The best way to find out about the club is to visit us, and meet some members.
Apart from the week of Christmas, the clubhouse is open from at least noon every Saturday from 1 August to 30 April. Our telephone number is: +61 2 9363 5577.
We are run by volunteers, so if your query cannot answered by the frequently asked questions (FAQs) below or the rest of the website, we will get back to you by Wednesday, 10pm.
How do I subscribe to your Pulitzer Prize winning newsletter?
How to make a tax-deductible donation to the club (using the internet)?
How to make a tax-deductible donation to the club (using paper forms)?
Want to book a seat at the restaurant?
Want to become a social member?
Can I rent/hire your clubhouse?
How do I get to crew on a yacht?
Can you teach me to race a Laser?
What is the deal between your club and the 18 footers and Sydney High School?
Can I store my kayak (or similar) in the clubhouse?
Can you help me buy, or sell, a Laser?
How many times can a visitor race at DBSC?
79 Bay St
Double Bay NSW 2028
Australia
The best ILCA / Laser sailing club in the world, located in Double Bay on Sydney Harbour.
12 March 1969 Paul McCartney married Linda.
Some time after that, he sailed a laser on Sydney Harbour
He’s a musical genius, but we recommend releasing the downhaul and easing outhaul when going downwind.
And we hope he had SPF 50 on!
Apparently Paul McCartney once sailed a laser on Sydney Harbour. (Photo credit unknown.)
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.
From our PRO Mike Forbes
It was a beautiful sunny autumn day – with the Sydney Harbour Regatta underway and day 1 of the JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championships taking place it was going to be crowded.
We had a light East Nor’easterly breeze averaging 6-8 knots. Following the morning’s LTR it was a quick briefing before heading out to the Jazzman… only to find her powerless for the day…(thanks Coxy for owning up to that). Having tried a few different options, we took the Paul Adam out to the start line with a bunch of flags and the rechargeable horn…sadly a few critical flags escaped us in the rush so more improvisation was employed!
Racing eventually got underway around 3pm, however due to the outgoing tide, a flurry of big yachts cutting our start line, the 18s kicking off and some eager radial sailors - we saw a few general recalls impede the first attempts for Race 9… finally with a black flag in play we got a clear start for race 9 across both fleets. It was a fluky race that saw the breeze shifting 30 degrees north before heading back East again… (damn the Dardanelles). The elapsed time was a few minutes over the target of 45mins.
Race 10 was a little delayed as we moved the marks for a slightly shorter course and the shifty breeze, but still had a good sized fleet of 45 sailors in play.
Two more clear starts ILCA 4 & 6 under Black Flag straight up after race 9 start issues (naughty boys & girls) and standards getting away clean… It was a great race for all involved, although shorter than the target time as it was getting late in the day.
Thanks to the sailors in the fleet for your patience whilst we had some vessel challenges, and equipment issues.
Huge thanks to Steven Boukatos, and Mark Dagworthy for COTD and Co-COTD, thanks to Craig from Hunters Hill for extra RIB support, and thanks to Rod Barnes for attempting to revive the Jazzman.
Goes to show we must always remember to check those isolators are off when we leave the boat!!!
Also, a quick reminder to always sign on and off with your correct sail # for the day please - it avoids much confusion - everybody wants results posted asap at the end of the day's racing but if some don't follow the routine makes it hard for the volunteers to finalize them and join the banter & beers on the deck.
P.S I’m conversant with the RRS but can someone explain the hail “Oi”? Ot must be hidden in Part 2 When Boats Meet, Section A? The 18’ skiff guys are all over it as we heard it screamed out several times.
Editors note: Marcus Ashley-Jones (Lazarus) has apologised for passing through the radial start line with some “noise” during the day.
Results are available in the Sailor app and online.
The club’s calendar can be viewed and subscribed to here (highly recommended).
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 administration and management of racing.
This week, we’re saying a big thank you to Shirley Roach.
Shirley with Ian Tudball
Shirley is an extraordinary person in so many ways, not the least of which is her contribution and commitment to DBSC.
DBSC became like a second home to Shirley during its period of reformative and progressive leadership under her late husband, Don. And this has continued with tireless dedication since Don's premature passing in 2011.
Shirley is central to the essence of our club.
At a most visible level, she volunteers in the canteen (alongside Paul Adam) on Saturday and Sunday, week in week out. She is the engine room of the toastie line, turning them out one after the other with love and care.
That is only the start. Her vivacious personality, sprightly enthusiasm, and engaging humour breathe so much life into the club. She makes members and visitors feel welcome and included and creates a sense of "home".
And she is the life of any party. Our social functions would not be the same without her. There is nothing better than a chat (or a dance) with Shirley. She is just downright fun!
She is a permanent fixture at our awards presentation each year, risking life and limb to hand out the prizes, including the coveted Don Roach trophies, with a hug and a kiss to at-times-over-exuberant recipients.
Then there's so much we do not all see. Who is it that peels the potatoes and shells the eggs for that to-die-for potato salad? Who is it that cleans and tidies when almost everyone else has gone? Those are the unseen and thankless tasks that she so generously does with her inimitable good grace.
Our club is truly blessed to have Shirley at its heart. She is one-of-a-kind. For everything you do, and the so-much-more that you bring, we thank you, Shirley!
Thank you to Andrew Cox for this submission.
The club is full of people making wonderful contributions around the place, and sometimes behind the scenes. Let us know who deserves a mention!
Today we celebrate International Women's Day and this year's theme is Embrace Equity – Why equal opportunities aren't enough. It is important to know the difference between Equality and Equity. Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities. Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. Read more about it here.
At DBSC, we strive to #EmbraceEquity by providing training and events for our female members and the wider sailing community so that they can access more opportunities to improve outside of regular racing. We're not quite there yet, but talking about it is a great start.
This weekend we have a large contingent of sailors heading to the masters nationals. The club will host sprints on Saturday.
The JJ Giltinan trophy also continues, so expect the area to be busy!
As part of our commitment to better and fairer racing, we are holding two training clinics on the Racing Rules of Sailing.
Sessions will be held at DBSC on Monday 20th March from 6:00pm - 7:30pm and on Monday 3rd April from 7:00pm – 8:30pm.
Each session has identical content and will be run by Erica Kirby, national umpire and judge.
All members are encouraged to attend.
Register your attendance here: https://www.dbsc.com.au/club-events/2023-3-rules-clinic
DBSC is hosting the 2023 ILCA NSW & ACT Metropolitan Championships on the 25th and 26th March.
If you are not intending to sail but would like to assist with on-water support over the weekend, please send an email to rodbarnes@dbsc.com.au.
If you are sailing, the Notice of Race and Entry links are below.
SCHEDULE
Saturday 25th March
09.30 - Registration
11.30 - Briefing
13.30 - First warning signal
Subsequent starts shall be made ASAP after the preceding race.
Drinks & BBQ on the deck after racing.
Sunday 26th March
Breakfast available Sunday morning
12.00 - First warning signal
Subsequent starts shall be made ASAP after the preceding race.
No warning signal after 16.00.
Prize giving on the deck after racing.
ENTRIES
Enter online or at the club until 11:30am on Saturday 25th March. There will be an option to sign on/off via SMS so that sailors who have pre-entered online can deploy from other harbour clubs for the event.
Sailing Instructions will be issued shortly.
BOAT & TRAILER PARKING
Boats and trailers can be left overnight outside the clubhouse. However, security will not be available.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
The DBSC canteen will be open to offer our famous toasties on both days and breakfast on Sunday. Be sure to stick around after sailing on Saturday for a casual drink and BBQ on the deck.
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.
From COTD, Kate McHugh…
On Saturday 30 of our Double Bay racers sailed up the harbour to participate in the 91st Vaucluse Regatta in a fresh 15 knot North Easterly breeze. The race committee at Vaucluse conducted two (rather long) windward return races laid just to the south of Sow and Pigs.
Following racing, the team at Vaucluse held a delicious barbecue and drinks in their clubhouse.
The results:
ILCA 7
1. Finn Alexander (DBSC)
2. Campbell Patton (DBSC)
3. Rod Barnes (DBSC)
ILCA 6
1. Cote Poncell (DBSC)
2. Ian Alexander (DBSC)
3. Anthony Scali (VYC)
ILCA 4
1. Healy Ryan (DBSC)
2. Cormac Johnson (DBSC)
3. Caroline Kemp (VYC)
Thank you to Ben Byford who provided on water assistance, and Scott Hunter and David Huber for helping Paul and Shirley in the canteen.
Many thanks also to Vaucluse Yacht Club who hosted a magnificent day on the water.
The club’s calendar can be viewed and subscribed to here (highly recommended).
