Turkey Tack

This regatta was the brainchild of Travis Carlisle and Madde Vachon who, in the summer of 2023, thought there ought to be something fun to do while all SSA sailors were home and on break during Thanksgiving. They threw around the most outrageous regatta plans and settled on what we now call the Turkey Tack. It begins with assigned boats to rig and participants leave them half-rigged in the outer basins. At the competitor's briefing, sailors choose a different number from a hat which changes their boat assignment. The 5-minute start sequence occurs on land and ends in a Le Mans style running start from the clubhouse to the outer basins where sailors must scramble to find their new boat, pull their mainsail up fully and sail out of the basin to start the race. Real pumpkins are numbered and dropped along the course which, when brought back to the club, correspond to prizes such as gift cards and swag bags from sponsors as well as score modifiers to keep all sailors on their toes.

Prizes are awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place like any normal regatta, plus fun prizes for Best Costume, Oldest and Youngest Skipper, and Best Team Name. 

Any fleet is invited to sail the course for the Turkey Tack but special prizes are reserved for FJ participants.

Turkey costumes are encouraged, fun is mandatory.