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

Powerboat safety

Guest User

Powerboat safety is fundamental to our club’s operations. It is important to be aware of the safety responsibilities that come with the use and operation of powerboats at our club.

Australian Sailing has a powerboating program where you can learn basic power boat handling skills right up to assisting to retrieve the different styles of race craft on the water.

Some safety tips to remember when you’re out on a power boat and assisting race management:
•    Know where the safety equipment is kept on board
•    Do a safety briefing if you have another person on board
•    Wear your lifejacket 
•    Have the kill cord attached to you when underway 
•    Know how to tow another boat, particularly the class that is racing
•    Have the knowledge to rescue a boat in distress

Australian Sailing has a powerboating program where you can learn basic power boat handling skills right up to assisting to retrieve the different styles of race craft on the water.

For more information on Australian Sailing’s power boat program click here and to find a power boat course click here .

Comment

Postcards from afar

Guest User

Photo: Mark Bethwaite

Mark Bethwaite, reports in from Europe:

The paparazzi caught up with DBSC’s Monegasque contingent, Hadrien & Elle Bourley dining dockside last weekend. Behind them are several suitably comfortable Laser tenders for charter when the Laser Master Worlds are again in the Med.  On the far shore is the Yacht Club de Monaco, anxiously waiting to hear about its application for reciprocity with DBSC from the new Committee.

Comment

Women's training and coaching

Guest User

Photo credit: Diana Chen

Pia Hattersley reports:

Over the past few months DBSC held a series of four Women’s Regatta laser training and coaching sessions.

The sessions were conducted by DBSC member, the suitably qualified and fabulous Sylvie Stannage. Sessions covered general boat handling, upwind, downwind and race starts, across a range of wind speeds on various Saturday mornings during winter, including Saturday just past at the onset of this vile weather we are experiencing. One participant had even driven with her laser from the Central Coast to join this particularly soggy, but fun, training session!

The training is part of DBSC’s ongoing initiative to support women in sailing and aimed to improve racing technique and confidence for female sailors. The sessions were extremely well received, with participants commenting that they learnt so much from Sylvie and valued the opportunity to then practice these skills in a small group. As well as being a valuable learning opportunity, the sessions were of course a lot of fun and left everyone wanting to know when we could do it again.

A big thank you from DBSC to Sylvie for taking the time to participate and share her knowledge with us and thank you to all participants for joining us. Let’s do it again!

The level of commitment and enthusiasm demonstrated by the participants in this event demonstrates the importance of the club’s program of events culminating in the Women’s Regatta.

The Women’s Regatta will be returning to DBSC later this year (watch this space for dates) and we will be conducting more women’s training in the lead up to this regatta. In the meantime, sign up for more information here.

Comment

Sustainability at DBSC

Guest User

As you all know, the club has been pushing hard at sustainability initiatives. We are in the process of publishing updated information on our website.

In the meantime, however, we noted an announcement by Vaikobi to partner with Terracycle® for sailors, and ocean enthusiasts to send back or drop off their old gear at a designated location, to be collected and made into new products. For now, the Zero Waste Box™ system by TerraCycle® will be implemented at the Vaikobi Sydney headquarters in Warriewood on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. More information on this initiative is available here.

We will find a way to coordinate the collection of clothing for recycling. If you are interested in helping with this initiative please contact our sustainability officer, Katie McHugh or our volunteer coordinator Kirk Marcolina.

Comment

SHIP! Watch out!

Guest User

Commodore Steven London recently attended an event by Port Authority of New South Wales conducted to remind recreational users of the harbour that it also remains a commercial port. With Covid lockdowns and travel restrictions eased, we can expect the harbour to become busier again this summer.

To the Captain on the bridge, a laser is a tiny speck in comparison to the vessel. Not only that, but owing to the vessel’s size has large windage, is difficult to turn, and it might surprise some at how fast they are moving.

To the Master on the bridge, you are barely visible.

A laser capsizing in front of a commercial vessel will not have a good outcome for you. Please stay well clear and follow maritime regulations and instructions.

While our racing is conducted outside the main commercial ship track, the commercial shipping channel extends down to Point Piper and Clark Island.

The commercial shipping channel extends down over our racing area.

Comment