RIB Driver Needed This Sunday

John Vasey graciously helps DBSC fulfil our affiliation agreement with the 18s by supplying RIB support to their fleet every Sunday. John is unavailable to do so this Sunday 8 December and we need a volunteer to fill in. If you are interested, please let Mark Crowhurst know HERE ASAP. The day goes from about 1pm to 5pm and we have detailed instructions from John on what’s involved. Thanks!

Tom Slingsby Shares Rare Insights at DBSC

Last Wednesday was a momentous evening at DBSC. The clubhouse was packed with members intently listening to Olympic Gold Medallist Tom Slingsby recount highlights of his illustrious sailing career. During the evening Tom shared rare insights on his journey to become one of Australia’s best sailors, including the highs and lows on the way to success and the mind-set and dedication it takes to win. 

Tom admitted that he wasn’t the best youth sailor, preferring tennis at an early age. However, after giving up tennis, his love for sailing quickly blossomed.  Winning the 2007 Laser World Championships he was ranked number one going into the 2008 Olympics. Tom shared the many reasons for his crushing 22nd place in those Olympic Games, and the resilience it took to keep going and eventually win Laser gold in the 2012 Olympics. 

Tom also revealed how Oracle Team USA made their incredible comeback against Team New Zealand to win the 34th America’s Cup, and spoke about winning both the Sydney to Hobart and SailGP events. On top of that, he shared some of his tips and tricks on how to be a faster Laser sailor, one foot per wave.  

The audience was captivated by Tom’s stories and particularly by the candour and personal touch that made it very relatable. Commodore Andrew Cox commented, “Tom has been an inspiration to many, me included.” Former Commodore, Luke Parker concurred, stating, “This is wonderful. It is a fantastic record, that belongs in the archives of Australian sailing.”

The momentous event was part of the club’s Sailing Stories series, and was organized and hosted by Martin White. Many thanks to Martin, as well as to Diana Chen and Peter Collie for coordinating the evening, John Vasey for generously sourcing staging and lighting, and to Kirk Marcolina for capturing Tom’s extraordinary talk on video. Some of the footage of the evening will be published on our website shortly – we’ll let you know when it’s available for viewing.  

Tom Slingsby speaking with Martin White. Photo by Peter Collie.

Rule of the Month — The Top Mark

By Brett Beyer

Editor’s note:

We were excited to receive an email via our website from the International Laser Class Association, which is a subscriber to our newsletter. 

ILCA saw Brett Beyer’s last Rule of the Month article, and asked for permission to re-publish it in their global newsletter. With Brett’s kind permission, this has now occurred, along with a blurb about Brett and DBSC. You can read it HERE. 

It is worth another read to get the start rules down pat!

This month, we have another excellent article from Brett, this time about that next great source of contention — the top mark. Here it is ...

The top mark is a hotspot for rule infringements.

While most of the yelling and bumping rarely results in a penalty turn (even with a jury present), care needs to be taken because the consequences of a penalty turn or two during a chaotic rounding situation can be a massive distance penalty.

The rules:

Rule 18.2 provides: “When boats are overlapped the outside boat shall give the inside boat mark-room”.  

In its most common application, the rule goes on to provide (in summarized practical terms) as follows: if boats are overlapped or one is clear ahead when the first of them reaches the zone, the outside boat or clear astern boat must give the inside boat or clear ahead boat mark room thereafter no matter what happens until that room has been granted, unless this is not possible.

Where there is reasonable doubt about an overlap being established, it is presumed not to have been; where there is reasonable doubt about an overlap being broken, it is presumed not to have been.

Importantly, Rule 18.1 provides, among other things, that the above does not apply “between boats on opposite tacks when the proper course at the mark for one but not both of them is to tack”, so an approaching port boat has no rights over an approaching starboard boat.

Rule 18.3 states: “If a boat in the zone of a mark to be left to port passes head to wind from port to starboard tack and is then fetching the mark, she shall not cause a boat that has been on starboard tack since entering the zone to sail above close-hauled to avoid contact and she shall give mark-room if that boat becomes overlapped inside her.”

The practical application:

The most common cause of infringement is a port boat that tacks inside the zone. There is huge risk for that boat.

The port boat has no rights before it tacks. Even then, for the port boat to avoid an infringement vs a starboard boat, then, in addition to the normal rules about clear tacks (Rule 13), the port boat must not require the starboard boat to sail above close hauled (to avoid contact) and must give room if the starboard boat gets overlapped inside.

The only practical exception is that, if the starboard boat is overlaid, the port boat can require the starboard boat to sail up to close hauled.

But even this has risk for the port boat, because the definition of close hauled can be ambiguous, with several degrees of angle difference applicable, depending on weight of the crew, wind strength, chop conditions and personal preferences as to what produces the best VMG within the concept of proper course.

So, a port tacker inside the zone is very vulnerable under the rules, and it is generally not ideal to be in this position.

However, in big fleets if you find yourself mid-fleet, coming in on port can produce net gains. But you must be prepared to duck several starboard boats as necessary and then to continue on port until you are overlaid before attempting to tack onto starboard. Only then can you be sure you have not infringed.

RSVP Now for DBSC's Christmas Party - December 14

Ho Ho Ho! Come on down to join in DBSC’s annual Christmas Party – Saturday, December 14 from 5pm to 9pm! The day features the end of Spring Season awards, the highly coveted Tyrell and Roussos races - and to top it off a marvellous spread. This year we will be having Baked Potato’s from Happy As Larry so that our Canteen Crew can join in the fun. For the traditionalists, they’ll still throw out a bit of a spread for us as well, so don’t fear!

Partners and families are welcome to join us for the merriment. Please RSVP HERE. 

Pay Your Regatta Kit Invoice

For those who have ordered regatta kit, if you haven’t done so already, please pay your invoice now. Thanks for your prompt attention to this.

Metros are Coming to DBSC in February

DBSC is hosting the Metros on 1st and 2nd February 2020. More information on our website, which includes the links to enter, HERE.  

We will share more information as it becomes available. 

DBSC Victorious in Vaucluse Challenge

It was a good day on the water for DBSC in the first leg of the 2019/20 Vaucluse Challenge. We fielded a fleet of 31 boats to VYC’s 8.

After applying the complex scoring formulas, scores for Standards were DBSC 24 vs VYC 60 and for Radials / 4.7s were DBSC 47 vs VYC 103, for an overall score of DBSC 71 vs VYC 163.

Thanks to VYC for their good sportspersonship and for hosting a terrific BBQ on the deck of their club with to-die-for views of the harbour and the city skyline!

Thanks to Luke Parker, Andrew Craker, Clare Alexander on the Jazzman, and John Vasey, Marlena Berzins, Alvaro Manzanares-Bertran, Julian van Aalst on the water.  And thanks to Geoff Kirk, Craig Sheers, Christine Patton and Shirley Roach in the canteen.

The victorious DBSC Team.

Big Boat Race Report

Written by Chris Bowling

The day was warm but we saw little of the sun, though cloud and the bushfire haze that has troubled the city for what seems to be weeks. With a forecast of nor-easter building during the race to 22 knots both Corinna and Smitten opted for small sails, while other boats looked at the real conditions and went big.  In the event, the nor-easter came in but never gusted over 15 and the big sail people had it right. Perhaps the haze took the edge off the power behind it.

Six boats registered, 5 starters arrived.  Corinna made the best of the start but Sanity’s size and design and skilled crew moved her through the fleet to be ahead by a boat length at the first mark, with Katinka and Chenonceau in hot pursuit.  Smitten reached the start somewhat late and eventually retired for a family cruise.

Reaching to Taylors Bay, Sanity opened a good lead and Chenonceau nudged ahead of Katinka, with Corinna still second.  The work to Sow and Pigs with an outgoing tide and uneven wind was closely fought, with Chenonceau crossing ahead of Corinna and Katinka threatening; but when Corinna went to the right hand corner at Neilsen park she regained the second, to round about 3 minutes behind Sanity.

Running home just one boat hoisted a spinnaker; Corinna hoisted a storm kite and somehow it came out the bag sideways, with the tapering head on the lee side. She looked like a jury-rigged junk but we made it work and drew only a few wry comments from passing boats; we even gybed it successfully at Shark Island, and held it to the finish.

For the record; the sideways kite drew well (neither skipper nor crew had tried it previously!) and we maintained a clear second to the finish, about 3 minutes behind Sanity.  Chenonceau was about a minute behind, and still threatening, but Katinka went too close under Steel Point and lost ground.

Over the line:

• Sanity

• Corinna

• Chenonceau

• Katinka

• Smitten (DNF)

Thanks to all competitors for helping to keep this fleet alive. We race again on 12th January.

Up Next at DBSC

Wednesday, 4 December, 5pm Splash – Twilight Sailing / BBTP. We’re still looking for 20+ boats. Join us TONIGHT!

Saturday, 7 December, 2pm Start – Final Heats of Spring Pointscore & Club Champs. BBQ on deck after racing. 

Wednesday, 11 December, 5pm Splash – Twilight Sailing. 

Saturday, 14 December, 2pm – Tyrell and Rousso Christmas races (more info to come next week).

Saturday, 14 December, 5pm – Christmas Party.

Wednesday, 18 December, 5pm Splash – Twilight Sailing / BBTP.

We are Competent

Thanks to the 43 members who attended competency training on Saturday. The feedback was that it was a very informative day, and pretty much everyone said they learned something new. Thanks also to our five volunteer trainers: Dene Bergman, Gerry Donohoe, Andrew Cox, Matt Knight, and David Murphy for imparting their skills and knowledge.  

For the 50% of our masters members who did not attend or only attended for part of the training, we strongly encourage you to watch the videos of last Saturday’s sessions which are available HERE. This training is an important safety and competency requirement for all members, and it’s imperative that everyone is up to speed. 

We have also posted on the website the refreshed Sailing Instructions (which include clarification as to how various events are scored, including the award and calculation of average points), as well as the new Summer Race Management Guide, PRO Guidelines, COTD Guidelines, Course Management Guide and Race Record Sheets.  We suggest that you bookmark these documents, as well as the Safety Protocols, Incident Management Plan and Risk Warning which can be found HERE.