Sydney Harbour presented a beautiful sunny day for Champagne sailing. However, the breeze proved tricky for setting a course and really tested the sailors’ ability to pick the shifts and come out on top. For the wind obsessed, the easterly that started the morning with a lot of north in it threatened to waft in initially from the south east at 2pm, then moved continuously left during the course of the afternoon as the day warmed and the breeze strengthened.In the Radial fleet, we were fortunate to have representatives from the Australian Sailing Team and Australian Sailing Squad race with us. Mara Stransky, Zoe Thompson, Elyse Ainsworth, Casey Imenro, along with visiting NSWIS sailor, Paige Caldecott, and a guest reappearance from Otto Henry – all providing great competition for DBSC’s NSWIS sailors who raced on the day, Evie Saunders, Brooke Wilson, and Daniel Costandi. Zoe Thompson was first across the
Category: Latest from Double Bay Sailing Club
Clean Up Australia Day
As part of the club’s commitment to sustainability, we will again be doing Clean Up Australia Day this year. While the official day is on Sunday 7th March, this year we will also have a session on Saturday 6th March to make it easy for everyone to attend. To work with low tide, we are looking for volunteers at 0830-1030 on Saturday 6th March and 0945-1145 on Sunday 7th March. Please email Kate [HERE] and let her know which session you would like to help with.
Metros – 6 & 7 March
The Metropolitan Championships will be held 6-7th March at Hunters Hill Sailing Club. This is a great opportunity to sail on a different part of the harbour and test yourself in a competitive fleet.If you are interested in attending please email Rod Barnes so we can coordinate transport. We are also looking at the option to launch from DBSC on each day then towed to the race area by RIBs. If you would like to spend the day watching from a RIB and are able to tow some Lasers to and from the event please email Rod. You are also welcome to sail from DBSC to HHSC if the conditions are favourable.The Notice of Race, Online Entry, Sailing Instructions, Venue Information & Logistics, Electronic Sign On/Off, and Results are all available via the NSW/ACT Laser Association website and Australian Laser App [HERE]
History Corner
The approval for the clubhouse on the current site was not smooth sailing. A petition carrying 153 signatures was sent to Woollahra Council objecting to the building based on its impact on the natural beauty of the park. Despite these objections the clubhouse opened on 5 April 1959.
Clean Up Australia Day – 6 & 7 March
If you are sailing on the Saturday either in club Sprints or Metros, please consider coming in earlier and contributing to the litter pick-up at low tide around the club. If that doesn’t suit, then Sunday morning is also an option. Please email Kate McHugh to let her know.
60 Seconds With Mark Bethwaite
1. How old were you when you first stepped on a boat? Seven – a P Class trainer in Torbay Auckland2. If money (and sailing ability) were no limit, what boat would you buy? The ultimate Fine Wine – a 100m super yacht with 10 guest suites, 10 Lasers in the aft lazarette plus RIBs etc. This Fine Wine would position at future Laser Master Worlds locations (other than Lake Garda) or the Caribbean, Med etc – wherever the water temperature is above 27 degC3. What is your ultimate sailing goal? My goal was an Olympic medal – I had my chances but am firmly on the skids now…4. Tell us the story behind the name of your Laser? Few things get better as they get older – Fine Wine is one and Laser sailors are another5. If you could add any ingredient to DBSC’s world’s best toasties – what
Another Stunning Saturday
A huge fleet of over 55 boats competed under a beautiful sunny Summer sky. It was a bit of déjà vu for those competitors who raced last weekend, as the fleet again faced a very fickle Southerly, that often changed direction and intensity. The winners of heats 3-4 of the Autumn Pointscore were (after handicapping): Standards – Murray Stone (Heat 3) and Michael Osborne (Heat 4), Radials – Jack Sywak (Heat 3) and Les Katz (Heat 4).Thanks to this week’s race management volunteers: Geoff Kirk (PRO), assisted by Diana Chen, Nick Alexander and Quinn Pierson, and also to Paul, Shirley, Ian Alexander, Clare Alexander and David Huber in the canteen.
An iconic day of laser sailing on the harbour. Photo by Diana Chen.
Sign Ups Live for Brett Beyer Programs
Links to sign up and pay for Brett Beyer’s Twilight and Saturday Programs are now live. As both programs start next week, it’s important to register now to save your spot. Find out all of the details and sign up for the Twilight program HERE, and for the Saturday program HERE. Brett’s also running a one day ad hoc session this Saturday, 23 January. It’s a great way to give Brett’s program a try. Find out more and sign up for this Saturday’s session HERE.Please note, even if you’ve already emailed Andrew Cox to register your interest in these programs, you must now please pay your fees using the links above. Thanks!
Fun Sail and Picnic – Update and Action Required
Due to Watson Bay Hotel booking limitations we’ve decided to make our Fun Sail and Picnic slightly more adventurous…..On Sunday 31 January, instead of sailing down to the Watson Bay Hotel, we are going to sail down to a beach in Watson’s Bay (exact landing spot TBC), accompanied by a RIB laden with picnic goodies, to set up our own picnic. Beers and soft drinks will be available using the standard club tab system and we’re asking for $10 / head in advance for food. Even if you’ve already RSVPed earlier for this event, we need you to please sign up and pay for the food HERE now. Splash remains midday. We’re looking forward to it!
Frank Bethwaite Remembered
Editor’s Note:A few months ago Frank Bethwaite was inducted into the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame. (You can read more about that and watch a video HERE.) We asked Frank’s son and long-time DBSC member Mark Bethwaite to write a biographical piece about his father as we felt a snapshot of Frank’s life as it relates to sailing would be a fascinating read for our members. We’re grateful to Mark for taking the time to pen the following remembrance.Frank Bethwaite DFC OAM was born in1920 and in his 92 years on this earth he excelled in fields as varied as Military and civil aviationModel aeronauticsCloud physicsSailing and yacht designMeteorology, particularly wind behaviour and prediction andAuthorship of three outstanding books on high performance sailing.Frank’s school years and early sailing were in Wanganui. He enlisted in 1939 at the outbreak of WW2His tertiary education was at the sharp end of a fighter bomber over the Pacific. As in