April/May 2010

Mike Gillum reflects on racing both Midwinters West and East championships in 2010. He congratulates the winners, discusses strong wind conditions and several serious collisions, and emphasizes the importance of collision avoidance and staying within skill levels. The president also encourages boat owners to get their Thistles measured and looks forward to the TCA Nationals at North Cape Yacht Club.

Editor Kevin Arrow shares his recollections of meeting Jack Bauer at his nephew's wedding reception and learning about Jack's legacy as a mentor and teacher in the Thistle class. Jack passed away during Midwinters West on February 4th, 2010, and will be remembered for his significant contributions to the class and the many sailors he influenced.

Chief Measurer Chris Pollak reports on measurement activities over the past six months, including membership of the Measurement Committee, boat variance requests, spar and rigging failures, wooden rudder reinforcement with fiberglass, rudder measurement protocol issues, and sail measurement guidelines. He also discusses proposed changes to CMR 40 regarding wetting agents and seeks input on several technical matters.

Mike Poltorak describes a successful fleet-building event involving crew rotation and coaching to improve the skills of newer sailors and create camaraderie. He outlines the benefits of such activities for fleet growth and retention, including attracting new members, increasing competent crew availability, and improving sailing skills across all levels.

A detailed account of the 2010 Midwinters West regatta in San Diego, featuring 28 Thistles racing in challenging winter conditions. The article describes the pre-race activities, daily racing action, and weather patterns, with particular attention to dramatic moments like Karl Felger's quick repairs to fix a jib shackle problem and Craig Koschalk's eventual championship victory. The regatta included practice races, social events, and the inaugural Mount Gay Rum Night.

Collection of advertisements and classified listings from various vendors and service providers serving the Thistle class, including sails, boat covers, rigging equipment, custom apparel, insurance, and boat repair services.

Craig Smith explains the Thistle Class Association's launch of a Facebook fan page in fall 2009 to increase exposure and engagement with younger sailors. He describes how Facebook's media distribution and interactive capabilities complement the existing website and listserve, and addresses common questions about access, functionality, and the page's purpose as an enhancement rather than a replacement for existing communication channels.

Fleet 65 (Cowan Lake) reports on their annual meeting and announces that 9 of their 16 boats have committed to attending the 2010 Thistle Nationals, representing 56% fleet participation. The fleet also highlights the Michiana District Regatta Series challenge initiated by District Governor Martin James, which encourages skippers to participate in at least three regattas. The article describes Fleet 65's strong sense of community and culture of fun sailing.

Official minutes from the Thistle Class Association Governing Board meeting held in St. Petersburg, Florida on March 1, 2009. The meeting covers officer appointments, bylaw amendments regarding National Championship qualifications, Women's and Junior Nationals courses, Fleet 61's GPS tracking exemption request, amendments to the amendment process itself, and reports from various class officers including updates on measurement, sail specifications, and membership numbers.

Announcement of the winner of the "Snowmaged-Dan" photo contest, which invites members to submit photos of Thistles surviving the winter. Marlene Reasoner's photo of her husband Dan attempting to sail a snow-filled Thistle was selected as the winner and can be viewed on the TCA website and Facebook page.

Announcement for the Thistle Great Lakes Championship (also known as the Thistle Class National Championship) to be held July 10-11, 2010 at North Cape Yacht Club in conjunction with the Lightning Great Lakes Championship. The event features two race courses and a beach regatta party.

A brief article describing President Mike Gillum and Dave and Jennifer Keran's strategy of transporting Thistles via double-stacking to and from Midwinters East. The article notes their fuel efficiency experiment, with improved gas mileage on the return trip and plans to add a third boat for future events.

Complete race results from the Thistle Championship Fleet at Midwinters West 2010, showing nine races with final standings led by Craig Koschalk #3966 with 22.5 points total. The table documents performance across all races including DNSs (did not starts) and other scoring notations for all competing boats.

Race results for the Midwinters West Presidents Fleet and the Larry Klein Memorial Fleet Races and Match Races, showing detailed scoring across multiple race days and culminating results for both series.