Virtual AGM Wrap-up

Nearly 60 members logged into Zoom for DBSC’s virtual AGM last Friday evening, including Life Members Dene Bergman, Andrea Bergman, Shirley Roach, Mark Bethwaite and Jim Ley. 

Commodore Andrew Cox braved the cold and empty clubhouse to broadcast his remarks from there. Andrew recapped this strange COVID-19 shortened season and pointed out the highlights of the year, including the implementation of the club’s three-point strategy focused on (a) training and safety, (b) member engagement and (c) ongoing improvements. You can check out the Commodore’s full report HERE .

Andrew’s setup. Bright lights in a lonely clubhouse.

After the Commodore’s remarks, the Management Committee offered reports and all the 2019/20 sailing awards were presented. Vice-Commodore, Mark Crowhurst did the honours of announcing the awards. Although Shirley Roach wasn’t able to hand out the trophies in person, as she traditionally does, she was there virtually and gave a toast to all the victors. You can see the full list of winners, and their cubes HERE. 

DBSC’s most prestigious award, the Club Person of the Year, was also presented. This year the award went to John Chesterman. John is a member of our radial fleet and is one of the principals of architecture firm, Huppauf Chesterman. He has donated an extraordinary amount of professional time this year to assist the club, first in preparing and submitting our successful DA for the piles project and for our proposed solar power station project, and second in planning for and submitting a grant application for Commonwealth Government funding to repair the Steyne Park boat ramps. He had heard we were working on these projects and volunteered to help -- and what critical help it was!  We were under tight deadlines to get our DA approved in order to retain a $24,000 NSW Government grant we had been awarded -- and without John's leadership and drive it would almost certainly not have happened. We are tremendously grateful to John for his enormous and significant contribution. He is well deserving of the Club Person of the Year award. 

The evening ended with a Q & A session and a brilliant season-recap video that was produced by Diana Chen. You can check out the video below.

Thanks to everyone for attending the AGM, and for the team of Nick Pellow and Diana Chen who made sure the webinar looked and sounded perfect. It was great to see so many members participating in the spirited online chat and cheering on the winners of this season’s sailing awards.

Although the evening was enjoyable, here’s to hoping we can do it in person next year. 

The AGM Live on Zoom.

What To Do With Your Old Kit

In an effort to stop old wetsuits and sails going to landfill, Geoff Kirk has done some research on recycling and repurposing and we have some solutions for members. If you’ve used your time off the water to sort out storage and/or stocktake your sailing gear and have wetsuits and sails you no longer want here’s what to do…

Unwanted Sails

Give your unwanted sails to Geoff Kirk. He will sort them, giving Martin White first dibs on the best of these to use for Learn to Race. We’ll then try to resell any half decent ones on consignment and the rest will be sent for recycling / repurposing.

Wetsuits (not suitable for sailing any more)

Geoff is going to leave a tub for the wetsuits in the vestibule between the changing rooms. He will then take them for recycling. Or you can recycle these at Patagonia or Rip Curl yourself. 

Wetsuits (still suitable for sailing)

Have you outgrown gear that’s still good to go? Bought something in the wrong size and can’t return it? Martin is always looking for decent LTR gear for our new sailors, especially in smaller sizes.

Booties  (still suitable for sailing)

If your family has booties that are still good to use, but outgrown, Martin would love to see these in the LTR spare gear box too!

Other garments and clothing

Manrags (no kidding) and H&M that repurpose and recycle garments and fabrics. Simply bag them up (clean) and deliver them. 

Let’s make DBSC amongst the most sustainable Laser sailing clubs in the world!

60 Seconds With Andrew Cox…

We all know him as the man in charge (or the man who thinks he is in charge), but there is so much more to learn about our fearless Commodore. Read on to find out what makes him tick. 

1. How old were you when you first stepped on a boat? 

I was 12yo in Yr 7 at school on Lake Macquarie.  Sailing was offered as a school sport, which we did on Wednesday afternoons in summer.  We sailed on boats called “gnats”, which my high school teacher had designed.  And we made them ourselves out of fibreglass in our “technics” classes at school.  We made the foils in woodwork and the spars in metalwork.  And the teacher’s wife made the sails.  We used to sail around for fun – no coaching, no racing, no clue!  But it was fun.  This photo below is actually my brother – my parents forgot to get one of me!  But it shows the idea. 

2. If money (& sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy? 

You know, it’s not a very exciting answer, but I really only want a Laser!  Nice and simple and I can sail it by myself whenever I want. 

3. What is your sailing goal?  

I have only one goal – and that is to offset my lack of natural talent with endless tuition until I can eventually claim to be competitive in any masters fleet! 

4. Tell us the back story to your laser's name? 

My laser is called “troublemaker”.  Apart from reflecting my personality more broadly (as sailors from other clubs have observed to me from time to time at regattas), the name arose specifically from what happened when I bought my first laser.  I perhaps naively stored it by invitation at a neighbouring club while my membership application there was pending.  It rapidly became the central focus of political wrangling that it turned out was ongoing at the club.  At one point, someone instructed me to put my boat in their bottom rack spot while they were away.  When I naively did so, it brought the furore to a head.  I found myself locked out of the changeroom when I returned from sailing, with no access to my clothes, phone, car keys or house keys.  My boat was ejected shortly thereafter, finding a welcome home at DBSC.  And the rest is history!

5. If you could add any ingredient to our already world’s best toasties – what would it be?

I’m going to join the pesto vote on this one!  A little pesto would be an incredible final touch to the masterpiece! 

6. What are your second/ third favourite hobbies (obviously assuming sailing holds the #1 spot)

Sailing is certainly what I spend most time on, and I love it.  My other most frequent hobbies are snow skiing and mountain bike riding (which is what I do during “sailing time” in winter)

7. Describe what you do for work in less than 5 words?  

I sell companies for people

8. What’s the first international flight you are going to book post Covid-19? And why?  

I was due to be in France for a wedding in June, and was really looking forward to it.  That has now been postponed for a year, and I’m looking forward to re-booking for that!

9. What’s the maximum number of toilet rolls you’ve held in your household post 01 March 2020? 

I’ve had a rather large stock of toilet rolls (maybe 40).  But this does not reflect panic-buying.  It is just normal “working capital” for me – I don’t like wasting time at the shops, so when I’m there, I make the trip worthwhile!

10. What’s your go to Covid-19 dish?   

Cheesy potato bake, vege sausages, lentil stew, broccolini

11. What life skill are you committing to learning whilst in lock down? 

How to cook! 

12. Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know? 

Well, Tuddy already let the cat out of the bag … but my favourite game is Scrabble.  Anyone want to play online?

Andrew’s brother shows off the style of boat Andrew learned to sail on.

AGM and Winners Announcement This Friday @ 7pm

Our Virtual Annual General Meeting is this Friday at 7pm. If you are an active member you should have received an invitation and Zoom link for the AGM via Paperless Post. You’ll need that link to attend the meeting. If you haven’t received the invite and need the Zoom meeting code, please email Emily Ball HERE.

In addition to the business elements of the AGM (which we promise will be quick) all prizes and trophies will be awarded for the past season! It would great to have everyone online to cheer on the winners.

And don’t worry, even though there won’t be any dancing on Friday night we’re already working on ideas to celebrate when we’re able to do such things.  

A full house at the 2019 AGM.

Club COVID-19 Rules Update

Since our last newsletter, we have received further clarification from Australian Sailing on how the new Public Health Orders impact DBSC. We now can confirm that up to 10 members will be permitted to rig / de-rig in the park while maintaining social distancing or sail together on water. In addition, up to 10 members can enter the club at once as long as they maintain social distancing. The toilets and change rooms will remain closed.

Apologies to those active winter sailors who received an email from the Commodore last week that contained different information than stated above. At the time there was conflicting information which now has been clarified. Thanks for your understanding. 

e-Sailing Hits DBSC

DBSC hosted its first ever Virtual Regatta Club Championship last Saturday afternoon. Eight sailors battled it out over five races. Talking over zoom, and playing on their phones, there was spirited discussions, especially as boats collided at the top mark. Racing was in J70s on a virtual Sydney Harbour. The competition was fierce – obviously several of the members have been making good use of the quarantine to hone their virtual sailing skills. Thanks to Matt Knight for organizing the event. He also took first place in the competition, followed closely by his son Hugo.  

We had such a good time playing, we’re going to make it a weekly Saturday event at 10:30am. If you’d like to participate please let Matt know HERE and download the App HERE.

60 Seconds With Peter Collie…

This week our social guru spills the beans. You might only know him as the BBQ master, but there is so much more to learn about Peter. 

1. How old were you when you first stepped on a boat? 

I was 2 or 3 when my dad first took me to the ocean on a grey day I remember the vast sameness of the sea. First boat would have been a punt in Cambridge, same era. Sailing started as a teenager in France at a sailing school in Brittany. We fished for crab from the boats, learned to drive the boat with one oar off the stern when the wind died and snuck across the bay to buy strong cider from a farmer on the other side.

2. If money (& sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy? 

I’m happy with the laser for now.

3. What is your sailing goal? 

Enjoy every day.

4. Tell us the back story to your laser's name? 

Chaos Theory also known as the butterfly effect. 

5. If you could add any ingredient to our already world’s best toasties – what would it be?

They are great the way they are but imagine a choice of cheeses. (Sorry canteen guys)

6. What are your second/ third favourite hobbies (obviously assuming sailing holds the #1 spot)

Swimming and lazing at the beach.

7. Describe what you do for work in less than 5 words? 

Photograph people and teach photography.

8. What’s the first international flight you are going to book post Covid-19? And why? 

I was going to head to Europe in May so that may well be it whenever planes fly again.

9. What’s the maximum number of toilet rolls you’ve held in your household post 01 March 2020?

 About 18

 10. What’s your go to Covid-19 dish?  

Lately I’ve been making eggplant parmesan. And today’s project Celeri Remoulade.

11. What life skill are you committing to learning whilst in lock down? 

 Restringing my guitar once term ends.

 12. Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know?

I have no secrets.

First launch!

Not happy with the speed dad.

Open horizons.

Practising for drinks on the deck.

Laser Needed

Brett Beyer has a client who is looking to purchase a Laser in the $4,000 - $6,000 range. If you have a boat in that range to sell, please contact Brett at coaching@dbsc.com.au.

Easing of COVID-19 Restrictions

As you will have seen, NSW is preparing to ease COVID-19 restrictions commencing this Friday 15 May. The NSW Office of Sport has indicated that it is working to provide guidelines and principles for sporting organisations to recommence activity in a safe manner, in adherence with the revised Public Health Orders. However, these guidelines have not yet been finalised.  In addition, Australian Sailing is providing an update on Thursday this week to sailing club management nationwide via a video conference.

As of now there is insufficient information to change our club COVID-19 restrictions with clarity. However, with outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people permitted commencing Friday, it would seem changes on the park and on water are allowed under the new Orders.  

As such, from Friday 15 May, up to 10 members will be permitted to rig / de-rig in the park or sail together on water. However, there are no other changes to the current club access rules at this time. Importantly, no more than two members are permitted in the clubhouse at one time and there is to be no use of the toilets or change rooms. 

Please review all of the current restrictions HERE. Once we receive clarification of the new Public Health Orders we will update this page of our website with any applicable changes. 

Thanks for your patience as we work towards safely bringing the club back up to a more normal operation.

E-Sailing Club Championships - This Saturday - 16 May @ 2pm.

Those who have shown interest in the e-sailing, we’ll be running the Virtual Regatta Club Championship next weekend. Planning for a 2pm start for the racing - 5 races, drop 2. Each race will take about 5 minutes each (should be done in 45 mins). Racing will be in the J70 on Sydney Harbour. At this stage we have 8 registered - THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE to join. Click HERE to register by Friday 15 May. I need your email address / phone # so I can send you the passcodes / references to join the racing.

Reference docs here:

General Info: HERE

Sailing Instructions: HERE (except we are starting at 2pm)

Link to App: HERE

See you virtually on the water.