The best way to find out about the club is to visit us, and meet some members.
Apart from the week of Christmas, the clubhouse is open from at least noon every Saturday from 1 August to 30 April. Our telephone number is: +61 2 9363 5577.
We are run by volunteers, so if your query cannot answered by the frequently asked questions (FAQs) below or the rest of the website, we will get back to you by Wednesday, 10pm.
How do I subscribe to your Pulitzer Prize winning newsletter?
How to make a tax-deductible donation to the club (using the internet)?
How to make a tax-deductible donation to the club (using paper forms)?
Want to book a seat at the restaurant?
Want to become a social member?
Can I rent/hire your clubhouse?
How do I get to crew on a yacht?
Can you teach me to race a Laser?
What is the deal between your club and the 18 footers and Sydney High School?
Can I store my kayak (or similar) in the clubhouse?
Can you help me buy, or sell, a Laser?
How many times can a visitor race at DBSC?
79 Bay St
Double Bay NSW 2028
Australia
The best ILCA / Laser sailing club in the world, located in Double Bay on Sydney Harbour.
We know that being COTD can be stressful as there’s so much to remember. To make the job easier, Diana Chen has worked with Andrew Cox and Matt Knight to create a COTD checklist. It will be posted on a wall in clubhouse for people to use. Check it out below. If you’d like to print out a copy for yourself, you can do so HERE.
Read on to find our why a Russian grandmother’s plans were thwarted by Aussies’ lack of diction...
1. How old were you when you first stepped on a boat?
When I complained to my boyfriend that we weren't spending enough time together as he was always out sailing, he booked me in for dinghy lessons. I completed level 1 at the end of 2015 but didn't have the opportunity to do the next level until a year later. I now have my boyfriend's Laser and sail more than him 😁
2. If money (& sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy?
I'm a designer by trade, so I would definitely design my own and get the best boat builder in the world to realise my vision.
3. What is your sailing goal?
Learn as much as I can and be more competitive.
4. Tell us the back story to your laser's name?
My boat came from GRSC and they all have funny names. Passing Wind is too good to change.
5. If you could add any ingredient to our already world’s best toasties – what would it be?
Sriracha or bread & butter pickles.
6. What are your second/third favourite hobbies (obviously assuming sailing holds the #1 spot)
I did do a bit of indoor bouldering as it was a good excuse to go to my favourite brewery afterwards (which was conveniently located across the street). Now it's bush walks and bike rides.
7. Describe what you do for work in less than 5 words?
Swiss Army Knife
8. What’s the first international flight you are going to book post Covid-19? And why?
England (in-laws) via Vietnam (cancelled trip), but it would more likely be New Zealand (if options were limited) as we try to go every year either for snowboarding or cycling.
9. What’s your favourite TV show, movie, and or book?
I was a huge movie buff when I was at uni (as you could rent 10 DVDs for $10), so there are just too many to list, but Bladerunner would definitely be in my top 5. In the same dystopian theme, I love Nineteen Eighty Four and Brave New World. Current TV show binge is Dark - Season 3 on Netflix.
10. Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know?
My Russian grandmother named me Valia (short for Valentina) which was then translated to a non-poetic Chinese name "Hua Li Ya", which was then changed to Diana when we arrived in Australia in the 80s as the kids at school couldn't pronounce Valia 😆
Diana at sailing lessons at GRSC.
With spring around the corner, things are starting to heat up at DBSC. Here are the highlights of the next few weeks:
Saturday, 1 August – First heats of the Winter Sprint Series (see article above)
Saturday, 29 August – Annual club working bee
Saturday, 5 September – Season Opening and Club Championships
Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 September – The Women’s Regatta hosted by DBSC
It was another beautiful Sunday morning for Winter Series Heats 19-21. The good forecast coaxed members not seen for weeks to make an appearance, and a Winter Series record of 33 sailors participated. Clear skies and cold overnight temperatures gave us a fun 10 – 12 knot westerly for the first two races. But the warmth of the day heated the land up relatively quickly and in turn killed the land breeze earlier than normal. For the Radials, the 3rd race of the day was abandoned at the end of the 2nd reach as it became a total drfitathon by that stage. The Standards never even started the 3rd race.
Congratulations to the winners: Standards: Luke Parker (heat 19) and Gavin Blake (heat 20); Radials: Sylvie Stannage (heats 19 and 20).
Thanks to our race officers who, in addition to running a tight ship on the race course, also graciously assisted in towing a few VYC sailors back to Watson’s Bay after the wind died. PRO Jules Hall, and COTD Gerry Donohoe were aided by Ben Shrimpton and Jackson Parker. Ben is an ex-Laser sailor keen to get back into it. He's going to join Learn To Race in September. Jackson Parker is Luke Parker's nephew and is an aspiring 29er sailor - he was keen to come and see how our racing works. Thanks also to our cheery COVID Compliance Officer, Diana Chen.
We look forward to seeing everyone for the final heats of the Winter Championship this Sunday morning. Luke Parker seems to have the series in the bag in the Standards, but in the Radials it is nearly a dead heat between Sylvie Stannage, Evie Saunders and Daniel Costandi. It will be interesting to see which of our talented youth sailors prevails.
Jackson watches as uncle Luke wins another race. Photo by Jules Hall.
Due to recent COVID developments in Victoria and in various locations in NSW, latest NSW Health requirements are that you are not permitted to attend the clubhouse or to sail from the clubhouse if:
(a) You have been to Victoria in the last 14 days
(b) You have attended any of the reported case locations on the NSW Health website HERE.
The COVID Compliance Officer (CCO) will require each participant who attends organised racing to confirm this. If you are in any of the above categories, please do not attend the clubhouse at any time or for any reason until 14 days have elapsed.
Please note, the changerooms are still off-limits due to social distancing requirements, namely the 4m2 rule and the 1.5m rule, which are impractical to meet given the small size of the changerooms. The disabled toilet can be used (for toilet purposes only) if absolutely required.
We know the inconvenience caused by this has deterred some people from sailing at all, and we apologise for this. To the extent it provides encouragement to those people, it is worth noting that we have had 20+ sailors, both women and men, attend the Winter Championship each week. We are all making do with either coming and going in our sailing gear or wearing swimmers under our wetsuits and using towels as cover while we get changed outside the clubhouse.
While we know this does not sound great, those who have tried it will confirm you get used to it, and it is actually not that bad! So, please don’t be deterred – come and give it go. We miss you!
Clean hull, boards in great condition, carbon top section, carbon tiller, new ropes and hiking strap in Feb 2020 (hardly used), 4.7 and radial bottom sections, almost new 4.7 sail. Priced to sell (going overseas): $7,000. If interested call Matthew Knight on 0439 393 861.
Who doesn’t love the juicy, sweet taste of watermelon on a warm summer’s day? Geoff Kirk for one… read on to find out more.
1. How old were you when you first stepped on a boat?
I was about 8 or 9, crewing on a Manly Junior, I was then a bailor boy on a 16 ft skiff where I was yelled at by middle age men for a few seasons, hence why I ended up sailing a single hander.
2. If money (& sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy?
Would still happily still sail a laser, a new one would be good though, even though I am strangely attached to that blue boat. It’s about the people really, can’t imagine any other clubs have as much fun as we do.
3. What is your sailing goal?
Continually look at ways to get better as a laser sailor, if good results come from that so be it. Every session should be a chance to learn something. Sail a laser until I am 75, will sail a radial if they will have me.
4. Tell us the back story to your laser's name?
I was working behind the bar in Cornwall, my till never balanced as I was incompetent, and gave away too many free drinks. The boss yelled at me in his pirate tongue you Antipodean so and so, I kept the first part for my boat name.
5. If you could add any ingredient to our already world’s best toasties – what would it be?
A really good Swiss cheese, not a fan of adding any other ingredients. Paul knows what he is doing.
6. What are your second/ third favourite hobbies (obviously assuming sailing holds the #1 spot)
Surfing, windsurfing, SUPing. Anything as long as it is in the water. Although I have become crazed walker during COVID – walking an hour and half each day.
7. Describe what you do for work in less than 5 words?
Build expensive homes.
8. What’s the first international flight you are going to book post Covid-19? And why?
Had a family holiday to Fiji paid for before lockdown, so I guess it will be that.
9. What’s your favourite TV show, movie, and or book?
Movie - Caddyshack – takes the piss out of the game of golf (which totally had it coming) with the greatest comedians of all time. I read anything – whatever I find in my local street library.
10. Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know?
Watermelon disgusts me, I once went on a date with a girl whom was wearing a watermelon scented perfume. I felt like vomiting the whole night.
Despite the forecast light winds and rain, the day began with a spectacular dawn and a warm sunny morning. A light fog burned off and the fleet was gifted a 10'ish knot westerly (champagne sailing as Mark Bethwaite would say) as we had the whole harbour to ourselves.
About 10 standards and a very big radial fleet turned out. The radials contested all three starts with millimetric precision and timing with only one individual recall. A westerly never shifted left like many predicted. So it became a case of chasing pressure on the right hand side of the course and trying to hold a long starboard tack to the top mark with clean air. Some great tactical angles were sailed on the downwind legs by both rigs, to determine the top three in every race.
Podium finishes for all races were often separated by seconds illustrating the tight racing. Congratulations to the winners: Standards: Geoff Kirk (races 16 and 18), Mark Louis (race 17); Radials: Mina Ferguson (race 16 and 18), and Daniel Costandi (race 17).
A huge thanks to the race management team of Ashley Deacon, James Tudball and Pia Hattersley. Thanks also to Ash and James for their contribution to the reporting for this article.
Ash and James head out to lay the course on a beautiful winter’s morning.
In 2019 it took a community of over 60 volunteers to deliver The Women's Regatta hosted by DBSC. The help included every job under the sun: car park attendants, beach support, on-water support, start and finish boat teams, photographers, rescue boat drivers, toastie makers, rego desk attendants, yoga teachers, waiters, and even washer up-ers! This year, as we plan for the 2020 regatta, we need these jobs filled and more - including a social distancing monitor!
This is what some of the sailors said in the post-event feedback:
''The onshore support for this event is second to none!''
''Absolutely loved the weekend. The camaraderie, organisation, and opportunities were amazing. The welcome and assistance from the club members was fantastic.''
Want to lend a hand for this year’s Women’s Regatta on 26-27 September? We would love your help - sign up HERE to volunteer!
Some of the 2019 Women’s Regatta Crew.
The WA Laser Association is surveying Masters sailors who are keen to attend the Australian Laser Nationals in Fremantle WA, 1 - 8 January 2021. They are enquiring if the Masters want a separate start from the "young guns”, and if there is sufficient support for a separate course.
If you are Master who is going to be attending Nationals in WA please email Robo HERE with the following information:
• Standard or Radial
• Age group
• Separate start or all in together
