Christmas - DBSC Style

DBSC members celebrated the festive season on the harbour in style, donning Santa hats as they sailed the annual Tyrell and Rousso races last Saturday. With the Sail Sydney Fleets taking up our traditional ENE race course, out fleet moved to a rare Rushcutter’s Bay to Clark Island course. In the Tyrell, the handicapped chase saw Andrew Cox winning in a very close finish. He crossed the finish line just centimetres ahead of Mark Crowhurst who had been leading for much of the race.   

A happy Andrew Cox after squeezing out a victory. Photo by Clare Alexander.

In the Rousso (a scratch race with a massed start) the finish saw Craig Sheers finish first in the standards and again saw Andrew Cox first in the radials, with Craig taking the trophy after application of the yardstick (which had Craig besting Andrew by just 4 seconds). Thanks to the on-water crew: Peter Collie, Hadrien Bourely, Clare Alexander, Richard George, and Pia Hattersley. Thanks also to the canteen crew who were assisted this week by Wade McDonough and Gerry Donohoe. 

Craig Sheers takes a celebratory dip after winning the Rousso. Photo by Clare Alexander.

After some competitive racing, the season ended with a chilled out cocktail hour and al fresco dining on the deck. As always, DBSC put on a fabulous show of food, fun, friendship and lots of frivolity! Thanks to all the volunteers who helped bring our community together and make the night such a success.

Christmas fun on the deck at DBSC.

Sail Sydney Success

It was a sea of DBSC sailors over the weekend at the Sail Sydney regatta. There was lots of podium action for our members, including Xavier McLachlan who placed 3rd in the 4.7s, Otto Henry who placed 2nd in Radials and Finn Alexander who placed 2nd in Standards. A notable mention also to Katie McHugh. Relatively new in a Laser, Katie gave it a go with the international competitors at Sail Sydney to get up to speed and learn as much as she can. Well done all!

Katie McHugh at Sail Sydney. Photo by Clare Alexander.

Slingsby Wins World Moth Champs

After a near-perfect score card at the end of the penultimate day of racing, Tom Slingsby has clean swept another day of racing to clinch his maiden Moth World Championship with a day to spare. The event is being held at Mounts Bay Sailing Club in WA.

After coming ashore, Slingsby told Sail-World that he was extremely happy with the win.

“I just had good speed, I was starting well and I was just trying not to explode the boat, which I’ve done a lot in the past,” he said. “It feels amazing, the Moth Class I love it, I’ve been doing it since 2010, I’ve got so many good friends in the fleet.

“I love the development and playing with the boat. I’m a Laser sailor and I’ve come over to this and I find it really enjoyable. I just somehow got the right package with the North Sails, Exocet boat, and CST rigs, and I was off.”

You can read more about Tom’s victory in Sail-World HERE and on the Mounts Bay Facebook Page.

Up Next and Holiday Schedule

We wish everyone a very happy Festive Season and hope 2020 brings nothing but good breezes your way. 

Please check out the holiday sailing schedule below. If you’re eager for more sailing over the holidays, our Top Mark Facebook Page is a great place let your DBSC mates know when you’re headed out. 

Also, please note the newsletter is taking a break and will return on 8 January. 

Wednesday 18 December, 5:30 start – Twilight Sailing with Brett Beyer.

Saturday 21 December, 2pm start – Sprint Racing.

Saturday 4 January, 2pm start – Sprint Racing.

Wednesday 8 January, 5:30 start – Twilight Sailing.

Saturday 11 January, 2pm start – Autumn Point Score (and we’re back to normal).

Christmas Party RSVPs needed TODAY

We’re looking forward to celebrating the festive season with you this Saturday, starting at 6pm. Partners welcome! There will be good dink, fine food and plenty of dancing. But we need to make sure we have enough supplies to keep the merriment going late, so please RSVP HERE by 5pm TODAY!

Help with Metros Needed

DBSC is hosting the 2020 NSW Laser Association Metropolitan Championships on 1-2 February. It is an important event for the club, with sailors coming from near and far to compete, and we want to put on a good show.

We’re looking for members who do not wish to sail in the Metros to assist us and drive a RIB/boat on Saturday or Sunday. We currently need 3 RIB drivers and a Jazzman driver for both days. We also are looking for 3 canteen helpers on Saturday (lunch only) and 3 canteen helpers on Sunday (Breakfast & Lunch - will accept offers to do one of the two sessions). If you can assist, please let Mark Crowhurst know HERE ASAP. 

Festive Racing This Saturday

This Saturday we have our famous once-a-year Tyrell and Rousso races, which are super fun formats. The Tyrell is a handicapped chase, with the slowest boat starting first and successive faster boats hunting each other down as they start over the next 5-10 minutes per their handicaps. The format makes for what is perhaps the most competitive and exciting race of the season!  The Rousso is a scratch race with a massed start, in which all boats in all classes start together – a yardstick is applied to the winner in each of the classes to determine the overall winner.  

By tradition, everyone wears a Santa hat – however they have gone missing. Does anyone know where at the clubhouse the Santa hats have been stored? They were last seen in a plastic bag hanging in the bathroom. If you do know please let Commodore Cox know HERE.

We will hand the hats out on the day and hopefully have a few spare on the Jazzman for those sailing from other clubs! Handicaps and detailed instructions will be available at the briefing (and on the Jazzman for those sailing from other clubs).

Check out the video below of Dene Bergman explaining the history of the Tyrell and Rousso races.

Spring Pointscore Finale

The fleet sailed the final hearts of the Spring Pointscore (and two heats of the Club Championships) in a 5 -15 knot unsteady easterly breeze. The order of the day was to look for pressure, and watch out for the shifts. Thanks to Gerry Donohoe and Simon Stone on the Jazzman, to Emily Ball and Mark Lewkovitz in the RIB, and to Steven London and Nick Pellow who helped in the canteen. 

Also, a big thanks to James Tudball and his cinematographer, Tom, for their work shooting footage on Saturday for our promo video — we are looking forward to seeing the final product with eager anticipation!

The competition heading into the final week of the Spring Pointscore was tight and our computers are working overtime to finalise the results, which will be revealed at the Christmas Party on Saturday. 

Top Tip – Check Your Vang Tang

Luke Parker’s back with another important tip: check your vang tang.

So far this season about 6 full rigs have snapped the stainless steel vang tang on their mast. They break where they are bent, just below where the vang attaches to the tang. We’re not sure why they are suddenly breaking... it could be dodgy material, could be the firmer vangs we are all sailing with, could even just be bad luck. In any event, it’s well worth checking your vang tang regularly. They are not difficult to replace, but impossible to race without. 

In addition to Luke’s suggested inspection, Commodore Cox suggests a two vang range attached in case one breaks. And to also get the newer thicker one that is now available. You can check out Andrew’s setup next time you’re at the club. 

Up Next and Holiday Schedule

Wednesday 11 December, 5:30pm start – Twilight Sailing.

Saturday 14 December, 2pm start – Tyrell and Rousso races. (See info above)

Saturday 14 December, 6pm – Christmas Party. (See info above)

Wednesday 18 December, 5:30 start – Twilight Sailing with Brett Beyer. 

Saturday 21 December, 2pm start – Sprint Racing.

Saturday 4 January, 2pm start – Sprint Racing.

Wednesday 8 January, 5:30 start – Twilight Sailing.

Saturday 11 January, 2pm start – Autumn Point Score (and we’re back to normal).