Tag Archives: ALCA

Events, News

2024 Year End Awards Banquet Info & RSVP

Our year-end dinner/celebration is Sunday September 22 at 5:00pm at La Cantina in Paw Paw.  If you were at our last get together at Jac’s, you may have seen the limited menu that Julie L and I selected.  This menu is included below. We ask that you RSVP with either a yes or no – by replying to this email, along with your dinner selections and if you want to add a side salad.  We have the back of the restaurant to ourselves, and later, we will have our trophies/gifts/meeting in the room downstairs.  Fleet-provided appetizers will be provided soon after 5pm, so be sure to arrive on time!

Again, simply reply to this email by no later than Monday September 16th with your RSVP.  

Weather permitting, our commodore Wally Elsner has offered to host a bonfire not far away.  If you want to attend,  BYOB and your own chair.  

Let me know if you have any questions – 

Kathy  – ALCA Secretary 

ALCA Year End Banquet Meal RSVP
ALCA Year End Banquet Meal RSVP
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 

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, Summer Series

We’re Baaaaack!

After 2 months of down time for our website, it has FINALLY been restored. NOT a big fan of our website provider, JustHost.com. After spending several hours with the JustHost support tech people several times from May 6 on, then several hours July 4, 5, 6, & 7th, the website was restored. Even the tech I was texting with today was not aware that their support team had been able to restore the site (I only found out by accident while I was online with him).

Sorry for the lapse in service – let’s get back to SAILING!