Upcoming regattas

Australian Laser Masters Championships (Westernport Yacht Club, Vic) - 25-28 February 2022: please contact Rod Barnes if you are attending.

Laser Metropolitan Championships (RPAYC) – 5-6 March 2022: please contact Rod Barnes if you wish to attend.The NoR is here and you can enter for this event here. A guide of competitor information is also available here.

MYC Women’s’ Challenge - 26 March 2022. There will be a laser division for women of all ages and skill levels. Women from DBSC wishing to attend may request for average points in the Pointscore racing that day. More information coming soon.

Sailing stories - an evening with Malcolm Page

Save the date!

The club will be continuing our sailing stories events for members, this time with Malcolm Page on Wednesday 16thMarch after twilight sailing. 

Malcolm is a three time Olympian and dual gold medallist in the 470 class (Qingdao and London). He was the official Australian flag bearer at the closing ceremony of the London Olympics.

Malcom has won the 470 men’s world championships six times and has also won world championships in the 420 and Tasar classes. 

Following his retirement from Olympic sailing, Malcolm worked at World Sailing as Head of Media, before becoming Chief of Olympic Sailing for US Sailing. He has now returned to Australian Sailing assuming the role of Mixed 470 coach.

Malcolm is a deadest legend and all-round nice guy of Australian sailing. You won’t want to miss this event.

We will be serving pizzas at 7.30pm for everyone to be seated at 7.45pm. A request for RSVPs will follow in the newsletter next week.

Club picnic

The annual DBSC picnic was held on Sunday 31 January. The event was well-attended by members and their families. The fleet took a leisurely midday sail down to Gibsons Beach at Watsons Bay in a perfect 10-12kt NE breeze. 

Emily Ball hosted the picnic at Watsons Bay, ferrying supplies (and family-members) across the harbour in a RIB, and providing an excellent spread of food and beverages.  After some lively conversations and an excellent feed later, everyone headed back to DBSC. 

Some family members, who found themselves on a Laser for the first time, might have experienced the odd "accidental" capsize. Oops. 

Thanks to Emily Ball for making the day happen, and to everyone who attended!

Lasers for sale

211474 - James Johnson is selling his laser radial, Question of Balance. $4,500. More details are available on Gumtree. 

202771 – Mark Crowhurst is also selling his laser radial, Off the Mark. $5,150. More details of Mark’s boat are available on Gumtree.

Please note, Mark is not leaving the club. He will continue to sail, trialling the club boat pool that the club is considering (watch this space).

Got something to say?

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 midnight Monday.

Coming up next...

Wednesday 16 February – Twilight sprints

Saturday 19 February – Learn to Race (am) | Vaucluse Regatta

Wednesday 23 February – Twilight sprints

Saturday 26 February – Sprints | Masters’ National Championships (Westernport, Vic)

Wednesday 2 March – Twilight sprints

4-13 March – JJ Giltinan Regatta (18’ skiffs)

Saturday 5 March – Learn to Race (am) | Clean Up Australia Day (am) | Sprints | Metros (RPAYC)

Wednesday 9 March – Twilight sprints

Saturday 12 March - Club Championships 7&8 (BBQ)

Wednesday 16 March – Twilight sprints

Saturday 19 March – Learn to Race (am) | Autumn Pointscore 3&4

Wednesday 23 March – Twilight sprints

Saturday 26 March – Autumn Pointscore 5&6

Wednesday 30 March – Twilight sprints

The club calendar can be viewed (and subscribed to) here.

Race Report 5 & 6 February

On Saturday sprint races were held at the club in fresh and squally southerly conditions. Many thanks to Matt Wenke (PRO) and Christine Patton (LTRAR) for conducting racing with the on water assistance of David Huber (COTD) and Ross Ramsay (co-COTD). In the canteen, Paul and Shirley were assisted by Mac Finlayson and Peter Collie.

Tim Heath racing at DBSC in the Sprints. (Photo: Christine Patton)

Meanwhile, a strong contingent of Double Bay sailors travelled to the Bay Sailing Centre in Port Stephens to compete in the NSW & ACT Laser Association State Masters Championships. Racing was fierce and competitive in six races over two tough days with 20+ knot southerly conditions. Our prize winners were Andrew Cox (1st radial Master) and Pat Levy (2nd radial Great Grand Master) with Diana Chen and Steven London receiving encouragement awards. The results of all our competitors at the event were impressive, with many of our sailors placing in the top 3 of their respective divisions – you can review them here.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Volly of the week

Double Bay Sailing Club is managed and run entirely by volunteers. As the saying goes, “many hands make light work. There is always work to be done in the upkeep of our shed and the ongoing running of dinghy racing.

This week we’d like to thank Rod Barnes. Rod has been our Laser Representative for this and last season and he has done a magnificent job of organising our travelling band of sailors – from coordinating transport arrangements to personally paying for accommodation in the blind faith that we reimburse him (we do!).

Rod also spends a lot of time helping with the building and maintenance of our clubhouse. co-ordinated the jobs list for our working bee and managed the procurement and modifications to the boat hoist that we now have at the club.

[Editor’s apology: we do not seem to have a good photo of Rod and his lovely smile!]

The club is full of people making wonderful contributions around the place, and sometimes behind the scenes. Let us know who deserves a mention!

Wednesday twilight sailing

Twilight sailing continues through the summer on Wednesday from 5.30-7.30pm. This week 8-10 knots from the north-east is forecast.

New members

The club has some more new members (although we haven’t received their Q and A responses just yet).

Please welcome Harriet McLachlan and James Hayhoe. Both of these sailors will be sailing out of RSYS to join us for racing.