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.
Have you recently replaced some of you Laser bits, but the old ones are still serviceable? The Learn-To-Race team are needing spares, in particular:
Boom vangs
Downhauls
Radial (ILCA 6) mast bottom sections.
If you’d like to donate, please contact either Martin White or Scott Hunter.
Maxim Djura will be working on his Laser over the holidays and is hoping for some company:
“I will be doing maintenance on my boat in the morning and early afternoon of 30th and 31st of December. Anyone who has boat repairs to do, is welcome to join me. I have epoxy, flow coat, a polish solution, degreaser and masking tape to share. Please note that I don't give any professional advice on repair, just the materials.”
Wednesday 20-Dec: Twilight Sailing (5PM splash)
Thursday 21-Dec: Twilight Racing (5PM splash)
Saturday 23-Dec: Informal Sprint Racing (1:30PM splash).
Monday 1 Jan - Monday 8 Jan: Oceania & Aust. Open & Youth Titles - Adelaide SC
Saturday 6-Jan:
No Learn to Race
Club Sprints (2PM Start)
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.
PRO Ian Alexander reports:
The Double Bay Sailing Club's annual Tyrrell and Rousso event was held last weekend. The two races - the Richard Tyrrell handicap race and the Mano Rousso yardstick race allow all three classes to be pitted against each other in novel formats that pay homage to two of our great former members of DBSC.
Conditions were challenging, with Sydney Harbour turning on a full NE'er gusting up to 25 knots. Despite the tough conditions, the sailors put on an impressive display of skill and determination weathering many capsizes and near misses, but were impressively well-behaved on the start line and around the race track.
In the Tyrrell handicap event, the sailors battled it out on the water, with the name of the game being to overtake and stay upright. There were many thrilling moments navigating not only the DBSC fleets but also fleets from neighbouring RYSC, Historic 18s, and CYC to name a few. In the end, it was one of our 4.7 sailors Jasper Kinsman who took the top spot!
The Manno Rousso yardstick race was equally exciting, with the sailors pushing themselves to the limit in the challenging conditions. In the end, it was James Tudball who emerged victorious in the ILCA 6 with a commanding win over the 7's.
Overall, it was a fantastic day of sailing, with the sailors putting on a great show for the spectators. I would like to commend and thank my on-water race team for putting on such a well-organized and exciting day's racing and we look forward to another classic T&R event next year.
Tyrrell Trophy winner Jasper Kinsman (left) and Rousso Trophy winner James Tudball (right) flanking our commodore Steven London.
Photos snapped by Max and edited by Diana. See more on DBSC Instagram/Facebook.
After a very physical day on the harbour (see previous article), sailors, partners, friends and family gathered for our annual Christmas Party. As the sun receded, the air cooled, and a lovely evening unfolded with great food, fine wine, cold beer and a little bit of dancing.
Thanks to all members (and their families) who helped set up and pack down the party.
Luke Parker reminds us that as our families give us a leave pass to sail each Saturday, it’s our obligation to use it.
There is no official club sailing on 23 December as it’s the Christmas weekend, however as Seinfeld fans know, 23 December is also Festivus (Gen Y, Z and younger sailors might want to click this link to understand what we’re talking about: https://youtu.be/1njzgXSzA-A). To celebrate, we’re planning an old school twilight-type experience, and everyone is welcome to join in.
Details:
1.30PM launch from the club, rabbit starts, windward-leeward around the fixed buoys in the Harbour. The start sequence is the tricky bit… the nominated lead boat (aka rabbit) will yell and wave to attract attention and then round the bottom buoy on port and sail upwind. The fleet should be lined up on starboard, and each boat ducks the rabbit to start. We’ll rotate the role of rabbit amongst the experienced sailors. Very important tip: stay close to the port layline as the rabbit arrives sooner than you might expect.
There is unlikely to be a support RIB so please consider your skill relative to the conditions before you launch.
From Transport for NSW:
The F7 ferry services will resume at Double Bay Wharf from Thursday 21 December 2023. For timetable and service information please visit transportnsw.info or call 131 500. Ferry passengers and other wharf users will benefit from the new and improved accessibility features, including:
a dual-sided floating pontoon so that two vessels can berth at the same time
covered waiting area
passenger seating and weather protection
a gangway connecting to the jetty to provide an accessible route from the street to access a waiting ferry
improved lighting and security.
Woollahra Council has also upgraded footpaths and ensured accessible car parking spaces meet accessibility standards.
You will also see beautiful new Aboriginal artwork at the wharf. We worked with the Gujaga Foundation and Artist Shane Youngberry to incorporate stories of Country into the wharf design. Shane belongs to the La Perouse Aboriginal community and is a member of the Gweagal Clan of the Dharawal Nation and the Dunghutti Nation. Shane worked with senior members of his clan group to capture dreaming stories and ensure the visual representations and storytelling is spiritually and culturally appropriate. Themes relating to Country, People and Culture informed Shane’s development of artwork for the wharf. This includes meeting place and campsite artwork within the new concrete structure that connects the existing jetty and the gangway (see image of this artwork below).
Our work site sheds, buildings and fencing will be removed over the coming days. The grassed area will be reinstated and re-opened to the public. Thank you for your patience while we carried out work on the wharf upgrade.
Contact TfNSW: Tel. 1800 770 973 Email: wharfupgradeprogram@transport.nsw.gov.au Website
Wednesday 13-Dec: Twilight Sailing (5PM splash)
Thursday 14-Dec: Twilight Racing (5PM splash)
Saturday 16-Dec: Learn To Race (9AM)
Spring Point Score Races 13 & 14 (last of the Spring Series) 2PM first warning signal
Wednesday 20-Dec: Twilight Sailing (5PM splash)
Thursday 21-Dec: Twilight Racing (5PM splash)
Saturday 23-Dec: Festivus informal Sprint Racing (1:30PM splash) — see Luke’s piece above.
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.
PRO Steven London reports:
It was wonderful to see a full rigging area along the waterfront at Steyne Park, and even with the major works that the council were undertaking in Bay St, and the re-turfing outside the club, the rebuilding of the Double Bay Ferry wharf, (and 18 of our sailors away attending Sail Melbourne) - we still managed about 50 sailors out on the Harbour for last Saturday’s Championship/Point Score Races.
It was a light and shifty SE breeze, with a course set between Rose and Double Bays: The Dardanelles. Where races are often won or lost by local knowledge and assessment of conditions as they oscillate between the left and right side of the course, and often change between beats.
We started with an outgoing tide which took some sailors by surprise, but after a general recall from the radials, both fleets were away, and the leaders started to pull away from the rest of the fleet. There was considerable wash and waves from the Xmas Boat cruises which was challenging in the light conditions. By the second race the breeze had dropped further and the course was shortened so we could all make it back in for the BBQ afterwards on the deck.
Thankyou Paul Adam and Shirley Roach for whipping a great BBQ afterward, and thank you to my on water race team: Ryan Aldrich, Andrew Craker, Van Allen, Ben Byford and Robert Bruce. And many thanks to Ian Tudball for allowing us to use his boat for the start boat and the loan of his captains hat!
Club Championship Results (1st / 2nd / 3rd):
Race 9
Standards - David Newman / Geoff Kirk / Johan Hedberg
Radials - Sara Bruce / Charles Byford / Brad Cox
4.7’s - Miles Greenwood / Zoe Allen / Jasper Kinsman
Race 10
Standards - Luke Parker/ David Newman/ Johan Hedberg
Radials - Sara Bruce / Alistair Sutherland / Martin White
4.7s - Miles Greenwood / Jasper Kinsman / Zoe Allen
Point score Results (1st / 2nd / 3rd):
Race 11
Standards - Peter D'Arcy-King / Andrew Simpson / David Newman
Radials - Quinn Pierson / Jeremy Vives / Daryl Lawrence
4.7’s - Zoe Allen/ Miles Greenwood / Jasper Kinsman
Race 12
Standards - Maxim Djura / Johan Hedberg/ Thomas Beregi
Radials - Tory Epworth / Jeremy Vives / Sara Bruce
4.7s - Zoe Allen/ Miles Greenwood / Jasper Kinsman
Photos by Elisabeth Tattersall and Van Allen
This Saturday members will compete in our Annual Tyrell & Rousso Race Day.
Richard Tyrrell was one of the early Laser class sailors at DBSC in the 1980s. He was an active member, who had a real presence and was very much liked by everyone. He was instrumental in building a sense of community, for example as one of the instigators of the annual Laser Sailors’ Dinner, and he showed leadership in fundraising activities for much-needed repairs. He continued sailing with the club until his untimely death from asthma in his 40s in 1987. In memoriam, DBSC hosts an annual race in a handicapped start, chase format that is named after him, and the winner’s name is inscribed each year on the perpetual Richard Tyrrell Trophy.
Mano Rousso was a distinguished former Greek Navy Officer and post-WW2 migrant who lived in Cooper Street, Double Bay. His daughter was a regular Leader sailor at DBSC during the 1980s, and Mano was a generous and well-liked volunteer, taking on the significant hands-on responsibility for upkeep and maintenance of the clubhouse, which he continued until his death in the early 1990s. In memoriam, DBSC hosts an annual race in a massed start scratch format (with a yardstick) that is named after him, and the winner’s name is inscribed each year on the perpetual Mano Rousso Trophy.
