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.
“Off the deck” drinks will continue on Saturday afternoons from 1700.
Last week we were lucky enough to have Matt Knight dial in from London who gave us a good update on all things Laser sailing in Europe.
Just some of the people who dialled in to “off the deck” last week
How old were you when you first stepped on a boat?
Maybe 3 or 4? on the family Etchells in Tampa, FL.
If money (and sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy?
Island hopping on a Cal 40 has always sounded fun.
What is your ultimate sailing goal?
To stay competitive while keeping it fun.
Tell us the story behind the name of your Laser?
Tiburon - it’s Spanish for shark.
If you could add any ingredient to DBSC's world’s best toasties – what would it be?
Sliced apple.
What are your second/third favourite hobbies (assuming sailing is #1)?
Skiing and Surfing.
Describe what you do for work in less than five words?
Engineering support for the RAN.
What is the first international destination you will travel to (once we're allowed) and why?
Japan! I’ve been kicking around ideas for a Japanuary ski trip to Hokkaido.
What is your favourite TV show, movie, and/or book?
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Bill Murray at his finest!
Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know?
Just moved here in November after 5 years in California. Excited to be part of the local sailing community!
This Friday at 6pm, the club is hosting a session with Brett Beyer, where he will talk through the replays of the two Laser medal races over Zoom. This is bound to be more insightful and educational than the channel 7 commentary!
The cost is $10 per head and once tickets are purchased you will be provided with the zoom link.
Please note that the club continues to observe the Public Health Orders and the only reason you may attend the club is for exercise. The rules are the same as last week.
In the meantime, we will continue to host “off the deck” drinks for those that are missing the post race banter. Last week was a lot of fun and there is room for more to come this Saturday at 1700.
Is the answer to last week’s question…
The Olympic sailing coverage has been undoubtedly the best ever with deck cams, athlete microphones, on-water and overhead footage and live tracking.
photo: @sailingenergy
It was an absolute delight to watch Mara Stransky on her final day of racing finishing 3rd in the penultimate fleet race and 1st in her final race for the event. Mara was 14th overall at her first Olympics , which is an outstanding achievement and all the more notable after 18 months away from international events.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you no doubt know that Matt Wearn won the gold medal in the men’s Laser event, only having to finish the medal race, such was his lead.
Photo: @sailingenergy
Tom Slingsby, the 2012 London Olympics gold medal winner noted on social media this win was all the more noteworthy for the efforts of coach Michael “Blackers” Blackburn who “has now coached 3 back to back Olympic champions and has created a legacy in Australian sailing and the Laser class in general”.
Well done to Mara, Matt and Blackers, as well of the rest of the Australian Sailing Team!
Oh… and don’t forget to watch Matt Belcher and Will Ryan in the Men’s 470 medal race today – they go in with a 20 point lead and are unassailable so long as avoid any false start penalties.
Mark Bethwaite has kindly reminded us that outside the Olympics there are many wonderful events that we can look forward to.
photo: unknown
Our sister club, Vela Club Campione del Garda has recently hosted the EuroMasters regatta where competitors live la dolce vita on Lake Garda, Italy.
The regatta is run out of Gargnano and Bogliaco, two beautiful adjacent villages on the western shore of fabulous Lake Garda. The fresh water is warm with a peler (northerly) breeze in the morning, followed (after lunch of course!) by an ora (southerly) breeze in the afternoon.
After a day’s racing, competitors sit in a lakeside trattoria and after an obilgatory Aperol Spritz, enjoy corregone (trutta del Garda) washed down with Soave or Valpolicella, followed by gelato and limoncello.
photo: unknown
Sounds awesome!
Do you have a favourite event to share with the DBSC community? We’d love to hear it – email the newsletter with your favourite sailing events (and photos).
How old were you when you first stepped on a boat?
Apparently mum and dad took me away for one month on a 17 foot trailer yacht when I was three months old. I first started racing with dad when I was 6.
If money (and sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy?
The next generation AC75 (Team NZ version of course)
What is your ultimate sailing goal?
To be regularly competitive at the front of the Radial fleet
Tell us the story behind the name of your Laser?
I was once going to set up a company and I wanted a short domain name and of course blink.com was taken so I went for blynk.com. Seemed like it would suit a name for a laser.
If you could add any ingredient to DBSC's world’s best toasties – what would it be?
Spicy salami and jalapeno peppers.
What are your second/third favourite hobbies (assuming sailing is #1)?
Travelling and golf. With any luck golf will be replaced next summer by wing foiling
Describe what you do for work in less than five words?
Generate electricity from ocean waves
What is the first international destination you will travel to (once we're allowed) and why?
New Zealand to see my family, hopefully in July or August this year
What is your favourite TV show, movie, and/or book?
It changes every week but currently i'm watching season 4 of The Handmaid's Tale
Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know?
Back in the nineties while living in London I got to move WInston Churchill's house, including all kinds of expensive antiques from back in the day when he was the British prime minister. OK, it was Winston Churchill Junior's house.
Members are reminded to adhere to the Public Health Orders. The only reason you are allowed to attend the club is for exercise.
If you attend the club, you MUST:
(a) check in using the QR code
(b) wear a mask inside
(c) not attend or sail in more than groups of two. If your attendance would result in more than two in the club or in the park, you must wait outside (or on the water, if you are coming back in) until your presence in the park or in the club would not result in more than two.
Also, you must NOT attend the club if:
(a) you live more than 10km from the club
(b) you have any symptoms or are awaiting a test result
(c) you or anyone in your household are required to isolate
(d) you have been to a case location at the relevant times (until you have observed the relevant requirements).
For those that are missing the post race banter, we’re going to have some virtual drinks this Saturday at 1700.
Please RSVP to receive a link to the meeting.
There has never been a better time to be locked down at home, away from the boss, with footage of the Olympic sailing better than ever! If you’re not already watching, you can watch online here.
After 3 days and 6 races for the ILCA Laser class, Mara Stransky is coming 18th in the women’s event, while Matt Wearn is in 2nd place in the men’s event.
