2nd Annual Turkey Tack
The 2nd Annual Turkey Tack, held on Friday, November 29th, was a huge hit and a fantastic way to close out the holiday weekend! Thanks to our generous sponsors—Spinsheet, EWE Spirit, Boatyard Bar & Grill, Zodiac, Zim Sailing, Quantum Sails, Skiff+, and more—we had 10 FJs and 12 ILCA boats racing on Annapolis Harbor in what turned out to be an unforgettable day of fun and friendly competition.
The excitement kicked off with the classic Le Mans-style start for the FJ class. Sailors sprinted to their half-rigged boats, quickly finished rigging, and then raced off to the course. Meanwhile, the ILCA sailors were getting ready, with their race starting just after the last FJ boat crossed the start line. But the real fun began at the first mark, where sailors got to grab floating pumpkins—each one numbered, and each number corresponding to a swag bag filled with awesome prizes! Some lucky sailors found mystery place adjustments (+1, -1), while others snagged cool gear, all thanks to our amazing sponsors. It was a perfect mix of strategy and chance, with plenty of opportunities to shake up the results!
The Turkey Tack is all about enjoying a laid-back sail around the harbor after Thanksgiving, with a dash of competition for good measure. And who doesn’t love racing for pie? The top 3 sailors in each class went home with Spinsheet-sponsored pies from a local bakery (Pumpkin, Apple, or Pecan). Plus, we awarded fun prizes for the Oldest Skipper, Youngest Skipper, and Best Costume. This year’s winners were: Anna Groszkowski (Oldest Skipper in FJ), Caroline Carey (Youngest Skipper in FJ), and the Taco Boat (Caroline Carey & Sky Hillel) for Best Costume!
The top 3 finishers in the FJ class were:
1st Place: Caroline Carey & Sky Hillel
2nd Place: Halsey Carter & Daniel Draper
3rd Place: Logan Downey & Caroline Welte
In the ILCA class, the top 3 were:
1st Place: Alex Lopatin
2nd Place: Eric Johnson
3rd Place: Bruce Empey
A huge thank you to our dedicated race committee—Lisa Pline, Grant Garcia, and Heath Berlin—for making sure everything ran smoothly on the water. And a special shoutout to Madde Vachon for bringing all the energy and fun that made this event such a blast!
If you missed this year’s Turkey Tack, don’t worry—it’s already on the calendar for next year, and you definitely won’t want to miss it. With sailing, prizes, pies, and tons of laughs, it’s the perfect way to kick off the holiday season!