Check out the SailingSafetyChecklist– put together by Dave Stiemsma and presented at the 2022 Fleet Party on the Education page.
All posts by Andrew Lenczycki
Spring Series Week #1 Updates
Good morning ALCA members!
If anyone needs crew for today let me know. I will be bringing my friend Ananda down to the boat launch to show her what a Tuesday night at Austin Lake is all about! She has sailing experience and I have set her up with a trap harness, just in case 😉 We will be shore support for whoever needs us as well for rigging and launching boats.
-Nicole Berkel
I show 59° water temp on the east side of the lake. -Dave Stiemsma
Well that averages us at 66.5° lol —Fair Winds
Walter (Wall-E) Elsner ALCA Fleet 519 Secretary
2022 kick-off Fleet Meeting saturday, April 23, 2022
Fleet Officers met March 29, 2022 to start to map out our plans for the 2022 ALCA Catamaran racing season(s). These items will be discussed in the LIVE (no Zoom!) Kick-Off 2022 Fleet meeting at Dave Dunlap & Kathy Rubino’s house on Long Lake. This is an IMPORTANT meeting to attend if you want to have any input into how this year’s fleet activities will unfold.
As the winter slowly melts into spring the itch to sail starts setting in.
- WHAT: ALCA Get Ready to Sail Event!
Come for the Tuning Day, Stay for the Spring Meeting and Party!
This is your chance to learn some helpful boat tips OR share some knowledge with a newer sailor.
ALSO it’s your chance to have some input in the upcoming season! We will be discussing and deciding on many important topics including scheduling. Our first meeting in over 2 years!
- WHEN: Saturday April 23rd
- 1 PM Tuning session there will be two Hobie 16s there that we will be rigging and tuning. If anyone has a boat that they want us to take a “quick” look at, trailer it over. There is a limited number of spaces for members to bring their own boat.
- 4 PM Cocktails/snacks BYOB (water and lemonade will be provided)
- 5 PM Fleet Meeting
- 6 PM Dinner and Bonfire – Main dish provided by fleet, bring a snack, salad or dessert to share
- WHERE: Kathy Rubino’s (Commodore) and Dave Dunlap’s (PRO) house.
- RSVP to get location of event.
- RSVP to tuning day to this myself, Walter Elsner (secretary) @Walter Elsner
- RSVP to cocktail hour, meeting and dinner to Kathy Rubino (commodore) @Kathy Rubino
Please complete a membership form and bring it with you as well as payment (cash or check) to the meeting. Forms will also be available at the meeting.
On Behalf of Austin Lake Catamaran Association I would like to express our excitement to get the 2022 season off to a fantastic start! This is sure to be a BIG YEAR for Catamaran racing in our region with the Hobie 16 North American Championships coming to Michigan City, IN this September! I recommend all attend as it will make for an amazing learning experience. For more information Hobie 16 North American Championship : Hobie Fleet 126 (regattanetwork.com)
have a need for speed?
Check out multiple videos on the YouTube site about SailGP, an international racing circuit, started in 2019, that uses the high tech F50 catamaran, derived from the AC50 catamaran used for the 2017 America’s Cup. The boats are capable of speeding along at nearly 60 MPH when they rise up and “fly” on their winged foils. Instead of a sail, they utilize 1 of 3 heights of wing, that operates much like an airplane wing. The wings are 18M/59 Ft for heavy winds, 24M/79 Ft for medium winds, and 29M/95 Ft for light air. There are a whole series of videos regarding the SailGP program on YouTube.
What a great year end banquet for 2021
We had a great year end banquet on Saturday, October 2, 2021 at Main Street Pub on Westnedge in Portage. This was a VERY welcome change from last year’s CoVid-19 Zoom Year End Party! We had the whole outside patio area to our group and the weather super cooperated with holding off on the rain until after 10 PM. Our server, Callie, knows Austin Lee and has sailed with him a few times. She is also on the WMU Sailing Team. Callie did a great job with our large group, and kept the food and drinks coming.
Trophies were given out to sailors. The Most Improved New Skipper award this year (mainly due to CoVid) was not awarded, as none of the new skippers had enough races to be qualified for consideration. Andy Lenczycki took the award for Most Improved Seasoned Skipper this year. The full results sheet is posted on the Series Results page, after the spring and summer, A & B fleet results (just before the 2020 results heading). If you click on the picture, you can get/download a larger version.
Don’t miss the ALCA year end awards banquet!
Reminder that this Saturday, October 2, 2021 is the ALCA Year End Awards Banquet. We have reserved the patio for this event. If the weather is not suited for an outdoor event, we will move to the inside. Please wear your masks and look for more information in our weekly emails.
Where: Main Street Pub, 7509 S. Westnedge, Portage, Michigan
When: Saturday, October 2, 2021
What Time: Beginning at 5 PM – come late and miss the appetizers
Who: All registered fleet members and RSVP’s guests
RSVP To: Julie Lenczycki if you plan on being there
What’s Happening: Year end trophy presentations for A & B Fleet, Most Improved New & Seasoned Skipper Awards, vote on fleet officers for upcoming year (if you are not present, you may be nominated).
Summer Series Week #10 – september 7, 2021 cancelled
Due to the increasingly volatile weather and high winds, racing for the last night of the Summer Series of 2021 has been cancelled.
We ARE still planning on getting together at Patrick & Peggy’s house for pizza, campfire and comradery. The new time will be 7 PM Tuesday, September 7th. Patrick & Peggy’s address was in the email sent to all registered members. There will be a charge of $5+ dollars for pizza and other items furnished. Everyone should bring their beverage of choice.
summer series week #10 – september 7, 2021
Time to Sail & Party
After Sailing Pizza Party and Bonfire Tuesday September 7th:
- Peggy and Patrick have graciously offered to host ALCA members following the last night of the summer sailing series.
- Pizza will be pre ordered – please respond as “Going” (Facebook Event) or email peggywray@gmail.com so they know how much pizza to order.
- Event is BYOB – adult or otherwise
- dress for being outside
- optional: bring a snack/dessert to share and a lawn chair
- cost per person will be determined and payment can be made at event or via PayPal or Venmo to Peggy (cost and links to be provided in email).
- house address will be sent out via email to members
Hobie Div 10 Hobie 16 Championship
Please find attached the NOR for the rescheduled Hobie Division 10 Championship Regatta and the CRAM Crescent Sail Regatta for H16s. Participants who previously were registered for the June regatta will be honored. If you haven’t registered yet you can do so at Regatta Networks later this afternoon.
Note that I lowered the registration fee for this regatta to align with CRAM registration fee and to respond to some of the concerns we heard about cost.
Please reach out to our sailing colleagues and encourage them to attend. Looking forward to seeing you all on August 28-29, 2021.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
John
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John A. Nekus, Hobie Fleet 126
436 Sandcreek Drive, Suite 105
Chesterton, IN 46304 USA
Mobile: +1 312 656 1689
Email: johnnekus@gmail.com
Summer Series Week #5 – racing cancelled
Sorry to kill the good vibe for Summer Series sailing, but racing for Week #5 – August 3, 2021 is cancelled due to low to NO wind!
We will be meeting at Brewster’s between 6:30-7 PM. If you get a chance look at the info for expanded race course offerings that was posted earlier today. Any of the experienced skippers can help answer any questions regarding this tonight, because we anticipate using some of the upwind finish race courses next week.