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
Category: Latest from Double Bay Sailing Club
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!
Undertake the training
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
Championship updates
Some great updates in from the NSW & ACT Laser Association this week (tl;dr):The Laser Australian Open & Youth Championships scheduled in Fremantle for 1-8 January 2022 has been cancelled.Each Australian ILCA district has been invited to designate an event as the ILCA World Championship selection event. The ranking event for NSW & ACT sailors will be the NSW & ACT State Championships 4-5 December 2021 at Georges River Sailing Club.Zac Littlewood from WA has just won the ILCA Under 21 World Championship in Gdynia Poland. Zac was the only Australian in the 138 boat men’s fleet. Paige Caldecoat represented Australia in the ILAC U21 Women’s World Championship in Gdynia finishing 18th in the 57 boat fleet.
Selling up?
David Johnson is looking to buy a laser (preferably a radial) for his teenage boys. Please contact him if you have one available.
60 seconds with Kevin Gilroy
How old were you when you first stepped on a boat?I was 9 years old. I used to play Saturday morning tennis. One of my team mates was telling me about the adventures he had sailing his Sabot. He invited me to join him sailing at Abbotsford that afternoon. I showed up with no idea what I was getting myself into, and kept sailing for the next 25 consecutive seasons.If money (and sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy?I’m not that fixed on what boat I’d like to own, but I would love to go for a spin on a SailGP foiling cat.What is your ultimate sailing goal?I want to pass on the sailing experience to my kids. I’m not concerned if they choose to pursue competitive racing, but I’d like them to give it a fair go.Tell us the story behind the name of your Laser?‘Just
Get ready to rumble
We are asking all members to undertake the online Mark Laying Course being conducted by Australian Sailing in anticipation of a return to racing in the upcoming months and in light of our inability to conduct competency training at the beginning of the season.Australian Sailing has developed an online Mark Laying Course. The course provides the correct procedures for laying marks and setting a race course. It is suitable for club volunteers looking to gain knowledge about mark laying at the grass roots level through to mark laying for regattas.Both registration and enrolment to this course are free of charge. The club will be logging the completion of this training by members in lieu of the mandatory training ordinarily undertaken at the start of the season.
Register
Not sailing, still improving
Martin White has sent through some more excellent resources for improving downwind sailing.Sailing well downwind in a Laser is probably the most counter-intuitive part of learning Laser sailing as other classes rely on different downwind skills. Thus, Laser sailors new to the class often struggle with the concepts of downwind sailing.Jon Emmett Sailing – Videos (This site has an array of short format content that is good for the average club sailor)Downwind in Lasers – International Laser Class Association (laserinternational.org)Laser Sailing Downwind Body Positioning – International Sailing Academy