All posts by Kathy Rubino

News, Series Racing, Summer Series

Summer Series Week #5 – August 6, 2024

Hey ALCA!

Before I get into tomorrow’s specifics, I wanted to mention a few things about our volunteer RC, helpers and pontoon boat owners:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH for putting in the time and offering your pontoons to run the races this year!  Your efforts and dedication are very much appreciated!  However, as we head into the last month of sailing, we have no one signed up for summer series Weeks 7 and 8 (August 20th and 27th).  If we don’t have an RC with a pontoon boat, we will cancel the last 2 weeks of racing, which means we will only have 2 weeks of sailing remaining.   Below is the link in Google Docs – all you have to do is click on it and fill in your name.  Let me know if you have any questions.  Of course, it’s always easiest if a member on the lake who owns a pontoon signs up for this. Committee Boat Signup.

Tuesday we have a brand new RC:  Commodore Walter Elsner is RC and John Koryto is pontoon boat captain.  The weather doesn’t look so good, but as we know, things do change.  Right now, it’s looking like a decent chance of rain/thunder, with highs of 68 degrees F, and NE winds of 10-15 mph.  SailFlow is predicting 18 mph winds gusting to 30 mph with rain.  If this rings true, and races are held, please consider your comfort level with these winds, as we have no chase boat.  Any cancellations will be posted on FaceBook and via email.  We go to Jac’s after sailing for results, and if we are cancelled, I believe we may still go to Jac’s as it doesn’t seem they have any music scheduled for tomorrow night.  

Again, any questions about the RC link, please contact me.

Kathy – ALCA Secretary

News, Series Racing

Summer Series Week #4 – July 30, 2024

Hi folks!  

Hard to believe – tomorrow is Week 4 and marks the midpoint of our summer racing series!  Time flies when we’re having fun, doesn’t it!  Tomorrow’s conditions are predicted to be hot and humid, with 11 mph winds out of the west, decreasing to 5 mph by 9pm (according to SailFlow).  Steve Chapman is our RC once again, and as always – sail past the committee boat to let them know you’re there.  After sailing we go to Jac’s.

Cya!

– Kathy Rubino, Fleet Secretary

News, Series Racing, Summer Series

Summer Series Week #3, July 23, 2024

Hi Everyone!

Tuesday is the 3rd week of the summer racing series – and we are looking at partly cloudy skies with temps in the mid 80s and SW winds around 8 mph.  There is a 30% chance of isolated thunderstorms.  Steve Chapman is our Race Chair – remember to check in at committee boat when you get out onto the water!  After sailing we will go to Jac’s.  If we are cancelled, we will go somewhere TBD, we will let you know via email or on Facebook.  

Kirk Bartling, a new skipper, is looking for an experienced skipper to race with him;  if interested, contact Kirk at kirkbartling@yahoo.com if you’d like to help him out.

Also, many of you receiving this email have not sailed or joined the fleet this year.  If you would like to still receive emails let me know by replying to this email.  Otherwise this is your last email, particularly if you’re not a fleet member.  

That’s all for now!

Kathy Rubino – ALCA Secretary 

News, Series Racing, Summer Series

Summer Series Week #2 – July 16, 2024

Hi Fleet!

Batten down the hatches!!!!!! Once again we are looking at severe weather coming our way – scheduled for overnight into the first part of Tuesday.  Race time we are looking at winds out of the west at 11-15 mph.  Michael Kucharski is our race chair on John Hayward’s pontoon with Sydney rounding out the race committee.  After sailing we go to Jac’s.  In the event of a cancellation, stay tuned for where we are gathering.  

Year end party is tentatively scheduled for Sunday September 22nd.  We will cement the date once the venue is in place.  Also, our website is back up and running – thank you Andy!

– Kathy Rubino

ALCA Secretary 

Events, News, Series Racing

Year End Party Date Set

Good morning!

Julie and I were talking last night about getting a year end date set, and looking at our schedules, along with CRAM’s regatta dates, we decided to pick Sunday September 22, a Sunday to make it easier for Michael K. to attend.  Also, it’s easier to book a restaurant for a late Sunday afternoon. 

Also, since last night was so painfully loud at Jac’s with the music, I’m thinking we should try a new place if we have another cancellation.  Maybe Main St Pub or Monelli’s. 

Stay dry and don’t float away!

– Kathy Rubino

ALCA Fleet 519 Secretary

News, Results, Series Racing, Summer Series

Summer Series Week #1 – July 9, 2024

Greetings!

Who’s ready to start the summer racing series?  I am!  I am!  Let’s see what the weather gods have in store for us!  Forecast calls for temperatures in the high 70s, with SW winds at 5 mph, and a 60% chance of rain…….BOOOOOO ( but my boat IS ready!). Our Race Chair is Michael Kucharski on John Hayward’s pontoon, with Sydney completing the race team.  Remember to check in at the start finish line so the RC can mark you down on the attendance sheet!  We go to Jac’s afterwards (or instead of, if racing is cancelled).  If you don’t see marks in the lake, check your emails and Facebook for cancellation information.  

Also, our webmaster and statistician, Andy Lenczycki, has gotten the website up once more, here is the link:  

We still need a Race Chair with a pontoon boat for the last two weeks – the sign up sheet can be found here:

See you tomorrow either on the water, or at Jac’s!

– Kathy 

ALCA Secretary 

News, Series Racing

No Racing This Week – July 4th Week

Hi!

As if you haven’t figured it out already – there is no racing tonight!  Enjoy your 4th of July and see you next week for the start of Summer Series on July 9th!

– Kathy Rubino

Fleet 519 Secretary

News, Series Racing, Spring Series

Spring Series Week #1 – 5/7/24

UPDATED Tuesday, 5/7/2024 @ 5:07 PM

Racing is cancelled due to impending weather- we’re under a tornado watch and a big ugly storm is headed our way that is producing tornadoes currently.  Once the worst is past, we’ll be headed to Jac’s around 6:30, and as long as we’re not under a warning ourselves. 

Better to be safe than sorry! – Kathy 

Good Evening ALCA!

Tomorrow (Tuesday, 5/7/24) kicks off our 2024 sailing season – I know, it’s come up REAL fast!  Race Chairman is John Hayward with his pontoon – thanks John!  The forecast is calling for at least a 70% chance of thunderstorms, some possibly severe, starting at noon and continuing until after 7pm.  Airtemps are mild, in the upper 60s with winds 10-15mph.  Water temperature at Austin Lake is reported to be around 64 degrees only, so it’s wetsuit weather if the storms do part and allow us to sail.  The race committee will be keeping an eye on the weather and make the decision accordingly.  If we do sail, remember to sail by the committee boat as soon as you hit the water to check in.  We plan to go to Jac’s after we sail or in the event we are cancelled.  Stay tuned to your email and Facebook for any announcements of a cancellation.  

A special thanks to all who attended yesterday’s race committee information session.  It was great to gather as a group and see everyone’s enthusiasm – former PRO Dave Dunlap displayed everything that is available in the Race Committee binder on our widescreen TV, along with diagrams, flags, etc.  This is now available on the fleet website and the officers highly encourage all, especially those signing up for Race Chair, or to be part of the Race Committee to review it before your Tuesday comes up.  

Thanks all for now! Cya at Jac’s tomorrow, maybe sooner than later – I will have membership forms, so bring cash or your checkbooks if you haven’t joined!

ALCA Secretary,

– Kathy 

Events, News, Series Racing

Spring Meeting (3/24/2024) Summary

Good Afternoon, Folks!

A big thanks to those of you who came to the meeting on March 24th – it was great to reconnect!  To summarized what happened:

  • The revised by-laws were adopted  (see attached)
  • Sailing seasons were voted upon and this is what the majority wanted: 

Spring May 7th through June 25th (8 weeks), 

July 2nd off 

Summer July 9th through August 27th (8 weeks) 

  • Format will be Portsmouth A and B, with 1 start for each race 
  • Race Chairman will be on a volunteer basis (see by-laws for responsibilities).  if there is no race chairman or committee boat for a given week, races for that week will be cancelled
  • Sign up for Race Chair can be found on the following link:  Sign Up Here.
    any questions, please let me know.  Also, once you sign up please let me know.  The officers ask that you only sign up, do not move the names that are entered already.  Everything is open for discussion, in the event of someone wanting a week that is filled.  Also, please see the PDF for the most recent sign-ups.  
  • Depending on the sign-ups, Dave Dunlap and myself will have an early season training session at our place on a Sunday afternoon before the start of the season (May 5).  
  • After sailing gatherings will be at Jacs again this year. 

    For now, I think that is it.  Thank you to all who have joined already!  

Kathy 

Fleet Secretary 

Events, News, Series Racing

Race Committee Informational Session Sunday May 5th

Happy Spring!

The start of sailing season is quickly approaching with the first Tuesday night race scheduled for May 7th.  A big thanks to John Hayward for signing up to be race chair for the first two weeks of racing!  Thanks also to the others who have volunteered – I will include the link below so you can see where we are at with our sign ups.  Dave and I are planning to hold an informational training session for running our races at our place on Sunday May 5th at 1PM.   Dave will have the marks, flags, horns, etc available for demo,  and  we will go over the running of the program on the tablet for the start sequence as well as the mechanics of the stopwatches for timing the finishes.  We’ll also take a look at the forms and have the committee boat binder available so future race chair persons can become familiar with it. Our address is:  5061 South Long Lake Dr. Portage.  

Sign up for Race Chair can be found on the following link:  Sign Up.
Any questions, please let me know.  Also, once you sign up please let me know.  The officers ask that you only sign up, do not move the names that are entered already.  

Everything is open for discussion, in the event of someone wanting a week that is filled.

We are having it early so it won’t interfere with anyone’s dinner Cinco de Mayo plans!  Hope to see you here! 

Kathy

ALCA Secretary