3rd Annual Hot Turkey Race at Portsmouth Sailing Club
by Jim Page 26 Dec 2014 20:31 GMT
25 December 2014
The best Christmas Day Race yet!
One national paper reported on Christmas Day 2012, "The Wettest and Most Miserable Christmas in Living Memory". Three small boats braved the elements and took part in the First Annual Cold Turkey Race. It was named a Cold Turkey Race because it was assumed that the participants when getting home after enjoying themselves too much in the clubhouse following the race would be faced with a hot and indignant partner and a cold turkey. But it was all over by lunchtime and the Turkeys were still Hot.
It was not much different on Christmas Day 2013 when another national paper reported, "Christmas holiday chaos as more than 100 flights are cancelled at Gatwick: Families stranded around Europe due to weather". The race had been renamed the 'Hot Turkey' as it was realised that the competitors would always be back in plenty of time for a traditional Christmas Dinner. Eleven boats, small and large took part in the Second Annual Hot Turkey Race
But Christmas Day 2014 in Portsmouth Harbour proved to be sunny and breezy - ideal for a short race around Spit Sand Fort for an assorted collection of 14 boats.
Usually small boats are not allowed to sail in and out of the harbour without using their engines and certainly not in the middle of the entrance - but - as there are no commercial or military vessels using the harbour on Christmas day - the Queen's Harbour Master now kindly gives Portsmouth Sailing Club special permission to run a sailing race that starts and finishes in Portsmouth harbour entrance.
This year was the third time that this annual event had been run by Portsmouth Sailing Club. The race was dreamt up in the club bar on Christmas Day 2011. The club is always open Christmas lunchtime and members noticed that, unlike a normal day when there is a constant flow of large Cross Channel Ferries and Navy Ships in front of the club at the harbour entrance, the harbour was empty.
Such was the increasing interest this year that an assortment of 14 sailing boats, ranging in size from a 12 foot Laser dinghy to a 54 foot ocean racing cruiser, gathered in the harbour entrance for the start.
The race followed a course out of the harbour - around Palmerston's Folly- Spitbank Fort
and back. In contrast to the previous two years there were perfect conditions for a race - sunshine and a good breeze.
All entry fees went to GAFIRS, the local Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service.
However, safety was well looked after by members of the club on the RHIBs who were also out enjoying the freedom the Harbour Entrance.
The first boat home in a time of 31 minutes 48 seconds was the RS400 sailed by long term members of Portsmouth Sailing Club, Chris and Kathy Iles.
However the winner (as judged by the secret Hot Turkey handicapping system) was not the fastest boat in the fleet but a 14 foot Tideway cruising dinghy - "AJ" - helmed by another Portsmouth Sailing Club member, Jon Clapham with his wife Pat and daughter Angela.
The race will certainly be run again on Christmas Day 2015 and all will be very welcome to take part - there is plenty of room for more boats in the harbour entrance - details will be on the club's website: - www.portsmouthsc.co.uk
Local resident and Portsmouth Sailing Club member Sir Robin Knox-Johnston who took part in the first race with his grandchildren but couldn't take part last year as he was racing in the Sydney to Hobart with Clipper Ventures took part this year, helming Sailing Secretary Jim Page's Victory Z73 Seagull. As he said afterwards 'This is the best fun to be had anywhere on a Christmas Day morning'.
Portsmouth Sailing Club runs sailing events throughout the year including Spring and Autumn 'Parhelion' cruiser series and the pre-Christmas Frostbite series. In 2014 the club ran the Portsmouth Regatta celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Victory Class and the 150th anniversary of the Royal Albert Yacht Club.
Portsmouth Sailing Club, based at the harbour entrance in Old Portsmouth, welcomes prospective new family and individual sailing members.
Many thanks to the Queen's Harbour Master, Portsmouth for allowing the race to take place on
Christmas Day.