RVC: Rolex Vaucluse Challenge starting in 5 minutes.

Just logged the call from the French enclave....no waiting.

Class action litigation

Unreasonable product failure.

DBSCers, like all LASERers, are used to paying high prices for LASER component, but it is time to take a stand.

Last week, a near-new bottom section purchased on 24 April 2005 failed in moderate 33 knot gusts.    This just shouldn't happen to premium products.  It was particularly annoying as Sydney Harbour was mostly empty of yachts due to an abundance of caution amongst yacht owners (who recognise that their boat handling ability is inversely proportional to the size of the boat they own so didn't race).  High prices should mean premium products, not catastrophic metal failures.

Fortunately, our world class volunteers on the water and in the clubhouse coordinated the rescue effort.  A special call-out to Deb, who not only makes toasties in the canteen but also helps exhausted sailors drag their boats out the water.  (Another special call-out to the Wise Master, who not only excels in keeping the technology ship-shape but has shared his baking results with the DBSCers.)

I call on all DBSCers who have experienced unreasonable product failures to join a class action to demand justice.

Club Championship and BBQ

We've got heats 5&6 of the club championship series this weekend, followed by a deckside BBQ and beverage opportunity. Sailors, family and special friends all welcome.  

New Member of the Year Award

DBSC New Member of the Year trophy based on a popular design.

Two early contenders for the New Member of the Year award: Amelia and Wade.

Amelia's claim to fame was to accept the wisdom of Ozzy's improptu course summary, which was incorrect (left the second sausage off).  The deep and unquestioning respect for the wisdom of older DBSC members is raucussly applauded: none of the usual Millennial rubbish.

Wade's claim to fame is that after racing he demonstrated that he had read the dollie rant by removing the dollie he had just unloaded from the clubhouse because no column of racks was fully occupied.

Only DBSCers who have been members for more than three years can place a single vote for the New Member of the Year award, so if you see someone new, introduce yourself so you can put a name to the those new members bringing glorious benefits to DBSC. 

Further nominees can be sent to newsletter@dbsc.com.au

PS:Life Members currently volunteering their time to the club get 10 votes each.

PPS: Any new member, or their parent, who makes 100 toasties on Sundays when the 18s race automatically wins the award (obviously toastie training will be provided by the #1 toastie producer, Mrs. Wise Master, so standards will be maintained)

Missing - but in action

Tableware specially designed for DBSC and enjoying our famous toasties, and now available to DBSC members to buy.

We haven't seen fellow DBSC member Dennis K on the water much lately.  In case you wondered why, and don't accept the official reason of 'recovering from injury', check out this site to see what he did with the time not spent on chasing Grasshopper 2.0, Smiley and Blackey: Felt & Co
 
If you thought about giving your home interior a fancy and colourful update than look no further. You will find beautiful tableware and decoration as well as nice little accessories for your favourite mobile device.  All items are made of 100% Merino wool felt sourced from Australia and New Zealand and hand finished in Germany.
 
The store is in its early stages and will be extended continuously.  To be kept in the loop about new arrivals and in particular the highly anticipated Xmas collection please sign up to the site's newsletter here.
 
Happy browsing!

A simple image shows why we are the best Laser club in the world.

This is just part of one of the three starting lines we had last week.

We are the best Laser club in the world because we have  multiple, super-sized, Laser fleets.

The "Yuge" starting fleets  were captured using Kodachrome by Max, who then used his computer science skills to transfer the images to the InterWeb.

Speaking of the experience, Max shared:

"When I was growing up in Vladivostok, I won the coveted Lenin Prize for School Photography.  First prize gave me enough roubles to allow me to purchase all the stock of Kodachrome I could find in the city.  I then had a tough decision to make, pursue my passions of sailing, photography and computer science in Vladivostok, or move to Australia and join DBSC.  Easy decision."

More photos can be found here.

Many thanks Max!

ON water etiquette

We've had a request to remind all (fast) sailors of a good global etiquette:

"Once you've finished, please move away from the race course so anyone unfinished can become finished" 

This simple courtesy makes things so much easier for both your fellow sailors and also for the race committee. 

Worth packing the flannelette plaid shirts and ugg boots.

"If I am going to miss Super Saturday Sprints at DBSC, I'm sure going to try to win the Coasties": Jack who went on to win the 4.7 title.

DBSC dominated the Coasties last weekend!

It was also a great opportunity to bond as a team while experiencing the best of Coastie lifestyle.

Ozzy, explains:

"After packing the blue and red flannelette plaid shirts and the ugg boots, we all met at the local caravan park were there was inspection of team uniform.  It was noted that some of the "trackie dacks" worn by the younger folk were not baggy enough for a Coastie weekend.  While ugg boots are typical, some of the more stylish combined the plaid shirts and trackie dacks with thongs (flip-flops for our north American readers).  After the team meeting it was off to the local RSL for a feed.  During the weekend some of the 4.7 sailors (and we had lots and lots) were counselled that the plural of "you" at the Coasties was "yous" but they soon slipped into the local idiom"

Senior members of the DBSC contingent sensibly prepare ahead of Sunday's 30 knot southerly. 

Results can be found here: http://laser.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2016_17_Coast_Champ_SLMASC_final_results.html

4.7
1 - Jack Littlechild
3- Boston Cortis
4 - Will Cooley
7 - Mark Louis
8 - Henry Davison
9- Daniel Costandi
13 - Brooke Wilson
14 - Will McMillian
19 - Sylvie Stannage
20 - Logan Walters
21 - Morgan Au

Radials
1 - Finn Alexander
8- Noah Taylor
11 - Martin White
15 - Pat Levy

Standard
5 - "IED" Alexander
6 - Mike Dunne
8 - Michael Osborne
10 - Gerry Donohoe
15 - Peter Wallace

Grasshopper 2.0,, Mari Erdi (Hungry) , Sean Atherton- Feeney

Why DBSCers learn not to capsize too often

.....And if we capsize, we know to get upright quickly

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

Next week, the SMH will publish the list of most common locations for provoked shark attacks. Can't wait. 

Magnificent Seven and a special guest.

View fullsize

Freddy, the fur seal, keeping an eye on Super Saturday Sprints from Clarke Island.

Who are the Magnificent Seven?  This Saturday they were the seven non-sailing volunteers.  The Canteen Crew of Paul, Andrea and Shirley kept the DBSCers fed.  The Wise Master continued to tinker in Centre of Engineering Excellence and other parts of the club to ensure everything worked.  Finally, three regular sailors provided on-water requirements on the two rigid-inflatable boats (RIBs) and enjoyed a wildlife sighting on Clarke island. 

Thirteen sailors enjoyed brisk breezes, albeit quite cool ones, for 5 mini sprints.  The rest of the club donned the blue and red flannelette plaid shirts and ugg boats to participate in the Coastie's championships.