December 1957

Official record of the Governing Board meeting held August 19, 1957 at Seneca Yacht Club, Geneva, NY. Minutes cover fleet charter actions, committee appointments, treasure reports, and operational decisions regarding Thistle Class governance.

Editor's column discussing magazine production logistics, reader outreach, boat trailing adventures, and soliciting Fleet contributions for upcoming issues. Addresses the lack of color in the November issue and reprinting logistics.

Record of the annual meeting of the Thistle Class Association held August 23, 1957 at Seneca Yacht Club. Minutes cover fleet representation, financial statements, officer elections, constitution amendments, and organizational matters.

Report on an experimental fiberglass Thistle hull built by Tom Heckel for the Indianapolis Sailing Club. Describes the new boat's characteristics and construction methods, noting differences from traditional wooden hulls.

Collection of classified advertisements including boat for sale, wanted ads, and boat refinishing services.

Column explaining the delayed publication of recent Bagpipe issues due to addressograph plate shipping problems and other logistical challenges between editors. Outlines future publication plans.

Report on Fleet 49 Championship racing held over July 4th and Labor Day weekends, including competitive sailing at Babylon and Bellport with 17 Thistles competing in heavy wind conditions.

Complete race results from the 1957 Labor Day Regatta held at Bellport, showing 17 Thistle entries competing with Doug Westin's Old Smuggler taking first place overall.

Report on the Savin Hill Yacht Club's season finale regatta held in Columbus Day weekend near Dorchester, Massachusetts, featuring a 3-race series with entries from New England fleets and strong performances by the Gallagher brothers.

Report on Fleet 46 at Rochester Canoe Club's successful season with 26 boats, including descriptions of championship races and trophy winners, plus information on new club facilities and leadership.

Report on Fleet Two's annual Icebreaker Series held on Detroit River October 13, 1957, with Howard Boston capturing three first places and excellent weather conditions.

Notice encouraging Thistle Class members to pay annual dues, with information about membership benefits and special low rates for active and sustaining members.

Technical article discussing wooden mast growth after extended water immersion, citing Bill Nexsen's 1957 Nationals award and describing the engineering problem of mast length changes.

Technical article describing an inexpensive solution for reefing invented by Dave Minton, featuring a cut-down halyard winch mounted on the mast that enables single-handed reef control.

Complete race results from Sandusky Sailing Club 1957 season including Sunday and Wednesday series, plus special trophy races.

Report on the Great Lakes Thistle Championships held in conjunction with the 31st annual Sandusky Bay Regatta with 40 Thistle entries, won by Jim Hendricksen with 116 points, and detailed standings for all competitors.

Report on the fourth annual Put-In-Bay long distance race held in connection with the Interlake Yachting Association Regatta, with detailed handicap scoring and class ratings.

Advisory column congratulating newly-elected Fleet Secretaries and providing guidance on submitting annual Fleet reports and collecting membership dues.

Announcement of the 1958 Thistle Mid-Winter Regatta to be held in St. Petersburg, Florida in January, including race schedule, entry details, and accommodation information.