60 Seconds with David Newman

1. How old were you when you first stepped on a boat? Dad built my sister and me a Sabot when I was 5, and he jumped in with me on a freezing rainy winters day in Melbourne for the first sail.

2. If money (and sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy? Hands down a Wally yacht but I'd settle for just about any cruising yacht which I can enjoy with family and friends.

3. What is your ultimate sailing goal? I'm really enjoying the Laser Masters sailing so doing more regattas and a nationals podium and/or worlds top 10 once the kids are older and I can put more time in on the water.

4. Tell us the story behind the name of your Laser? When Ali G aired, I got the nickname "dangerous Dave" which over time morphed into "Danger Mouse" which was a cartoon I loved as a kid - that's the name of my new boat.

5. If you could add any ingredient to DBSC's world’s best toasties – what would it be? I'm a sucker for a toastie full of melted cheese so probably some gruyere!

6. What are your second/third favourite hobbies (assuming sailing is #1)? I've rekindled my love for snow skiing in the past couple of years.

7. Describe what you do for work in less than five words? Sell sticky vinyl.

8. What is the first international destination you will travel to (once we're allowed) and why? We love Japan for the food and culture so hopefully, this time next year to experience some Japow skiing.

9. What is your favourite TV show, movie, and/or book? I love a good crime series. Of the current shows, I'm really looking forward to the new season of Ozark and Peaky Blinders.

10. Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know? My daughter was in such a hurry to enter the world, I delivered her in the bathtub at home before the ambulance arrived! We got to the hospital nice and early for the birth of my younger son.

In Hobart, rigging prior to the 1992 Sabot nationals.

Coming Up

Wednesday 24 Mar - Twilight Sprints, Brett Beyer Twilight Program 9/10

Saturday 27 Mar - Club Championship 13 & 14

Wednesday 31 Mar - Twilight Sprints, Brett Beyer Twilight Program 10/10

Saturday 3 Apr - Sprints (Easter weekend)

Race Report – Sat 13 March

A very large Naval ship, the 18 Footers JJ Giltinan Championship, and numerous CYC fleets all made cameos in Saturday’s race, which made for an action packed afternoon. Despite the amount going on in such a condensed area, there were no incidents on the water. Murray Stone did go head-to-head with a 70ft motor yacht, with Murray coming out as the winner. Credit goes to all the sailors for great seamanship.

The forecast was spot on; the sun shone all day and a beautiful NNE gradient filled in which led to some fantastic racing in both fleets. For once it should be acknowledged the Radials were better behaved on the start line that the Standards! At the end of the day, the winners were: Standards – Steve London (Point Score 9) and Nick Pellow (Point Score 10); Radials – The Tudballs – Ian (Point Score 9) and James (Point Score 10).

Thanks to this week’s volunteers: Hadrien Bourley (PRO), Geoff Boscoe (LTRaR), Emily Ball (COTD), Peter Collie (who stepped in last minute to support the on-water safety team due to an unplanned shortage), Paul Adam, Shirley Roach, David Newman, and Geoff Kirk.

Photo: Peter Collie

National Masters Championship Format

Planning has commenced for the 2022 Oceania & Australian ILCA Laser Master Championships and here is your chance to have your say on the format of the event going forward. We are caucusing views to feed into the planning process and considering two options for the 10 races.

Option 1: 10 races over four days – Friday to Monday – with 2, 3, 3, 2 races per day (same format as previous years)

Option 2: 10 races over five days – Monday to Friday – with 2 races per day (allowing the weekends for travel)

Please let us know by the end of this week if you would like your opinion to be considered.

Click [HERE] to submit your response.

History Corner

Performance awards for the 85/86 Season:

• Most number of breakages whilst competing in club races

• The best imitation of the Titanic

• Best imitation of an iceberg

• The most number of capsizes in Double Bay while trying to get to the first mark

• Retiring skippers award – the spirit was willing but the knees were too weak

60 Seconds with Nick Alexander

1. How old were you when you first stepped on a boat? 8 yrs old, steering my dads Corsair on a lake in Mount Isa North QLD whilst he was launching the spinnaker and yelling at me not to gybe it on him

2. If money (and sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy? A submarine as I don’t like yachts

3. What is your ultimate sailing goal? To be healthy enough to race Lasers beyond 75

4. Tell us the story behind the name of your Laser? I always had serious names for my teenage boats so I named my boat after my old cat Ralphy who nearly made it to 18

5. If you could add any ingredient to DBSC's world’s best toasties – what would it be? More cheese – over cooked and oozing out the sides

6. What are your second/third favourite hobbies (assuming sailing is #1)? Reading and science

7. Describe what you do for work in less than five words? Watch numbers go up and down

8. What is the first international destination you will travel to (once we're allowed) and why? Wherever the next Master worlds are and warm

9. What is your favourite TV show, movie, and/or book? All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr

10. Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know? I am a beekeeper of European and Australian Native bees

The last race of the 1991 420 nationals

Coming Up

Wednesday 17 Mar - Twilight Sprints, Brett Beyer Twilight Program 8/10

Saturday 20 Mar - Learn To Race / Autumn Point Score 11 & 12

Wednesday 24 Mar - Twilight Sprints, Brett Beyer Twilight Program 9/10

Saturday 27 Mar - Club Championship 13 & 14

Race Report – Metros – Sat 6 & Sun 7 March

21 competitors from DBSC ventured west to Hunters Hill Sailing Club to contest the Metropolitan Championships. The advice from some locals was to look to the land rather than the water as the pressure would be dependent on when Larry, who lives on the hill in Balmain, opened his side gate. The 10-knot shifting breeze during both days was extremely tricky and provided a challenge for all.

There was fierce competition across all fleets and none more so than the Radials where members of the Australian Sailing Team / Australian Sailing Squad were on show. Not to be outdone, Mina Ferguson had an outstanding event and came home victorious. Daniel Costandi was also in fine form placing third. The Standard fleet had some good individual race results but overall David Newman put together an excellent series only to get beaten on a count-back for third. The full results of the series are [HERE] and the Laser Association article including photos is [HERE].

Thanks to Gerry Donohoe and Peter Collie for volunteering their time to drive the RIB to support the DBSC competitors over the weekend.

Chaos around the bottom mark. Photo: Jon West - available at jonwest.photography

Race Report – Sprints – Sat 6 March

13 boats took to the water in a moderate southerly for 6 sprint races at exactly 2:00pm until 4:00pm. The Radials and Standards raced together with Geoff Kirk leading the way. Most of us thought it was the right decision to stay to the east of the bridge for some practice in a shifty breeze. Highlights of the day were dodging yachts using Clark Island as a mark rounding in the Sydney Harbour Regatta, and crossing paths with the 18 Footers in the JJ Giltinan Championship race. Check out all the action from the 18 Footers TV where our little Laser fleet make a cameo appearance [HERE].

Thanks to Daryl Lawrence, Nick Pellow, Jack Sywak for running the races; Paul Adam, Shirley Roach, Christine Patton, Bonnie Nixon, and Gavin Blake for feeding us.

Photo: Nicholas Pellow

Clean Up Australia Day

Thanks to all the volunteers that came in early to help clean up the beaches around the club, and Kate McHugh for organising the day. Despite it being a southerly, which usually means a cleaner bay, there was still plenty of rubbish around – most of which would have been detrimental to marine life.

Photo: Steven London