December 2010/January 2011

Announcement that the North Thistle Team has added three champions to assist sailors. Mike Ingham (2010 National champion), Allan Terhune, and Nick Turney will be attending the Midwinters East & West regattas and are available for consultation.

The TCA President reflects on the off-season and recommends boat maintenance tasks to prepare for spring sailing. He suggests recording tuning numbers, addressing deferred repairs, and organizing boat preparation rather than raking leaves.

The Chief Measurer provides comprehensive advice for improving boat performance through systematic preparation. He covers boat selection, glass vs. wood construction, hardware maintenance, blade fairness, rigging setup, and mast preparation techniques.

The VP for Growth and Promotion discusses using online tools like websites, Facebook, and fleet pages to make Thistle Class information accessible to potential new sailors. Keeping fleet websites current with updated contact information and using social media can attract new members.

The Thistle Class is releasing historic 16mm film footage of National Championships from 1946-1969, converted to video and edited with titles and voice-over narration. These silent films document the early history of the class and will be posted on Vimeo for viewing and download.

Collection of advertisements for Thistle sailing products, services, and apparel including boat covers, rigging hardware, sail makers, insurance, and boat repair services.

A promotional article listing 14 compelling reasons to attend the 2011 Thistle National Championship at Pensacola Yacht Club. Reasons include excellent facilities, affordable housing, protected racing waters, Southern hospitality, and a full schedule of social activities.

A calendar of upcoming Thistle regattas and events for December 2010 through August 2011, including the Sunkist series, Midwinters East and West, and the National Championship.

Race report from the Old Salty Regatta held at Lake Norman Yacht Club in Mooresville, NC on October 2-3, 2010. Greg Griffin won with three first-place finishes, followed by Brad Russell in second and Scott McCormack in third.

A 2010 National champion provides practical racing tips including following tuning guides, ensuring boat systems work properly, practicing boat handling, warming up before races, managing mainsail leach angle, sailing the long tack, and prioritizing communication over aggressive tactics.

A detailed technical table showing the specifications of the top ten boats from the 2010 National Championship, including hull type, weight, rig details, and comments from skippers about tuning and technique.

A comprehensive memorial to Jack Bauer, a legendary Lake Erie skipper who passed away in early 2010 from ALS. The tribute documents his twelve district championships, national top-five finishes, and his decades of mentoring junior sailors at Cleveland Yacht Club.

Official Notice of Race for the 2011 Thistle Midwinters East regatta held March 5-11, 2011 at St. Petersburg Yacht Club. Includes rules, eligibility, entry fees, schedule, measurement procedures, courses, and scoring information.

Practical guide for storing Thistles outdoors during winter. The article explains how to build a protective tent using a mast, top cover, and tarp, and addresses methods to prevent moisture, pests, and UV damage to boats during the off-season.

A letter to the editor from Bob Slocomb recalling his history with the Thistle Class from the late 1940s and 1950s. Slocomb describes building early Thistles at Conesus Lake (Fleet #33) and his continued passion for sailing, noting that Thistle design has remained largely unchanged for over 70 years.

Promotional announcement for the 2011 Thistle Midwinters West regatta at Mission Bay Yacht Club in San Diego. The event is advertised as extremely affordable with humorously repetitive cost-related descriptors, occurring February 2-5, 2011.

Logistical and informational details for the 2011 Thistle Midwinters East regatta including check-in procedures, evening events, guest card information, parking options, and hotel accommodations in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Official entry form for the 2011 Thistle Midwinters East regatta with fields for skipper and crew information, boat registration, and fleet classification. Entry fees are $180 for US SAILING members and $210 for non-members.