Winter Championship Race Report

In a pleasant change to recent Sunday mornings, there was a stable Westerly and rain-free skies for heats 13 – 15 of the Winter Championships. Over 25 boats (including several welcomed visitors from other clubs) raced in perfect hiking conditions.

The competition was very good with many closely contested races. The winners were: Standards: Campbell Patton (races 13 and 15), Rod Barnes (race 14); Radials: Mina Ferguson (races 13 and 15) and Daniel Costandi (race 14). Thanks to PRO Geoff Kirk, COTD Nick Pellow, and CCO David Airey for a great day of racing.

60 Seconds with Sara Brooks…

1. How old were you when you first stepped on a boat? 
I remember my mum taking me out on her Laser as a passenger when I was around 10.  The boat was bright yellow and called "passing wind".  It only had one rig - Standard - so having extra "ballast" may have helped.  We've sailed with four people (my mum, brothers and me) as well as our Labrador on board!  I loved being out on the water as well as the atmosphere at Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club in Adelaide.  I must have taken the below photos when I was about 14.  

2. If money (& sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy? 
I plan to stick with a Laser as long as I can manage it physically.  I've never tried to sail any other class of dinghy.  I like its classic, elegant and simple design, and the fact that there are still so many people who sail it.

3. What is your sailing goal? 
My goals are to enjoy being out on the harbour, to gradually improve my boat handling and racing skills, and to avoid collisions...

 4. Tell us the back story to your laser's name?  
My boat is pale blue in colour.  As a play on words, I named it after the French word "sacrebleu".  This is a mild profanity that I thought I might utter once or twice while learning to sail/ race.

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

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

7. Describe what you do for work in less than 5 words?  
Legal advisor/ solution-finder.

8. What’s the first international flight you are going to book post Covid-19? And why? 
I'd love to explore South America, having never been there before.  It would be fascinating to learn more about the different cultures, and to see the stunning and varied scenery.

9. What’s your favourite TV show, movie, and or book?
Enjoying top quality cinema at the French Film Festival is one of my favourite experiences.  Most recently I've been watching foreign films at home using streaming services.  

10. Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know?
The game I like most is chess.  My primary schoolmate's grandfather was a Russian chess master.  He wrote a book called "Chess Made Easy", and was kind enough to teach our whole class the key openings, chess notation and how to replay the games of grand masters.  I played competitively during my high school years, but now only take time to play occasionally.

Photo by Hadrien Bourely.

Start Training Them Young

Thanks to Martin White for sharing this idea for developing future Laser sailors at DBSC.

Rain Free Winter Champs Shine

For the first time in weeks Mother Nature didn’t supply us with her Sunday morning wake up showers. Instead heats 10-12 of the Winter Championship were sailed with a decent, consistent westerly with the sun shining between broken clouds high above Sydney Harbour.

Congratulations to the winners: Standards: Mark Louis (race 10), Nick Alexander (race 11), Jules Hall (race 12); Radials: Evie Saunders (race 10) and Brooke Wilson (race 11 and 12). Thanks to the race officers: PRO Peter Collie, COTD Gavin Blake, and CCO Tim Heath. In addition to setting a fine course and keeping us COVID safe, Peter and Tim also captured the splendour of the day beautifully. Check out their photos below.

A sight worth waking up early for. Photo by Tim Heath.

A picture perfect morning of sailing. Photo by Peter Collie.

60 Seconds With Jules Hall…

Before we get to this week’s 60 seconds, we wanted to share a bit more about last week’s highlighted member. People got very excited about Candice Cushway’s brush with fame as a Gladiator, and with some impressive Googling our fanboys have unearthed the original Gladiator’s episode starring Candice which you can view HERE.

It’s hard to follow in a Galdiator’s footsteps, but someone has to do it, and although he might not have been on a TV show, Jules Hall is often a Gladiator on Sydney Harbour…  

1. How old were you when you first stepped on a boat? 
I've been on and around boats my whole life. My earliest memories are down at the sea sailing with my folks. 

2. If money (& sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy? 
I did a lot of offshore racing in my twenties. And loved it. This year the Sydney-Hobart has a two handed division for the first time. I do find that quite tempting...

3. What is your sailing goal? 
To always enjoy it!

4. Tell us the back story to your laser's name? 
At uni I did some big offshore races. But despite being GenX I always had a few millennial tendencies and was generally convinced I should be skipper not crew. So when I left uni I saved up and bought an old boat. A 1962 carvel mahogany folkboat to be exact. About that time I read Rudyard Kiplin's 'Captains Courageous'.  It had a big impact on me. The lead character is 'Disko Troop'. Combining that with my early twenties penchants for parties and hawaiin shirts we called the boat 'Disko Trooper'. Every sailing boat I've owned since has carried that name.

5. If you could add any ingredient to our already world’s best toasties – what would it be?
Wouldn't change them for the world. 

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

7. Describe what you do for work in less than 5 words? 
Run Australia's best advertising agency 

8. What’s the first international flight you are going to book post Covid-19? And why? 
Naples, Italy - I've already paid for the yacht charter. Just need to be allowed to use it!

9. What’s your favourite TV show, movie, and or book?
Captains Courageous, Rudyard Kipling. Read it! 

10. Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know?
In 1989 I got one of the very first Laser 4.7s. It seemed rather big back then. Cold was normal for sailing in England. So much so we sometimes sailed in the snow...the below was taken just after the boat was packed up and put back on its mooring. I can still remember how much my hands hurt when they thawed out!

Snowy sailing.

A young Jules.

Jules today.

Huge Turnout Continues for Winter Champs

The third instalment of the Winter Championships was held last Sunday. Despite a cold and wet morning, 30 sailors braved the conditions to compete. A storm swept through while rigging to wake up the fleet. In a repeat of last week, a course was set for a light S/SW breeze, then wind shifted to W/NW so racing was delayed and the course had to be moved. By the second race, the breeze swung to the North. 

Despite the difficult, shifty conditions there was very efficient race management and course setting by our race team. A big thanks to PRO Luke Parker, COTD Alistair Sutherland, and CCO James Johnson. Congratulations to the winners: Standards: Mark Louis (races 7 and 9), Rod Barnes (race 8); Radials: Daniel Costandi (race 7 and 9), and Mina Ferguson (race 8). A symmetry of 1sts!

Here’s hoping there’s no rain and a steady breeze this Sunday for heats 10-12 of the Winter Championships. 

PRO and COTD ready for action on a wet Sunday morning. Photo by Diana Chen.

South Pacific Laser Masters

There is a great regatta season coming up and the first event for the year is the South Pacific Laser Masters (SPLM) which will be held at RQYS from August 7-10. 

DBSC has had representation at the regatta for several years and by all accounts it is a well organised event at a great location.

There is a Laser Forum running before the event on Thursday evening 6th August and an event dinner on the Saturday night.

Note that the Queensland Border is still closed but indications are this may change in the coming weeks.  Updates on the border closure can be viewed HERE.

Those interested in attending should contact Rod Barnes HERE.

Check the RQYS web site HERE for NoR, entry and SI’s.

For those interested, a list of all regatta’s for the 2020-2021 season is published on the DBSC website HERE.

60 Seconds With Candice Cushway…

We have a beach-cleaning Gladiator in our midst. Read on to find out more…

1. How old were you when you first stepped on a boat?
7 years old on my dad’s Timpenny 670 Trailer Sailer called CYREN.

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

3. What is your sailing goal?
Win a race. Get my Yacht Master Certificate.

4. Tell us the back story to your laser's name?
Sea Cubed. Captain Candice Cushway = C3. That was my nickname whilst an Army Captain.

5. If you could add any ingredient to our already world’s best toasties – what would it be?
Salt and Pepper, but they are already perfect. Thanks Shirley and your helpers!

6. What are your second/ third favourite hobbies (obviously assuming sailing holds the #1 spot)
Run/walk to various parks and beaches and assist with the debris clean-up. I like gardening too.

7. Describe what you do for work in less than 5 words?
Army Major – Capability Sustainment.

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

9. What’s your favourite TV show, movie, and or book?
The X-Files, Shawshank Redemption

10. Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know?
In the mid 90’s I was on Gladiators Army v Navy. I have the trophy!

Candice and her mum on CYREN.

Smooth sailing on Gun Runner – Jarkan 30.

DBSC In the News

DBSC was featured in Gabrielle Upton’s June Newsletter. Check out the great photo of our local MP visiting the club during the Women’s Laser Regatta. We appreciate Ms Upton’s ongoing support.

DBSC in MP Gabrielle Upton’s Newsletter.

She’s Back – THE WOMEN'S REGATTA - First Australian Laser Regatta of the 2020-21 Season

The Women’s Regatta hosted by Double Bay Sailing Club will be held on 26 and 27 September 2020.

Tell your friends, girlfriends, mothers, partners, wives, sisters, daughters and friends of sailors - that she's back and this year is going to be a cracker of an event for women and girls on Sydney Harbour. 

This year’s committee - Clare Alexander, Christine Patton and Diana Chen have been busy working through the COVID-19 lockdown to present the not-to-be-missed annual event for women Laser sailors of all ages and abilities.

Sailing training and competition in all classes have been affected by the COVID-19 restrictions, so the first Laser regatta in Australian waters will certainly generate excitement in the community and start the season on a high. 

The event format will be adapted to the Public Health advice at the time and will include two days of competitive racing on Sydney Harbour as well as some of the other unique features that make this event extra special. 

As always, this event is 100% volunteer-run with the incredible support and dedication of the DBSC community, pivotal to the success of the whole weekend and validated in the post regatta feedback survey:  

''It was fantastic for women and girls to be given the space to be centre stage at DBSC for the weekend. A unique sense of belonging was created by explicitly welcoming and celebrating women and girls at the Club.'' 

''... have honestly never felt so welcomed in a Laser regatta!''' 

The volunteers of DBSC make this regatta - and every little bit of help and support goes a long way - everything from a smiling welcome, to help with rigging and boat set up, launching the Laser, on-water support, coaching, camaraderie, toastie magic, and more! 

If you want to stay up to date with all the latest regatta news - sign up here for The Women's Regatta newsletter so you don't miss a thing!

Sailors wishing to be part of this year’s regatta can register their EOI (expression of interest) here.

Stay tuned for more updates and ways to get involved coming soon!