Tag Archives: Austin Lake Catamaran Association

Events, News, Series Racing

Summer Series Week #5 – Aug 6, 2019

What a Pontoon Float party Sunday!  We had sun, fun, drinks, snacks, floating, and if that weren’t enough, mother nature brought us a powerful rainstorm with significant wind and some lightening.  It started as we were headed in, and increased to heavy horizontal rain as we were getting to shelter.  After the rain passed, we made our way over to Lori and Jerry’s for dinner and door prizes. 

There are significant leftovers – brats, some salads and lots of cookies – so we’ve been invited back over after sailing Tuesday night (8/6/19).  There are soft drinks, but otherwise, it’s BYO adult beverages.  Tuesday’s forecast is for temps in the 80s, partly sunny, with a 20% chance of rain, west winds around 7mph.  Race chair is Dave Dunlap on Julie and Andy’s pontoon. 

Next, there has been some discussion about two topics, so for clarification, I’m quoting from the by-laws, 1) Minimum weight:  Hobie class rules state that minimum weight for skipper and crew is 285 lbs.  Therefore to be scored as a 2 person boat, you need to meet this weight requirement, or carry weight.  

(A)           Rules – All races and regattas shall be conducted in accordance with the IYRU, US Sailing and the Hobie Class Association Rules as published by the International Hobie Class Association.  Questions concerning minimum weight and whether a person or persons meet the requirements as prescribed in the Hobie Class Rules will be settled by the use of a Fleet scale calibrated by a known weight.

2)  The start finish line – can you go through it as you sail the course (not starting or finishing) and does it depend on what course is being sailed (upwind vs downwind finish)?  No and no.  Amendment (III) Amendments

(I)              ALCA, by the majority vote of total votes cast, can amend IYRU, US Sailing, and the Hobie Class Association Rules as published by the International Hobie Class Association

(II)            The Barging Buoy is an extension of the Committee Boat

(III)         The Start/Finish line is an obstruction at all times and cannot be crossed unless starting or finishing.

(IV)         Shorten course will be determined by the Committee Boat personnel.  Boats will sail designated course until passing between Committee Boat and Finishing Mark, or between gates as designated.

Hope this clears up any confusion – there’s lots more racing rules that need to be followed on our Tuesday nights, please show up after racing and ask questions.  Rule book summaries have been provided to some of the new sailors in the past few years, good idea if we all review them from time to time!

Events, News

Pontoon Float Party – Sunday, Aug 4, 2019

We are meeting on the lake around 2pm for fun, drinks, and snacks, then moving over to Lori and Jerry Mohney’s at 2812 East Shore Dr., where the fleet will provide brats and nonalcoholic beverages.  If you do not have a pontoon or are not a lake resident, and would like to get in on the afternoon fun, please let me know, and we’ll get you on a boat for the floating part of the party.  BYO adult beverages for the floating and the dinner, a snack for the float and either a light salad or light dessert for dinner.  All RSVPs will be eligible for the raffle at the dinner (we still have those prizes from the spring meeting.  You can either RSVP to this  email, or to your invite on Facebook (thank you to those who have already responded!).  

Events, News, Series Racing

Summer series week #3 – July 23, 2019

Tuesday looks great with sunny skies and temps in the 70’s and winds out of the northwest at 10-15 mph at start time.  Dave Stiemsma is the RC, and it’s his pontoon boat for committee boat.  Our PRO will be absent for the night, so any questions should be directed to Dave at (269)760-2698.  We will be meeting at Brewster’s after sailing tomorrow night, and there will be stories to tell about the Fleet 126 Michigan City one day regatta some of us attended this past weekend.  Turtle Soup Anyone?   

Dates to remember:

  • July 27 – July 28:  Pere Marquette Regatta  CRAM/HCANA Hobie Event
  • Aug 4: ALCA Float Party
  • Aug 17:  Fleet 126 Race 3, Michigan City
  • Sept 1:   Fleet 126 Race 4, Michigan City.
  • Resister for Muskegon July 27th and 28th! Last day for pre-registration is Tuesdayt (July 23rd)  at midnight!  We have at rough guess 13 Hobie 16s that should be in attendance!
  • Manistee on August 10th and 11th
  • Port Sanilac August 24th and 25th  
  • CSYC September 7th and 8th
  • Caseville II on September 28th and 29th in place of Tawas this year

News, Series Racing

Summer series week #2 – July 16, 2019

Tuesday is the second week of the Summer Series, Race Chair is Faith Akert, with Patrick Halpin and Peggy Wray’s pontoon boat as our committee boat.  John Hansen is scheduled to help Dixie and Keith run the races.  We are looking at winds coming from the South/Southwest at 7 mph, with a 55% chance of thunderstorms.  BooHoo!  One thing we learned last week, is pay more attention to what’s happening in real time on the lake at 5:30 – 6:00 pm than to only believe your weather APPS on your phone.  We had 2 very nice races last week, all 5 or 6 of us who were out there.  Also, the course might be somewhere that is not easily visible from your line of site when looking out onto the lake, so if you’re not sure we are sailing or not, ask Julie or me.  

News, Series Racing

Spring Series week #8 – June 25, 2019

Looks like we will have wind Tuesday, with sunny skies and temps in the 70s.  So it’ll be a great day to get out and sail with winds WSW at 10-15 – ish.  Win Larsen has graciously offered his pontoon as our committee boat and volunteered to be Race Chair, with John Koryto helping and learning from Win and the rest of the experienced crew of Keith Mortlock and Dixie Stiemsma.    We have a boat signed up for the first two Tuesdays in the Summer Series, July 9th and July 16th, but after that, nada.  So please consider signing up – racing will be cancelled any weeks we don’t have a boat and Race Chair.

News, Series Racing

spring series Week #7 – June 18, 2019

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.  

News, Series Racing

Spring Series Week #5 – June 4, 2019

Tuesday looks promising as far as wind goes, with wind predictions ranging from 10 – 20 mph to 10 – 15 mph and temperatures in the mid 70s, with a slight chance of rain in the late afternoon.  Race Chair for the evening is Jerry Mohney and we meet as Brewster’s afterwards.  Our Principal Race Officer, Julie has sent over a link for sign-up (Pontoon boats and race Chairs needed!) as a Google Docs file.   Any questions, please reach out to Julie or Dan about working with this file.  Otherwise, there will be a hard copy of the sign up sheet available at Brewsters after racing.