October/November 2017

Outgoing President McBride thanks the dedicated Executive Committee members and class volunteers for their hard work over the past several years. He expresses gratitude for being able to serve the Thistle Class, which has been instrumental in his life.

Joy Martin describes outreach efforts to grow the Thistle Class, including an auction sailing event for a hospice community and a community sailing evening at Chautauqua with 11 teams volunteering. She encourages fleet members to share their growth and promotion efforts.

First VP Hudson reviews the year's accomplishments, including securing a 2018 Nationals venue at Cedar Point Yacht Club in Westport, Connecticut, and managing the award system. He discusses the challenge of finding suitable National Championship venues and honors the class history embodied in memorial trophies.

Meeting minutes from July 23, 2017 at Chautauqua Lake covering officer reports, membership trends, measurement issues, regatta logistics, and governance matters. Key discussions include declining membership, trophy condition, 2018 Nationals venue selection, and measurement variances.

Annual Meeting minutes from July 25, 2017 at Chautauqua Lake including officer reports, fleet charter revocations, amendment voting results, officer elections for 2018, and class governance decisions. Notable actions include revoking charters for 8 underperforming fleets.

Brent Barbehenn with Luke and Erin Miller won the 2017 New Jersey District Championship at Nockamixon Sail Club on June 10 with a 2-point victory over Craig Smith. Fifteen teams competed in excellent westerly wind conditions with fair windward-leeward courses.

Blair Dryden won the Central Southern Interdistricts at Grande Maumelle Sailing Club in Little Rock, Arkansas on July 15-16, 2017 with straight bullets. Twelve boats competed in improving conditions, and the regatta achieved Bronze Level Clean Regatta certification for environmental practices.

A comprehensive calendar of upcoming Thistle Class regattas and events from September through February 2018, including major events such as the Fontelieu Invitational, Icebreaker Regatta, Old Salty, and the upcoming 2018 Nationals.

Nancy Molitor describes Fleet #48 (Atlanta Yacht Club) 's successful "Rally" initiative led by Commodore Bryce Dryden to revitalize Thistle sailing by emphasizing fun over competitive intensity. By removing barriers to participation and focusing on social enjoyment, the fleet increased engagement from a typical monthly event to 73 people for a single Saturday lunch.

Tom Lawton details the dramatic 2017 Long Island Sound Districts at Nyack Boat Club on June 3-4, with challenging conditions including 20+ knot puffs and 60-degree wind shifts. Jared Ridder won with 14 points, with Tom Lawton finishing second and Charlie Kreitler third.

Nicole Shedden reports on the 2017 Great Lakes Championship at Edgewater Yacht Club in Cleveland on June 24-25, where 36 Thistles competed in challenging Lake Erie conditions with 12-15 knot winds on Saturday and 15-20+ knot gusts with rough chop on Sunday. Matt Fisher with Wayne Pignolet and Ian Moran won the regatta with 5 points.

Comprehensive coverage of the 2017 Thistle Nationals at Chautauqua Lake, July 22-28, featuring 87 teams in the National Championship, 12 teams in Women's Nationals, and 4 teams in Juniors. The event achieved Silver Level Clean Regatta certification, included coaching clinics, expert seminars, social events, and seven races with detailed race reports and full standings by division.

Advertisement for JibMaster jibsheet cleats and other sailing equipment, with product images and pricing information. Includes photos from the Nationals event.