Planning ahead

The NSW and ACT Laser association update this week points to events hopefully getting back on track for enthusiastic travelling sailors. 

The Australian Championships (open and youth) will be at Georges River Sailing Club. GRSC are seeking the assistance of volunteers in hosting this event.
If you are available on race days 2-8 January it would be much appreciated. Please contact GRSC Laser Class Captain David Early.
If you have less time to spare but can help with measurement checks on 1st and 2nd January, please contact Kevin Phillips .

For the masters there will also be the South Pacific Masters in Brisbane at RQYS, Oceania Masters at Darwin Sailing Club and World Masters at the fabulous  Royal Varuna Yacht Club in Pattaya, Thailand.

A full list of events including Australian Sailing and ILCA World Championships is available HERE.

60 seconds with Andrea Kraus

We are welcoming another new member this week – Andrew Krause. Be sure to give him a friendly welcome when you see him!

How old were you when you first stepped on a boat?
I was 8 years old

 If money (and sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy?
Wally 145

What is your ultimate sailing goal?
Have fun and try to be in the group when racing

Tell us the story behind the name of your Laser?
I just bought PEB, but if possible I would like to change the name to something a bit more Italian…was thinking of Picciottina.

If you could add any ingredient to DBSC's world’s best toasties – what would it be?
Less ingredient better, love just a cheese on toast. Simple and good.

What are your second/third favourite hobbies (assuming sailing is #1)?
Love to play tennis, and go to camp cove for a swim in the morning.

Describe what you do for work in less than five words?
CFO of a cable manufacturer. Calls calls and decisions…..

What is the first international destination you will travel to (once we're allowed) and why?
Italy in July to visit family

What is your favourite TV show, movie, and/or book?
Movie the godfather, love to read a good biography, TV show anything with a bit of adrenaline.

Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know? 
My wife is pregnant with due date 5 June

And another new member!

Former club secretary Emily Ball and her partner Robbie have recently added to the club’s membership waiting list! They have welcomed baby William Perry into the world on Fri 25 March. At 3.7kg they are hopeful he’ll become a standard rig sailor!

Emily, William and Robbie are all well and everyone is enjoying getting to know each other and the many cuddles.

View fullsize

View fullsize

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.

Race report 26 March 2022

Our PRO, Alistair Sutherland has provided the following report from racing on Saturday.

A small but enthusiastic fleet took to the water for Autumn pointscore races 5&6.

Race Officers Alistair Sutherland and Derek Hand made an early call to set the windward mark up in Rose Bay, and run the racing between Shark Island and Point Piper, with the “Dardanelles” living up to its reputation as a thinking man’s game.

 Large shifts of up to 30 degrees in the east / southeast breeze meant that having the head out the boat and getting on the correct tack was the order of the day.  Some did better than others, with Richard George and Pat Levy taking out the wins in the two radial races.  In the standard rig, Ryan Aldrich persevered around the course and his tenacity to make sure he finished paid off with a handicap win. Mike Dunne took out the other race on handicap by just 8 seconds which proves that every second counts and a good or bad tack can be the difference between first and second. 

The race track was a very busy area as we seemed to be joined by just about every kind of dinghy fleet in Sydney - Tasers, Flying Dutchmen, Aeros, 505s, Contenders, Moths and a bunch of keelboats all went past; they were clearly all after a look at Pat Levy’s brand new Laser which had powered to the front of the fleet during race two.  At least we didn’t have any Etchells to worry about for once!

Kevin and Richo did a great job of moving the windward mark and start line around to account for the ever shifting breeze and were instrumental in helping get two good races away in good time. 

Many thanks to our volunteers for the day: Alistair Sutherland (PRO), Derek Hand (LTRAR), Kevin Gilroy (COTD), and Richard “Richo” Holstein (CoCOTD), as well as Geoff Boscoe and Tim Heath who helped Paul and Shirley in the canteen.

Full results are available on the website.

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 Martin White for his contributions to the club. Martin is responsible for the Learn to Race program, coordinating a team of volunteers to help prospective club racers come to the club and refresh themselves on how to rig and sail a laser. This “try before you buy” scheme is an excellent “sales funnel” for the club, bringing in new members. Martin has also been behind Sailing Stories – our events where noteworthy sailors come and share their experiences in a Michael Parkinson style interview with club members. Martin’s contribution to the club ensures the membership remains vibrant and energised.

Martin interviewing Malcolm Page. Photo: Peter Collie

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

This week is the last week of daylight savings and the last week of twilight sailing. A southerly front with yet more rain is forecast, so keep your eye on your weather apps to monitor conditions.

100% chance of getting wet!

This weekend

Learn to Race is scheduled for this weekend, weather permitting. If you wish to attend, keep your eyes peeled for Martin’s email later in the week. If you are interested in the learn to race program, or have any questions, please email Martin. 

This weekend the club will host heats 7&8 of the Autumn pointscore as well as heats 9&10 of the Club Championship. There will be a bbq after racing on the deck.

Partners and family are welcome to come out on our support boats (RIBs and Jazzman) during racing. If you would like to come along, please email Mark Crowhurst to ensure there is adequate space. 

Partners, family and Learn to Race participants are also welcome to join us after racing on the deck for the bbq.

If you need to plan further ahead, the club calendar can be viewed (and subscribed to) here.

Save the dates

Easter Saturday (16 April) – on Easter Saturday the club will host an Easter hunt with a difference with our inaugural race around the harbour. Rod Barnes is designing a course that will take approximately 1.5 hours around key marks on the harbour and potentially a handicap start. This will be an exciting and fun event for the club, so be sure to come! Stay tuned for more details.

AGP (27 May) – our Annual General Party will be on Friday 27th May. This is always an event not to be missed with formalities, food, drink and dancing! You might just be surprised who tears up the dance floor if you haven’t been to one of these events before… More details to come.

The AGP. Not like any other club AGM!

You can also subscribe to the  club calendar here.

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.