Category Archives: Series Racing

News about Series (Spring or Summer) racing.

Events, News, Series Racing, Spring Series

Spring Series Week #5 – June 3, 2025

Well Folks…….

Here it is:  a hot sunny day with lots of wind!  Forecast for Tuesday is sunny, with a high of 86 degrees and SSW winds at 10-20 mph gusting to 30.  Make sure you are comfortable with these conditions and that you have a righting line if you go out on the water.  Race Chairman is John Koryto on his gorgeous Viaggio pontoon boat and as always, make sure you check in at the committee boat so they can note your sail # and if you have a crew or are flying solo 😳.  

We meet at Main St Pub on Westnedge after sailing, and if you aren’t sailing, please rsvp to this email if you will be joining us.  I will see you at the bar if I don’t have  to show up for jury duty Wednesday morning.  

Kathy  – ALCA Secretary  

News, Series Racing

Spring Series Week #4 – May 27, 2025

Hope everyone had a great weekend!  Temperatures are finally warming up, with Tuesday’s high being  in the low 70s, with mostly cloudy skies and 10-15 mph winds out of the east.  Yours truly is the race chair with Dave Dunlap assisting on Jeff Daane’s pontoon.  1st race start sequence will be at 6:30 pm sharp!  Hope to see many of you on the water – please remember to sail by the committee boat as soon as we are on station to check in.  Also, attached are the membership form and the race chair sign up sheet.  We are almost full for race chairs for the season, thanks to all who have signed up and/or provided their pontoon boats!  

After racing we go to Main St. Pub on Westnedge, if you do not race but still are coming out, please let us know that you are coming so that we get sufficient seating for everyone.  

Kathy Rubino – ALCA Secretary 

Events, News, Series Racing, Spring Series

Spring Series Week #3 – May 20, 2025

Hi All!

Mother Nature just won’t give us a break!  Tuesday we’re looking at a cloudy day with a high of 58 degrees and breezy conditions of 10-20 mph ENE winds and an 80% chance of rain, even into the evening.  I am the Race Chair (🥶❄️❄️) with Dave Dunlap assisting on Jeff Daane’s pontoon boat.  We typically do not cancel until after 5 because we all know how the weather can change from the original forecast. After sailing we will go to Main Street Pub on Westnedge.

Last Tuesday there was a discussion about mid summer social activities, and how much fun our float parties used to be.  So, the ALCA FLOAT PARTY IS BACK this year!  Save the date for Sunday July 20th.  Paid members will receive details on upcoming details for this event.  In the meantime, let me know if you are on the lake and will be joining us via pontoon.  We need at least 5 boats to accommodate the non-lake members who will be attending.  

Just a reminder, if you have a question or comment – just reply to this email (to me), not the entire mailing list (as in reply to all),  unless you really want the whole fleet to receive your comment!

– Kathy 

ALCA Secretary 

News, Series Racing, Spring Series

Spring Series Week #2 – May 13, 2025

Good afternoon ALCA!

Seems that we are in a great weather pattern with all this warm weather – gardens are getting planted and the lake is starting to warm up!  Tuesday is our 2nd week of Spring Series, and we are looking at highs in the mid 70s with a 40% of scattered thunderstorms.  Winds will be from the east/southeast  at 5-10 mph, decreasing into the evening.  Our race chair is once again Win Larsen. 

Afterwards we will go to Main St Pub on Westnedge, and be prepared to sit outside if the conditions permit.  Also, thanks to all who came out last week and were patient with the staff getting used to our big group!  

Stay tuned to your email and Facebook for changes in tomorrow’s schedule!  

Kathy Rubino

ALCA Secretary 

Events, News, Series Racing

ALCA 2025 Kick-off Meeting – April 27, 2025

As we leave winter and the snow, it’s time to start thinking of sailing on Tuesday nights!  The ALCA Officers have scheduled the spring meeting for Sunday April 27th at our (Kathy & Dave’s) house on Long Lake in Portage.  The fleet will provide taco’s for an early Cinco de Mayo celebration, and it’s BYO adult beverage.  Dishes to pass are appreciated, and bring anything you’d want to go with tacos, toppings, snacks, slides or desserts.  Water, soft drinks and coffee will be available.  RSVP’s are appreciated, and if you can, let me know what you’ll be bringing. 

Where: Kathy and Dave’s on Long Lake:  5061 South Long Lake Dr.   Portage, MI

When:  Sunday April 27th

            2:30 pm – arrive, social time

            3:00 pm – meeting

            4:00 – 4:30 pm – dinner 

At the meeting we will discuss and decide our racing calendar, have committee boat and race chairmen sign-ups and will have membership forms available.  Please remember to bring cash or check for membership payments.  

We look forward to seeing you!

Kathy Rubino

ALCA Secretary 

p.s. This email is going out to members from last year, previous members and friends from prior years, as well as some new faces.  If we don’t see you at the meeting, on the water or hear back from you, you will be deleted from the list and not spammed weekly.  

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News, Series Racing, Summer Series

Summer Series Week #7 – August 20, 2024

Apologies for this coming out to you so late!

Today’s RC is Dave Stiemsma and the weather is in the high 60s, with a NE wind of 8 mph and decreasing.  You will hear a different horn for signals tonight, our equipment manager, Dave D is testing out an electronic air horn.  The canisters for the existing air horn do not last long and are getting expensive.  Below is a photo of the setup and I’ll try to send the video.  If it seems to work, the set up will be streamlined for next year with the possibility of having it run by the starting sequence on the tablet.

We are going to Jac’s after racing tonight.  Remember the year end party is Sunday September 22 – we are getting close to securing a venue and details. Kathy Rubino – Fleet 519 Secretary

Events, News, Series Racing, Summer Series

Summer Series Week #6 – August 13, 2024

UPDATE: We are CANCELLED for the night due to <3 winds on the course. Any interested sailors can meet us, at 6:30 PM, on the patio at Main Street Pub on S. Westnedge (just North of Jac’s, on the opposite side of the road).

Tuesday marks our 6th week of the summer racing series – and the forecast looks a lot more pleasant, temperature and sunshine – wise than last week……but sadly light variable winds of maybe 5mph – ugh!  Feast or famine!  Wally is our RC on John Koryto’s pontoon, and we go to Jac’s afterwards for results.  If we are cancelled, stay tuned, as I know there is music from 6-9pm at Jac’s and we may find another venue.  

Great news – we have a pontoon and RC for our last two weeks – thank you Dave Stiemsma!  

This week the Wave 100 is being held off the Lake Michigan coast – they start off Tuesday from South Haven, sailing to St Joe, then to New Buffalo Wednesday and finally on to Michigan City on Thursday.  You can learn more about the event on the Formula Wave Class Facebook page.

Save the date: Saturday, September 7th (rain date Sunday, September 8th) for the Commodore’s cup, Fleet 126 racing off Washington Beach in Michigan City.  Stay tuned for more details!  

Kathy – ALCA Secretary 

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