Series Racing, Summer Series

Summer Series Week #1 – June 30, 2026

Hey ALCA – 

Happy Summer!  So true in many ways – actual summer has started, the boiling hot temperatures are surely summer, and the Summer Series starts tomorrow June 30th. Temperatures are going to be in the mid to high 90s, with feel-like temps in the 100s, with southwest winds 10-15 mph gusting to 20+. Win Larsen is our Race Chair – remember to sail past the committee boat when you come out onto the water.  We go to Main St. Pub on Westnedge after racing.  Attached are our Membership and Race Chair sign-up forms as well as our SSI. 

Transportation Note: To those using the Austin Lake Public Access tonight – Paving of the base and leveling asphalt courses on the east side of Portage Road is scheduled to begin today (Tuesday, June 30). The project will maintain one lane of traffic in each direction throughout the duration of the project, which is scheduled to be completed in November 2026. 

Thankfully, they started this morning just south of Lakeview Park but depending where they are in the paving process, you may need to venture South to either Stanley or Wetherby (from Portage Road), taking either to Woodlawn Drive, then turning left (north) on Woodlawn, which will lead back to the Public Access.

Julie Lenczycki

As a reminder, we have next week off for the 4th of July holiday – NO RACING ON JULY 7th.  And we still have a 2 week slot devoid of  Race Chair/committee boat. 

If you are not sailing currently and are tired of receiving these emails – please let me know and you won’t be spammed every week!   

See you tomorrow and have a Happy 4th!

ALCA Secretary – Kathy Rubino 

News, Series Racing

Spring Series Week #8 – June 23, 2026

Hi Folks! 

It’s hard to believe, but tomorrow is the final week of the Spring Series.  We are looking at a beautiful evening, with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 70s.  Winds are forecasted to be out of the N,NW around 6 mph, dropping off a little through the night. Race Chair is Commodore Walter Elsner. Please remember to check in to the committee boat when you hit the water.  We will go to Main St Pub on Westnedge afterwards for results. 

Attached are the Membership Form, the Race Chair sign up form, and the ALCA SSI. Please review the SSI if you are relatively new to racing, or if you want a refresher!  

Thanks to all who have signed up to help run the races this year, as well as the pontoon boat owners and the people who assist the race chair!  We still have one empty slot for 2 weeks of the Summer Series (7/21 and 7/28).

Cya Tuesday!

Also remember, we will be going right into Summer Series Week #1 next week (June 30, 2026) and our off week for the 4th of July will be the following week, July 7th!

Kathy Rubino – ALCA Secretary 

News, Series Racing

Spring Series Week #7 – June 6, 2026

Hello!

Hard to believe, but Tuesday is the 7th week of our 8 week Spring Racing Series!  Walter Elsner is our Race Chairmen, on Faith Akert’s neighbors’ pontoon. We are looking at temperatures in the mid 60s at race time, with brisk winds at 20 mph gusting to over 30 mph, AND, a pretty decent chance (50%) of thunderstorms at 6 pm. If we do race with these winds, be aware that we cannot guarantee a chase boat and make sure you have a reliable righting line (and know how to use one!).  Know your comfort level!  Attached are a few documents – our membership form, our Race Chairmen form and our SSI (Standard Sailing Instructions).  Please review the SSI, it’s pretty common sense, but always good as a refresher to the experienced sailors and essential for those who are relatively new to racing. 

If we race, we are going to Main St on Westnedge. If we are cancelled, we may choose somewhere else, so stay tuned!  

Kathy Rubino – ALCA Secretary

Update: 4:14 pm 6/16/26

Racing is cancelled tonight – there’s a severe thunderstorm watch until 11pm, storms forming in the area, and strong gusty winds – doesn’t sound like a time to be pushing it to be on the water!  Enjoy the evening with your families and we’ll see you next week! 

Kathy 

News

Spring Series Week #6 – June 9, 2026

Hi Fleet!

Tuesday marks our 6th week of Spring Series – I know, time flies!  Our race chair is once again, John Koryto, and we are looking at temps in the 80s with a chance of thunderstorms and winds 5-10 mph out of the southwest, shifting to the west.  There’s only a 40% chance of thunderstorms forecasted for early evening, let’s hope mother nature is cooperative and the storms blow over early!

As always, check in with the committee boat when you hit the water and we meet at Main St. Grill on Westnedge for results.  Attached are the membership forms as well as RC signups = note we still need a race chair and boat for the beginning of summer series.  

Kathy  – ALCA secretary 

ALCA Race Chairman Sign up 05-06-2026
ALCA Race Chairman Sign up 05-06-2026
News

Spring Series Week #5 – June 2, 2026

Hi ALCA!

Tomorrow is the 5th scheduled race night of the 2026 Spring Series and it’s supposed to be a gorgeous night!  We are looking at sunny skies with temperatures in the mid 70s with ENE winds at 5-10 mph, becoming light as the night progresses. Race Chair is John Koryto on his pontoon.

Remember to check in at the race committee boat when you get out on the water – the start sequence starts promptly at 6:30 pm.

After sailing we meet at Main St Grill on Westnedge Ave.

Remember – if we do not have a Race Chair, races will be cancelled – please sign up if you haven’t already done so.

Kathy Rubino – ALCA Secretary

News, Series Racing

Spring Series Week #4 – May 27, 2026

Hiya!  

Wow, did someone turn on the light switch for summer or what?  We go from rainy drizzly chilly last Tuesday to beautiful sunny skies and warm temperatures for Memorial Day!  Hope you had a chance to enjoy today’s weather!  Tuesday is much of the same – YAY! – but with very light and possibly calm winds – BOO!  RC is the Rubino-Dunlap-Daane team once more.  Stay tuned to your email and Facebook for any cancellation if the wind doesn’t fill in.  We may still go to Main St if we don’t sail.  

Kathy – ALCA Secretary

Update – Racing is cancelled for tonight due to the wind (or lack thereof).

News, Series Racing, Spring Series

Spring Series Week #3 – May 19, 2026

Hi ALCA!

Tuesday is our 3rd Tuesday of scheduled racing, and once again, we are looking at potential strong storms in the afternoon.  RIght now, they may blow out of here by 5pm, but things may change.  Temps will be in the upper 70s, with cloudy skies, and falling to the 60s after the thunderstorms. Winds will be strong all day, 15-30 mph with gusts, however, after the storms blow through, winds are predicted to be 13-15 mph out of the WSW.  It’s all in the timing of these storms as to whether we will be able to set a course and race.  RC is yours truly, with assistance from Dave Dunlap on Jeff Daane’s pontoon.  As always, check into the committee boat when you get out on the water, and we will go to Main St. after sailing, or in the event of a cancellation – stay tuned to your email inbox and Facebook for announcements.

Attached is the membership form, which I will have blank copied at the bar.  

Kathy – ALCA Secretary  

News, Series Racing

Spring Series Week #2 – May 12, 2026

Hi ALCA!

Nice to see a few boats out braving the cold last week!  Thanks to Dave, Gail and Ananda for the race committee work!  They will be out there again tomorrow, unless mother nature has other plans. We are looking at slightly warmer temperatures, with a high of 65 degrees, under cloudy skies and a 30% chance of rain showers. Winds are forecasted to be SSW at 15-25 mph, which would be expected to lower the “feels like” temperature.  Again, dress appropriately, know your comfort zone when heading out on the water, as it may be gusty. Remember to check in with the committee boat before the first race. We will go to Main St. again after sailing. 

Attached are the Membership and Race Chairman forms.

– Kathy Rubino – ALCA Secretary 

UPDATE -4:20 PM May 12. 2026

Our RC Dave Stiemsma has cancelled the races tonight due to the weather.  Possible T-storms will bring strong gusty winds and rain, especially towards the end of the evening.  And who wants to de-rig in a storm?  

– cya next week!

Kathy 

News, Series Racing, Spring Series

ALCA Spring Series Begins 5/5/26

Greetings!

We gathered at Louie’s for our Spring meeting on April 19th and decided what our sailing seasons for 2026 will look like:  we will race two Portsmouth Fleets, A and B (we need 2 boats to make a fleet), with a single start at 6:30 pm on the following Tuesdays, which were voted on by the fleet members present at the meeting:  

8 Week Spring Series:   May 5th to June 23rd

8 Week Summer Series:  June 30th to August 25th (no racing on July 7th for the holiday break)

We plan to meet at Main Street Pub after racing for results as we did last year – stay tuned for the weekly racing emails in regard to this and other important information.

Thank you to those who have already paid their memberships – see attached for a form. Memberships can be either mailed to Faith Akert, or paid at the restaurant after sailing; cash or check accepted.  

Also a big thanks to Dave and Gail Stiemsma for offering to be our RC for the first two weeks to kick off the season, and thanks to Micahel Kucharski for volunteering for the last two weeks.  See attached for the sign up form and let us know, either by email, phone or at the bar if you would like to fill in the gaps.

That’s it for now, so get busy cleaning up your boats and making sure all working parts are in order!  

until next email (just before the first Tuesday) –

Kathy  – ALCA Secretary  

News, Series Racing

ALCA Spring Kick-Off Meeting

Sunday, April 19, 2026 at Louie’s Lake Bar & Grill 8946 S Sprinkle Rd, Portage, MI 49002

Hello Fleet!

With it being mid-April and these warmer temperatures – it’s that time again to meet and get our ducks in a row for our 2026 Sailing Season!  We have a room reserved at Louie’s Lake Bar & Grill, 8946 Sprinkle Rd. Portage. We will start at 3:00pm with social time and fleet provided snacks, then move on to our meeting and dinner. There is construction on Sprinkle, however, the road is open to local businesses – so ignore the road closed signs and make your way through the cones carefully!

This is a great time to reconnect with our sailing peeps, help shape what the sailing schedule will look like for 2026 (voting by 2025 members) and pay your membership dues. Attached is a form which can be printed, but I will have additional at the meeting, as well as sign ups for the race committees for each Tuesday. Be sure to bring cash or check for your dues. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend, especially today – either playing or getting all those outdoor chores done!

Kathy Rubino – ALCA Secretary