Important Note from the Handicappers

This is a bit of a long article. The important points are:

- check your results for last weekend and let the handicapper know if incorrect

- check if your sail number is listed in the results section of the website as unknown and let the handicapper know

- all sailors please talk to the handicapper next week and make sure your number is recorded correctly in the system

- number your sail correctly with six digits and no duplication vs other numbers in the fleet or risk disqualification 

The details are as follows:

Race results this week are not yet finalised. The scorers and handicapper have had great difficulty with new members whose sail numbers are not recorded, new boats with new sail numbers, blank un-numbered sails, and incorrectly or partly numbered sails. 

There is a note from the handicapper in the results section of our website www.dbsc.com.au that lists the numbers that are unknown and unscored. Several other results are also incorrect. Can you please check your results and get in touch with the handicappers at results@dbsc.com.au if you believe you are not scored or are incorrectly scored. For example, there are several people who sailed, but whose results are incorrectly recorded as DNC. 

Separately, can all sailors please speak to the handicappers this coming weekend to make sure your number is recorded correctly in their system. We ask every sailor to do this please to assist the scorers and the handicappers.

As a further important note, we are implementing a policy effective immediately that the scorers reserve the right not to score any incorrectly numbered sail. As a leading Laser club, we are committed to observing and enforcing class rules. 

Sail numbers MUST comprise six digits — if you are missing digits from your sails, please add them ASAP. Numbers can be purchased from NB Sailsports. 

Sail numbers must also match hull numbers.  However, we are know some people are using sails handed on from other members. We encourage and support this, so we will not penalise people for mismatching sail / hull numbers. Nevertheless, we do ask that, as a courtesy, if you are using a mismatched sail, please make sure your sail number does not duplicate any other sail number in our fleet. You can do this by removing selected numbers and replacing them with other numbers. If you see someone using a number that duplicates yours, please ask them to change it. 

We need your active and rapid help on this. The scorers and handicappers have already had to spend several unnecessary hours this week trying to sort out results!

Bulk Sail Order

The first instalment of our bulk sail order was delivered by NB last week, with about half the standard sails delivered. We have emailed directly those whose sails are available, but not yet collected. 

NB will continue to work on the next instalment to be available this weekend. Please do not take your sails without speaking to Andrew Cox, who will check them off the list.  

Delivery of all sails will take another couple of weeks — as you will appreciate it takes a long time to put the numbers on 50 sails!!  We will not have visibility in advance as to whose sails are being delivered at a particular time, but we will email you if yours remains uncollected on the day it is delivered. Thank you for your patience and understanding in this regard. 

Women’s Laser Regatta Thanks

We have three important contributors to the Women’s Laser Regatta that we want to recognise and acknowledge with a special thank you. 

First, we thank NSW Government Member for Vaucluse, The Hon. Gabrielle Upton — Gabrielle is a strong supporter of the club, having championed several NSW Government grants for us, including grants for the Women’s Laser Regatta, the club’s brand new cardiac defibrillator, and the ongoing piles replacement project. Gabrielle opened the regatta, saying “I’m proud to support DBSC and this event, which celebrates women. It’s wonderful to see you all here with these inspirational coaches, learning and having fun.”

The Hon. Gabrielle Upton with DBSC Commodore, Andrew Cox.

Second, we thank Mayor of WoollahraMunicipal Council, Peter Cavanagh — Peter is also a strong supporter of the club and its contribution to the community. He championed a Woollahra Municipal Council grant for the Women’s Laser Regatta, and presented the prizes at the conclusion of the regatta. He showed tremendous affinity for what we are doing in promoting women in sailing, by wearing a bright pink waistcoat selected especially for the event, matching the pink bibs that had been worn by the sailors all weekend. He said, “It’s wonderful to see the sense of community this has created. Volunteering is such a rewarding thing and Council is proud to have provided a grant for this event.”

Mayor of Woollahra Municipal Council, Peter Cavanagh.

Third, we thank Kevin Phillips and the NSW and ACT Laser Association — Kevin is a great friend and partner to the club, providing a grant to fund coaching for the weekend, and providing support in the form of marketing and promotion for the event. We have been proud to work very closely with the Laser Association in holding various championships at DBSC, most recently the Open and Masters State Championship last season. We also aim to support Laser Association events by sending large contingents of sailors to their regattas. We encourage all members to diarise and sign up for the Coast Championships at VYC on 27-28 October (there will be no racing at DBSC that day) and for the State Masters Championships at South Lake Macquarie Amateur SC on 2-3 March 2019.

Women’s Regatta Coaches sponsored by the NSW & ACT Laser Association. Photo by Hadrien Bourely.

Wild Start to Spring Pointscore

The first heats of the Spring Pointscore were quite a challenge for the 35 boats who competed on this beautify warm, sunny day. The forecast was for a strong North-westerly and Mother Nature didn’t let us down. Race one was sailed in a moderate 15 knot breeze, but things got more than a bit tricky for race two as the wind built substantially. Two 30+ knot bullets saw most of the fleet in the water. Because of the extreme conditions, more than half of the fleet retired early and did not finish the second race. The winners (after handicapping) were: Full Rigs: Michael Osborne (race 1), Matt Wenke (race 2); Radials & 4.7s (who race as one fleet in the Pointscore): Mark Crowhurst (race 1), Brooke Wilson (race 2). You can check out all the results here. Thanks to last week’s volunteers for doing a great job in some tough conditions: PRO Craig Sheers, assisted by Christine Patton, COTD Geoff Boscoe, CoCOTD Max Dzhura, and Canteen Assistant Steven London. 

Saturday’s Wild Winds.

Thanks also to Matthew Knight for assisting Geoff Boscoe in rescuing a sailor who was unable to right their boat in the huge winds. Matthew showed us the right thing to do when a fellow member is having difficulties – stop racing and help. Matthew will receive average points for the race.

It’s a good reminder that safety is the responsibility of every individual participant, and every participant is responsible for both their own safety and the safety of others.  Please be aware of your equipment and surroundings, and the associated dangers, and please be aware of the safety and wellbeing of your fellow participants. In case there is any doubt, the safety of people comes before the race or safety of property, no matter what.

If you see a capsized boat, and are the closest person to it, you must establish visually and verbally that its crew are safe, even if this means sailing out of your way. This is an obligation of every boat that sequentially becomes the closest boat to a capsized boat until that capsized boat is righted and its crew is back on board.  The fact that a capsized crew indicated to an earlier closest boat that he or she was safe, cannot be assumed to mean he or she is still safe when a later boat becomes the closest boat.

It is important to remember there is no guarantee that a club volunteer and/or response boat crew member will see an incident or be able to attend to it either in time or at all.  You cannot assume that someone else will take care of it.

Thanks, Matthew for looking out for your fellow sailor – let’s all remember this when the winds start to howl again. 

Up Next

Saturday 22 September, 2pm start – Spring Pointscore, Heats 3 & 4. Brett Beyer Saturday Program Begins (see details below).

Payment Due Now for Brett Beyer Saturday Program

Thanks to everyone who signed up to the Brett Beyer Saturday Program this spring. The program commences this Saturday, and entries are now closed. If you have registered for the program you should have already received a link for payment. All payments must be received no later than Friday 21st September. If you haven’t paid yet, please do so now by clicking here. 

Sign Up for Brett Beyer Wednesday Program

Brett Beyer will again run his very successful Brett Beyer Wednesday Program this season.  We are now asking for registrations – the BBWP is capped at 10 people.  The first 10 people to email coaching@dbsc.com.au will be in the program, subject to payment on time when called for.

 The program will commence 31 October, with splash at 5pm for 5.30pm starts. It will run for seven sessions on the following dates:  31 Oct, 7 Nov, 14 Nov, 21 Nov, 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec.  NOTE, we will commence twilight sailing from 10 October, but Brett’s program will not start until 31 October due to Brett’s travel.

The cost of the program is $210 (plus merchant fees).  The terms and conditions are as set out here.

Filled to the Rafters

DBSC is bursting at the seams, with almost every rack occupied.  We couldn’t be happier to welcome the latest batch of DBSC members:  Ashton Scott, Tom Green, Evie Saunders, Vic Whitby, Tim Heath, Oskar Hansen, Tom Beregi, Diana Chen, Richard Catto, David Ferguson, and Maxine Morrisey. If you see a new face around the club, please make them feel at home!

All new members can be matched with a buddy / mentor. If you’d like a ‘DBSC buddy’, but don’t have one yet, please contact Mike at buddies@dbsc.com.au. And if you’d just like to find out more about the ins and outs of the club, check out our new Welcome Flyer here. Thanks to Justin Davey and Jules Hall for putting this together.

As a reminder to our new (and old) members, we’d like everyone to display a DBSC burgee sticker on their boat’s transom. The stickers have kindly been produced for us at no cost by Chris at Boat Names Australia:  www.boatnames.com.au. If you have not already received a sticker, please see Andrew Cox next time you are at the club, and he will give you one. And if you want a boat name made, we highly recommend Chris’s service — several members have already used him for their names and he is excellent!

World Wrap

The Laser Masters World Championships have just wrapped up in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, and the DBSC crew was quite impressive. 

Brett Beyer finished 1st in the Master Class and is now a 13 times Laser World Champion, exceeding the record of any other Laser sailor. Well done indeed!

In the Radial Grand Master Class, Martin White finished 9th and Pat Levy was 25th. Competing against 58 boats, this placed them well into the top half of the fleet. And in the Great Grand Master Class, Mark Bethwaite finished in a solid 5th place. 

Big congratulations to all. We look forward to seeing you back at the club soon.  

13th Time for Brett on the World’s Winner’s Podium. Photograph: David Branigan/Oceansport

Big Boat Report

written by Jonathan Stone

Four boats committed to the race, on a breezy and cold spring afternoon. The wind was south-easterly gusting up to 25 knots. On Time & Tide we set up our #3 headsail - our smallest - knowing that when the breeze is heavy the secret of speed is boat management.

We were a bit late getting to the boat (Mat had run the 10km Bridge run earlier in the morning) but we did a quick rig, slipped our mooring - and were quickly in trouble. Long story short - my inattention - we ran over a tender on a mooring. its painter wrapped around our rudder; the little boat capsized, outboard and all and then clung to our stern.  It took a lot of help and time before the problem was sorted. 

So, T&T missed the start even though it was delayed; Lonny, G-Force and Smitten all raced. Smitten was leading at the first and second marks, with Lonny and the late-starting G-Force close to each other but being outpaced by Smitten in the big breeze.

Smitten mistakenly went to the wrong top mark at Sow’n Pigs, allowing G-Force to take the lead. They held it to the end, from Smitten and then Lonny.

Across the line I have:

• G-Force

• Smitten

• Lonny

A challenging, sunny, very breezy and cold afternoon. I do accept global warming but on some afternoons, it is more difficult to do so than on others.