use the hoist, it is compulsory to have completed training and to have signed the certification register. 

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2024 NSW State Open & Youth Championship

We have the State Open & Youth Championships being hosted by Georges River Sailing Club 16-17 November 2024. If you're interested in attending and need any support with boat transport or logistics, please contact Dave Newman.
Don’t forget to fill our the entry form and read the NoR and Sailing instructions HERE.

Photo from Georges River Sailing Club website

WHAT'S GOING ON

Upcoming ILCA REGATTAS

All NSW/ACT ILCA events are listed with links to event sites on the Events page on their web site Here.

• 16-17 November: NSW & ACT Open & Youth Championships @ Georges River Sailing Club (see previous article)

• 23-24 November: Victorian States @ Blairgowrie YC

• 28 November - 1 December: Sail Melbourne @ Brighton YC

• 6-9 December: Sail Sydney @ Woollahra SC

• 18-21 December: Sail Brisbane @ RQYS (Brisbane)

• 1-8 January: Australian Open & Youth Championships @ RQYS

UPCOMING EVENTS (at DBSC)

• Wednesday 6 November: Twilight Sailing (5:00pm-ish splash, Sailing ‘til 7:00pm)

• Thursday 7 November: Twilight Racing (5pm Splash, Racing between 5:30-7:30pm)

• Saturday 9 November

  • Learn to Race (9am)

  • Spring Point Score Races 7 & 8 (1 pm briefing, 2pm first warning)

• Tuesday 12 October: REACH Youth Training with Zac West (4:30 - 7:30pm)

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Thank you to the members who are sending through information for the newsletter. If you have content for the newsletter, please email it to newsletter@dbsc.com.au by Monday evening.

View all racing results here.
The club’s calendar can be viewed and subscribed to here.
Make a tax deductible donation to DBSC here.