Club access from Monday 11 October

It is widely anticipated the COVID vaccination rate will reach 70% in NSW this week which will result in lifting stay-at-home orders for adults who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from next Monday, 11 October.

Once that is announced, for those who members who are double dose vaccinated this will mean:

• You may attend the club with no 5km restriction.

• The clubhouse is subject to the 4sqm rule. This means there may be no more than 30 people inside the club at any time.

• There may be no more than 9 people in the men’s changeroom, 3 people in the women’s changeroom and 2 people in the canteen.

• It will be possible for up to 20 people to socialise on the deck.

• 20 boats can be rigged at once in the park, and 20 boats can be in proximity on the water.

• If there are 30 people in the club or 20 boats in the park, you need to wait your turn.

• You must be able to show your proof of vaccination at all times.

For those who are NOT double dose vaccinated you may only attend the club if you live within 5km of the club and for the purpose of exercise only. Furthermore:

·       You may only enter the club to retrieve and return your boat.

·       You may not enter the club or rig your boat if that would result in more than two boats in the park.

Everyone is reminded: 

·       You must wear a mask inside the clubhouse.

·       You must check in using the Service NSW app.

·       Do not attend the club if you are (a) a close contact, (b) have symptoms, (c) are awaiting a test result.

·       As the club will not be officially open, we ask people to self-enforce these rules.

Please note, community sport will not be allowed until the vaccination rate reaches 80%. There will therefore be no organised racing until that time. An updated racing calendar will be published next week in anticipation of season commencement on (to be confirmed) on 30 October.

For those who are not fully vaccinated, the Government has announced that restrictions will be relaxed from 1 December. 

We can’t wait to be racing again and look forward to seeing you at the club soon.

Coasts Championships cancelled

The NSW & ACT Laser Association has advised it is not possible to run the 2021 Coast Championships at South Lake Macquarie Amateur Sailing Club on 23 -24 October as planned. The event is now cancelled.

60 seconds with Julian van Aalst

How old were you when you first stepped on a boat?
I can’t remember, but doing the best I can I recall in June 1953 at the docks in Tilbury ( shortly after the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953) I stepped aboard SS Orion a former troop carrier to migrate with my family (as ten pound poms) from Dublin Ireland to Australia (my father was the pom in the family) . I have an earlier recollection of going sailing with my father (Jack) and my older brother Desmond on a small open sailing boat without an engine or a buoyancy vest off Dun Laoghai (now known as Dunleary), it was windy a rough sea and bloody cold, best forgotten.

If money (and sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy?
What a question!! Possibly a submarine with a gaff rig and only if it was going cheap.

What is your ultimate sailing goal?
Getting back to the beach without having to be rescued in 25 knots + when my opponents (all four or five of them) at the back of the fleet did need assistance.

Tell us the story behind the name of your Laser?
My eldest granddaughter’s nickname “Millie “ (short for Amelia) she is aged 2: when I ordered that name I also included her 3 month old sister “Liddey” short for “Lydia” but the silly buggers (the printers) forgot to include her name. I am about to order “Liddey” so as to avoid a future fuss.

If you could add any ingredient to DBSC's world’s best toasties – what would it be?
If they are the “world’s best” I would not interfere.

What are your second/third favourite hobbies (assuming sailing is #1)?
Annoying the “complaints department” to whom I happen to be married.

Describe what you do for work in less than five words?
I Think.

What is the first international destination you will travel to (once we're allowed) and why?
No bloody idea!! I leave that to the “complaints department”.

What is your favourite TV show, movie, and/or book?
Another stupid question! Hard Talk.

Let's get ready to rumble!

Yesterday the NSW Government announced the imminent winding back of “stay at home rules” and we can’t wait to be racing again!

For the time being there are no changes and we ask members to continue to observe the restrictions and advice previously communicated.

There will be a relaxation of these restrictions for those who are fully vaccinated once the NSW vaccination rate reaches 70%, which his expected to occur on 11 October (more on this next week).

The club will be able to resume for those who are fully vaccinated after the NSW vaccination rate reaches 80% and the club is preparing for that as follows:

• The season calendar will be updated shortly, with racing expected to resume on Saturday 30 October, subject to the public health orders.

• The volunteer roster will resume to align with this timing. Please keep an eye out for this email and respond promptly as we will not be able to provide the normal amount of advance notice.

• To assist with roster planning we will be asking members to confirm their vaccination status, to ensure compliance with the rules. We will also ask members to provide proof of vaccination on first attending the club for racing (the club will maintain a register of this).

• It is time to complete the Australian Sailing Mark Laying course if you have not done so already. We are asking members please to do this prior to commencement of racing.

For those who are not fully vaccinated, the Government has announced that restrictions will be relaxed from 1 December. 

We look forward to seeing you at the club soon.

Do you know what a rode is?

If the answer to this is “no” then you haven’t done the Mark Laying Course online with Australian Sailing. We know who you are ;)

With an imminent return to racing, all members are required to undertake this course in lieu of the mandatory training ordinarily undertaken at the start of the season.

As a word of warning, there is a segment on GPS course laying that is not particularly relevant to members, given we do not have the GPS instruments for course laying, but which is quite interesting and informative as a point of reference.

Get onto it, team!

Tokyo debrief with Mara Stransky

Australian Sailing's post Olympic webinar series is with Mara Stransky this Thursday at 7pm.

If you haven’t registered yet, you can do so here.

Scott Finlayson

Last week we introduced you to new member Scott Robinson. Except he isn’t. His name is Scott Finlayson. We won’t be able to use our Ramsay Street jokes after all…

The real Scott Robinson.

60 seconds with James Leaver

How old were you when you first stepped on a boat?
Seven or eight years old. I started sailing Herons on Narrabeen Lake as a kid.

If money (and sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy?
Something big, comfortable and liveable for weekends and long holidays.

What is your ultimate sailing goal?
To stop making excuses and do more of it.

Tell us the story behind the name of your Laser?
Maladroit, who I’ve recently parted ways with, is French for “clumsy”, which is apt.

If you could add any ingredient to DBSC's world’s best toasties – what would it be?
Pineapple (and if I can add a second, tomato paste - the best toastie is a pizza toastie).

What are your second/third favourite hobbies (assuming sailing is #1)?
Crosswords and sleep.

Describe what you do for work in less than five words?
Putting preposterous propositions persuasively.

What is the first international destination you will travel to (once we're allowed) and why?
France. Maybe. Or anywhere. It would be nice to just get away.

What is your favourite TV show, movie, and/or book?
The Sopranos, Forrest Gump and maybe Birdsong.

Tell us something interesting about yourself that members of the club don’t know?
I pride myself in being completely uninteresting.

Message from Hadrien Bourley

Sailors,

Apologies for jumping in the Wednesday morning newsletter fun, but I thought I would send you all a quick note here. It's been on the cards for a while, and I'm sad to announce that after 16 years living in Australia, 6 spent at DBSC, it is now time to go home to the mother land. Elle and I have put a lot of thoughts into it and between the extended lock-downs and the complexities around living with Covid, now seems a good time to make the jump and return to Monaco. We've both found jobs there very recently and we're looking forward to spending time with my family and settle there. 

Selling my house has been relatively easy compared to leaving the club. Racing is the second best thing in the world. The first being talking about it afterwards with the gang. It's very rare to find such a dense group of life long friends and I'm certainly going to miss you all. 

It would have been amazing to have a party to celebrate the good times but it will have to wait until we can travel again. In the meantime, I hope you can join me for a virtual farewell this Friday at 6pm before we leave the 30th September.

Ciao,
Hadrien

To join the virtual farewell for Hadrien please RVSP.

Welcome new members

We have two new members sign up in recent months – Scott Robinson and David Johnson. 

We will also be welcoming Morgan Au back to the club on a more regular basis.

Please keep an eye out for them at the club and give them the traditional DBSC warm welcome.