Al Declercq has a BBA from Eastern Michigan University and a MBA from the University of Detroit. He started his first sail making business in September of 1979. His present business, Doyle Sails Detroit, founded in 2006, is located in Clinton Township, Michigan. In addition to making sails, Al is a very avid and highly successful competitive sailor, logging more than 50,000 miles of offshore racing experience. In 2013 he won his 25th Mackinac race. Al and his wife, Sara, have two children, Allison and Matthew.