I wouldn't be flying through Seoul.

Dear Comrades,

Applications for entry will open Tuesday, 4 April 2017 at 00:01 Central US time for the following ILCA World Championship regattas:

     2017 ILCA Laser Standard Men's World Championship 

     2017 ILCA Laser Masters World Championship

For all events, The deadline for receiving paid applications for initial allocation of places is 16 May 2017 at 23:59 Central US Time. 

You are encouraged to complete an entry application as soon as possible after it becomes available. Please be aware that if you do not apply by 16 May 2017, you may have little chance of receiving an entry offer. 

The links below will take you to the event information sites with access to applications and additional information about each championship, including the Notice of Race and the district entry allocations.

2017 ILCA Laser Standard Men's World Championship 

·  Dates: Tuesday, 12 September – Tuesday, 19 September 2017

·  Venue: Split, Croatia

·  Click HERE for Laser Standard Men World Championship Information & Application                  

2017 ILCA Laser Masters World Championships 

·  Dates: Thursday, 21 September – Saturday, 30 September 2017

·  Venue: Split, Croatia

·  Click HERE for Laser Masters World Championship Information & Application                 

We look forward to seeing you bringing glorious benefit to the worker-sailors of DBSC!

PS: We understand that Trumpistan might want to try some diplomacy on North Korea before telling South Korea.

61st People's Congress

...also known as the annual general meeting (Friday, 26 May 2017, 7pm)

The United Nations have done a survey and found that DBSC is the only organisation in the world with: (1) free and fair elections; (2) high growth prospects; (3) a happy and contented populace; and, most importantly, (4) managed seamless regime change over decades.  A number of our international friends, Ki-Moon, Kofi and Gareth-Gareth, have requested permission to send observers to our 61st People’s Congress.  We think they are also after the free drinks and food that are served to all attendees.

The people are happy here, possibly as a result of our "No dickhead" membership policy, but also because everyone is encouraged to get involved. Anyone who wants to get on our politburo (previously known by the sexist moniker, Management Committee, or ManCo) can put up their hand up in May and ask the people, and the people rarely turn down a volunteer.  Everyone who wants to contribute is given an opportunity throughout the year.

So please give it consideration. Fresh ideas and enthusiasm are the lifeblood of DBSC.

Big Boat Racing 2 April

Dear fellow sailors,

We race again on Sunday. A few points:

• Seabreeze promises af 10-15knot sou-easter. Should be great sailing!
• Daylight sailing will have ended; if I have it right, that morning. So the start will be at 1.00pm (editors note...big boaters adjust start time for daylight savings, Lasers do not)
• Could skippers please let me know whom to expect - thank you
• I will let you know about the start - I need to contact John Vasey
• Let me know if you want me to organise a hull clean

See you on the water
Jonathan

Resumption of normal transmissions.

Pointscore this weekend. 2pm start

Hopefully dry weather, some wind

Metro Wrap Up

DBSC hosted a wonderful Metropolitian Championships last weekend. 3 races for each fleet were held on each day.

Results are here. Marlena shone in the radials, Jack did well in the 4.7's and we did alright in the main event (Standards) too. 

The sailors that only raced on Saturday really missed out on a great day's racing on Sunday. In fact, the full rigs enjoyed it so much they snuck in a bonus lap between the 2nd and 3rd races. 

But the real stars of the weekend were the DBSC  volunteers. From Parking officials, park hosts, canteen crew, RIB drivers and a host of tasks in between, everyone chipped in and the event went off without a hitch from the DBSC side. Thank you one and all. 

We're all set to repeat the weekend when we host the State Titkes in November. It's going to be a cracker. 

Finally, your correspondent accidentally picked up a start watch in the men's shower room on Sunday afternoon. I'll leave it in canteen if it's yours. 

Major Club Repairs

As previously advised, soon you'll notice some repairs being undertaken underneath the clubhouse.

The structure is 60 years old and we've had a survey undertaken of the water level structures.  As you'd expect, some of the piling is beyond salvage, and we've opted for replacement of 5 piles as a matter of urgency.  This involves cutting the pile away between the club floor and seabed levels and inserting a new pile.  The old pile below sand level is retained and used.  It will cost close to $60,000 for establishment, replacement of 5 piles and replacing some  headstock bolts (so the club doesn't float away at high tide). There's no impact on our use of the club while the work is undertaken.

This is a massive hit on our reserves, but that's why we have reserves.  Without a clubhouse, our club is in strife.  Further, we need to budget that this program will continue every second year for about 10 years as all the piles are renewed. 

We have a few strategies to fund the work:

• We're going to have to increase annual subs.  We haven't increased fees for 6 or more years, but the golden streak is about to be over. Members with boats in the club will pay $100 extra per year.  Other sailors should budget $50, and non sailing members $50.  In addition we are hoping members will consider making a $100 tax deductible donation to the DBSC program developed in partnership with the Australian Sports Foundation.
• We're hoping some members might enjoy taking advantage of a bigger tax deduction. 

• in addition to paying higher subs, this year we're really going to need them paid promptly when the bill comes in April

Big boat report

Jonathan's report for 12 March, (and I apologise for being a week late in relaying the report).... 

Seven boats presented on a sunny autumn afternoon, with a nor-easter at 15 knots and building, reaching 20knots before we finished.
T&T  sailed the line for the ‘gate’ start. Corinna took off quickly, followed by Umbakumba, Chenonceau, then G-Force, Smitten and Chloe. Corinna managed the blowy conditions across Double Bay best and was the first to tack out into the Harbour and tack again for the first mark, at Point Piper. G-Force showed speed to sail through the fleet and turn second.

It was a shy reach to Taylor’s Bay, and G-Force steamed into the lead, turning first, with a clear lead. The next lega long work to Sow’n Pigs. G-Force consolidated her lead, Corinna - a smaller boat - work hard to hang on on, then T&T and Umbakumba  all crossed the harbour, looking for an easterly shift. The big mover on this leg was Chenonceau, looking balanced and fast in the heavy winds and she reached Sow’n Pigs in third place, and in a position to challenge for second.

On T&T, we used our small size to slide quickly around the top mark, and then pole our jib, reclaiming third place for the long run  to Shark Island. We sailed low, dropped our pole off the northern tip of the Island. That allowed use to reach to mark - we had held this place. G-Force and Corinna clear ahead; the gybe was smooth, so we settled down to battle with Chenonceau, who was holding onto the strong breeze and moving fact.

In a nor-easter there is always a lee south of Shark Island and skippers have a choice - to take the short way home, stay close to the Island and hope the wind fills in, or to go low, hoping the better wind will make up for the greater distance.

And sometimes, it’s unevenness of the wind or the size of the boat or the choice of sail …… In the event Chenonceau sailed over us, and we could not defend.

A thorough enjoyable race. Across the line:

G-Force
Corinna
Chenonceau
Time & Tide
Umbakumba
Smitten
Chloe

These autumn afternoons are special - we have just three in our season. This one was sunny and warm, without being hot. The Harbour was busy, the nor-easterly a sailor’s wind.

Crews from several of the boats relaxed on the Club deck for half and hour, rehydrating, exchanging stories

We race again on Sunday April 2

Until then


Jonathan

Boat Insurance

REPEAT FROM LAST WEEK, BUT WITH LINK TO INSURANCE PAGE FIXED

Australian Sailing's insurance scheme with Nautilus is good value and pays a commission to DBSC.  

This week we received a pleasant surprise payment, as explained below. 

 Dear Member Club,
We have today made a deposit to your account in the amount of $ 201.16. Please note that this amount includes GST
This represents the total amount of Nautilus Insurance Commissions that members of you club have generated during the 2016 Calendar year.

If you have any questions, please let us know.

Thanks,
Brian Chalmers
brian.chalmers@sailing.org.au
On behalf of
Yachting NSW Inc

You can find the scheme HERE

RIB drivers needed for Sunday

We desperately require 2 RIB drivers for this Sunday @ the Metros.  

Can you help or know someone that will?  In return you'll get front row seats at Sydney Harbour's most prestigious sailing event, a few drinkies and I'll shout you a toastie. 

Will suit a young sailor's parent keen to watch the action.  C'mon...lend us a hand, please?

if so, please email vice.commodore@dbsc.com.au

Laser Metros @ DBSC this weekend

This weekend, DBSC is hosting the Laser Metros both Saturday & Sunday.

We encourage everyone to participate. We expect 100-130 boats and there will be sailors of all standards. If you can get around our usual course, you'll be fine. 

Enter on line through the nsw association website.

There will be a briefing 11.30 on Saturday. The racing starts early both days.   13.30. Saturday. 11.00 Sunday.

Each day will be 3 races, but as we will be running a different course with seperate start and finish lines, races will start before other fleets finish. So you can expect the 3 races won't take much longer than our usual 2 races. 

We have arranged car paring at Double Bay public school. $20 donation to the P&C buys two days of parking.

There will be an après sailing BBQ on Saturday and pre racing breakie on Sunday. 

As it's a NSW laser association event, you need to enter. More details and entry here 

Finally, we could do with help to make the event a success. If you can get to the club early on Saturday, you'll be useful.