Fleets & Racing
Our 2025 club racing program currently features a formal Silver Series on Thursday evenings and six Fun Races on select Saturdays starting in June (see calendar). All classes of sailboats suitable for Portage Lake are welcome, and sailors of all experience levels—from novices to seasoned sailors—can join. After the races, gather onshore to relive the excitement, share lessons learned, make new friends, and chat about the day’s events. Portage Yacht Club also hosts regattas for the Interlake, Flying Scot, and ILCA (laser) classes in August and September.
If you are without a sailboat of your own, Portage Yacht Club offers a number of Club Boats that are available to rent on Portage Lake, for a few hours, the day, or you can reserved for a specific race time weekly throughout the sailing/racing season. These are the 14’ Laser, 18’ Interlake, 19’ Flying Scot, and 13’ Hobie Wave. These are maintained by the Club Staff and provide a way to learn more about sailing, test your skills, and join in on the fun.
Not sure if sailing or racing is for you? We can likely get you on the water during the racing as part of the crew on one of the race management boats, to watch close-up and maybe even help set the race buoys, or maybe flag raising with an experienced boat driver/manager. Sometimes on the larger sailboats the owner may be short a crew member and need a helping hand during a practice session, or even a formal race. The Club Office maintains a Crew List of those interested.
We invite you to visit Portage Yacht Club on Portage Lake and check us out and look forward to meeting you.
-PYC Commodore, Club Staff, and Portage Lake Sailors.
Rules & Dates
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Rules | US Racing Rules of Sailing. Sailing Instructions will be available once approved. |
| Eligibility and Entry | Open to class-legal boats owned by or chartered to a PYC member. Club membership requirements waived for first-year racers. FEE SCHEDULE AND ENTRY FORMS AVAILABLE FROM THE CLUB OFFICE. |
| Fleets | Three entries required per class for fleet status, otherwise any additonal classes of less than three will be grouped in the open class. |
| Starting Order | Single-handed; Multi-handed |
| 2025 Dates | Spring/Fall: May 15, 22, 29, June 5, Aug 28, Sept 4, 11, 18 School’s Out: June 12, 19, 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, Aug 7, 14, 21 Fun Races: June 7, 21 July 19, Aug 9, 23 Sept 13 Laser Invitational: May 22, 29, June 5, 12, 19, 26 Interlake Regatta: Aug 16 Flying Scot Regatta: Sept 6 No Sweat (ILCA): Sept 20 PYC Calendar |
| Races | Three or more back-to-back races. (Weather permitting) |
| Warning Signal | 6:30 PM. Subsequent races: Back-to-Back |
| Other | Scoring, alternative penalties, prizes and other details are covered in the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions. Questions, please contact the Club Office during regular office hours. |
Laser Fleet
Welcome to the Laser Fleet at Portage Yacht Club on Portage Lake. We hope that you’ll join us for some competitive racing, simply fun sailing, and great camaraderie.
Our fleet was established in the early 1970’s soon after the Laser was created, with weekly race participation at Portage Lake. Our annual fall No Sweat Regatta has been a tradition ever since. In the early years we hosted as many as 60 Lasers at the No Sweat, in recent years about 20 attended.
On any given evening on land, or on the water, just ask how or what could be done to tweak for greater speed or boat handling. We are ready to share tips that with practice can tame your Laser making it easier to handle and maybe a bit faster. We hope you’ll join us on the starting line this season.
Invitational Events
Each event open to all who can attend.
The 6-week Invitational Laser Racing Series: planned for again on Thursday evenings, which layered over and run parallel to the local fleet series.
The Slalom Race: One-on-one timed heats rotating thru all competitors racing each other at least once, to a final of the two overall fastest and best handled boats. Anything can happen.
The No Sweat Regatta
The Notice of Race for all 3 Invitationals and other great information can be found at our Laser fleet website: https://nosweatregatta.com
For Laser Fleet 330 contact Rick Lyons at [email protected] or Steve Wiseman at [email protected]
Fleet Roster
Fleet Rosters Updated: Jul 20, 2023
| Name | Role | Sail # | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ehman, Paul | Skipper | 2356 | 734-426-4155 | [email protected] |
| Harvey, Robert | Skipper | 173239 | 248-723-6466 | [email protected] |
| Hawkins, Sam | Skipper | 124390 | 248-486-9310 | [email protected] |
| Lyons, Elliott | Skipper | 159777 | 734-277-9435 | [email protected] |
| Lyons, Rick | Skipper | 145449 | 734-904-9583 | [email protected] |
| Sunstrum, Jim | Skipper | 158720 | 313-274-3239 | [email protected] |
| Williams, Dave | Skipper | 176256 | 734-591-6283 | [email protected] |
| Wiseman, Steve | Skipper | 158712 | 734-546-4897 | [email protected] |
Latest News & Racing Schedule
- The Club again has several rental Lasers at its moorings for those without a boat that would like to try sailing at Portage Lake and even try racing too.
- Thursday evenings mid-May thru mid-Sept. Warning signal at 6:30, with multiple races, usually followed by a social time afterwards on shore.
- Weekends – Casual practice racing and learning. This a sign-up series with emailed notices, and operates when it’s likely the wind and weather may cooperate for those on the list who would be emailed prior to the weekend. stating the day and time.
Interlake Fleet
Greetings from the Interlake Fleet at Portage Yacht Club on Portage Lake. We hope that you’ll join us for some competitive racing, simply fun sailing, and great camaraderie.
The Interlake has been sailed on Portage Lake since the early 70’s. The Interlake Fleet has hosted the nationals 4-5 times over the years, and annually hosts a fall invitational regatta. Fleet members from time to time travel to regattas off the lake including the Nationals.
Aside from all the on the water activities the Fleet members enjoy hanging out after the races at the club to socialize. We hope you’ll join us on the starting line this season.
Contact Portage Yacht Club office at [email protected]
Fleet Roster
Fleet Rosters Updated: Jul 20, 2023
| Name | Role | Sail # | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cathey, Felicia | Crew | 1341 | 734-922-3571 | [email protected] |
| Cathey, Tyler | Skipper | 1341 | 734-922-3571 | [email protected] |
| Chapin, Clark | Skipper | 1317 | 734-453-4765 | [email protected] |
| Ehman, Tom | Skipper | 1318 | 734-426-4155 | [email protected] |
| Gleichert, Marc | Skipper | 1282 | 734-476-7489 | [email protected] |
| Kimball, Tom | Crew | 1318 | 734-576-6000 | [email protected] |
| O'Donnel, William | Skipper | 1380 | 248-880-5271 | [email protected] |
| Smith, Brook | Skipper | 1380 | 734-424-1112 | [email protected] |
Latest News & Racing Schedule
- The Club again has a rental Interlake at its moorings for those without a boat that would like to try sailing at Portage Lake and even try racing too.
- Thursday evenings mid-May thru mid-Sept. Warning signal at 6:30, with multiple races, usually followed by a social time afterwards on shore.
- Weekends – Casual practice racing and learning. This a sign-up series with emailed notices, and operates when it’s likely the wind and weather may cooperate for those on the list who would be emailed prior to the weekend. stating the day and time.
Flying Scot Fleet
Greetings from the Flying Scot Fleet, at Portage Yacht Club, on Portage Lake!
The Flying Scot Fleet has been sailing on Portage Lake since the early 60’s. The Fleet has hosted the Districts a number of times over the years, and hosts a fall invitational regatta annually. Fleet members from time to time travel to regattas of the lake and have traveled to off lake events over the years.
Aside from the on the water activities the Fleet members enjoy hanging out after the races at the club to socialize. It’s hoped that you’ll join this for racing, simply fun sailing, and great camaraderie.
Contact Portage Yacht Club office at [email protected]
Fleet Roster
Fleet Rosters Updated: Jul 20, 2023
| Name | Role | Sail # | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bongiorni, Bruce | Crew | 3854 | 734-657-1125 | [email protected] |
| Foster, William | Skipper | 4297 | 734-904-2593 | [email protected] |
| Frisbie, Ron & Sharon | Skipper | 5273 | 612-819-5521 | [email protected] |
| Hawkins, Brian | Skipper | 3288 | 248-486-9310 | [email protected] |
| Hawkins, Suzy | Crew | 3288 | 248-486-9310 | [email protected] |
| Staub, Nancy | Crew | 3854 | 734-426-6452 | [email protected] |
| Marion, Greg | Skipper | 3228 | 734-395-6703 | [email protected] |
| White, Jack | Skipper | 3854 | 734-426-6452 | [email protected] |
| Taylor, Ann | Skipper | 158764 | 734-453-5788 | [email protected] |
Latest News & Racing Schedule
- The Club again has a couple of rental Flying Scots at its moorings for those without a boat that would like to try sailing at Portage Lake and even try racing too.
- Thursday evenings mid-May thru mid-Sept. Warning signal at 6:30, with multiple races, usually followed by a social time afterwards on shore.
- Weekends – Casual practice racing and learning. This a sign-up series with emailed notices, and operates when it’s likely the wind and weather may cooperate for those on the list who would be emailed prior to the weekend. stating the day and time.
Open Class Fleet
Greetings from the Open Fleet at Portage Yacht Club on Portage Lake. Our sailboat racing activity here at Portage Lake started out as everyone in the Open Fleet back in the early 1950’s, made up of cottage owners around the lake who enjoyed sailing. Since those early days the home base for the racing sailors has become Portage Yacht Club with several well established fleets. Other fleets have come and gone over the years, but we always have room for those looking to learn more about their boat, handle it better, and have fun while participating in the Open Fleet.
As in any organization, flexibility is the key to success and we are set up to accommodate those who wish to participate (assuming your boat will comfortably launch into Portage Lake.)
The most recent sailboats in the Open Fleet were the Sunfish and MC Scow which raced on Thursday evenings. We invite anyone with a sailboat between 12-19 feet to join in on the fun.
Weekends – Casual practice racing and learning. This a sign-up series with emailed notices, and operates when it’s likely the wind and weather may cooperate for those on the list who would be emailed prior to the weekend. stating the day and time.
We hope that you’ll join our Open Fleet this season for some competitive racing, simply fun sailing, and great camaraderie.
Contact Portage Yacht Club office at [email protected]
Latest News & Racing Schedule
- The Club again has various small rental sailboats like the Hobie Wave at its moorings for those without a boat that would like to try sailing at Portage Lake and even try racing too.
- Thursday evenings mid-May thru mid-Sept. Warning signal at 6:30, with multiple races, usually followed by a social time afterwards on shore.