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.
Now that everyone’s spent a day on the tools sprucing up the clubhouse, Maxim Djura is once more hosting a boat hull maintenance session on Saturday, August 31st, starting at around noon. This is a perfect time to give some love to your boat and get her ready for the upcoming season! Most of what we need is in the workshop, except a buffing machine — please bring one if someone has one.
Please email Maxim if you have any questions.
Friday August 30th: Sailor’s Season Opening Dinner
Saturday August 31st:
NO RACE - BUT… Luke Parker is organising rabbit starts for those who are keen to sail. Keep an eye out for details in the WhatsApp group
Work-on-your boat with Maxim Djura: 12:00PM
Saturday September 7th is DBSC Spring Season Opening Day
Club Championships Races 1 & 2: 2:00PM Warning
BBQ after racing
Saturday September 14th:
Learn-to-Race: 9:00AM
Spring Point Score Races 1 & 2: 2:00PM Warning
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.
Photos by Van Allen and Charlotte Jenkins
By Charlotte Jenkins
The wind and warmth made for a great day of sprints out on the harbour. With a fleet of over 30 boats, including about eight visitors from Middle Harbour, we went out to find a gentle 6-10 knots from the WNW as we set a windward leeward course of two laps between the two islands.
As the afternoon progressed, the breeze picked up to a solid 15 knots from the west, providing some nice hiking conditions during the big gusts. We managed to complete five races for each class, all with clean starts, where the ILCA 6’s started after 2 minutes and the ILCA 7’s after 3.
Congratulations to Sylvie Stannage, Sara Bruce, and Scott Hunter for consistently high results in the ILCA 6 fleet, and to Rod Barnes, Luke Parker and Ed Alexander in the ILCA 7 fleet.
A big thank you to the rest of the race team who helped this day go so smoothly: Tucker McKeon as the Co-PRO, Zoe Allen as the COTD, Van Allen as the Co-COTD, Raph who helped Paul with toasties in the kitchen and John Vasey for running the Jazzman, and especially Josh who helped the youth team learn the ropes of how to set the course and run the racing.
Photo courtesy Campbell Patton
It’s been a dream of mine to compete in The Games since I was 8 years old, meeting Ben Ainslie in Bermuda. Not many know, but my amazing mum Christine also represented Bermuda in Athens 2004, and I look to follow in her footsteps.
The first two years of my Olympic campaign (2020-2022) were, frankly, a mess. Trying to navigate travel through COVID restrictions, cancelled events, and online uni all while working full time in Bermuda to try and fund my sailing temporarily derailed all progress towards my goal. Fortunately, I was able to travel for competition at the end of 2021, which re-ignited my fire and provided a wake-up call that something had to change. In 2022 I stirred up some financial support and got over to Europe for some training with a strong group and some of the World Cup events. I moved back to Sydney in August of that year. From this point onwards the program was professional.
With Sydney as a base for the ensuing two years, I trained with local talent out of DBSC, using weekend racing and local events across the East Coast to sharpen my skills during the summers, at times having the privilege of joining the Australian Sailing Team in trainings. Perhaps underestimated by master’s sailors is the amount of physical preparation required to perform at the highest level. In 2023, alongside 390 hours on the water were 280 hours of land training between the bike, gym and hiking bench, not including mobility, recovery and physio work (classic Laser back injury). I find Sydney to be a great environment to lock into this fitness program.
Qualifying for The Games requires two things: 1) Qualifying the country by placing well in one of the 4 events offering an Olympic spot, and 2) being the top ILCA7 in your country (as only 1 boat per country is allowed). For the Aussies, the second one is the challenge, as you basically need to be the best in the world in order to have a chance of replacing Matt Wearn. Sailing for Bermuda, my challenge was securing the coveted country spot. I came very close at the PanAm Games in Chile (October 2023) but lost to Aruba on the final day. The aptly named Last Chance Regatta in France in April was the final event with country spots available. I sailed well, leading after Day 1 and qualifying for the medal race to finish 7th overall. It was with mixed emotions that I learned this great performance was not quite enough to secure the fourth and final country spot for Paris.
We move on. After 3 months off and a nasty foot injury in June, I am now back in Sydney. My preparations have already begun for LA 2028. This time I have time (a full four years), experience, connections, many lessons learnt and hopefully slightly better funding on my side. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to represent DBSC on the world stage and be part of our unparalleled club program. Feel free to ask for racing tips when you see me around the club, I’ll be in Sydney for a while this time around.
PLEASE NOTE
Campbell is offering 1-on-1 coaching. He also has some ILCA7 sails for sale. Please shoot him a message if you are looking to climb the fleet and at the same time support his campaign!
Whatsapp: +1(441)5194111
Mobile (AUS): 0498 646 926
Email: campbelltpatton@gmail.com
We are delighted to announce that Brett Beyer will offer his popular Brett Beyer Saturday Program (BBSP) again this season at DBSC. Brett is an Olympic coach and 15-time Laser Masters World Champion. We are very fortunate to have him working with us!
There will be 8 Saturday sessions from September to December:
7 September, 14 September, 21 September, 28 September, 19 October, 2 November, 9 November, 21 December.
The cost of the program is $600 (plus merchant fees) per subscriber. We need at least 20 subscribers to proceed. Please subscribe as soon as possible - as we need to confirm numbers. The terms of the program and sign-up form can be found here.
BBSP subscribers will carry a GPS during each race (and a program bib), and will later receive a report and animation showing their GPS tracks vs the fleet, together with fleet-level commentary on each leg, and also a video with commentary of the starts. Subscribers will have access to Brett to ask questions on the water before and after each race (not during the races), and can also later ask questions on the weekly report.
I know we are all excited because Seabreeze has forecast a 15 knot Nor’easter this Saturday, but before that, all members are reminded of the Working Bee starting at 8am.
One item that needs particular attention is the beach around the new ramps that needs a sparrow pick of rubble and debris. Luke Parker will be leading this effort and will be at the club at 6am to take advantage of the low tide.
If you’re an early bird like Luke and would like to get your effort over and done with early, please join him. So I can let him know, please email me on rodbarnes@dbsc.com.au if you would like to join him.
Otherwise, see you all there.
Rod Barnes, Vice Commodore
We have recently implemented a new spare parts purchasing system. Items can now only be purchased via the website (www.dbsc.com.au/chandlery).
There is an A4 poster at the club with a QR code to get to the Web page and a password located near the new spare parts cupboard on the left side of the handicapper’s desk and on the fridge. Once you have purchased your item or if you have any questions contact Scott Hunter or Maxim Djura for pickup.
This is for Members only. The page is not linked to the main menu and is password protected.
Saturday August 24th: Working Bee 8:00AM, followed by Winter Sprints at 1:00PM
Friday August 30th: Sailor’s Season Opening Dinner
Note: no racing on Saturday August 31st
Saturday September 7th is Opening Day:
Club Championships Races 1 & 2
BBQ after racing
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.
What a great day with the dolphins! Photos by Jeremy Vives
By Geoffrey Boscoe (PRO) and Jeremy Vives (Co-PRO)
Thomas Beregi (COTD) and Quentin Burns (Co-COTD) were on the RIB, with Geoffrey Boscoe (PRO) and Jeremy Vives (Co-PRO) on the Jazzman. Our wonderful Paul Adam took care of the kitchen, assisted by Tim Heath.
When we arrived at the club at 10AM, the wind was lightly blowing from the WSW. The forecast indicated that it would shift to the South around noon, and that’s exactly what happened. From noon to 3.20PM, the wind oscillated between South and Southeast. The RIB team had to move the starting line four times to align the race in the wind. A big thank you to Thomas and Quentin for their quick adjustments on the water all along the day.
At 1.00PM, the first race began in 7-12 knot conditions, which was enjoyed by all 26 boats that participated (5 x 4.7’s, 10 x Radials, 8 x Standards). A 3-minute start (with Radials and 4.7’s starting one minute earlier) helped maintain a good rhythm. A total of 8 races were held (approximately 13 minutes per race).
This fantastic race day provided an opportunity for everyone to test various strategies on the water and enjoy successive starts. A special thank you goes out to the fleet for excellent runs in a great atmosphere. Thanks to everyone for this superb winter (nearly spring?) sprint.
Unexpected guests: During the 5th race, a group of about twenty dolphins joined the front of the fleet. As they headed toward the top mark, competitors were surprised by the dolphins swimming all around them. It was a unique spectacle in Sydney Harbour.
Saturday August 10th: Winter Sprints, 1:00PM start
Saturday August 17th: Winter Sprints, 1:00PM start
Saturday August 24th: Working Bee 8:00AM, followed by Winter Sprints at 1:00PM
NB: Please let Steve London know if you are unable to attend the working bee.
Friday August 30th: Sailor’s Season Opening Dinner
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.
