Growing the Thistle Class Starts at the Local Level

Vice President Sutton discusses strategies for growing class membership at the local level rather than focusing solely on national events. He highlights successful programs from various fleets including fleet-owned boats, youth-focused regattas, lease-to-own programs, and integration with college sailing programs. Sutton emphasizes that sustainable growth requires intentional effort to attract new sailors to local clubs and create pathways to ownership.

This is a summary. The full article text is © the Thistle Class Association — read the original scan via the link above.

• growth
• fleet development
• grassroots
• youth sailing