79 Bay St
Double Bay NSW 2028
Australia

The best ILCA / Laser sailing club in the world, located in Double Bay on Sydney Harbour.

News

Race report 26 March 2022

Guest User

Our PRO, Alistair Sutherland has provided the following report from racing on Saturday.

A small but enthusiastic fleet took to the water for Autumn pointscore races 5&6.

Race Officers Alistair Sutherland and Derek Hand made an early call to set the windward mark up in Rose Bay, and run the racing between Shark Island and Point Piper, with the “Dardanelles” living up to its reputation as a thinking man’s game.

 Large shifts of up to 30 degrees in the east / southeast breeze meant that having the head out the boat and getting on the correct tack was the order of the day.  Some did better than others, with Richard George and Pat Levy taking out the wins in the two radial races.  In the standard rig, Ryan Aldrich persevered around the course and his tenacity to make sure he finished paid off with a handicap win. Mike Dunne took out the other race on handicap by just 8 seconds which proves that every second counts and a good or bad tack can be the difference between first and second. 

The race track was a very busy area as we seemed to be joined by just about every kind of dinghy fleet in Sydney - Tasers, Flying Dutchmen, Aeros, 505s, Contenders, Moths and a bunch of keelboats all went past; they were clearly all after a look at Pat Levy’s brand new Laser which had powered to the front of the fleet during race two.  At least we didn’t have any Etchells to worry about for once!

Kevin and Richo did a great job of moving the windward mark and start line around to account for the ever shifting breeze and were instrumental in helping get two good races away in good time. 

Many thanks to our volunteers for the day: Alistair Sutherland (PRO), Derek Hand (LTRAR), Kevin Gilroy (COTD), and Richard “Richo” Holstein (CoCOTD), as well as Geoff Boscoe and Tim Heath who helped Paul and Shirley in the canteen.

Full results are available on the website.

Comment

Volly of the week

Guest User

Double Bay Sailing Club is managed and run entirely by volunteers. As the saying goes, “many hands make light work. There is always work to be done in the upkeep of our shed and the ongoing running of dinghy racing.

This week we’d like to thank Martin White for his contributions to the club. Martin is responsible for the Learn to Race program, coordinating a team of volunteers to help prospective club racers come to the club and refresh themselves on how to rig and sail a laser. This “try before you buy” scheme is an excellent “sales funnel” for the club, bringing in new members. Martin has also been behind Sailing Stories – our events where noteworthy sailors come and share their experiences in a Michael Parkinson style interview with club members. Martin’s contribution to the club ensures the membership remains vibrant and energised.

Martin interviewing Malcolm Page. Photo: Peter Collie

The club is full of people making wonderful contributions around the place, and sometimes behind the scenes. Let us know who deserves a mention!

Comment

Wednesday twilight sailing

Guest User

This week is the last week of daylight savings and the last week of twilight sailing. A southerly front with yet more rain is forecast, so keep your eye on your weather apps to monitor conditions.

100% chance of getting wet!

Comment

This weekend

Guest User

Learn to Race is scheduled for this weekend, weather permitting. If you wish to attend, keep your eyes peeled for Martin’s email later in the week. If you are interested in the learn to race program, or have any questions, please email Martin. 

This weekend the club will host heats 7&8 of the Autumn pointscore as well as heats 9&10 of the Club Championship. There will be a bbq after racing on the deck.

Partners and family are welcome to come out on our support boats (RIBs and Jazzman) during racing. If you would like to come along, please email Mark Crowhurst to ensure there is adequate space. 

Partners, family and Learn to Race participants are also welcome to join us after racing on the deck for the bbq.

If you need to plan further ahead, the club calendar can be viewed (and subscribed to) here.

Comment

Save the dates

Guest User

Easter Saturday (16 April) – on Easter Saturday the club will host an Easter hunt with a difference with our inaugural race around the harbour. Rod Barnes is designing a course that will take approximately 1.5 hours around key marks on the harbour and potentially a handicap start. This will be an exciting and fun event for the club, so be sure to come! Stay tuned for more details.

AGP (27 May) – our Annual General Party will be on Friday 27th May. This is always an event not to be missed with formalities, food, drink and dancing! You might just be surprised who tears up the dance floor if you haven’t been to one of these events before… More details to come.

The AGP. Not like any other club AGM!

You can also subscribe to the  club calendar here.

Comment

Race report 19 March 2022

Guest User

Our PRO, Luke Parker, and LTRAR, David Murphy, have provided the following report on racing on Saturday.

Saturday was the harbour bridge’s 90th birthday and the sailing gods presented sailors with a “thinking person’s breeze”.  In other words, it wasn’t easy sailing; 5-20 knots predominantly from the SE, but with occasional gusts from the SW, followed by a gust (or maybe it was a lull) from SE and so on in an outgoing tide of flood stained water.

Point score 3 and 4 brought some fast, exciting racing within Double Bay and both fleets were a little below usual numbers. There were some really fun reaches (and bottom mark roundings) out on the course. Sailors in each fleet conducted hull and centreboard inspections at various times. The “proximity award” goes to Geoff Boscoe for capsizing to windward pretty much into the Jazzman and taking out the club flagpole!

As PRO, Luke accurately predicted a sequence at 1400 sharp and, as he told a few sailors, picked every shift from the vantage of the start boat. He was assisted by Murphy (LTRAR), John Verco (COTD), and Kim Ketelby (Co-COTD) on the water. Shirley and Paul managed the canteen, with the assistance of David Newman.

In the radials, Sylvie clearly revelled in the conditions, with wonderful displays of boat trim and technique in both races, while handicap honours went to Peter Collie (race 3) and Kirk Marcolina (race 4). 

In the standards Dave Newman had a very quick race 3, with Michael Osborne taking out handicap, while race 4 was won by Jason Wilkins.

Guests at the club included Adéla (Adel) Rabasová, a rising Czech 4.7 sailor, her mum Pavlina on Jazzman, and a very healthy looking Australasian Darter drying off on the deck. 

Our guest Adel is 15 years old and a member of the Czech National Laser Team (ILCA4, i.e.: 4.7). She is thrilled to be racing and training with us whilst on holiday for a month in Australia and tells us she had a great time on the water with our fleet last Saturday and says thank you to the members for being so welcoming.

Pavlina has provided our photos from Saturday.

Comment

Sailing stories with Malcolm Page

Guest User

On Wednesday 16 March the club hosted “Sailing Stories” with Malcolm Page. In a Parkinson style interview, club member Martin White interviewed Malcolm on his sailing story from humble beginnings in dinghies at Hunters Hill Sailing Club to the success of world championships and Olympic gold medals.

Malcolm was generous with his insights and candour, providing may amusing anecdotes and back stories on the evening. The club is grateful to be able to host sailors like Malcolm, who not only are generous with their time, but their experience and knowledge, and providing great insights into the experiences at the really pointy end of the fleet.

There are many people who contributed to making this night special including Martin for his interviewing and preparation (and also luring Malcolm to the club), John Vasey for the stage and sound set up, Diana Chen who makes every event at the club professional, Peter Collie for being our resident photographer, and Kirk Marcolina for being our resident videographer (watch this space).

Comment

Wednesday twilight sailing

Guest User

Twilight sailing continues for the final weeks of daylight savings. The forecast is for a southerly fading from 20 knots, a mostly outgoing tide, and some chance of getting wet!

Comment