Volly of the Week

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 are featuring two members – John Verco and Tory Epworth, who have given our club changing rooms a much needed lick of paint.

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The club is full of people making wonderful contributions around the place, and sometimes behind the scenes. Do you know of someone who deserves a mention? If so, email us and tell us why they should

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Race Report 04 December 2021

It was another wild and woolly weekend for sailors at Double Bay with a 22-29 knot southerly for sprint racing.

Photo: Pia Hattersley

David Newman (PRO) ran efficient racing with Richard George (LTRAR), Mark Gray (COTD), Bonnie Nixon (Co-COTD), Pia Hattersley and Milla Gray all assisting on water. Justin Davey was our responsible CSO, while Craig Sheers and Peter Collie were on hand to assist Paul and Shirley in the canteen.

And then there were 3. Photo: Pia Hattersley

Ultimately it was a game of survivor with

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60 seconds with Julian van Aalst

How old were you when you first stepped on a boat?I can’t remember, but doing the best I can I recall in June 1953 at the docks in Tilbury ( shortly after the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953) I stepped aboard SS Orion a former troop carrier to migrate with my family (as ten pound poms) from Dublin Ireland to Australia (my father was the pom in the family) . I have an earlier recollection of going sailing with my father (Jack) and my older brother Desmond on a small open sailing boat without an engine or a buoyancy vest off Dun Laoghai (now known as Dunleary), it was windy a rough sea and bloody cold, best forgotten.If money (and sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy?What a question!! Possibly a submarine with a gaff rig and only if it was going cheap. What is your

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Club access from Monday 11 October

It is widely anticipated the COVID vaccination rate will reach 70% in NSW this week which will result in lifting stay-at-home orders for adults who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from next Monday, 11 October.Once that is announced, for those who members who are double dose vaccinated this will mean:You may attend the club with no 5km restriction.The clubhouse is subject to the 4sqm rule. This means there may be no more than 30 people inside the club at any time.There may be no more than 9 people in the men’s changeroom, 3 people in the women’s changeroom and 2 people in the canteen.It will be possible for up to 20 people to socialise on the deck.20 boats can be rigged at once in the park, and 20 boats can be in proximity on the water.If there are 30 people in the club or 20 boats in

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60 seconds with Alistair Sutherland

How old were you when you first stepped on a boat?I must have been about 12 years old – sailing on a Topper in the Lake District in the North of EnglandIf money (and sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy?505 – so many strings to pull, so little time!What is your ultimate sailing goal? At the moment I aim for top 3 in any DBSC race I sail in.  Given the depth of the Radial fleet at the moment, that goal usually disappears over the horizon on the way down the first reach…………..Tell us the story behind the name of your Laser? Iron Buddha.  In Chinese it’s pronounced “Tie Guan Yin”, and if you order it you’d be presented with a cup of tea.If you could add any ingredient to DBSC’s world’s best toasties – what would it be? I’ve never eaten anything that can’t be

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Netflix and chill

‘The Boat that Ian Built’ is a short film from 1974 featuring the amazing success story of the Laser, and of Performance Sailcraft, the company Ian formed to produce and market the boat.“The movie has fantastic footage of one of the first ever big fleet Laser regattas held at Association Island, New York on Lake Ontario near Kingston (with Ian Bruce competing!). The movie has interviews with Ian, Bruce Kirby, and Laser sail designer Hans Fogh along with shots of Lasers being produced in Ian’s factory.You’ll also see amazing footage (that I previously didn’t know existed) of Hans Fogh helming the prototype Laser in an October 1970 regatta held for boats under $1000 at the Playboy Club at Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. It was called ‘The America’s Teacup Regatta’. Ian and Hans decided to call the prototype the ‘Weekender’ with sail number TGIF, the abbreviation for ‘Thank God It’s Friday’.”

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Australian Sailing Olympic webinars

Australian Sailing’s Olympic webinar series continues on Thursday 16 September with the Men’s 470 team and their gold medal winning experience. Skipper Mat Belcher created history in Tokyo becoming Australia’s most successful Olympic sailor and is locked in to answer all your pressing questions.Register for the webinars with Australian Sailing on the following links.

7pm Thursday 16 September with men’s 470 team

7pm Tuesday 21 September with Matt Wearn

7pm  Thursday 30 September with Mara Stransky 

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