Rule of the Month — Starting


By Brett BeyerThe pre-start period is probably where the most protests occur, most often as a result of windward / leeward situations. Most of these protests end with leeward boats being disqualified.The main things to note are:* Rule 11 applies — on the same tack and overlapped, the windward boat must KEEP CLEAR.* There is no “PROPER COURSE” before the start, so the windward boat must keep clear all the way up to head to wind.* But Rule 15 is a limitation imposed on the leeward boat when she has acquired the right of way — “she shall initially give the other boat ROOM TO KEEP CLEAR”. This means a leeward boat cannot sail into the hole and immediately ask / expect the windward boat to be able to keep clear. * Rule 22.3 is an exception — “a boat moving astern, or sideways to windward, through the water by backing

See Full Post >>

Up Next at DBSC

Saturday, 5 October, 9am – Learn to Race. Come along if you want to learn more about Laser boat handling, balance, boat posture, trim, starts, tacks, gybes, boat set-up and any other race management fundamentals. Please email Martin White HERE if you are planning on attending.Saturday, 5 October, 2pm Start – Sprints (due to the October Long Weekend)Wednesday, 9 October, 5pm Splash – Twilight SailingSaturday, 12 October, 2pm Start – Sprints (due to Oceania and Coasts)Sunday, 13 October, 2pm Start – Big Boat RaceWednesday, 16 October, 5pm Splash – Twilight SailingSaturday, 19 October, 9am – Learn to Race. Saturday, 19 October, 2pm Start – Club Championship, Heats 3 & 4 AND Spring Pointscore, Heats 5 & 6.  Followed by a BBQ

See Full Post >>

Top Tip

This week we have a member looking for advice. Wet Foot Freddie writes, “I want to know how people successfully dry their hiking boots. Or does everyone’s boots take days to dry as well?!?!” If you have the answer, email the Newsletter Editor HERE. Responses will be published in next week’s edition. 

See Full Post >>

Twilights and BBTP Need You

Twilight sailing starts next Wednesday, 9 October with a 5pm splash, and will continue every Wednesday until the end of daylight savings (except for a few weeks over the holidays). Twilights are a great way to hone your skills, have some mid-week fun and enjoy one of the best sailing sunsets in the world. So, we hope to see you there!Along with Twilights we’re hoping to run another instalment of the fantastic Brett Beyer Twilight Program (BBTP).  This program is set to begin on Wednesday, 16 October and gives participants direct on-water coaching from Brett during the Twilights, and access to ask follow-up questions during the week. However, we need 10 participants to make the program a reality, and currently only three members have signed up. To ensure the program moves forward, please check out the details and sign up HERE before this Friday. 

See Full Post >>

Second Women’s Laser Regatta an Unmitigated Success

Written by Di PearsonLast weekend’s Women’s Laser Regatta, hosted by Double Bay Sailing Club, was an unmitigated success, attended and coached by some of Australia’s highest profile sailors, mixed in with keen young sailors on their way up.

Photo by @darciecollington.

The Hon. Gabrielle Upton MP, Member for Vaucluse, and Andrew Cox, Commodore of Double Bay Sailing Club officially opened the regatta, while Mayor of Woollahra Municipal Council, Susan Wynne, presided over the prize presentation. Run, coached and competed in by women and girls on Sydney Harbour, the intention of the regatta is to encourage greater female participation in the Laser class. DBSC’s ethos is based on volunteering, and this came through with many members involved in supporting the event.In only its second year, co-organisers, Clare Alexander, Christine Patton, and Christine Linhart were thrilled by

See Full Post >>

PRO Training from a Pro

Those who volunteered at the Women’s Laser Regatta were very privileged to receive a PRO training session on Saturday afternoon from renowned International Race Officer, Louise Davis.Thanks to Louise for running the session and to Kirk Marcolina for filming it. You can check out her presentation HERE (password DBSC2019).This is a fantastic resource for us as we continue with our major strategic priority of improving the quality of our racing.We strongly encourage every member to watch this – it will benefit you immensely, both as a sailor and as an aspiring PRO.There were a few points during the session where there was confusion among the people present –highlighting how important it is that everyone watches the video.  The points of confusion were:1.     There was some debate about when to use the AP to postpone during a start sequence – the club’s position is that, if any error is made in a start

See Full Post >>

Race Report

It was another blustery September day for Spring Pointscore heats 3 and 4. Big waves and a gradient N/NE 22 knot breeze challenged the 30 + sailors that competed. In between dips in the water the fleet managed some great sailing – with incredible boat speeds on the reaches and runs.At the end of an exhilarating day, the winners were (after handicap): Standards: Michael Osborne (Heat 3) and Steve London (Heat 4); Radials / 4.7s: Sylvie Stannage (Heat 3) and Kirk Marcolina (Heat 4). Thanks to this week’s race volunteers — Mark Bethwaite (PRO) assisted by Clare Alexander, Geoff Boscoe (LTRaR), Tim Patton and Christine Patton (COTD), Julian Van Aalst (CoCOTD), and Tim Heath and Christine Linhart in the canteen.

See Full Post >>

Only 3 Sleeps till the Women’s Laser Regatta

After many weeks of preparation, the Second Annual Women’s Laser Regatta hosted by DBSC is almost here. Check out the full schedule below. To entice you to get there bright and early we have a pop up coffee sponsor The Little Marionette onsite both mornings from 7:30 for fresh coffee! They are heading on down to the DBSC clubhouse, setting up a pop up shop and making a brew with the finest beans, creating full-bodied and crowd-pleasing blends with small-batch single origins. It will get you charged up for the Opening Ceremony with the Hon. Gabrielle Upton at 8:30am Saturday!Thanks to Christine Patton, Christine Linhart, Clare Alexander and the many other volunteers who have spent countless hours putting together a world class event. With over 50 sailors set to attend it’s sure to be a great weekend of women’s sailing!

See Full Post >>

Brett Beyer Twilight Program

With daylight saving just around the corner, one of our favourite club activities will be resuming – twilight sailing!  The first of these will occur in two weeks, on Wednesday, 9 July with splash at 5pm (or whenever you can get there) for sailing from 5.30-7.30pm.And with this comes another instalment of the fantastic Brett Beyer Twilight Program.  This program is capped at 10 participants (on a first in basis), who benefit from direct on-water coaching from Brett, and access to ask follow-up questions during the week.The Brett Beyer Twilight Program (BBTP) will run for 9 sessions as follows: 16 Oct, 23 Oct, 30 Oct, 6 Nov, 13 Nov, 20 Nov, 27 Nov, 4 Dec, 18 Dec.  The cost of the program is $270 (plus merchant fees) per person.If you want to participate in the BBTP, please apply and pay here. Terms and conditions are included in the payment link.All sailors

See Full Post >>

Private Dollies

We published an article a few weeks ago asking people to identify and claim their personal dollies, otherwise those dollies would be deemed donated to the club.  We did not receive many responses!We have attached again the private dolly register HERE and ask that people review this and confirm to the Dolly Auditor, Mark Gray, by email here if any dollies in the register are theirs.  Note there are four private stackable dollies in one image labelled 18A-18D – please review these too.We have also not received communication from the owner of the heavy dolly made from steel pipe shown at item 15.  This dolly needs to be removed from the club as it is incompatible with the racks.  We have another member who has volunteered to remove it and, if we do not hear from its owner, it will be deemed abandoned and will be removed by that other member.There are several

See Full Post >>