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Club Champs Date Change

The NSW / ACT Laser Association has changed the date of the 2019 Coast Championships to the weekend of October 12th. Due to this change, we have amended the Spring racing calendar, October 12th will now be Sprints (previously Club Champs) and October 19th will now be Club Champs and Point Score (previously Point Score only).Thanks for your understanding, and remember, the online calendar for the club always remains the best source of truth for upcoming events.

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Big Boat Bash Honours Jonathan Stone

Written by Jonathan StoneThe weather dawned clear and sunny with a fresh, cold westerly breeze. It looked fair for a cold, end of season race, to end the season.But, the BOM and websites like Seabreeze were predicting a southerly squall at start time. The PRO had promised a go/no-go decision – but on the day, close to race time. In the event, the weather predictions did not shift; reports from the south coast showed winds of up to 35knots on their way; radar showed that heavy showers were part of the front. 

Sunday’s Wild Winds.

So – the race was cancelled by email, at 10.00am. The wind built from 10.00 am and the front arrived just after start time (1.00pm), with gusts >30 knots and heavy rain. Instead we had a great barbecue –

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Winter Champs off to a Great Start

Last Sunday dawned with a beautiful, crispy, sunny winter morning, with the usual 8-12kt westerly. But looming storm clouds to the south heralded a predicted southerly change.  A healthy fleet of 19 boats managed to get two races in with the westerly breeze, albeit with a progressive left shift. Before race 3 began, the southerly hit (fortunately between races) with heavy rain and up to 25kts.  But this only lasted about 10min, while the on-water team reset the course for the third race in a steady 8-12kt SSW breeze.  All in all it was a nice day on the water with great advice from Brett Beyer for those in the BBWP.  Thanks to the on-water team of Andrew Cox (PRO Instructor), Yves Stening and Brent Smith (our rostered learn to run a race candidates, who ran the races after a training that started at 6.30am!), and Jules Hall and Christine Linhart

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A Slow End to the 2019 Club Champs

It was a very difficult day for the final Club Championship races for the season.  A very light, temperamental south easterly breeze was there for the start and fluctuated between almost calm and maybe the occasional 8kt gust.  It also shifted horribly, even moving almost to the northeast at the end of the second race.  It was a day that separated the good from the lucky (or in this case unlucky).  As usual, the best sailors seemed to find a way to do well regardless of the conditions.  For the rest of us, it was downright confusing!  Brett Beyer summed it up at the debrief with three simple words: “DON’T GO RIGHT”.  And the GPS tracks of BBSP participants showed it all.  Ugly!The Club Championships were set with a tightly contested field in both fleets — the winners will be announced at the AGP, so hold your breath and watch

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DBSC no Longer the Best Laser Club in the World

We’re now the best ILCA Dinghy Club in the Word. That’s because the name Laser has been officially changed to the ILCA Dinghy. The change is happening because of a dispute between the International Laser Class Association and the Laser trade mark holder, UK based Laser Performance Europe. Boats, sails and other equipment will all be rebranded going forward but all existing equipment remains class legal. You can read the official ILCA press release about the name change HERE. And read more about the dispute and ramifications from an Aussie perspective HERE.

The new logo.

Separately, the World Sailing Olympic selection decision regarding the future of Lasers (or now the ILCA Dinghy) competing in the Olympics is expected in mid-May – watch this space!

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Winter Championship, BBWP and LTRaR starts this Sunday, 5 May

Get your winter woollies ready. Our Winter Championship starts this Sunday. For all sailors, briefing is at 7.45am for splash at 8.  First warning signal is at 8.30.For all Brett Beyer Winter Program (BBWP) participants — a payment link has been sent directly to you (other than one visiting participant for whom we do not have contact details) — if you have not received it, please contact Mark Crowhurst.  All BBWP participants will be rostered on duty for one of the BBWP sessions — making it fair and time-neutral for everyone (i.e. you are not missing out because you get proportionally more individual time on average each of the other weeks, assuming you attend).For the PRO Instructor and the Learn to Run a Race (LTRaR) participants, please be at the clubhouse at 6.30am each week — we know it is early!!  There will be a 45min theory and on-land practical

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