Sorry to kill the good vibe for Summer Series sailing, but racing for Week #5 – August 3, 2021 is cancelled due to low to NO wind!
We will be meeting at Brewster’s between 6:30-7 PM. If you get a chance look at the info for expanded race course offerings that was posted earlier today. Any of the experienced skippers can help answer any questions regarding this tonight, because we anticipate using some of the upwind finish race courses next week.
Greetings ALCA Sailors! WOW…20 boats last week!! We are at the half way point and you better get your heavy weight crews for Tuesday night because the forecast looks….WINDY!!
Our across the street neighbor and neighborhood Little Free Library Tramontane now has a weather station and you can see it on sailflow – https://www.sailflow.com/spot/518196
While Michigan’s numbers are realatively low, we remind all racers to follow the social distancing and safe sailing guidelines, and remind everyone to sail safe.
The Officers met late last week to develop some Race Chair Guidelines for duties while on the Committee Boat, please review the two emailed documents and provide any feedback.
We are set for the next two weeks with the Lenczycki pontoon as Committee Boat, but will need boats/race chairs for our last four weeks. If you can supply your pontoon and serve as race chair for a two week commitment, please let me know by next Sunday, August 9.
We are looking to see if there is an interest in doing a Zoom meeting the night of sailing to hear results and see everyone’s smiling faces or talk about the races that night. It would most likely start at 9:15 pm and run for an hour or less. Let me know if there is an interest and I will set it up for next week.
I think that wraps up the messages for this week. Be sure to dress warm and wear your life jackets! Enjoy the wind!!
And don’t forget your DRAIN PLUGS!
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!