Club in Focus - Dobroyd Aquatic Club

The Dobroyd Aquatic Club (DAC) is a friendly and inclusive sailing club that sits on Rodd Point in Iron Cove, in Sydney’s Inner West. Members and guests enjoy sailing in this quieter part of Sydney Harbour with no ferry stops and few power boats in the area. DAC focuses on making sailing fun, affordable, and accessible for all. 

Hansa class sailing

The club began at a public meeting in Haberfield on the 21st May 1937. A clubhouse was built at the mouth of Hawthorn Canal, able to house 12 V.S’s and 16 V.J’s. However, this clubhouse was demolished in the early 1960s to make way for the Hawthorn Canal Bridge. A new site was then selected at Rodd Point where the new clubhouse was opened on the 11 October 1964. 

The DAC clubhouse was destroyed in an arson attack in 2006 and was re-built by the members to stand as it is today. The clubs constitution includes the key objective ‘the promotion of the sport of sailing for everyone’ ensuring a great future for ‘inclusive sailing on Iron Cove’. 

DAC clubhouse following the arson attack

DAC clubhouse now

Club Membership

Membership has fluctuated over the years with a notable influx prior to the 2000 Olympics, when rowing took the place of sailing in Penrith. DAC membership now sits at around 200, split amongst a number of different classes, with windsurfing and radio controlled seeing the biggest growth at the moment. 

The club is also home to Lars Kleppich, three-time Olympian who won a bronze medal in the Men's Lechner Sailboard Class in the Barcelona Olympics, 1992.

Sail Past

Classes and Types of Sailing

DAC tries to accommodate all sailors in many different vessels. They also have combined fleets with scoring systems that take past results and yardsticks into consideration. Classes and types of sailing include:

• Juniors sail Optis, sabots, and Flying 11s
• Adults sail Lasers, Tasers, Herons, MGs, and Hansas
• For those who like to stand, they have Race Boards and Windsurfers
• For those who like to stay ashore, there are the Radio-controlled Lasers

Junior sailing

Laser race

Programs Offered and Key Club Events

DAC’s calendar includes Saturday Sailing every week in Summer and once a month during the Winter. Sailability is in action every second Sunday and the Radio-controlled Lasers are generally on deck every Thursday. During the Summer the windsurfers often engage in Wednesday twilight racing.   

Learn to Sail for juniors, Learn to Windsurf and additional adult training sessions are facilitated by the generous DAC club volunteers throughout the year.

Radio-controlled Lasers

Challenges & Successes 

Inclusion is one of DAC’s main priorities, as they aim to lift the standards of inclusivity in sailing. Sailors with disabilities enjoy sailing at a club that takes great pride in welcoming them to all aspects of mainstream sailing. While Sailability conducts casual sailing every second Sunday, many of those with disabilities still enjoy taking part in their Hansa fleet racing, competing with all other racing classes on Saturdays. 

All sailors, led by class captains, actively participate in the duties that makes Saturday racing possible. This includes laying marks, operating rescue boats and officiating. The expectation at DAC is that everyone helps, where able, and everyone is respected for their abilities. They consider this real inclusion.

DAC also encourages representation at combined events. The Hansa fleet often travel around NSW and have attended recent events internationally, including a recent trip to Osaka, Japan. The DAC Raceboard fleet is recognised as being at the forefront for this form of the sport in NSW, often brining home trophies from events. 

The clubs recent focus has been on replacing their wooden deck, which has degraded in the elements. Starting in late November, DAC is estimated to spend $160K in the repairs. Although costly, this is a key priority for DAC. Having a suitable accessible deck is vital to being an inclusive club, which is DAC’s main goal. 

The club has made great progress in terms of age and mobility issues, and choice of sail craft is no barrier in enjoying sailing with DAC on Iron Cove. It is clear to see that the welcoming and friendly feel of DAC makes all sailors feel included, with no challenge too great for its members. 

Hansa action shot

Australia Day Hansa class sailing

Commodore - Geoff Wilson