Don’t miss the ALCA rules session this Tuesday, March 3, 2020 in the “side room” at Brewster’s on Portage Road. Starting time is 6:30. Come and eat, or just have a beer while Dave Stiemsma goes over some sail racing rules and answers YOUR questions. We have already gotten a good response from people RSVPing to the event, so don’t be one of the ones to miss out on this invaluable learning event!
Your 2020 ALCA Officers met in January and we have some updates:
Dave D and Kathy attended Fleet 126’s (Michigan City) meeting to see what is going on with their fleet and to get information on the Hobie 16/20 North American’s this September that they are hosting in Michigan City. We believe our own Miss D10, Gail Stiemsma, will be there too so they should bring back Division 10 updates as well.
The officers will meet again on February 26 so if you have anything to bring up, ideas or comments, please respond directly to one of us or reply to this email.
Steve Weatherford has coordinated with Dave Stiemsma for a rules seminar, Dave would like to do this on Tuesday, March 3rd from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm. Faith has offered to bring some snacks and the host location is still TBD. If you would like to offer your home, please contact Steve – 269-323-7805. Then look for an email from Steve as the date gets closer.
SAVE THE DATE – the ALCA Spring Kickoff Meeting is set for Saturday, April 18th Happy/Social Hour at 5:00pm; followed by a meeting and dinner. Hosts: Kathy Rubino & Dave Dunlap, 5061 S. Long Lake Drive. Please bring ideas for summer parties, dates that we need to avoid and other thoughts to share.
Everyone was sent a 2020 Membership form for you to fill out and either mail to Faith or bring to the Spring Kickoff Meeting. I will keep your email active until the end of May, then only if you have joined will you receive further emails from me or if you do not wish to be included, message me. We are updating the facebook page as well.
Follow us and post on Twitter @alca_519 and remember to tag us using any social media (Facebook/Instagram/Twitter) – #fleet519 Let’s see who can get more hashtag posts than Austin Lee!!
Videos from Hobie on the 22nd Hobie 16 Worlds at South Seas Resort at Captiva Island, Fl in November, 2019 are posted on the Photos|Videos page of our website. I will be posting video I produced from the same event as I complete the segments.
Photos from Summer Series Week #6 (8/13/19) have been added to the website at Photos|8/13/19 Tuesday Night Racing.
Someone must have really ticked off the wind gods this series, as we are looking at some version of calm vs light and variable for tomorrow evening race time. I know, we’re not there yet, and living in Michigan, things can change. Win Larsen has graciously offered to bring his pontoon out for our race committee, and Race Chair for the evening is Steve Weatherford, with Dave Stiemsma on-board as assisting. Any news of cancellations will be posted on our Facebook site, and if any folks aren’t regularly on Facebook, please let me know – I will get the information to you via phone call or e-mail (let me know which). We will stop by the landing to spread the word as well. We will gather at Brewsters regardless of whether we race or not Tuesday. It’s time to start talking about the summer float party, which we are hoping to schedule for Sunday Aug 4th.
The Hobie boat tuning and rigging seminar scheduled to begin at 10 AM at the Austin Lake Public Boat Access on Saturday, April 27th has been postponed to the following Saturday, May 4, 2019 at the same time and location. The postponement is due to the forecasted inclement (cold and rainy) weather.
NOTE: The ALCA Spring meeting is still on the schedule for Saturday, April 27th at 5 PM at Brewster’s Pub on Portage Road.
As a reminder, 2019 will be a fun year for ALCA…it’s our 35th Year!!! Yep, some of us have been racing on Austin Lake since before others were even born!! Kathy and I have been going through old stuff and have some pretty cool things from the past!!! Does anyone know who Mr. Austin Lake is?? I saw him at the Kalamazoo airport a few weeks ago, we were on the same fog delayed flight to Detroit…or did you know that for the Austin Lake Regatta in 1998, you could rent an Airbnb before that name even existed…found my coupon for a free night’s stay!!
Given this, the new slate of officers for 2019 will be meeting in the upcoming days to start to get things rolling for the year. An upcoming FLEET meeting will be announced soon.
Good News/Bad News: Our 2019 fleet Vice Commodore, Austin Lee has graduated from WMU and taken a job in (and will be moving to) Petosky Mi. Austin is one of our fleet members who was born AFTER the fleet started in 1984. We wish him all the luck in his new job and location and look forward to seeing him at upcoming sailing events. It would be nice to have someone step up for Vice Commodore and run our education program to replace Austin.
Save the date of Saturday, October 27, 2018 for the ALCA Year End Party and Awards. Details to follow.
Pictures that Julie Lenczycki took when on the committee boat the night of August 28, 2018 are now posted on the Photos > 8-28-18 Tuesday Night Racing menu.
Our last week of racing for the Summer Series is upon us. Where did the year go? Today’s forecast calls for highs in the middle 70s inland and at the Lake Shore. Winds variable to SSW 5-10 mph. For tonight, winds SE 5 mph.
Depending on the actual wind conditions, watch for the possibility of an A-C course with an UPWIND finish line, or possibly an A-B-C (no gates – round all marks on your port side) course.