September-October 1962

At the annual meeting, fleet representatives override the Governing Board's acceptance of adjustable spinnaker pole fittings. The vote in the open meeting promptly reverses the Board's decision and restores the old ruling 28 on spinnaker fittings on the mast.

An editorial welcoming new editor Larry Haupt and reflecting on Bagpipe's two-year history. The editor discusses how the newsletter has built connections among Thistle sailors across the country and encourages readers to contribute stories and photos to support the magazine.

Photo caption identifying the cover photo of Peter Bordes sailing MAID OF FLIGHT (603), the new National Champion, on his way to winning the championship with a solid 15.5-point lead after five races.

The Chief Measurer presents new and revised rulings for the Thistle Class, adopted by the Governing Board and approved by the fleet at the annual meeting. Changes include modifications to roller reefing gear, boom vang rules, kick-up rudders, rudder and centerboard thickness specifications, and shroud tension devices.

Peter Bordes wins the 17th Thistle National Championship sailing MAID OF FLIGHT (603) with a 15.5-point lead over Walt Stubner. The championship was held at Staten Island with 67 boats competing. The article details five races with varying wind conditions and describes Bordes' winning tactics throughout the series.

Complete race results table for the 17th Thistle National Championship with individual boat placements across five races and overall point totals and final standings.

Complete listing of trophy awards for the 17th Thistle National Championship held at Richmond County Yacht Club in August 1962. Awards are organized by race category and individual achievement.

The Thistle Class Association Governing Board held a morning session at Richmond County Y.C. where they voted on new rulings and changes to bylaws regarding vang and reefing rules, rating adjustments for various configurations, and other administrative matters related to fleet management and the National Championship.

At the 24th annual Michiana Regatta held July 14th and 15th at Eagle Lake Yacht Club in Bloomington, Michigan, LaFollette dominated with strong showings. Results include finishes from LaFollette, Borough, Pearson, Matoleski, Otter, Pretzel, Worley, Wilson, Maclean, White, and Wissmann.

Jackson Yacht Club, Jackson, Mississippi, held its second annual regatta on September 15-16, 1962, with three races held at Lake Hico, just north of Jackson. Approximately 60 sailboats participated, including Thistles from Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama. The races were characterized by light and variable winds.

Huntington's burgeoning Thistle Fleet held its seventh Annual Invitational regatta on September 8-9, 1962. Elmer Richards of Lake Hoptacong, New Jersey, the new Class President, scored consistently with firsts and thirds to win. The race series featured various wind conditions and competitive racing among the fleet.

Thistle Fleet #102 raced in the Virginia Sailing Regatta on July 28-29, 1962 at Portsmouth Yacht Club. Results from three races with various skippers and finishes.

The Tagaliella Trophy Race, an annual Thistle classic of the Cleveland Yachting Club Regatta, was won by John Proctor sailing MAID #1222. The race was a 1-2 series with Proctor taking perfect scores.

Caldwell recounts the Thistle family cruise results in the Muscle Shoals Sailing Association regatta held July 28-29. Games show eight entries with a register if they keep trying long enough. The writer describes the event organization and the MNSA as a relatively new organization in the Muscle Shoals area.

Ed Walsh, 1961 National Thistle Champion from Delano, N.J. used his winning ways by ousting the 1962 Great Lakes Thistle Championship held at the Erie Yacht Club, Erie, Pennsylvania in July. Walsh and his wife defeated 42 boats in some of the best sailors in the Thistle-regions national championships by running the title.

Smith won the 1962 Western Regionals with exciting racing at San Francisco Bay over August 25-26. The article describes the dramatic three-race series with challenging conditions, dramatic finishes, and the involvement of Fleet 76 of Kameone Yacht Club and other West Coast competitors.

Topping a fleet of 65 Thistles by 7½ points, Peter Bordes sailing MAID OF FLIGHT won the Atlantic Coast Championship at his home club at Milford, Conn. Trailing Dennis Posey by two points before the last race, Bordes came from behind to win the final race and the championship.

With 8 firsts in the 9 races he sailed in the fleet-wide Spring series, Coneyes compiled a near perfect .257 average for Harold Dobson and the perennial fleet champions. Last year saw Matt broke his skin, scoring a 1 out of 32 boats and winning a .382 percentage.

The Oklahoma Invitational of Fleet #108 was held at Port Grove Sailing Club on October 6-7. Haupf took top honors with a strong start in 15-25 knot winds and self rescue tactics. The second race saw challenging conditions with wind shifts that affected boat placement.

Complete race results for the District Championship, showing boat numbers, skipper names, and placement across races, with final standings determined by cumulative scoring.

Peter Hale won the Niagara Frontier District Championships held August 4-5, 1962. Race results showing competitor placements across three races with final standings.

Phelps won the Lake Michigan Districts regatta held June 30-July 1, 1962. Complete race results with various skippers from the region competing across multiple races.

Classified section with advertisements for boats, equipment, insurance, and various Thistle-related products and services including boat sales listings, marine supplies, and insurance offers.