August/September 2005

Advertisements and product offerings including North Sails, Thistle Class fleece jackets, Rooke Sails boat covers, JIBMASTER II cleats, and Great Midwest Yacht Company boat clinic services.

The Secretary urges fleet leaders to plan year-end fleet parties to collect dues, hold elections, and organize growth initiatives. She emphasizes that fleet parties are crucial for membership engagement and provides tips for successful events.

Craig Smith expresses gratitude to all those who contributed to making the 2005 Nationals at Lavallette a successful regatta, including race committee, volunteers, and the Thistle Class membership.

A detailed account of the Lake Hopatcong Centennial Regatta weekend featuring match racing on sandbaggers, fleet racing, and elaborate entertainment. The McBride team competed against Star and Scow sailors with amusing anecdotes about boat mishaps and memorable dining experiences.

Results of the Great Pond Regatta at Cowan Lake with light to moderate winds and pleasant temperatures. Cindy Fisher's boat won with Doug Fisher and James Taylor alternating at the helm, while Team Pufff took second and Marty Schilke took third.

Bruce King dominated the Michiana Districts regatta with 19 boats in light air conditions on Lakes Lemon. King won with consistent sailing, while Vlastimil Kunc finished second overall and Champ Glover, the defending champion, took third.

Announcement for the 2005 One-Design Sailing Symposium in Annapolis on November 19-20, featuring 25+ presenters and various topics related to fleet building, growth, promotion, and sailing education.

Dane Winchester won his fourth Pacific Coast Championship at Yale Lake, Washington on July 16-17. Despite winning no individual races, his consistency secured first place. Terry Lettenmaier won four races but was hindered by a single poor result. Eighteen boats competed in seven races.

Lauren Berk led her team to victory at the intensive Jr. Bay Week championship regatta held at Put-In Bay, Ohio. Fifteen races across four days challenged junior sailors aged 13-18 with demanding race conditions and isolation from families and coaches.

Charlotte Bauer describes the junior team's experience competing in Lightning class boats at put-in-bay semifinals and eventually advancing to the finals in Newport Beach, California after the Detroit team could not attend.

Forty-three Thistles competed in the Atlantic Coast Championships at Cedar Point Yacht Club on July 16th in 13 knots with 2-foot waves. Mike Ingham won with consistent racing over four races, while Bruce King and Bill Wilson finished second and third.

A record 63 Thistles converged on Cleveland for the Great Lakes Championship on July 8th at Edgewater Yacht Club. Greg Griffin dominated with consistent scores to win the championship, while Paul Abdullah and Mike Ingham finished second and third.

The restoration and return of the historic wooden Thistle #1619 Windlassie, piloted by Charlie Steigerwald at the Great Lakes Championship. The boat inspired many sailors and Steigerwald's restoration work was celebrated as a gift to the class.

Craig Smith outlines his philosophy for growth and promotion in the Thistle Class, emphasizing that growth must occur at the fleet level through dedicated "spark plugs" who recruit new sailors and develop training programs.

Pat Brubaker reports on the 37-boat Pymatuning 4th of July Regatta with fickle winds and successful racing. Skip Dieball, Paul Abdullah, and Kyle Finefrock took the top three spots, reflecting a resurgence of the Thistle fleet at this traditional venue.

Mike McBride and George Little recount their journey to and experience at Pymatuning, detailing the scenic beauty of the lake, the welcoming community, and humorous anecdotes about the sailing and festivities over the July 4th weekend.

Jim Thornkins proposes that major regattas redirect trophy costs to junior sailing programs instead of hardware, offering nominal keepers and publishing winners in sailing magazines to promote the class.

Results of the Pacific Northwest Districts regatta at Flathead Lake, Montana with winners listed by placement.

John Duckworth requests submissions for the Bagpipe, offering guidance on photo selection, captions, article topics, and electronic submissions to improve the publication's quality and ease of editing.

Report on the second annual Solstice Regatta at Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle on June 11-12, with seven Thistles competing on the waters of Puget Sound in breezy conditions followed by lighter Sunday sailing.

A photo section featuring images of Thistles at rest and moored at Put-In Bay, Ohio, inviting readers to submit their favorite photos for publication.