Vox Populi from Mexico....

A number of DBSCers are in Mexico at the World Masters: results here.

However, a more important task is being undertaken: rebuilding the relationship between Mexico and the USA.  As you all know, Australia is considered the USA's best friend because we are the only country which has supported the USA in every conflict.

Dear Leader, et al are calming and counselling Mexicans who have been insulted by Donald Trump.  It's a big job.  And it's getting bigger. We look forward to seeing the vox populi Super8 film.

Official on water report follows:

23 May 2016 - Laser Standard Masters World Championship – Day Two

(Riviera Nayarit, Mexico) Nothing seems to change the forecast here in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico – wind, sun and waves means perfect Laser racing conditions prevailed once again for the Laser Standard Masters Worlds. This part of the coast is known for its reliable thermal winds, and today did not disappoint as the Laser Masters sailors took to the water for races 3 and 4 of the twelve race series.

As anticipated, the day’s first race was started in 8 knots winds just after the scheduled 1 p.m. start time. Also, as anticipated, the wind quickly built to 15 knots by the end of the race and held for the rest of the afternoon. Banderas Bay dished out ideal sailing conditions with a nice short chop to keep things interesting upwind, and a larger ocean swell to add to the excitement of the downwind legs.

Although the conventional wisdom in a west coast sea breeze is to favor the right side of the course, in today’s races sailors needed to protect the middle of the course in order to reach the top. According to Canadian, Al Clark, “There were definitely lanes of pressure out there and I mainly tried to play the middle of the upwind legs. The left definitely paid off late in the day. Nick Page went left of the second upwind leg of the last race and made big gains. I was able to cross him and hold on for the win, but it looked close for a while.” Clark won the day’s final race and currently sits in third place in the 39-boat Grand Masters Division behind New Zealand’s Nick Page and leader Gavin Dagley from Australia.

In a repeat of yesterday’s performance, Australia’s Mark Bethwaite scored a perfect day with two more bullets in the Great Grand Masters Division. According to Bethwaite, “This place is sensational! There’s a great sea breeze that fills in every day and a nice chop to slash through to windward and ride downwind.” Following Bethwaite, Texan, Doug Peckover, found his consistency with a pair of second place finishes to hold second place overall.

In the Masters Division, Brett Beyer of Australia extended his lead with two more first place finishes. But close behind are American, Ernesto Rodriquez, and Kiwi, Andrew Dellabarca, tied for second place with 9 points each.

Racing continues tomorrow in the 12-race series. If two races are completed tomorrow, Wednesday will be a lay-day to give the sailors (and the regatta organizers) a much deserved rest before the conclusion of the event.

First held in 1980, the Laser Masters World Championship is organized annually for sailors age 35 and over. Sailors compete in various divisions based on their ages: Apprentice Masters – age 35 to 44, Masters – age 45 to 54, Grand Masters – age 55 to 64, and Great Grand Masters – age 65 and over. Unlike previous years, this year’s event was sailed on two separate weeks, one for Laser Radial sailors and one for Laser Standard sailors.

Top-Three Standings after a drop, by Division:

Apprentice Masters Division:
1) Pablo Rabago MEX 3pts
2) Guilherme Roth BRA 5pts
3) Alejandro Rabago MEX 9pts

Masters Division:
1) Brett Beyer AUS 3pts
2) Ernesto Rodriguez USA 9pts
3) Andrew Dellabarca NZL 9pts

Grand Masters Division:
1) Gavin Dagley AUS 5pts
2) Nick Page NZL 8pts
3) Allan Clark CAN 10pts

Great Grand Masters Division:
1) Mark Bethwaite AUS 3pts
2) Doug Peckover USA 6pts
3) James Temple AUS 10pts

FYI; Next year's worlds are in Croatia.  

STOP PRESS....Five races in, Dear leader remains undefeated.  

VJ's planning a get together to celebrate hand-made boats.

No obscene alfresco toilets....sorry, council dinghy racks now blighting the park. Photo by Arthur Lowndes

Our VJ friends wrote to us:

Thank you for allowing us to use info from your website, likewise you are very welcome to use anything from the VJ website if it comes in handy. The 3 Rob Lowndes photos of DBSC from March 1963 are attached.

In the background of the 'rigging up photo c' is the Double Bay VJ champion boat 'Chiasma' skippered by Robin Hawthorn who had just won the Junior VJ Commonwealth Championships in Jan 63 (black Skate insignia on main and closest boat to clubhouse and stone wall).

Robin Hawthorn won both Junior and Senior Australian VJ championships and was a VJ legend. Would it be possible for you to please contact Robin or pass on his details to us if you wouldn't mind? 

This is because of our upcoming 85th Anniversary event and it would be great to have Robin along - I noticed that recently in your 2016 anniversary Robin was mentioned on your website.

We are holding the VJ 85th Anniversary Reunion on 20th August 2016 and could please also let Double Bay Sailing Club members know about this? Hopefully there are some members in contact who were involved in the VJ class years ago.

VJ website details are:https://vauclusejunior.wordpress.com/

All the best,

Greg Fryer,  VJ Amateur Sailing Assn (vauclusejunior@gmail.com)

DBSC sailors leaving the beach next to the clubhouse.  Photo by Arthur Lowndes

A few less boats moored in Double Bay in 1963.  Photo by Arthur Lowndes

DBSC eschews support from tobacco companies.

Source: DBSC Investigation into tobacco sponsorship.

A comprehensive review of the DBSC's policies and practices has revealed a horrible secret: we used to take money from the merchants of death.  The 1962-63 Australian Championships hosted by DBSC provides the evidence: click here.

Apart from being amoral, we have taken the policy off our books because our membership is now  paying their subscriptions prior to the start of our financial year start (1 May), or at least 55% of our members have this year.

For the members yet to pay their invoice, please ensure you PUT YOUR NAME BOX when you do the electronic funds transfer, please?  Madame Secretary and Troublemaker don't need more work doing reconciliations.

We would like to get all the fees soon so your Politburo can spend the money wisely (by shopping around, etc) and be ready for the unofficial start to our season on 6 August 2016 (yes, some sail all year around - see doodle invite).

The other advantage of getting fees early and spending early, is that your fellow members on the committee can enjoy the sailing season instead of doing admin, purchasing and repairs.

If you haven't paid your fee yet, please help us.

Finally, if there is a problem with paying fees (e.g. you lost your job, getting a divorce, have drank the Kool-Aid supplied by a "financial advisor" or "wealth management" advisor, etc), you should have a chat to the People's Prince, Troublemaker or Madame Secretary.

The Australian Medical Association's recommended path to stress reduction.

Sprint Races this 1pm Saturday @ DBSC

Do you find yourself timing traffic lights?  Need a bucket of water to be tossed in your face ocassionally?  Feel the urge to scream whever yoy see a bright coloured inflated object? Don't despair.  You are experiencing withdrawl symptoms from the giddy pleasure of racing!  But we have a cure.....Dear leader and Team Alexander have combined to offer some sprint races this Saturday from 1pm.  

All welcome, and especially those heading to sail in Mexico or other exotic climates.  

Non point score, but best on field will win a can of VB/ Gatorade.

First start @ 1pm

National Volunteer Week celebrated at DBSC

National Volunteer Week sets sail this week across Australia to celebrate and acknowledge the generous contributions of our nation’s volunteers and concludes on Sunday May 15.  DBSC is an all volunteer club, so we are especially chuffed this week. 

Yachting Australia Chief Executive Officer, Matt Carroll, said that "volunteers are the pillars of the sailing community generally and specifically at DBSC." *

“Without the ongoing support and commitment from volunteers, sailing at DBSC just would not happen,” Carroll said.  "We'd be stuck with geriatrics trying to board the Island and the 18's would just practice rigging and unrigging in the park without getting wet. "

“Like many sporting sectors across the country, sailing at DBSC relies on volunteers to organise and coordinate club events, coach, officiate, maintain and upload data to name a few of the many vital tasks our volunteers perform.

“On behalf of the Yachting Australia Board and the sailing community, I would like to congratulate the DBSC volunteers on their contributions to the growth, development and sustainability of sailing.”

* Matt did say most of it, albeit the DBSC specific material was said rather faintly.  

NB Sprint Series... This week at Middle Harbour

NB are again sponsoring the Winter Sprint Series this year at four clubs Middle Harbour, Georges River, Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and Double Bay.

The ultimate prize of a free Laser trade for a NEW LASER is a big attraction to participate as every race completed earns a raffle ticket with the draw taking place at the final presentation.  The more you race, the better your chances, but everyone gets a chance.  Ask our handicapper about how good that deal is, and he'll explain why his shiny new boat is called NB Fluke.

For your winter diary the four rounds this year are;

• Round 1: Sunday May 15 Middle Harbour Amateurs – 3 races from 1pm
• Round 2: Saturday June 18 Georges River 16ft SC, first start 1pm – 3 races
• Round 3:  Sunday August 7  Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, first start 11am – 3 races
• Round 4:  Saturday August  27 Double Bay Sailing Club, first start 1pm – 3 races

The Notice of Race for the event is available online HERE. The Sailing Instructions for the first round at Middle Harbour are HERE

You can enter the individual rounds online on the NB Sailsports web site HERE or with cash at the venue on the day. For the convenience of boats sailing over from DBSC for the Middle Harbour round, on the water entries and call on and off will be allowed. Please review the Sailing Instructions for the details.

DBSC founders reveal its history from 1956

Robin Hawthorn, Jim Ley, David Hogan and other founding Double Bay Sailing Club members got together and gave us this recollection for our Diamond Jubilee Party 2016.

As kids in Double Bay on the beach we often would speak to the men rigging up their 18footer sailing boats, with boat names such as AJAX, PATHFINDER, TOOGARA, MISS PEPSI and many others, we would persist in asking for a ride or a brief sail, they obviously were impressed with our interest in sailing and obliged to our delight with offers to have a sail. Some of the older boys had VJ's and others were pestering their parents to acquire boats.  The fleet initially was rather assorted in age and quality, Rob Hawthorn was one who eventually got an old VJ which was very heavy and together with his dad they worked on the boat for what seemed years trying to stop it leaking and reducing its weight to make it competitive.

 Initially boats were stored in Piggins Boat shed at the bottom of Beach St off William St,  others at the Pier Boatshed Rose Bay, people’s backyards and so on, and while this situation allowed us to gather together as a club on the beach at Double Bay it was realized that there was a need for a club house to be built.  The initial Club was known as The Pioneer Boating Club having Club meetings in the Piggin’s boat shed, Reg Slight, Bob Hogan with the help of Bobby Reid and others with their classic timber power boats with putt-putt motors (one named ‘BUGGSIE’) became the race officials and pick up boats.

Parents of the youngsters including Charlie Messenger, Ross Piggin, Hedley Hawthorn, Patricia Ley, Reg Slight, Keith McCrowan, Dutchie Backhouse and many others comprised the foundation members of the Double Bay Sailing Club.

With permission granted from the Maritime Service Board to build over the water (our contact being Bill Longworth Jnr.) they then lobbied with Woollahra Municipal council to allow the club house to use the Park for access to the proposed building and with the support of Dutchy Backhouse who was a Woollahara councilor at the time, the Club gained initial approval to have access to the proposed building through the park.   Initial funds were provided by parents taking debentures of 20 pounds repayable in the future when the club was financially able to do so The parents also sought bank finance approval with the assistance from George Kiernan, Theo Kelly and Mrs G Hornabrook to provide further building funds and this was successful.  There was then resistance from a number of the local residents at the time who did not want the park vista disturbed by such activity, however with lobbying and the help of Theo Kelly (he was a very influential person) Woollahra council finally gave their approval.

At this significant period in the Clubs history two of the parents namely Ross Piggin and Patricia Ley suddenly passed away having been very active members of the group gaining these approvals to create the building now known as the Double Bay Sailing Club.

The future of the Club was assured when Cliff Monkhouse agreed to build and complete the Club in the mid 1950’s and then continued on to build the 18ft Skiff Sailing club next door.

The club became a social mecca for kids from Double Bay and adjoining suburbs. It was a meeting place where teenagers gathered to work on their boats and to socialize.  The club took on its role as a venue to foster social events such as club dances and so on, it became a really popular meeting place for the kids in the area. The Club at one period also had a football team.

As the club grew in strength and numbers they commenced interclub events between Vaucluse VJ sailing club, Woollahra and many other clubs around Sydney Harbour and Middle Harbour.

It was with the help of Charlie Messenger's Trawler fleet that often boats were towed to other venues for regattas, in a line of up to 8 or 10 VJ’s to places like Greenwich, Drummoyne and Middle Harbor and Northbridge sailing clubs to compete in interclub events.

The VJ at that stage together with the Moth Class were virtually the only small centerboard dinghy’s that teenagers and young adults could sail in.  There was Australia wide competition with strong clubs competing in locations as far away as Melbourne Adelaide and Perth, boats were sailed in NSW in locations such as Cronulla, Port Hacking, Botany Bay, Lake Macquarie, Taree, Lake Illawarra and Toronto.

To gauge the popularity of the VJ class there was about 6000- 7000 VJ's built and registered during that period of time from the initial design stage.

VJ launching for the 1963 Double Bay Regatta.  Photo: Arthur Lowndes

The competition to compete in the Australian titles at that time was fierce and it involved zone championships to qualify for state championships from which a team was selected to compete in the national title and it was a keenly fought competition and it was the basis from which many of our famous sailors had their beginning.

One favorite memory was of Bobby Reid our ever faithful pick up boat skipper.  Bobby was special in two ways, he had been born with some spastic paralysis causing him speech and motor difficulty, but he was present every week to pull us half drowning kids out of the drink and get us back to the club.   At one of the prize giving occasions the committee awarded Bobby with a captains hat and he never, from that day on, took it off.  To this day we remember Bobby fondly and in high regard.
As the club and its young sailors matured teams were sent to Melbourne and Perth for Australian titles.  The Club gained prominence and was given the honor of running the Australian championship. In  1962-1963 season.

 The Club provided its members with great memories and experiences that in later years placed many in Maritime situations of prominence.

By 2009, the National Trust had decided that the club house, rather than our older sailors, should be added to the list of historic structures in Australia.

Rigging in Steyne Park, 1963 (prior to the park being overrun with eyesore dinghies courtesy of our council). Photo: Arthur Lowndes

The permanent history of the club is kept on the website: here.

If you have updates, please them to webmaster@dbsc.com.au.

This Saturday. The Met Gala, DBSC style

While the Met Gala in NYC attracted huge media, blog and Internet coverage this week, we at DBSC are certain this event was only a teaser for the greatest event on the 2016 global social circuit, the DBSC Diamond Jubilee Party.  7.30pm on Saturday, 7 May 2016

Staff, drinks, food, lights, music have all been organised.  We promise formalities will be minimised.  Frivolities maximised. 

At Malcolm, and Lucy's, request, ticket sales have remained open.

Taking a break from electioneering, Malcolm confided:

"Lucy and I are just stuck for ideas on running the country, so what better way than frock up in our cocktail clobber and spend some time with Australia's most innovative sailing club.  Also, I'm really looking forward to Smiley giving us the executive summary of her first major international regatta - a great effort during the HSC." 

To make it a success, please RSVP and pay for via the following link by this ASAP, (:  https://www.trybooking.com/193224 if you've not already done so.

As we are powered 100% by volunteers, we are unable to accept cash payments on the night! 

This party is sure to be yet another glorious occasion in the annals of the Double Bay Sailing Club.  A special poster has been produced for all attendees to sign which will be hung in the club for perpetuity. 

Hadrien with a H isn't sure whether he is wearing a hijab to the Diamond Jubilee Party.  Others should get in their cocktail clobber.

Teaming up with other Western Sydney clubs for winter Lasering.

Clearly someone didn't read the Laser class specification before getting to the starting line.

As the leading Laser club in the world, we still have a responsibility to our more local community: Western Sydney.

To that end we invited the folks at RSYS to join our racing last week, and they receiprocated and we subsequently received the following invite:

Many thanks for giving the opportunity for RSYS sailors to join in the DBSC club race last Saturday.  The sailors enjoyed the racing and were keen to participate again in the future. please feel free to invite  DBSC members to join our future winter race days:
 
Sunday 5th June Up to 3 Races, 0930hrs start
Sunday 7th August Up to 3 Races, time to be confirmed (held in conjunction with the NB series race-registration online)
Sunday 4th September Up to 3 Races, 0930hrs start

DBSC and RSYS are the two most successful clubs in Western Sydney (note lattitude isn't a criteria), so Lasering can only go from strength to strength with clubs  cooperating to provide more racing opportunities.

Madame Secretary who multitasks as our Western Sydney Liaison Officer and flag girl.

Hiking Style

There's many ways to hike. Here's a fine video highlighting 12 styles. 

 http://youtu.be/-UAefX1vI-c